Emergent mechanics, quantum and un-quantum

John P. Ralston

doi:10.1117/12.2025000

1 October 2013 Emergent mechanics, quantum and un-quantum

John P. Ralston

Proceedings Volume 8832, The Nature of Light: What are Photons? V; 88320W (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2025000
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2013, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

There is great interest in quantum mechanics as an "emergent" phenomenon. The program holds that nonobvious patterns and laws can emerge from complicated physical systems operating by more fundamental rules. We find a new approach where quantum mechanics itself should be viewed as an information management tool not derived from physics nor depending on physics. The main accomplishment of quantum-style theory comes in expanding the notion of probability. We construct a map from macroscopic information as data" to quantum probability. The map allows a hidden variable description for quantum states, and efficient use of the helpful tools of quantum mechanics in unlimited circumstances. Quantum dynamics via the time-dependent Shroedinger equation or operator methods actually represents a restricted class of classical Hamiltonian or Lagrangian dynamics, albeit with different numbers of degrees of freedom. We show that under wide circumstances such dynamics emerges from structureless dynamical systems. The uses of the quantum information management tools are illustrated by numerical experiments and practical applications

Citation Download Citation

John P. Ralston "Emergent mechanics, quantum and un-quantum", Proc. SPIE 8832, The Nature of Light: What are Photons? V, 88320W (1 October 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2025000

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