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The tree of paradox


Federal Research Center A.V. Gaponov-Grekhov Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Ulyanova 46, Nizhny Novgorod, 603000, Russian Federation

The specific nature of the randomness arising when quantum subsystems interact (collide) is analyzed. It is shown that the Birkhoff–Khinchin ergodic theorem—the key theorem for classical statistics—or its analog is absent, in principle, in the quantum theory. Thus quantum probabilities cannot be defined within the ergodic concept. A metric definition of probability, based on von Neumann's theory of measurement, is proposed as a measure of comparison of a posteriori physical situation with the a priori situation. The workability of the adopted approach is demonstrated for random walk problems and the theory of thermal equilibrium.

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Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.1070/PU1993v036n08ABEH002302
PACS: 03.65.Ud, 03.65.Ta, 05.40.Fb (all)
DOI: 10.1070/PU1993v036n08ABEH002302
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1993/8/d/
Citation: Mityugov V V "The tree of paradox" Phys. Usp. 36 (8) 744–753 (1993)
BibTex BibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks
%0 Journal Article
%T The tree of paradox
%A V. V. Mityugov
%I Physics-Uspekhi
%D 1993
%J Phys. Usp.
%V 36
%N 8
%P 744-753
%U https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1993/8/d/
%U https://doi.org/10.1070/PU1993v036n08ABEH002302

Îðèãèíàë: Ìèòþãîâ Â Â «Äåðåâî ïàðàäîêñà» ÓÔÍ 163 (8) 103–114 (1993); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0163.199308d.0103

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