Unreal observables
Roberts, B. W.
(2017).
Unreal observables.
Philosophy of Science,
84(5), 1265-1274.
https://doi.org/10.1086/694298
(2017).
Unreal observables.
Philosophy of Science,
84(5), 1265-1274.
https://doi.org/10.1086/694298
This note argues that quantum observables can include not just self-adjoint operators, but any member of the class of normal operators, including those with non-real eigenvalues. Concrete experiments, statistics, and symmetries are all expressed in this more general context. However, this more general class of observables also introduces a new restriction on which sets of operators can be interpreted as observables at once. These sets are referred to here as 'sharp sets