Renato Renner | A thought experiment to test the range of validity of quantum theory

Speaker: Renato Renner
Date: March 1, 2021
Affiliation: ETH Zurich
Title: A thought experiment to test the range of validity of quantum theory
Abstract: Quantum theory is one of our most accurate theories ever when it comes to the description of small systems. It is therefore often assumed that the theory can equally well be applied to large objects, sometimes even astronomical ones like black holes. In this talk I will present a thought experiment that indicates that the range of validity of (current) quantum theory may be limited. It shows that contradictions can arise when quantum theory is used to describe a system that is complex enough so that it could itself contain users of quantum theory. (The talk is based on work with Daniela Frauchiger and Nuriya Nurgalieva.)