Revisiting Quantum Mysteries

TL;DR

This paper argues that in quantum mechanics, properties of systems are context-dependent and cannot be attributed to isolated systems, offering a perspective that clarifies many quantum physics issues.

Contribution

It introduces a viewpoint that emphasizes the contextual nature of quantum properties, challenging traditional notions of intrinsic attributes.

Findings

Properties like mass are intrinsic, but most properties depend on context.

The contextual approach clarifies quantum measurement and entanglement issues.

Supports a shift from intrinsic to relational property attribution in quantum theory.

Abstract

In this article we argue that in quantum mechanics, and in opposition to classical physics, it is impossible to say that an isolated quantum system "owns" a physical property. Some properties of the system, its mass for example, belong to it in a sense close to that of classical physics; but most often a property must be attributed to the system within a context. We give simple motivations for adopting this point of view, and show that it clarifies many issues in quantum physics.