Observables, disassembled
Roberts, B. W.
(2018).
Observables, disassembled.
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics,
63, 150-162.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsb.2018.02.002
(2018).
Observables, disassembled.
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics,
63, 150-162.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsb.2018.02.002
How should we characterise the observable aspects of quantum theory? This paper argues that philosophers and physicists should jettison a standard dogma: that observables must be represented by self-adjoint or Hermitian operators. Four classes of non-standard observables are identified: normal operators, symmetric operators, real-spectrum operators, and none of these. The philosophical and physical implications of each are explored.