Bohmian Mechanics, specifically Bohm's Pilot Wave theory, supports counterfactual definiteness (CFD) without contradicting experimental results, as it does not assume locality. In contrast, Bell's theorem, which assumes both CFD and locality, leads to inequalities that have been violated in experiments by Aspect et al. This necessitates the rejection of either CFD or locality. Bohm's approach allows hidden variables to be global, contained within the pilot wave, thus maintaining CFD while discarding locality.
PREREQUISITESPhysicists, quantum mechanics researchers, and students interested in the philosophical implications of quantum theories, particularly those exploring the foundations of Bohmian Mechanics and counterfactual definiteness.
andrewkirk said:The term 'support counterfactual definiteness (CFD)' is a bit vague. Let's interpret it as meaning that, in that theory, no contradictions with experimental results are derived by assuming CFD.
Bohm's Pilot Wave theory can allow CFD without contradicting the experimental observations from Aspect et al, because it does not assume Locality. Bell's paper assumes CFD and Locality and derived inequalities that appear to have been violated by the Aspect et al experiments. So either CFD or Locality has to be discarded.
Bohm's theory discards Locality - by allowing the hidden variables to be global, rather than local to the particles in question (the information is contained in the pilot wave) - so it can keep CFD.