Preparation in Bohmian Mechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores how decoherence enables us to infer the wave function in Bohmian mechanics despite only observing particles, addressing a key interpretational challenge.

Contribution

It demonstrates that decoherence provides a solution to the problem of learning about the wave in Bohmian mechanics.

Findings

Decoherence allows inference of the wave function from particle observations.

The approach clarifies the role of decoherence in Bohmian predictions.

Provides a conceptual resolution to the measurement problem in Bohmian mechanics.

Abstract

According to Bohmian mechanics, we see the particle, not the pilot wave. But to make predictions we need to know the wave. How do we learn about the wave to make predictions, if we only see the particle? I show that the puzzle can be solved, but only thanks to decoherence.