  We develop a classical theoretical description for nonlinear many-body
dynamics that incorporates the back-action of a continuous measurement process.
The classical approach is compared with the exact quantum solution in an
example with an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential
where the atom numbers in both potential wells are monitored by light
scattering. In the classical description the back-action of the measurements
appears as diffusion of the relative phase of the condensates on each side of
the trap. When the measurements are frequent enough to resolve the system
dynamics, the system behaves classically. This happens even deep in the quantum
regime, and demonstrates how classical physics emerges from quantum mechanics
as a result of measurement back-action.
