B Quantum Decoherence: What Happens to Other Outcomes?

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The discussion centers on the implications of quantum decoherence and its relationship to the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. It highlights that while decoherence provides a mathematical framework for understanding probabilities of outcomes, it does not explain how a single outcome is realized. Different interpretations of quantum mechanics offer varying answers to this question, but none have reached a consensus over the past century. Decoherence itself is a result of quantum mechanics' mathematical structure and is not tied to any specific interpretation. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes that entangled systems do not create duplicates; they simply reflect the joint states of the system rather than individual definite states.
Question69
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What happens to the other possible outcomes after decoherence has been finalized? Where do they go?
 
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Question69 said:
What happens to the other possible outcomes after decoherence has been finalized? Where do they go?
This is basically the measurement problem: The mathematical formalism gives us the probabilities of the various outcomes, but doesn't say anything about how we end up with a single outcome.

The answer will be different for different interpretations, and if any of the answers were completely satisfactory people wouldn't have argued about this for the past century.
 
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Nugatory said:
This is basically the measurement problem: The mathematical formalism gives us the probabilities of the various outcomes, but doesn't say anything about how we end up with a single outcome.

The answer will be different for different interpretations, and if any of the answers were completely satisfactory people wouldn't have argued about this for the past century.
right, but decoherence is mainly used in non-collapse foundations of QM no? So, if that's the case, since the unitary evolution is preserved, what happens to the other entangled superpositions?
 
Question69 said:
decoherence is mainly used in non-collapse foundations of QM no?
Decoherence is not part of any particular interpretation of QM. It's a consequence of the basic math of QM.
 
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PeterDonis said:
Decoherence is not part of any particular interpretation of QM. It's a consequence of the basic math of QM.
Yes, that's what I said what happens in the bare-bone version of this, not coupled with any other interpretation.
 
Question69 said:
what happens in the bare-bone version of this, not coupled with any other interpretation.
Decoherence.

There is no other answer if you want to stay independent of any interpretation. "Decoherence" is all the basic math of QM can tell you.
 
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Hmm, but still, what happens with the other entangled systems?
 
Question69 said:
what happens with the other entangled systems?
What "other entangled systems"? Entanglement does not duplicate systems. It just means the individual subsystems don't have definite states, only the joint entangled system does. There is still only one of each subsystem.
 
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