A Key problems in classical and quantum measurement

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The discussion highlights the fundamental issues surrounding measurement in both classical and quantum mechanics, emphasizing that quantum mechanics' reliance on measurement leads to conceptual confusion. Unlike classical mechanics, which operates independently of measurement, quantum mechanics presents measurement as a miraculous process that obscures the underlying complexities involved. The measurement problem is framed as a statistical mechanics issue, where understanding the correlations between subsystems is crucial for clarifying measurement results. Traditional interpretations of quantum mechanics are criticized for oversimplifying measurement, leading to the introduction of miraculous concepts like wave function collapse. Ultimately, a deeper exploration of measurement processes is necessary to resolve these foundational challenges in both fields.
  • #31
Prathyush said:
The well known problem of classical stability of the atom would apply.
Only if you model atoms as composite. But one can model atoms as point particles with effective interactions.

Prathyush said:
Its probably much easier to do if you work with hard potentials
Yes, but then it is not microscopic. The challenge in solving the quantum mechanical measurement problem also goes away if you don't model the detectors as multiparticle systems. Nothing worth doing remains once you take an apparatus as a black box with simplified laws - whether exact reflection classically or some form of collapse quantum mechanically. The foundational challenge is to show how these assumptions are compatible with an underlying microscopic dynamical law. The work by Allahverdyan, Balian and Nieuwenhuizen is relevant only if one is interested in taking up this challenge.

Prathyush said:
You can always construct a domino like effect, with a ball on top of a potential rolling down knocking out other which are heavier etc.
There are indeed papers that address this quantum mechanically, using multiparticle models. Doing the same with classical multiparticle models is an interesting challenge.
 

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