An alternative foundation of quantum theory (original) (raw)

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An epistemic interpretation and foundation of quantum theory

arXiv (Cornell University), 2019

The interpretation of quantum mechanics has been discussed since this theme first was brought up by Einstein and Bohr. This article describes a proposal for a new foundation of quantum theory, partly drawing upon ideas from statistical inference theory. The approach can be said to have an intuitive basis: The quantum states of a physical system are under certain conditions in one-to-one correspondence with the following: 1) Focus on a concrete question to nature and then 2) give a definite answer to this question. This foundation implies an epistemic interpretation, depending upon the observer, but the objective world is restored when all observers agree on their observations on some variables. The article contains a survey of parts of the author's books on epistemic processes, which give more details about the theory. At the same time, the article extends some of the discussion in the books, and at places makes it more precise. For further development of interpretation issues, I need cooperation with interested physicists.

Epistemological and ontological aspects of quantum theory

arXiv (Cornell University), 2021

In this paper, epistemology and ontology of quantum states are discussed based on a completely new way of founding quantum theory. The fundamental notions are conceptual variables in the mind of an observer or in the joint minds of a group of observers. These conceptual variables are very often accessible, that is, it is possible to find values of the variables by doing experiments or by making measurements. An important notion is that of maximal accessibility. It is shown here that this new machinery may facilitate the discussion of when a specific quantum state can be given an ontological interpretation, and also the more speculative question whether all states can be given such an interpretation. The discussion here is general, and has implications for the basic problem of how one should look upon information from experiments and measurement, in particularly the question concerning when this information may reflect properties of the real world.

A new approach toward the quantum foundation and some consequences

Academia Quantum, 2024

A general theory based on six postulates is introduced. The basic notions are theoretical variables that are associated with an observer or with a group of communicating observers. These variables may be accessible or inaccessible. From these postulates, the ordinary formalism of quantum theory is derived. The mathematical derivations are not given in this article, but I refer to the recent articles. Three possible applications of the general theory can be given as follows: (1) the variables may be decision variables connected to the decisions of a person or a group of persons, (2) the variables may be statistical parameters or future data, and (3) most importantly, the variables are physical variables in some context. The last application gives a completely new foundation of quantum mechanics, a foundation which in my opinion is much easier to understand than ordinary formalism. So-called paradoxes like that of Schrödinger’s cat can be clarified under the theory. Explanations of the outcomes of David Bohm’s version of the EPR (Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen) experiment and the Bell experiment are provided. Finally, references to links toward relativity theory and quantum field theory are given. The concluding remarks point to further possible developments.

The quantum formulation derived from assumptions of epistemic processes

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2015

Motivated by Quantum Bayesianism I give background for a general epistemic approach to quantum mechanics, where complementarity and symmetry are the only essential features. A general definition of a symmetric epistemic setting is introduced, and for this setting the basic Hilbert space formalism is arrived at under certain technical assumptions. Other aspects of ordinary quantum mechanics will be developed from the same basis elsewhere.

A new approach towards quantum foundation and some consequences

Academia Quantum, 2024

A general theory based upon 6 postulates is introduced. The basical notions are theoretical variables that are associated with an observer or with a group of communicating observers. These variables may be accessible or inaccessible. From these postulates, the ordinary formalism of quantum theory are derived. The mathematical derivations are not given in this article, but I refer to the recent articles [9, 10]. Three possible applications of the general theory can be given; 1) The variables may decision variables connected to the decisions of a person or of a group of persons. 2) The variables may be statistical parameters or future data, But most importantly here: 3) The variables are physical variables in some context. This last application gives a completely new foundation of quantum mechanics, a foundation which in my opinion is much more easy to understand than the ordinary formalism. Socalled paradoxes like that of Schrödinger’s cat can be clarified under the theory. Explanations of the outcomes of David Bohm’s version of the EPR experiment and of the Bell experiment are provided. Finally, references to links towards relativity theory and to quantum field theory are given.

M ay 2 01 8 From Quantum Axiomatics to Quantum Conceptuality ∗

2018

Since its inception, many physicists have seen in quantum mechanics the possibility, if not the necessity, of bringing cognitive aspects into the play, which were instead absent, or unnoticed, in the previous classical theories. In this article, we outline the path that led us to support the hypothesis that our physical reality is fundamentally conceptual-like and cognitivisticlike. However, contrary to the ‘abstract ego hypothesis’ introduced by John von Neumann and further explored, in more recent times, by Henry Stapp, our approach does not rely on the measurement problem as expressing a possible ‘gap in physical causation’, which would point to a reality lying beyond the mind-matter distinction. On the contrary, in our approach the measurement problem is considered to be essentially solved, at least for what concerns the origin of quantum probabilities, which we have reasons to believe they would be epistemic. Our conclusion that conceptuality and cognition would be an integral ...

Quantum theory as a universal physical theory

International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 1985

The problem of setting up quantum theory as a universal physical theory is investigated. It is shown that the existing formalism, in either the conventional or the Everett interpretation, must be supplemented by an additional structure, the "interpretation basis." This is a preferred ordered orthonormal basis in the space of states. Quantum measurement theory is developed as a tool for determining the interpretation basis. The augmented quantum theory is discussed.

Towards a Constructive Foundation of Quantum Mechanics

Foundations of Physics

I describe a constructive foundation for Quantum Mechanics, based on the discreteness of the degrees of freedom of quantum objects and on the Principle of Relativity. Taking Einstein's historical construction of Special Relativity as a model, the construction is carried out in close contact with a simple quantum mechanical Gedanken experiment. This leads to the standard axioms of Quantum Mechanics. The quantum mechanical description is identified as a tool that allows describing objects with discrete degrees of freedom in space-time covariant with respect to coordinate transformations. An inherent property of this description is a quantum mechanical interaction mechanism. The construction gives detailed answers to controversial questions, such as the measurement problem, the informational content of the wave function, and the completeness of Quantum Mechanics.

Quantum Formalism: Brief Epistemological Considerations

2006

We argue about a conceptual approach to quantum formalism. Starting from philosophical conjectures (Platonism, Idealism and Realism) as basic ontic elements (namely: math world, data world, and state of matter), we will analyze the quantum superposition principle. This analysis bring us to demonstrate that the basic assumptions affect in different ways:(a) the general problem of the information and computability about a system, (b) the nature of the math tool utilized and (c) the correspondent physical reality.

From Quantum Axiomatics to Quantum Conceptuality

Activitas Nervosa Superior

Since its inception, many physicists have seen in quantum mechanics the possibility, if not the necessity, of bringing cognitive aspects into the play, which were instead absent, or unnoticed, in the previous classical theories. In this article, we outline the path that led us to support the hypothesis that our physical reality is fundamentally conceptual-like and cognitivisticlike. However, contrary to the 'abstract ego hypothesis' introduced by John von Neumann and further explored, in more recent times, by Henry Stapp, our approach does not rely on the measurement problem as expressing a possible 'gap in physical causation', which would point to a reality lying beyond the mind-matter distinction. On the contrary, in our approach the measurement problem is considered to be essentially solved, at least for what concerns the origin of quantum probabilities, which we have reasons to believe they would be epistemic. Our conclusion that conceptuality and cognition would be an integral part of all physical processes comes instead from the observation of the striking similarities between the non-spatial behavior of the quantum micro-physical entities and that of the human concepts. This gave birth to a * Submitted to a special issue of Activitas Nervosa Superior: Brain, Mind and Cognition, dedicated to Henry Stapp in honor of his 90th birthday. new interpretation of quantum mechanics, called the 'conceptualistic interpretation', currently under investigation within our group in Brussels.