Classical uncertainty in predicting the future
Abstract
In this work we scrutinize the deterministic nature of globally hyperbolic space-times from the point of view of an observer. We show that a space-time point that lies to the future of an observer at , receives signals that are invisible (to be made precise) to the observer at . Part of the initial data on a Cauchy surface, required to predict what happens at , is also invisible to the observer at . Therefore it is not possible for any observer to predict a future event with certainty. The uncertainty increases as one attempts to predict further future. An observer at can access the entire data to determine what happens at , if and only if . Classical uncertainty in prediction is not an intrinsic feature of the events in space-time. It adds up with the usual quantum mechanical uncertainty to limit our ability to predict the future. We also suggest a thought experiment to elucidate the subject.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1807.07415,
title = {Classical uncertainty in predicting the future},
author = {Koray Düztaş},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1807.07415},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
Pre-print version. 3 pages, no figures