Haunted quantum contextuality versus value indefiniteness - a minority report

TL;DR

This paper critically examines claims of quantum contextuality derived from measurement clicks, arguing that such claims are based on unwarranted assumptions and do not directly support the Kochen-Specker theorem.

Contribution

It clarifies the distinction between empirical claims and formal proofs in quantum contextuality, emphasizing the limitations of interpreting measurement outcomes as evidence.

Findings

Clicks do not support the Kochen-Specker theorem

Empirical evidence relies on strong assumptions like physical omniscience

Claims of quantum contextuality are not conclusively established by current experiments

Abstract

Physical entities are ultimately (re)constructed from elementary yes/no events, in particular clicks in detectors or measurement devices recording quanta. Recently, the interpretation of certain such clicks has given rise to unfounded claims which are neither necessary nor sufficient, although they are presented in that way. In particular, clicks can neither inductively support nor "(dis)prove" the Kochen-Specker theorem, which is a formal result that has a deductive proof by contradiction. More importantly, the alleged empirical evidence of quantum contextuality, which is "inferred" from violations of bounds of classical probabilities by quantum correlations, is based on highly nontrivial assumptions, in particular on physical omniscience.