The transitions among classical mechanics,quantum mechanics,and stochastic quantum mechanics

Various formalisms for recasting quantum mechanics in the framework of classical mechanics on phase space are reviewed and compared. Recent results in stochastic quantum mechanics are shown to avoid the difficulties encountered by the earlier approach of Wigner, as well as to avoid the well-known incompatibilities of relativity and ordinary quantum theory. Specific mappings among the various formalisms are given.     

Mind,matter, and physicists

Some aspects of the problem of measurement in quantum theory are treated. We stress that the problem is both physical and conceptual, that the physical problem has been solved and the conceptual one is inherent in quantum theory. We also deal with some remarks made by Wigner concerning physics and the explanation of life, and present alternative positions on the mind-matter relationship within a deterministic framework, as we see them.     

Causality, symmetries and quantum mechanics

It is argued that there is no evidence for causality as a metaphysical relation in quantum phenomena. The assumptions that there are no causal laws, but only probabilities for physical processes constrained by symmetries, leads naturally to quantum mechanics. In particular, an argument is made for why there are probability amplitudes that are complex numbers. This argument generalizes the Feynman path integral formulation of quantum mechanics to include all possible terms in the action that are allowed by the symmetries, but only the lowest order terms are observable at the presently accessible energy scales, which is consistent with observation. The notion of relational reality is introduced in order to give physical meaning to probabilities. This appears to give rise to a new interpretation of quantum mechanics.     

Realism,operationalism, and quantum mechanics

A comprehensive formal system is developed that amalgamates the operational and the realistic approaches to quantum mechanics. In this formalism, for example, a sharp distinction is made between events, operational propositions, and the properties of physical systems.     

Locality,Bell's theorem,and quantum mechanics

Classical relativistic physics assumes that spatially separated events cannot influence one another (locality) and that values may be assigned to quantities independently of whether or not they are actually measured (realism). These assumptions have consequences—the Bell inequalities—that are sometimes in disagreement with experiment and with the predictions of quantum mechanics. It has been argued that, even if realism is not assumed, the violation of the Bell inequalities implies nonlocality—and hence that radical changes are necessary in the foundations of physics. We show that this conclusion does not follow unless the locality hypothesis is strengthened in an implausible manner.     

Quaternionic quantum mechanics is consistent with complex quantum mechanics

Quaternionic quantum mechanics is investigated in the light of the great success of complex quantum mechanics. It is shown that to reproduce the results of complex quantum mechanics, quaternionic quantum mechanics must contain complex quantum mechanics.     

Fractals and quantum mechanics

A new application of a fractal concept to quantum physics has been developed. The fractional path integrals over the paths of the Levy flights are defined. It is shown that if fractality of the Brownian trajectories leads to standard quantum mechanics, then the fractality of the Levy paths leads to fractional quantum mechanics. The fractional quantum mechanics has been developed via the new fractional path integrals approach. A fractional generalization of the Schrodinger equation has been discovered. The new relationship between the energy and the momentum of the nonrelativistic fractional quantum-mechanical particle has been established, and the Levy wave packet has been introduced into quantum mechanics. The equation for the fractional plane wave function has been found. We have derived a free particle quantum-mechanical kernel using Fox's H-function. A fractional generalization of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation has been found. As physical applications of the fractional quantum mechanics we have studied a free particle in a square infinite potential well, the fractional "Bohr atom" and have developed a new fractional approach to the QCD problem of quarkonium. We also discuss the relationships between fractional and the well-known Feynman path integral approaches to quantum mechanics. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.     

Causality and quantum mechanics

Statistical causality is recommended as the name of the generalized causality needed in quantum mechanics, instead of statistical correspondence used by Pauli.     

Modalities and quantum mechanics

Three approaches concerning the usage of modalities in the language of quantum mechanics were considered; Mittelstaedt and I built up a dialog semantics for modalities on a metalinguistic level, and a calculus of quantum modal logic is known that is complete and sound with respect to this dialogic semantics. Van Fraassen replaced the usual interpretation of quantum mechanics (with the projection postulate) by his modal interpretation based on a modal object language. Dalla Chiara translated a nonmodal object language for quantum mechanics and the appropriate quantum logic into a modal language. Specifically we are interested in the similarities and the differences of these three approaches.     

Relativity and quantum mechanics

Conditions under which quantum mechanics can be made compatible with the curved space-time of gravitation theories is investigated. A postulate is imposed in the formv=v _g wherev is the kinematical Hamilton-Jacobi (geometric optic limit) velocity andv _g is the group velocity of the waves. This imposes a severe condition on the possible coordinates in which the Schrödinger form (the coordinate realization) of quantum mechanics can be set up for purposes of calculating observable effects. Some such effects are calculated for a class of theories and are compared with experiments.     

Quantum mechanics,knot theory,and quantum doubles

In previous papers we have described quantum mechanics as a matrix symplectic geometry and showed the existence of a braiding and Hopf algebra structure behind our lattice quantum phase space. The first aim of this work is to give the defining commutation relations of the quantum Weyl-Schwinger-Heisenberg group associated with our ℜ-matrix solution. The second aim is to describe the knot formalism at work behind the matrix quantum mechanics. In this context, the quantum mechanics of a particle-antiparticle system (pˉp) moving in the quantum phase space is viewed as a quantum double.     

Nonlinear quantum mechanics,the superposition principle,and the quantum measurement problem

There are four reasons why our present knowledge and understanding of quantum mechanics can be regarded as incomplete. (1) The principle of linear superposition has not been experimentally tested for position eigenstates of objects having more than about a thousand atoms. (2) There is no universally agreed upon explanation for the process of quantum measurement. (3) There is no universally agreed upon explanation for the observed fact that macroscopic objects are not found in superposition of position eigenstates. (4) Most importantly, the concept of time is classical and hence external to quantum mechanics: there should exist an equivalent reformulation of the theory which does not refer to an external classical time. In this paper we argue that such a reformulation is the limiting case of a nonlinear quantum theory, with the nonlinearity becoming important at the Planck mass scale. Such a nonlinearity can provide insights into the aforesaid problems. We use a physically motivated model for a nonlinear Schr?dinger equation to show that nonlinearity can help in understanding quantum measurement. We also show that while the principle of linear superposition holds to a very high accuracy for atomic systems, the lifetime of a quantum superposition becomes progressively smaller, as one goes from microscopic to macroscopic objects. This can explain the observed absence of position superpositions in macroscopic objects (lifetime is too small). It also suggests that ongoing laboratory experiments may be able to detect the finite superposition lifetime for mesoscopic objects in the near future.     

Symplectic quantum mechanics

Using the notion of symplectic structure and Weyl (or star) product of non-commutative geometry, we construct unitary representations for the Galilei group and show how to rewrite the Schrödinger equation in phase space. This approach gives rise to a new procedure to derive Wigner functions without the use of the Liouville-von Neumann equation. Applications are presented by deriving the states of linear and nonlinear oscillators in terms of amplitudes of probability in phase space. The notion of coherent states is also discussed in this context.