Bell’s “Theorem”: loopholes vs. conceptual flaws

Abstract

An historical overview and detailed explication of a critical analysis of what has become known as Bell's Theorem to the effect that, it should be impossible to extend Quantum Theory with the addition of local, real variables so as to obtain a version free of the ambiguous and preternatural features of the currently accepted interpretations is presented. The central point on which this critical analysis, due originally to Edwin Jaynes, is that Bell incorrectly applied probabilistic formulas involving conditional probabilities. In addition, mathematical technicalities that have complicated the understanding of the logical or mathematical setting in which current theory and experimentation are embedded, are discussed. Finally, some historical speculations on the sociological environment, in particular misleading aspects, in which recent generations of physicists lived and worked are mentioned.

Contextuality-by-Default Description of Bell Tests: Contextuality as the Rule and Not as an Exception

“…The violation of Bell-type inequalities is due to the contextuality of quantum observables and to context dependent protocols needed to establish coupling between outcomes of distant measurements. It has nothing to do with quantumnonlocality [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 ].…”

“…Nevertheless, speculations about quantum nonlocality and quantum magic are still quite frequent in blogs, books, and scientific papers. Such unfounded speculations are not only motivated by the violation of Bell inequalities but also by incorrect interpretations of quantum mechanics, as it was clearly explained in several recent papers [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 ].…”

The Hidden Loopholes Undermining Photonic Quantum Nonlocality: Quantum Rayleigh Scattering and Time-Dependent Multi-Photon Pure States of Independent Photons

“…Overall, the citation of the 2022 Nobel Prize Committee is incomplete and misleading, and its reconsideration will be appropriate, in view of the well-documented shortcomings of the Bell inequalities as far back as 1980, e.g., [28].…”

The Hidden Loopholes Undermining Photonic Quantum Nonlocality: Quantum Rayleigh Scattering and Time-Dependent Multi-photon Pure States of Independent Photons

“…This discrepancy is part of the disconnect between theory and measurement. The possibility of achieving strong correlations with independent photons has, once again, demonstrated experimentally recently [29].…”