Peculiarities of Quantum Mechanics: Origins and Meaning

The most peculiar, specifically quantum, features of quantum mechanics --- quantum nonlocality, indeterminism, interference of probabilities, quantization, wave function collapse during measurement --- are explained on a logical-geometrical basis. It is shown that truths of logical statements about numerical values of quantum observables are quantum observables themselves and are represented in quantum mechanics by density matrices of pure states. Structurally, quantum mechanics is a result of applying non-Abelian symmetries to truth operators and their eigenvectors --- wave functions. Wave functions contain information about conditional truths of all possible logical statements about physical observables and their correlations in a given physical system. These correlations are logical, hence nonlocal, and exist when the system is not observed. We analyze the physical conditions and logical and decision-making operations involved in the phenomena of wave function collapse and unpredictability of the results of measurements. Consistent explanations of the Stern-Gerlach and EPR-Bohm experiments are presented."Comment: 51 pages. LaTeX document with 4 EPS figures. A 5th figure(figure 2) can be obtained from http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/1996/CLNS96-1399/1399-fig2.gi