THE HATSOPOULOS–GYFTOPOULOS RESOLUTION OF THE SCHRÖDINGER–PARK PARADOX ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF "STATE" IN QUANTUM STATISTICAL MECHANICS

Abstract

A seldom recognized fundamental difficulty undermines the concept of individual "state" in the present formulations of quantum statistical mechanics (and in its quantum information theory interpretation as well). The difficulty is an unavoidable consequence of an almost forgotten corollary proved by Schrödinger in 1936 and perused by Park, Am. J. Phys.36, 211 (1968). To resolve it, we must either reject as unsound the concept of state, or else undertake a serious reformulation of quantum theory and the role of statistics. We restate the difficulty and discuss a possible resolution proposed in 1976 by Hatsopoulos and Gyftopoulos, Found. Phys.6, 15; 127; 439; 561 (1976).