X-Message-Number: 8297 From: "Peter C. McCluskey" <> Date: Sun, 8 Jun 1997 20:50:57 -0700 Subject: QM, omega point, etc. References: <> >From: "Perry E. Metzger" <> >Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to me that Bell's Theorem >makes hidden variable theories impossible. You are wrong. To quote Huw Price (in Time's Arrow, p. 216): Bell's Theorem establishes that in order to explain what quantum mechanics predicts about EPR cases, a hidden variable theory would need to be nonlocal. ... Morover, since complete description views also seem to embody nonlocality, it can hardly be held up as a decisive objection to the hidden variable approach. The right conclusion seems to be that to the extent that nonlocality is a defect, both views are equally at fault; while to the extent that it is not a defect, Bell's Theorem does nothing to undermine the hidden variable approach. If the case against hidden variables is any stronger than this, it must rest on the claim that nonlocality is more problematic for Einstein's hidden variable approach than for its Copenhagen opponents. It is difficult to see why this should be so. No doubt it is true that those on Einstein's side of the debate have been more troubled by nonlocality than their opponents, but I think this is only because the Copenhagen view has tended to be protected by the comfortable cushion of obscurity which surrounds its commitments concerning the nature of reality. (Price has a very interesting argument that if we just assume that at the quantum level an interaction between 2 particles causes them to be correlated before the interaction as well as after (i.e. don't assume causality is temporaly assymetric), then there isn't anything surprising about things like Bell's Theorem). Note also that John Bell never abandonded hidden variable theories after demonstrating his theorem. He favored Bohm's interpretation. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Peter McCluskey | | "Don't blame me. I voted | http://www.rahul.net/pcm | for Kodos." - Homer Simpson | http://www.quote.com | Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8297