The Quantum Theory of Measurement

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIII

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2. General Introduction

   • Paul Busch, Pekka J. Lahti, Peter Mittelstaedt

   Pages 1-7

3. Basic Features of Quantum Mechanics

   • Paul Busch, Pekka J. Lahti, Peter Mittelstaedt

   Pages 8-26

4. The Quantum Theory of Measurement

   • Paul Busch, Pekka J. Lahti, Peter Mittelstaedt

   Pages 27-98

5. Objectification and Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics

   • Paul Busch, Pekka J. Lahti, Peter Mittelstaedt

   Pages 99-137

6. Concluding Discussion

   • Paul Busch, Pekka J. Lahti, Peter Mittelstaedt

   Pages 138-143

7. Back Matter

   Pages 144-165

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The present treatise is concerned with the quantum mechanical theory of measurement. Since the development of quantum theory in the 1920s the measuring process has been considered a very important problem. A large number of articles have accordingly been devoted to this subject. In this way the quantum mechanical measurement problem has been a source of inspiration for physical, mathematical and philo­ sophical investigations into the foundations of quantum theory, which has had an impact on a great variety of research fields, ranging from the physics of macroscopic systems to probability theory and algebra. Moreover, while many steps forward have been made and much insight has been gained on the road towards a solution of the measurement problem, left open nonetheless are important questions, which have in­ duced several interesting developments. Hence even today it cannot be said that the measurement process has lost its topicality and excite­ ment. Moreover, research in this field has made contact with current advances in high technology, which provide new possibilities for per­ forming former Gedanken experiments. For these reasons we felt that the time had come to develop a systematic exposition of the quantum theory of measurement which might serve as a basis and reference for future research into the foundations of quantum mechanics. But there are other sources of motivation which led us to make this effort. First of all, in spite of the many contributions to measurement theory there is still no generally accepted approach.

• algebra
• development
• experiment
• fields
• mechanics
• physics
• quantum mechanics
• quantum theory
• solution

• Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität zu Köln, Köln 41, Germany

  Paul Busch, Peter Mittelstaedt

• Department of Physics, University of Turku, Finland

  Pekka J. Lahti

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