Skip to main content
Log in

On the intuitive understanding of nonlocality as implied by quantum theory

  • Published:
Foundations of Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We bring out the fact that the essential new quality implied by the quantum theory is nonlocality; i.e., that a system cannot be analyzed into parts whose basic properties do not depend on the state of the whole system. This is done in terms of the causal interpretation of the quantum theory, proposed by one of us (D.B.) in 2952, involving the introduction of the “quantum potential.” We show that this approach implies a new universal type of description, in which the standard or canonical form is always supersystem-system-subsystem; and this leads to the radically new notion of unbroken wholeness of the entire universe. Finally, we discuss some of the implications of extending these notions to the relativity domain, and in so doing, we indicate a novel concept of time, in terms of which relativity and quantum theory may eventually be brought together.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. Einstein, B. Podolsky, and N. Rosen,Phys. Rev. 47, 777 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  2. E. Schrödinger,Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 31, 555 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  3. J. S. Bell,Physics 1, 195 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  4. S. J. Freedman and J. F. Clauser,Phys. Rev. Lett. 28, 938 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  5. N. Bohr,Atomic Theory and the Description of Nature (Cambridge University Press, 1934);Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge (Wiley, New York, 1958).

  6. J. M. Jauch and C. Piron,Helv. Phys. Acta 42, 842 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  7. D. Finkelstein,Phys. Rev. 184, 1261 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  8. D. Bohm,Phys. Rev. 85, 166, 180 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  9. D. Bohm and J.-P. Vigier,Phys. Rev. 96, 208 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  10. F. W. Vinen,Rep. Progr. Phys. 31, 61 (1968); see also H. A. Mook, R. Scherm, and M. K. Wilkinson,Phys. Rev. A 6, 2268 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  11. D. Bohm,Found. Phys. 1, 359 (1971);Found. Phys. 3, 139 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  12. D. Bohm, B. J. Hiley, and A. E. G. Stuart,Int. J. Theoret. Phys. 3, 171 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bohm, D.J., Hiley, B.J. On the intuitive understanding of nonlocality as implied by quantum theory. Found Phys 5, 93–109 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01100319

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01100319

Keywords

Navigation