Hidden Variables and the Two Theorems of John Bell

TL;DR

This paper discusses Bell's two theorems related to hidden variables in quantum mechanics, presenting new simplified proofs and clarifying their conceptual connection.

Contribution

It introduces recent simplified versions of the Kochen-Specker theorem and links them to Bell's Theorem, enhancing understanding of their relationship.

Findings

New transparent proofs of the Kochen-Specker theorem

Conversion of one version into a form of Bell's Theorem

Clarification of the conceptual link between the two theorems

Abstract

Although skeptical of the prohibitive power of no-hidden-variables theorems, John Bell was himself responsible for the two most important ones. I describe some recent versions of the lesser known of the two (familar to experts as the "Kochen-Specker theorem") which have transparently simple proofs. One of the new versions can be converted without additional analysis into a powerful form of the very much better known "Bell's Theorem", thereby clarifying the conceptual link between these two results of Bell.