The logic of the future in quantum theory

Synthese 194 (11):4429-4453 (2017)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

According to quantum mechanics, statements about the future made by sentient beings like us are, in general, neither true nor false; they must satisfy a many-valued logic. I propose that the truth value of such a statement should be identified with the probability that the event it describes will occur. After reviewing the history of related ideas in logic, I argue that it gives an understanding of probability which is particularly satisfactory for use in quantum mechanics. I construct a lattice of future-tense propositions, with truth values in the interval [0, 1], and derive logical properties of these truth values given by the usual quantum-mechanical formula for the probability of a history.

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 101,139

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Analytics

Added to PP
2016-07-10

Downloads
73 (#288,155)

6 months
19 (#154,774)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

Hyperintensionality and Normativity.Federico L. G. Faroldi - 2019 - Cham, Switzerland: Springer Verlag.
Relational Passage of Time.Matias Slavov - 2022 - New York: Routledge.
Eternalism.Matias Slavov - 2024 - The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Add more citations

References found in this work

The theory of probability.Hans Reichenbach - 1949 - Berkeley,: University of California Press.
The view from nowhere.Thomas Nagel - 1986 - Revue Philosophique de la France Et de l'Etranger 178 (2):221-222.
A Primer of Probability Logic.Ernest Wilcox Adams - 1996 - Center for the Study of Language and Inf.
Many-valued logic.Nicholas Rescher - 1969 - New York,: McGraw-Hill.

View all 19 references / Add more references