Reconstructing Bohr's Reply to EPR in Algebraic Quantum Theory

TL;DR

This paper generalizes a mathematical reconstruction of Bohr's reply to EPR, demonstrating its consistency with classicality and objectivity in both quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.

Contribution

It extends the previous consistency theorem to a broader framework applicable to algebraic quantum theory and clarifies the elements of reality in EPR states.

Findings

Generalized the consistency theorem to algebraic quantum theory

Provided elementary proof of the generalized theorem

Clarified elements of reality in EPR states

Abstract

Halvorson and Clifton have given a mathematical reconstruction of Bohr's reply to Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR), and argued that this reply is dictated by the two requirements of classicality and objectivity for the description of experimental data, by proving consistency between their objectivity requirement and a contextualized version of the EPR reality criterion which had been introduced by Howard in his earlier analysis of Bohr's reply. In the present paper, we generalize the above consistency theorem, with a rather elementary proof, to a general formulation of EPR states applicable to both non-relativistic quantum mechanics and algebraic quantum field theory; and we clarify the elements of reality in EPR states in terms of Bohr's requirements of classicality and objectivity, in a general formulation of algebraic quantum theory.