Physical quantum states and the meaning of probability

Michel Paty (1)

1 REHSEIS (UMR_7596) - Recherches Epistémologiques et Historiques sur les Sciences Exactes et les Institutions Scientifiques

We investigate epistemologically the meaning of probability as implied in quantum physics in connection with a proposed direct interpretation of the state function and of the related quantum theoretical quantities in terms of physical systems having physical properties, through an extension of meaning of the notion of physical quantity to complex mathematical expressions not reductible to simple numerical values. We show how the changes occurred in the implication of probabilities in quantum physics, from a penetration tool (probability as statistics and frequencies of occurencies of events) to a theoretical concept (probability given by a physically aimed at «amplitude of probability») actually make this view a somewhat «natural» one.

Mots clés: Einstein; probability; physics

Domaines: Histoire, Philosophie et Sociologie des sciences; Histoire de la Physique [physics.hist-ph]

Michel Paty. Physical quantum states and the meaning of probability. Galavotti, Maria Carla, Suppes, Patrick and Costantini, Domenico. Stochastic Causality, CSLI Publications (Center for Studies on Language and Information), Stanford (Ca, USA), p. 235-255, 2001. ⟨halshs-00187887⟩