Related papers: Theoretical Equivalence in Physics
Philosophers frequently struggle with the relation of metaphysics to the everyday world, with its practical value, and with its relation to empirical science. This paper distinguishes several different models of the relation between…
I suggest that the common unease with taking quantum mechanics as a fundamental description of nature (the "measurement problem") could derive from the use of an incorrect notion, as the unease with the Lorentz transformations before…
Since its inception, quantum theory has been the subject of fierce interpretive controversy, which persists to this day. Disputed topics include the basic ontology and dynamics of the theory, the role (if any) of measurement, the meaning of…
This thesis investigates the connection between quantum theory, thermodynamics and information theory. Theories with structure similar to that of quantum theory are considered, mathematically described by the framework of "Generalized…
"Ever since the advent of modern quantum mechanics in the late 1920's, the idea has been prevalent that the classical laws of probability cease, in some sense, to be valid in the new theory. [...] The primary object of this presentation is…
I dissent from the standard assertion of a "Two Times Problem," in which physical time is taken as being at odds with the human sense of a "flow of time." I provide a brief overview of the case to be made for the contrary view: namely, that…
We discuss some aspects of the relation between dualities and gauge symmetries. Both of these ideas are of course multi-faceted, and we confine ourselves to making two points. Both points are about dualities in string theory, and both have…
The familiar theories of physics have the feature that the application of the theory to make predictions in specific circumstances can be done by means of an algorithm. We propose a more precise formulation of this feature --- one based on…
Most of the approaches to the construction of a theory of quantum gravity share some principles which do not have specific experimental support up to date. Two of these principles are relevant for our discussion: (i) the gravitational field…
In a purely relational theory there exists a tension between the relational character of the theory and the existence of quantities like distance and duration. We review this issue in the context of the Leibniz-Clarke correspondence. We…
One of the reasons for the heated debates around the interpretations of quantum theory is a simple confusion between the notions of formalism versus interpretation. In this note, we make a clear distinction between them and show that there…
In the context of theories of the connection between mind and brain, physicalism is the demand that all is basically purely physical. But the concept of "physical" embodied in this demand is characterized essentially by the properties of…
Based on two previous papers, the physical meaning of synchronization and simultaneity as is presented in Einstein's Special Relativity paper of 1905 is reconsidered. We follow Einstein's argumentation to introduce a criterium of…
An equivalent formulation of the Riemann hypothesis is given. The physical interpretation of the Riemann hypothesis equivalent formulation is given in the framework of quantum theory terminology. One more power series related to the Riemann…
Analogue Hamiltonian simulation is a promising near-term application of quantum computing and has recently been put on a theoretical footing. In Hamiltonian simulation, a physical Hamiltonian is engineered to have identical physics to…
Duality transformations are very important in both classical and quantum physics. They allow one to relate two seemingly different formulations of the same physical realm through clever mathematical manipulations, and offer numerous…
In a recent provocative paper, Lamport points out "the insubstantiality of processes" by proving the equivalence of two different decompositions of the same intuitive algorithm by means of temporal formulas. We point out that the correct…
An ultimate universal theory -- a complete theory that accounts, via few and simple first principles, for all the phenomena already observed and that will ever be observed -- has been, and still is, the aspiration of most physicists and…
We define an index of compatibility for a probabilistic theory (PT). Quantum mechanics with index 0 and classical probability theory with index 1 are at the two extremes. In this way, quantum mechanics is at least as incompatible as any PT.…
Self-similar models are important in general relativity and other fundamental theories. In this paper we shall discuss the ``similarity hypothesis'', which asserts that under a variety of physical circumstances solutions of these theories…