A Critique and Experimental Test of Decoherence

Abstract

Decoherence posits that the classical world emerges as an “apparent” phenomenondue to environmental entanglement, with a latent superposition persisting in the systemenvironment state. We argue that this interpretation introduces unnecessary complexity,proposing instead that quantum collapse is ontologically real, driven by the attenuation ofnon-preferred basis states’ probability amplitudes to zero and the amplification of a preferredbasis to unity. This model rejects the notion of an “illusory” classical world, asserting thatobserved reality is concrete, aligning with common-sense intuition. To test this, we proposea photonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment to detect or rule out a latent superposition via post-measurement interference effects. A null interference result would supportour ontological collapse model, while recovered interference would favor decoherence. Weprovide mathematical formalisms, a detailed experimental protocol, and equipment specifications to challenge decoherence’s untested assumption of a latent superposition