The problem of Collapse as a consequence of the erroneous von Neumann axiom

[Jiri Soucek]

The von Neumann axiom (“an ensemble in the pure state is homogeneous”) implies that a wavefunction can be associated with the individual system (but not only with an ensemble as was stated by Einstein). This implies that this individual state must collapse to some eigenstate. If the anti-von Neumann axiom is accepted then the wavefunction is associated (in general) with an ensemble and the collapse is realized as a selection process creating a subensemble. This means that Collapse can be understood as a mental process of the choice of an subensemble (this mental process can be, of course, nonlocal). The details of this description can be found in papers attached to this note which develop modified Quantum Mechanics based on the anti-von Neumann axiom. In the first paper also the local explanation of EPR correlations is given.

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