Kochen-Specker Theorem

Abstract

The Kochen-Specker theorem is an important and subtle, topic in thefoundations of quantum mechanics (QM). The theorem demonstrates theimpossibility of a certain type of interpretation of QM in terms ofhidden variables (HV) that naturally suggests itself when one beginsto consider the project of interpretating QM.We here present thetheorem/argument and the foundational discussion surrounding it atdifferent levels. The reader looking for a quick overview should readthe following sections and subsections: 1, 2, 3.1, 3.2, 4, and6. Those who read the whole entry will find proofs of some non-trivialclaims in supplementary documents., (KS1) All y members of M simultaneously have values,i.e. are unambiguously mapped onto real numbers (designated, forobservables A, B, C, …, byv(A), v(B),v(C), …)., (b) if A, B, C are all compatible andC = A·B, then v(C)= v(A)·v(B)., Value Definiteness (VD): All observables definedfor a QM system have definite values at all times., Copyright © 2013 byCarsten Held, View this site from another server:,