A local and operational framework for the foundations of physics

DOI10.4310/ATMP.2019.V23.N2.A4MaRDI QIDQ2665890zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Robert Oeckl

Publication date 19 November 2021

Published in Advances in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.09052

zbMATH Keywords

monoidal category theoryoperationalismphysical theoriesspacetime locality

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Representations of quivers and partially ordered sets (16G20) Closed categories (closed monoidal and Cartesian closed categories, etc.) (18D15) Symplectic manifolds (general theory) (53D05) Transition to stochasticity (chaotic behavior) for nonlinear problems in mechanics (70K55) Logical foundations of quantum mechanics; quantum logic (quantum-theoretic aspects) (81P10) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Particle exchange symmetries in quantum theory (general) (81V72) Quantization of the gravitational field (83C45)

Abstract: We discuss a novel framework for physical theories that is based on the principles of locality and operationalism. It generalizes and unifies previous frameworks, including the standard formulation of quantum theory, the convex operational framework and Segal's approach to quantum field theory. It is capable of encoding both classical and quantum (field) theories, implements spacetime locality in a manifest way and contains the complete modern notion of measurement in the quantum case. Its mathematical content can be condensed into a set of axioms that are similar to those of Atiyah and Segal. This is supplemented by two basic rules for extracting probabilities or expectation values for measurement processes. The framework, called the positive formalism, is derived in three completely different ways. One derivation is from first principles, one starts with classical field theory and one with quantum field theory. The latter derivation arose previously in the programme of the general boundary formulation of quantum theory. As in the convex operational framework, the difference between classical and quantum theories essentially arises from certain partially ordered vector spaces being either lattices or anti-lattices. If we add the ad hoc ingredient of imposing anti-lattice structures, the derivation from first principles may be seen as a reconstruction of quantum theory. Among other things, the positive formalism suggests a statistical approach to classical field theories with dynamical metric, provides a common ground for quantum information theory and quantum field theory, introduces a notion of local measurement into quantum field theory, and suggests a new perspective on quantum gravity by removing the incompatibility with general relativistic principles.

Review text

The author describes a framework based on locality (which refers that forces do not act at a distance, but through fields permeating spacetime) and operationalism (which refers to the measurement problems) for the foundation of physics utilizing monoidal category theory and partially ordered vector spaces. He calls it positive formalism. The positive formalism implements space-time locality in a manifest way and includes the notion of measurement in the quantum case. Classical field theory, quantum theory field theory are covered. Hamilton system on the classical and quantum level and symplectic field theory are discussed. Path integrals and transition amplitudes play a central role. Ideas from topological quantum theory are integrated. Quantum gravity is also discussed. Locality is added without a notion of metric tensor field by separating space-time into regions that are in communication through their boundaries. Section 8 looks at extensions on measurements in quantum theory for the positive formalism. Besides Bose quantum systems also Fermi systems are discussed. As an example quantum teleportation is discussed in detail. In an appendix the properties of partially ordered vector spaces are summarized.

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