Quantum Indistinguishability through Exchangeable Desirable Gambles

Two particles are identical if all their intrinsic properties, such as spin and charge, are the same, meaning that no quantum experiment can distinguish them. In addition to the well known principles of quantum mechanics, understanding systems of identical particles requires a new postulate, the so called symmetrization postulate. In this work, we show that the postulate corresponds to exchangeability assessments for sets of observables (gambles) in a quantum experiment, when quantum mechanics is seen as a normative and algorithmic theory guiding an agent to assess her subjective beliefs represented as (coherent) sets of gambles. Finally, we show how sets of exchangeable observables (gambles) may be updated after a measurement and discuss the issue of defining entanglement for indistinguishable particle systems.

Automated summary

Understanding systems of identical particles requires the symmetrization postulate and updating exchangeable observables through exchangeability assessments. Quantum mechanics can be seen as a normative and algorithmic theory that guides an agent to assess their subjective beliefs.