A brief note on epistemic interpretations and the Kochen-Specker theorem

TL;DR

This paper explores how the Kochen-Specker theorem can be adapted to demonstrate limitations on maximally epistemic interpretations of quantum theory, building on recent no-go theorems and quantum contextuality proofs.

Contribution

It shows a new way to derive a no 'maximally epistemic' theorem from the Kochen-Specker theorem, extending the understanding of epistemic interpretations.

Findings

Kochen-Specker theorem can be used to limit epistemic interpretations

The derived theorem is more limited than previous no-go theorems

Connections between contextuality proofs and epistemic interpretations are clarified

Abstract

One of the recent no-go theorems on \Psi-epistemic interpretations of quantum proves that there are no 'maximally epistemic' interpretations of quantum theory. The proof utilises similar arrangements to Clifton's quantum contextuality proof and has parallels to Harrigan and Rudolph's quantum deficiency no-go theorem, itself based on the Kochen-Specker quantum contextuality proof. This paper shows how the Kochen-Specker theorem can also be turned into a no 'maximally epistemic' theorem, but of a more limited kind.