Events, States and Evolution in Quantum Mechanics

Jürg Fröhlich (ETH Zurich)

Jan 22. 2026, 16:25 — 17:15

In this talk I present a critical analysis of the notions of Events, States and Evolution in Quantum Mechanics. My analysis reveals a fundamental mechanism of dissipation in isolated open systems (systems of matter coupled to the quantized electromagnetic field). This mechanism is dubbed "Principle of Declining Potentialities" (PDP). When combined with a "State-Selection Postulate," PDP yields a precise law for the stochastic time-evolution of states of individual isolated open systems superseding Schrödinger evolution. This law yields a precise description of many phenomena, such as fluorescence, and a solution of the infamous "measurement problem." 

Further Information
Venue:
ESI Boltzmann Lecture Hall
Associated Event:
The World in One Line – Schrödinger’s Equation Turns 100 (Symposium)
Organizer(s):
Christoph Dellago (U of Vienna)
Wolfgang Reiter (U of Vienna)
Norbert Schuch (U of Vienna)
Jakob Yngvason (U of Vienna)