This is a list of this week’s papers on quantum foundations published in various journals or uploaded to preprint servers such as arxiv.org and PhilSci Archive.
Interpretation Neutrality in the Classical Domain of Quantum Theory
PhilSci-Archive: No conditions. Results ordered -Date Deposited.
on 2015-10-15 11:55pm GMT
Rosaler, Joshua (2015) Interpretation Neutrality in the Classical Domain of Quantum Theory. [Preprint]
on 2015-10-15 2:00pm GMT
Author(s): Václav Potoček, Filippo M. Miatto, Mohammad Mirhosseini, Omar S. Magaña-Loaiza, Andreas C. Liapis, Daniel K. L. Oi, Robert W. Boyd, and John Jeffers
An optical experiment realizes one of the room-changing operations in the Hilbert Hotel—a fictitious establishment that illustrates some perplexing properties of infinity.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 160505] Published Thu Oct 15, 2015
What is dimensional reduction really telling us?. (arXiv:1509.07665v2 [hep-th] UPDATED)
on 2015-10-13 1:51am GMT
Authors: Daniel Coumbe
Numerous approaches to quantum gravity report a reduction in the number of spacetime dimensions at the Planck scale. However, accepting the reality of dimensional reduction also means accepting its consequences, including a variable speed of light. We provide numerical evidence for a variable speed of light in the causal dynamical triangulation (CDT) approach to quantum gravity, showing that it closely matches the superluminality implied by dimensional reduction. We argue that reconciling the appearance of dimensional reduction with a constant speed of light may require modifying our understanding of time, an idea originally proposed in Ref. 1.
on 2015-10-13 1:51am GMT
Authors: Sho Tanaka
In our preceding paper, “Where does Black- Hole Entropy Lie? – Some Remarks on Area-Entropy Law, Holographic Principle and Noncommutative Space-Time” (Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2014) {\bf 129}: 11), we emphasized the importance of underlying noncommutative geometry or Lorenz-covariant quantized space-time towards ultimate theory of quantum gravity and Planck scale physics. We focused there our attention on the {\it statistical} and {\it substantial} understanding of Bekenstein-Hawking’s Area-Entropy Law of black holes on the bases of Kinematical Holographic Relation [KHR] which holds in Yang’s quantized space-time. [KHR] really plays an important role in our approach in place of the familiar hypothesis, so called Holographic Principle. In the present paper, we find out a unified form of [KHR] applicable to the whole region ranging from macroscopic to microscopic scales of black holes in spatial dimension $ d=3.$ We notice the existence and behavior of two kinds of temperatures of black holes, $T_{H.R.}$ and $T_S,$ and find an important possibility of nontrivial modification of Area-Entropy Law of Black Holes which becomes most remarkable in the extremely microscopic system close to Planck scale. We finally refer to the historical background of noncommutative geometry or quantized space-time.
on 2015-10-13 1:51am GMT
Authors: Harald Atmanspacher, Peter beim Graben
The concept of complementarity in combination with a non-Boolean calculus of propositions refers to a pivotal feature of quantum systems which has long been regarded as a key to their distinction from classical systems. But a non-Boolean logic of complementary features may also apply to classical systems, if their states and observables are defined by partitions of a classical state space. If these partitions do not satisfy certain stability criteria, complementary observables and non-Boolean propositional lattices may be the consequence. This is especially the case for non-generating partitions of nonlinear dynamical systems. We show how this can be understood in more detail and indicate some challenging consequences for systems outside quantum physics, including mental processes.
on 2015-10-13 1:51am GMT
Authors: Yakir Aharonov, Eliahu Cohen, Sandu Popescu
Recently it was demonstrated, both theoretically and experimentally, how to separate a particle from its spin, or any other property, a phenomenon known as the “Quantum Cheshire Cat”. We present two novel gedanken experiments, based on the quantum Zeno effect, suggesting a dynamical process thorough which this curious phenomenon occurs. We analyze, for the first time, a quantum current consisting of spin without mass. Thus, the quantum variables of pre- and post-selected particles are understood to be involved in various interactions, even in the absence of their owners. This current is shown to provide a local explanation for seemingly nonlocal interactions.
on 2015-10-13 1:51am GMT
Authors: Yakir Aharonov, Tomer Landsberger, Eliahu Cohen
We maintain that the wavefunction is best understood as describing ensembles rather than individual particles. For a single particle, we propose an ontology underwritten by the Heisenberg representation. It consists of deterministic operators which may have nonlocal dynamics. Indeed, nonlocal equations of motion, arising from the transition from Poisson brackets to commutator algebra, are a salient feature of the proposed ontology. Using this feature, we show how interference phenomena can be understood without having to conceive of the quantum state as wave-like. Nonlocal information is provided by a modular momentum operator. By augmenting the individual particle description with a final boundary condition and employing weak measurements, we show how both interference and which-path can be deduced for the same system. The resulting description is based on a time-symmetric Heisenberg representation, which we believe to capture the essence of quantum mechanics, particularly its nonlocal nature, better than any wavefunction based ontology.
