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Title: A global equilibrium as the foundation of quantum randomness

Journal Article · · Foundations of Physics; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01883806· OSTI ID:6076162
; ;  [1]
  1. Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States)

The authors analyze the origin of quantum randomness within the framework of a completely deterministic theory of particle motion-Bohmian mechanics. It is shown that a universe governed by this mechanics evolves in such a way as to give rise to the appearance of randomness, with empirical distributions in agreement with the predictions of the quantum formalism. Crucial ingredients in this analysis are the concept of the effective wave function of a subsystem and that of a random system. The latter is a notion of interest in its own right and is relevant to any discussion of the role of probability in a deterministic universe. 15 refs.

OSTI ID:
6076162
Journal Information:
Foundations of Physics; (United States), Vol. 23:5; ISSN 0015-9018
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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