It is a fundamental quantum doctrine that a measurement does not, in general, reveal a pre-existing value of the measured property. On the contrary, the outcome of a measurement is brought into being by the act of measurement itself, a joint manifestation of the state of the probed system and the probing apparatus. Precisely how the particular result of an individual measurement is brought into being-Heisenberg's "transition from the possible to the actual"-is inherently unknowable. Only the statistical distribution of many such encounters is a proper matter for scientific inquiry. (David Mermin)

It is a fundamental quantum doctrine that a measurement does not, in general, reveal a pre-existing value of the measured property. On the contrary, the outcome of a measurement is brought into being by the act of measurement itself, a joint manifestation of the state of the probed system and the probing apparatus. Precisely how the particular result of an individual measurement is brought into being-Heisenberg's "transition from the possible to the actual"-is inherently unknowable. Only the statistical distribution of many such encounters is a proper matter for scientific inquiry.

David Mermin

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act actual apparatus contrary distribution doctrine fundamental general individual inquiry joint manifestation matter measurement outcome particular possible probing proper property quantum result reveal state system transition value unknowable

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