Topos theory and consistent histories: The internal logic of the set of all consistent sets

DOI10.1007/BF02435786zbMATH Open0881.03039arXivgr-qc/9607069OpenAlexW2004937076MaRDI QIDQ1357832FDOQ1357832

O. Diekmann

Publication date: 27 July 1997

Published in: International Journal of Theoretical Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: A major problem in the consistent-histories approach to quantum theory is contending with the potentially large number of consistent sets of history propositions. One possibility is to find a scheme in which a unique set is selected in some way. However, in this paper we consider the alternative approach in which all consistent sets are kept, leading to a type of `many world-views' picture of the quantum theory. It is shown that a natural way of handling this situation is to employ the theory of varying sets (presheafs) on the space $B$ of all Boolean subalgebras of the orthoalgebra $UP$ of history propositions. This approach automatically includes the feature whereby probabilistic predictions are meaningful only in the context of a consistent set of history propositions. More strikingly, it leads to a picture in which the `truth values', or `semantic values' of such contextual predictions are not just two-valued (ie true and false) but instead lie in a larger logical algebra---a Heyting algebra---whose structure is determined by the space $B$ of Boolean subalgebras of $UP$.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9607069

zbMATH Keywords

Boolean algebratoposquantum theoryconsistent-histories approachorthoalgebra of history propositions

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Quantum logic (03G12) Topoi (18B25) Logical foundations of quantum mechanics; quantum logic (quantum-theoretic aspects) (81P10) Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to mathematical logic and foundations (03-01)

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Cited In (28)

• New families of finite coherent orthoalgebras without bivaluations
• A BRIDGE BETWEEN Q-WORLDS
• Contextual logic for quantum systems
• Finitary topos for locally finite, causal and quantal vacuum Einstein gravity
• Symmetries of history quantum theories and decoherence functionals
• Implementing causality in the spin foam quantum geometry
• A topos perspective on state-vector reduction
• The role of phase space geometry in Heisenberg's uncertainty relation.
• A topos perspective on state-vector reduction
• Indeterministic objects in the category of effect algebras and the passage to the semiclassical limit
• A Bayesian account of quantum histories
• The logos categorical approach to quantum mechanics. I: Kochen-Specker contextuality and global intensive valuations
• On tracial operator representations of quantum decoherence functionals
• A comparison of two topos-theoretic approaches to quantum theory
• Contextual extensions of quantum gravity models
• Topos quantum theory reduced by context-selection functors
• Subjective spacetime derived from a causal histories approach
• Topos-theoretic extension of a modal interpretation of quantum mechanics
• Contrary inferences in consistent histories and a set selection criterion
• Topos quantum theory on quantization-induced sheaves
• Group action in topos quantum physics
• A heuristic philosophical discourse on various applications of abstract differential geometry in quantum gravity research
• Experimental test of entangled histories
• Tensor networks for quantum causal histories
• Quantum history cannot be copied
• A topos formulation of history quantum theory
• A topos foundation for theories of physics: I. Formal languages for physics
• Superdensity operators for spacetime quantum mechanics

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