Epistemic vs Ontic Classi cation of quantum entangled states?

Michele Caponigro and Enrico Giannetto, University of Bergamo

In this brief paper, starting from recent works, we analyze from a conceptual point of view this basic question: can the nature of quantum entangled states be interpreted ontologically or epistemologically? According to some works, the degrees of freedom (and the tool of quantum partitions) of quantum systems permit us to establish a possible classi cation between factorizable and entangled states. We suggest, that the “choice” of degree of freedom (or quantum partitions), even if mathematically justi ed introduces an epistemic element, not only in the systems but also in their classi cation. We retain, instead, that there are not two classes of quantum states, entangled and factorizable, but only a single class of states: the entangled states. In fact, the factorizable states become entangled for a di erent choice of their degrees of freedom (i.e. they are entangled with respect to other observables). In the same way, there are no partitions of quantum systems which have an ontologically superior status with respect to any other. For all these reasons, both mathematical tools utilize(i.e quantum partitions or degrees of freedom) are responsible for creating an improper classi cation of quantum systems. Finally, we argue that we cannot speak about a classi cation of quantum systems: all quantum states exhibit a uniquely objective nature, they are all entangled states. Full text

 

Article written by