Quantum violations of joint reality

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new criterion for joint reality in quantum mechanics, showing that quantum theory generally prevents non-commuting observables from sharing joint elements of reality, and explores implications for quantum interpretation.

Contribution

It proposes a novel criterion for joint reality, quantifies its violation, and discusses implications for quantum incompatibility and correlations.

Findings

Quantum mechanics generally prevents non-commuting observables from having joint elements of reality.

A measure of violation of the joint reality criterion is introduced and analyzed.

Results suggest new ways of interpreting quantum phenomena.

Abstract

With basis on (i) the physical principle of local causality and (ii) a certain notion of elements of reality, Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) put forward an argument showing that physical instances may exist in which two non-commuting observables can be joint elements of the physical reality. Here, we introduce a new criterion of joint reality. We demonstrate that, according to this criterion, quantum mechanics generally prevents non-commuting observables from having joint elements of reality. joint elements of reality. In addition, we introduce a measure to quantify the extent to which the criterion is violated and explore the implications of such a measure in connection with incompatibility and correlations. Our findings suggest new manners of interpreting quantum phenomena.