Related papers: Beables/Observables in Classical and Quantum Gravi…
The problem of observables in classical and quantum gravity is a long-standing one. It is sometimes argued that observable quantities should be diffeomorphsm invariant, following the philosophy of Dirac. We argue that diffeomorphism…
(abridged)The achievements of the present work include: a) A clarification of the multiple definition given by Bergmann of the concept of {\it (Bergmann) observable. This clarification leads to the proposal of a {\it main conjecture}…
In this work we discuss the notion of observable - both quantum and classical - from a new point of view. In classical mechanics, an observable is represented as a function (measurable, continuous or smooth), whereas in (von Neumann's…
The application of the notion of `observable' from gauge theory to diffeomorphism-invariant theories -- most relevantly to general relativity -- has led to numerous conceptual and technical issues when interpreting classical theories with…
We address the construction and interpretation of diffeomorphism-invariant observables in a low-energy effective theory of quantum gravity. The observables we consider are constructed as integrals over the space of coordinates, in analogy…
We discuss the distinction between the notion of partial observable and the notion of complete observable. Mixing up the two is frequently a source of confusion. The distinction bears on several issues related to observability, such as (i)…
The problem of observables and their supposed lack of change has been significant in Hamiltonian quantum gravity since the 1950s. This paper considers the unrecognized variety of ideas about observables in the thought of Peter Bergmann, who…
Finding classical canonical observables consists of taking a function space over phase space. For constrained theories, these functions must form zero brackets with a closed algebraic structure of first-class constraints. This brackets…
We present a new scheme of defining invariant observables for general relativistic systems. The scheme is based on the introduction of an observer which endowes the construction with a straightforward physical interpretation. The…
Gauge-invariant observables for quantum gravity are described, with explicit constructions given primarily to leading order in Newton's constant, analogous to and extending constructions first given by Dirac in quantum electrodynamics.…
We give an overview of some conceptual difficulties, sometimes called paradoxes, that have puzzled for years the physical interpetation of classical canonical gravity and, by extension, the canonical formulation of generally covariant…
The questions of describing observables and observation in quantum gravity appear to be centrally important to its physics. A relational approach holds significant promise, and a classification of different types of relational observables…
Is change missing in Hamiltonian Einstein-Maxwell theory? Given the most common definition of observables (having weakly vanishing Poisson bracket with each first-class constraint), observables are constants of the motion and nonlocal.…
A class of diffeomorphism invariant, physical observables, so-called astrometric observables, is introduced. A particularly simple example, the time delay, which expresses the difference between two initially synchronized proper time clocks…
John Bell once argued that one ought to select, out of the 'observables' of quantum theory, some subset of 'beables' that can be consistently ascribed determinate values. Moreover, this subset should be selected so as to guarantee (among…
The Kuchar observables notion is shown to apply only to a limited range of theories. Relational mechanics, slightly inhomogeneous cosmology and supergravity are used as examples that require further notions of observables. A suitably…
It is commonly accepted that the study of 2+1 dimensional quantum gravity could teach us something about the 3+1 dimensional case. The non-perturbative methods developed in this case share, as basic ingredient, a reformulation of gravity as…
An observable on a quantum structure is any $\sigma$-homomorphism of quantum structures from the Borel $\sigma$-algebra into the quantum structure. We show that our partial information on an observable known only for all intervals of the…
In the second part of our work on observables we have shown that quantum observables in the sense of von Neumann, i.e.bounded selfadjoint operators in some von Neumann subalgebra $R$ of $L(H)$, can be represented as bounded continuous…
Some conceptual issues concerning general invariant theories, with special emphasis on general relativity, are analyzed. The common assertion that observables must be required to be gauge invariant is examined in the light of the role…