Theory and Background

Abstract

SINCE its inception in the beginning of the 20th century, quantum mechanics has been subject to continuous discussion and controversy. In this chapter, we will give both a historical and technical overview of some particular aspect of this controversy, namely, the possibility of completing quantum mechanics with so-called hidden variables. In particular, we will focus on ‘no-go’ theorems, which may be used to put empirical limits on any possible completions. We will gradually work our way towards the Kochen-Specker theorem and examine the question of its experimental testability.