Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

PDF

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

2022

Quantum foundations

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

What Is Nonclassical About Uncertainty Relations?, Lorenzo Catani, Matthew S. Leifer, Giovanni Scala, David Schmid, Robert W. Spekkens Dec 2022

What Is Nonclassical About Uncertainty Relations?, Lorenzo Catani, Matthew S. Leifer, Giovanni Scala, David Schmid, Robert W. Spekkens

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Uncertainty relations express limits on the extent to which the outcomes of distinct measurements on a single state can be made jointly predictable. The existence of nontrivial uncertainty relations in quantum theory is generally considered to be a way in which it entails a departure from the classical worldview. However, this perspective is undermined by the fact that there exist operational theories which exhibit nontrivial uncertainty relations but which are consistent with the classical worldview insofar as they admit of a generalized-noncontextual ontological model. This prompts the question of what aspects of uncertainty relations, if any, cannot be realized in …


Two Roads To Retrocausality, Emily Adlam Oct 2022

Two Roads To Retrocausality, Emily Adlam

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In recent years the quantum foundations community has seen increasing interest in the possibility of using retrocausality as a route to rejecting the conclusions of Bell’s theorem and restoring locality to quantum physics. On the other hand, it has also been argued that accepting nonlocality leads to a form of retrocausality. In this article we seek to elucidate the relationship between retrocausality and locality. We begin by providing a brief schema of the various ways in which violations of Bell’s inequalities might lead us to consider some form of retrocausality. We then consider some possible motivations for using retrocausality to …