Past exam of the short options paper shared by Prelims and Parts A and B of the physics course of the University of Oxford / 2018 / S18 / 3 / a / ii

If $Av=\lambda v$ for $A={\alpha }_i$ or $\beta$, then $A^2=I$ implies ${\lambda }^2=1$. The polynomial $x^2-1$ has distinct roots, so such a matrix is diagonalizable andAnticommutation with another invertible Dirac matrix maps a $+1$ eigenspace to a $-1$ eigenspace, so both signs occur with equal multiplicities in a nontrivial representation. A Hermitian operator is appropriate for the physical Hamiltonian and additionally guarantees an orthonormal eigenbasis.