English

Existence as Distinguishability: Quantum Mechanics from Finite Graded Equality

Quantum Physics 2026-05-05 v2

Abstract

We derive finite-dimensional quantum mechanics from a single ontological principle, that \emph{existence is constituted by distinguishability}, together with two structural commitments: finite capacity NN (parametric input) and self-referential consistency (SRC, a closure schema with two equivalent forms, operational and information-theoretic). SRC unpacks into eight derived structural conditions; structural unambiguity (S5) completes the hierarchy, uniquely selecting the Born rule as the geometric/probabilistic closure. The graded distinguishability kernel K(x,y)[0,1]K(x,y) \in [0,1] realises both axioms, with a state constituted by its KK-profile against all others. For each N3N \geq 3, the unique distinguishability space is (CPN1,K)(\mathbb{C} P^{N-1}, K) with K(ψ,ϕ)=1ψϕ2K(\psi,\phi) = 1 - |\langle\psi|\phi\rangle|^2, from which complex coefficients, the Born rule pk=ck2p_k = |c_k|^2, unitary dynamics, and tensor-product composition all follow. Indeterminism is forced by capacity overflow; alternatives (e.g. Bohmian mechanics) are classified rather than refuted. Standard QM is the NN \to \infty limit; finite NN is the only free parameter. The algebraic spine is machine-checked in Lean 4 modulo five imported classical theorems and the existence direction of Stone's theorem; the Appendix states the verification scope.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2603.11900,
  title  = {Existence as Distinguishability: Quantum Mechanics from Finite Graded Equality},
  author = {Julian G. Zilly},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.11900},
  year   = {2026}
}