On the Concept of Quantum State Reduction: Inconsistency of the Orthodox View

The argument is re-examined that the program of deriving the rule of state reduction from the Schroedinger equation holding for the object-apparatus composite system falls into a vicious circle or an infinite regress called the von Neumann chain. It is shown that this argument suffers from a serious physical inconsistency concerning the causality between the reading of the outcome and the state reduction. A consistent argument which accomplishes the above program without falling into the circular argument is presented.