Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site umich.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!mb2c!umich!torek
From: torek@umich.UUCP (Paul V. Torek )
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: The Revenge of Probabilism in QM
Message-ID: <426@umich.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Jan-86 03:16:28 EST
Article-I.D.: umich.426
Posted: Tue Jan 28 03:16:28 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Jan-86 04:46:36 EST
References: <425@umich.UUCP>
Reply-To: torek@zippy.UUCP (Paul V. Torek )
Distribution: net
Organization: University of Michigan, EECS Dept., Ann Arbor, MI
Lines: 27
Summary: Whoops! Goofed and sent half an article, here's the rest


	"... This `propensiton' version of QT can in principle reproduce
all the empirical success of orthodox QT. ... [but/and] propensiton QT
differs empirically from orthodox QT, in principle and perhaps in practice.
This is because of the fact that propensiton QT asserts that probabilistic
events occur even in the absence of measurement, whereas orthodox QT denies
this.  In particular, the two versions of QT ought to be empirically 
distinguishable by means of experiments performed on decaying systems, such
as radioactive nuclei, of the kind discussed by Fonda et. al. (1978). ...
The two version of QT predict the same rate of decay, in the absence of
measurement, if and only if the decay rate is exponential.  For short and
long times, QT predicts departure from exponential rates of decay (in the
absence of measurement).  Thus there is here a basis -- certainly in
principle, and perhaps in practice -- for crucial experiments designed to
decide between orthodox and propensiton versions of QT.  (For further
details concerning the points of this paragraph, see Maxwell 1976a,
1982, 1984, chap. 10; and Fonda et. al. 1978.)"

Fonda, L.; Ghirardi, G. C.; and Rimini, A. (1978) "Decay theory of unstable
	quantum systems", *Reports on Progress in Physics* 41: 587-631.
Maxwell, N. (1976a), "Towards a Micro Realistic Version of Quantum Mechanics",
	*Foundations of Physics* 6: 275-92, 661-76.
----------. (1982), "Instead of Particles and Fields: A Micro Realistic
	Quantum `Smearon' Theory", *Foundations of Physics* 12: 607-31.
----------. (1984), *From Knowledge to Wisdom*.  Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

[This message brought to you by Paul V. Torek			torek@umich]