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Bohr Adapted James the Psychologist's, "Complementarity" for Measurement in Quantum Mechanics: James's works for QM, Bohr's Does Not

POSTER

Abstract



Bohr borrowed the idea of complementarity from William James, the first American psychologist.  To James's concept, Bohr added the necessity of a physical interaction with an uncontrollable aspect between a physical measuring apparatus and a physical system in measurement. In a null measurement, there is no such physical interaction.  In a positive measurement where there is a physical interaction between the physical system and a physical measuring apparatus, this physical interaction that results in a measurement relies on a logical deduction without any physical basis.  A similar logical deduction underlies a null measurement. James's complementarity can be applied to quantum mechanics since it based on knowledge, e.g., this logical deduction.

Presenters

  • Douglas M Snyder

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Authors

  • Douglas M Snyder

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