A matter of principle: the principles of quantum theory, Dirac's equation, and quantum information

DOI10.1007/S10701-015-9928-ZMaRDI QIDQ892929zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Arkady Plotnitsky

Publication date 12 November 2015

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

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1503.02229

zbMATH Keywords

constructive theoriesDirac's equationprinciple theoriesquantum field theoryquantum information theoryquantum mechanicsrelativity

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Physics (00A79) General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum information, communication, networks (quantum-theoretic aspects) (81P45) Closed and approximate solutions to the Schrödinger, Dirac, Klein-Gordon and other equations of quantum mechanics (81Q05) Covariant wave equations in quantum theory, relativistic quantum mechanics (81R20) Axiomatic quantum field theory; operator algebras (81T05)

Abstract: This article is concerned with the role of fundamental principles in theoretical physics, especially quantum theory. The fundamental principles of relativity will be be addressed as well in view of their role in quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory, specifically Dirac's work, which, in particular Dirac's derivation of his relativistic equation for the electron from the principles of relativity and quantum theory, is the main focus of this article. I shall, however, also consider Heisenberg's derivation of quantum mechanics, which inspired Dirac. I argue that Heisenberg's and Dirac's work alike was guided by their adherence to and confidence in the fundamental principles of quantum theory. The final section of the article discusses the recent work by G. M. D' Ariano and his coworkers on the principles of quantum information theory, which extends quantum theory and its principles in a new direction. This extension enabled them to offer a new derivation of Dirac's equation from these principles alone, without using the principles of relativity.

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Cited in

(6)

• The present situation in quantum theory and its merging with general relativity
• The heuristic power of theory classification, the case of general relativity
• The future (and past) of quantum theory after the Higgs boson: a quantum-informational viewpoint
• How Dirac's seminal contributions pave the way for comprehending nature's deeper designs
• Principle theories, constructive theories, and explanation in modern physics
• ``The unavoidable interaction between the object and the measuring instruments: reality, probability, and nonlocality in quantum physics

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