Local causality in the works of Einstein, Bohm and Bell

TL;DR

This paper explores the concepts of local causality, nonlocality, and beables in the context of Einstein, Bohm, and Bell's work, clarifying misconceptions and emphasizing the theorems' implications for quantum mechanics.

Contribution

It reformulates EPR and Bell theorems as strong nonlocality results applicable to quantum mechanics itself, including wave functions as beables, beyond hidden-variable theories.

Findings

EPR and Bell theorems are strong nonlocality theorems for quantum mechanics.

Beables include wave functions, not just hidden variables.

Clarifies that realism, determinism, and counterfactual definiteness are not prerequisites.

Abstract

In this chapter we discuss the Einstein Podolsky Rosen theorem and its strong relation with Bell's theorem. The central role played by the concept of beable introduced by Bell is emphasized. In particular we stress that beables involved in EPR and Bell theorems are not limited to hidden supplementary variables (e.g., like in the de Broglie-Bohm (dBB) pilot-wave theory) but also include the wave function. In full agreement with Bell this allows us the reformulate the EPR and Bell results as strong theorems concerning nonlocality for quantum mechanics itself and not only for hidden-variables approaches as it is often mistakenly assumed. Furthermore, we clarify some repeated ambiguities concerning `local-realism' and emphasize that neither realism nor determinism nor counterfactual definiteness are prerequisites of EPR and Bell theorems.