This post points out a little-known but powerful and important argument from Joe Henson regarding a proposed interpretation of quantum theory known as "Qbism". Qbism is currently advocated primarily by Fuchs, Mermin, and Schack. Henson's argument discloses a crucial fallacy in Qbism's claim to demonstrate that quantum mechanics is a local theory, where a 'local' … Continue reading Why “making sense of quantum theory” by denying that theories are about the world does not really work →

via A quantum myth for our times

A talk given at the University of Buenos Aires in June 2017 on the difference between classical systems and quantum ones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvXYmB2qj88&feature=youtu.be   (Note: Some of the slides were missing text here and there due to a compatibility issue; the correct version is provided here: Baires 2017 slides)

This is a preprint version of this paper: AIP Conference Proceedings 1841, 020002 (2017) R. E. Kastner Abstract. Time-symmetric interpretations of quantum theory are often presented as featuring "retrocausal" effects in addition to the usual forward notion of causation. This paper examines the ontological implications of certain time- symmetric theories, and finds that no dynamical notion … Continue reading Is There Really “Retrocausation” in Time-Symmetric Approaches to Quantum Mechanics? →

I recently co-authored a paper with Transactional Interpretation (TI) originator John G. Cramer, which derives the Born Rule (quantum probability rule) for radiative processes (emission and absorption) in a simple and transparent way, based on the Wheeler-Feynman-Davies'absorber' theory of radiation. It also shows that absorption is indeed perfectly well-defined in TI (contrary to skeptical claims … Continue reading Paper with John Cramer on Absorption in TI →

Tom Siegfried, Editor-at-Large and Blogger for Science News, on my recent paper with Stuart Kauffman and Michael Epperson: https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/context/quantum-mysteries-dissolve-if-possibilities-are-realities

In a nutshell, the measurement problem (MP) is this: given an interaction among quantum systems (such as an unstable atom, atoms comprising a Geiger Counter, atoms comprising a vial of gas, a cat, a friend of Wigner, etc.), which of those interactions constitutes ‘measurement,’ and why? During the past several decades, worries about the MP … Continue reading On the Status of the Measurement Problem: Recalling the Relativistic Transactional Interpretation →

http://radicalsciencenews.org/possibilist-transactional-interpetation-quantum-mechanics/#comment-6622 Regarding the Maudlin experiment, this is now nullified by the relativistic developments in PTI: https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.04609

As living creatures on this planet, we go through our daily lives dealing with the unexpected (whether welcome or unwelcome), the surprising, the awkward, the astonishing, the frustrating. Even if we are able to 'go on a vacation' to try to escape from all the chaos, we never really leave it behind. (Is there ever … Continue reading Life Creates Disequilibrium–But How? →

Let me begin by stating up front: I do not claim to know whether we do or do not have free will. We may have free will, or we may not. The only strong claim I wish to make here is the following: if we do not have free will, it is not for the … Continue reading The Serious Flaws In the Popular Dismissal of Free Will →