Quantum mechanics and the principle of maximal variety

DOI10.1007/S10701-016-9994-XzbMATH Open1380.81030arXiv1506.02938OpenAlexW3100448730MaRDI QIDQ1689680FDOQ1689680

Authors: Lee Smolin 

Publication date: 17 January 2018

Published in: Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Quantum mechanics is derived from the principle that the universe contain as much variety as possible, in the sense of maximizing the distinctiveness of each subsystem. The quantum state of a microscopic system is defined to correspond to an ensemble of subsystems of the universe with identical constituents and similar preparations and environments. A new kind of interaction is posited amongst such similar subsystems which acts to increase their distinctiveness, by extremizing the variety. In the limit of large numbers of similar subsystems this interaction is shown to give rise to Bohm's quantum potential. As a result the probability distribution for the ensemble is governed by the Schroedinger equation. The measurement problem is naturally and simply solved. Microscopic systems appear statistical because they are members of large ensembles of similar systems which interact non-locally. Macroscopic systems are unique, and are not members of any ensembles of similar systems. Consequently their collective coordinates may evolve deterministically. This proposal could be tested by constructing quantum devices from entangled states of a modest number of quits which, by its combinatorial complexity, can be expected to have no natural copies.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1506.02938

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zbMATH Keywords

measurement problemquantum foundationshidden variables

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Relativistic cosmology (83F05) Stochastic mechanics (including stochastic electrodynamics) (81P20)

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Cited In (10)

• Klein's programme and quantum mechanics
• Interaction-free effects between distant atoms
• Beyond Bohm/Vigier quantum mechanics
• Quantum mechanics and the principle of least radix economy
• Potentiality and Contradiction in Quantum Mechanics
• The dynamics of difference
• Epistemic uncertainty from an averaged Hamilton-Jacobi formalism
• On the emergent ``quantum theory in complex adaptive systems
• Isolated objects and their evolution: a derivation of the Propagator's path integral for spinless elementary particles
• A real ensemble interpretation of quantum mechanics

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