Recasting Schr\"odinger's Cat Thought Experiment as a Remote Measurement Problem

TL;DR

This paper reinterprets Schr"odinger's cat thought experiment as a remote measurement problem within a Bayesian framework, emphasizing belief updates of spatially separated agents sharing a quantum state.

Contribution

It introduces a novel perspective by framing the experiment as a remote measurement problem using Bayesian probability, enhancing educational understanding of quantum theory.

Findings

Beliefs of agents are updated through local measurements.

Reinterpretation as a generalization of classical probability.

Educational perspective for quantum theory learners.

Abstract

With 2025 being declared the Year of Quantum Science and Technology, our contribution seeks to provide a fresh perspective on Schr\"odinger's cat thought experiment. We reinterpret this experiment by viewing it through the lens of quantum theory as a generalisation of classical probability, rooted in a Bayesian subjectivist framework. In this revised approach, we treat the experiment as a remote measurement problem. Specifically, we explore how the beliefs of two agents, Alice and Bob, who are spatially separated yet share a quantum state, are updated when local measurements are conducted on their respective systems. Through this reinterpretation of the well-known experiment, we also aim to offer an educational perspective that will be beneficial for young scientists interested in the field of quantum theory.