Can quantum mechanics be considered as statistical? an analysis of the PBR theorem

TL;DR

This paper argues that quantum mechanics can be viewed as a statistical theory, challenging the PBR theorem's implications against the epistemic interpretation by analyzing and contesting their no-go result.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis of the PBR theorem, demonstrating that the epistemic view of quantum states remains viable contrary to previous claims.

Findings

The PBR theorem does not conclusively disprove the epistemic interpretation.

Quantum mechanics can be consistent with a statistical, epistemic perspective.

The paper offers a reinterpretation of the PBR result to support the epistemic view.

Abstract

The answer to this question is `yes it can!' as we will see in this manuscript. More, precisely after a discussion of M. F. Pusey, J. Barrett and T. Rudolph (PBR) result (arXiv:1111.3328) we will show that contrarily to the PBR claim the epistemic approach is in general not disproved by their `no-go' theorem.