Operational Theories as Structural Realism

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2201.09316v1
• Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2022 17:00:58 GMT
• Title: Operational Theories as Structural Realism
• Authors: Emily Adlam
• Abstract summary: We argue that operational axiomatisations of quantum mechanics may be interpreted as a novel form of structural realism. We discuss the consequences of this interpretation for the philosophy of structural realism and the future of operational theories.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: We undertake a reconstruction of the epistemic significance of research on operational theories in quantum foundations. We suggest that the space of operational theories is analogous to the space of possible worlds employed in the possible world semantics for modal logic, so research of this sort can be understood as probing modal structure. Thus we argue that operational axiomatisations of quantum mechanics may be interpreted as a novel form of structural realism; we discuss the consequences of this interpretation for the philosophy of structural realism and the future of operational theories.

Related papers

• Learning Discrete Concepts in Latent Hierarchical Models [73.01229236386148]
  Learning concepts from natural high-dimensional data holds potential in building human-aligned and interpretable machine learning models. We formalize concepts as discrete latent causal variables that are related via a hierarchical causal model. We substantiate our theoretical claims with synthetic data experiments.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-06-01T18:01:03Z)
• Theory-Independent Realism [0.0]
  We use a framework of generalized probabilistic theories to expand the notion of realism for a theory-independent context. We propose quantifiers for the realism of arbitrary physical properties given a particular state of a generic physical theory. These theory-independent quantifiers are then employed in quantum mechanics and we investigate their relation with another well-established irrealism measure.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-02-27T01:34:53Z)
• Hamiltonian truncation tensor networks for quantum field theories [42.2225785045544]
  We introduce a tensor network method for the classical simulation of continuous quantum field theories. The method is built on Hamiltonian truncation and tensor network techniques. One of the key developments is the exact construction of matrix product state representations of global projectors.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-12-19T19:00:02Z)
• Constructor Theory as Process Theory [0.0]
  We show how to formulate fundamental notions of constructor theory within the canvas of process theory. We answer the question of how constructor theory relates to the broader body of process-theoretic literature.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-12-14T12:58:55Z)
• Investigating the Global Properties of a Resource Theory of Contextuality [0.0]
  We will investigate some properties of a resource theory for quantum contextuality. This characteristic ensures the impossibility of interpreting the results of quantum measurements as revealing properties that are independent of the set of measurements being made. We will use the so called cost and yield monotones, extending the results of reference Quantum 4, 280 ( 2020) to general contextuality scenarios.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-10-07T00:33:49Z)
• Active Inference in Robotics and Artificial Agents: Survey and Challenges [51.29077770446286]
  We review the state-of-the-art theory and implementations of active inference for state-estimation, control, planning and learning. We showcase relevant experiments that illustrate its potential in terms of adaptation, generalization and robustness.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-12-03T12:10:26Z)
• Quantum realism: axiomatization and quantification [77.34726150561087]
  We build an axiomatization for quantum realism -- a notion of realism compatible with quantum theory. We explicitly construct some classes of entropic quantifiers that are shown to satisfy almost all of the proposed axioms.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-10-10T18:08:42Z)
• The operational framework for quantum theories is both epistemologically and ontologically neutral [0.0]
  It is argued that there is no argument that could favour realist or antirealist attitudes towards quantum mechanics based solely on some features of some formalism. Both realist and antirealist views are well accomodable within operational formulations of the theory. This discussion aims at clarifying the limits of the historical and methodological affinities between scientific antirealism and operational physics.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-09-06T09:22:43Z)
• Resource theory of imaginarity: Quantification and state conversion [48.7576911714538]
  Resource theory of imaginarity has been introduced, allowing for a systematic study of complex numbers in quantum mechanics and quantum information theory. We investigate imaginarity quantification, focusing on the geometric imaginarity and the robustness of imaginarity, and apply these tools to the state conversion problem in imaginarity theory. Our study reveals the significance of complex numbers in quantum physics, and proves that imaginarity is a resource in optical experiments.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-03-02T15:30:27Z)
• Unscrambling the omelette of causation and inference: The framework of causal-inferential theories [0.0]
  We introduce the notion of a causal-inferential theory using a process-theoretic formalism. Recasting the notions of operational and realist theories in this mold clarifies what a realist account of an experiment offers beyond an operational account. We argue that if one can identify axioms for a realist causal-inferential theory such that the notions of causation and inference can differ from their conventional (classical) interpretations, then one has the means of defining an intrinsically quantum notion of realism.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-09-07T17:58:22Z)
• Perfect Discrimination in Approximate Quantum Theory of General Probabilistic Theories [51.7367238070864]
  We define larger measurement classes that are smoothly connected with the class of POVMs via a parameter. We give a sufficient condition of perfect discrimination, which shows a significant improvement beyond the class of POVMs.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-04-10T08:45:20Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.