Phase space is the state space of classical mechanics, and this manifold is normally endowed only with a symplectic form. The geometry of quantum mechanics is necessarily more complicated. Arguments will be given to show that augmenting the symplectic manifold of classical phase space with a Riemannian metric is sufficient for describing quantum mechanics. In particular, using such spaces, a fully satisfactory geometric version of quantization will be developed and described.
We argue that the q=1 limit of Galois Field Quantum Mechanics, which was constructed on a vector space over the Galois Field F_q=GF(q), corresponds to its `classical limit,' where superposition of states is disallowed. The limit preserves the projective geometry nature of the state space, and can be understood as being constructed on an appropriately defined analogue of a `vector' space over the `field with one element' F_1.
All measurable predictions of classical mechanics can be reproduced from a quantum-like interpretation of a nonlinear Schrodinger equation. The key observation leading to classical physics is the fact that a wave function that satisfies a linear equation is real and positive, rather than complex. This has profound implications on the role of the Bohmian classical-like interpretation of linear quantum mechanics, as well as on the possibilities to find a consistent interpretation of arbitrary nonlinear generalizations of quantum mechanics.
The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics assumes the existence of the classical deterministic Newtonian world. We argue that in fact the Newton determinism in classical world does not hold and in classical mechanics there is fundamental and irreducible randomness. The classical Newtonian trajectory does not have a direct physical meaning since arbitrary real numbers are not observable. There are classical uncertainty relations, i.e. the uncertainty (errors of observation) in the determination of coordinate and momentum is always positive (non zero). A "functional" formulation of clas…
The rules of quantum mechanics require a time coordinate for their formulation. However, a notion of time is in general possible only when a classical spacetime geometry exists. Such a geometry is itself produced by classical matter sources. Thus it could be said that the currently known formulation of quantum mechanics pre-assumes the presence of classical matter fields. A more fundamental formulation of quantum mechanics should exist, which avoids having to use a notion of time. In this paper we discuss as to how such a fundamental formulation could be constructed for single particle, non-re…
We describe a scheme for constructing quantum mechanics in which a quantum system is considered as a collection of open classical subsystems. This allows using the formal classical logic and classical probability theory in quantum mechanics. Our approach nevertheless allows completely reproducing the standard mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics and identifying its applicability limits. We especially attend to the quantum state reduction problem.
A method of fundamental solutions has been used to show its effectiveness in solving some well known problems of 1D quantum mechanics (barrier penetrations, over-barrier reflections, resonance states), i.e. those in which we look for exponentially small contributions to semiclassical expansions for considered quantities. Its usefulness for adiabatic transitions in two energy level systems is also mentioned.
In this paper we address again the issue of the scale anomaly in quantum mechanical models with inverse square potential. In particular we examine the interplay between the classical and quantum aspects of the system using in both cases an operatorial approach.
In a recent paper we have suggested that a formulation of quantum mechanics should exist, which does not require the concept of time, and that the appropriate mathematical language for such a formulation is noncommutative differential geometry. In the present paper we discuss this formulation for the free point particle, by introducing a commutation relation for a set of noncommuting coordinates. The sought for background independent quantum mechanics is derived from this commutation relation for the coordinates. We propose that the basic equations are invariant under automorphisms which map o…
We study the behaviour of a nonrelativistic quantum particle interacting with different potentials in the spacetimes of topological defects. We find the energy spectra and show how they differ from their free-space values.
We do not know the symmetries underlying string theory. Furthermore, there must exist an inherently quantum, and spacetime independent, formulation of this theory. Independent of string theory, there should exist a description of quantum mechanics which does not refer to a classical spacetime manifold. We propose such a formulation of quantum mechanics, based on noncommutative geometry. This description reduces to standard quantum mechanics, whenever an external classical spacetime is available. However, near the Planck energy scale, self-gravity effects modify the Schrodinger equation to the …
We illustrate how non-relativistic quantum mechanics may be recovered from a dynamical Weyl geometry on configuration space and an `ensemble' of trajectories (or `worlds'). The theory, which is free of a physical wavefunction, is presented starting from a classical `many-systems' action to which a curvature term is added. In this manner the equations of equilibrium de~Broglie-Bohm theory are recovered. However, naïvely the set of solution precludes solutions with non-zero angular momentum (a version of a problem raised by Wallstrom). This is remedied by a slight extension of the action, leavin…
In spite of its popularity, it has not been possible to vindicate the conventional wisdom that classical mechanics is a limiting case of quantum mechanics. The purpose of the present paper is to offer an alternative point of view in which quantum mechanics emerges as a limiting case of classical mechanics in which the classical system is decoupled from its environment.
A recent development of the studies on classical and quasi-classical properties of supersymmetric quantum mechanics in Witten's version is reviewed. First, classical mechanics of a supersymmetric system is considered. Solutions of the classical equations of motion are given and their properties are discussed in some detail. The corresponding quantum model is constructed by canonical quantization. The quantum model is analyzed by Feynman's path integral within a stationary-phase approximation. A quasi-classical quantization rule is derived, which is applicable when supersymmetry is exact or spo…
Following our discussion [Physica A, 375 (2007) 123] to associate an analogous probabilistic description with spacetime geometry in the Schwarzschild metric from the macro- to the micro-domain, we argue that there is a possible connection among normalized probabilities, spacetime geometry (in the form of Schwarzschild radii) and quantum mechanics (in the form of complex wave functions). We show how this association along different (n)-nested surfaces --representing curve space due to an inhomogeneous density of matter-- preserves the postulates of quantum mechanics at different geometrical sca…
Classical mechanics is formulated in complex Hilbert space with the introduction of a commutative product of operators, an antisymmetric bracket, and a quasidensity operator. These are analogues of the star product, the Moyal bracket, and the Wigner function in the phase space formulation of quantum mechanics. Classical mechanics can now be viewed as a deformation of quantum mechanics. The forms of semiquantum approximations to classical mechanics are indicated.
Usual quantum mechanics requires a fixed, background, spacetime geometry and its associated causal structure. A generalization of the usual theory may therefore be needed at the Planck scale for quantum theories of gravity in which spacetime geometry is a quantum variable. The elements of generalized quantum theory are briefly reviewed and illustrated by generalizations of usual quantum theory that incorporate spacetime alternatives, gauge degrees of freedom, and histories that move forward and backward in time. A generalized quantum framework for cosmological spacetime geometry is sketched. T…
Classical statistical average values are generally generalized to average values of quantum mechanics, it is discovered that quantum mechanics is direct generalization of classical statistical mechanics, and we generally deduce both a new general continuous eigenvalue equation and a general discrete eigenvalue equation in quantum mechanics, and discover that a eigenvalue of quantum mechanics is just an extreme value of an operator in possibility distribution, the eigenvalue f is just classical observable quantity. A general classical statistical uncertain relation is further given, the general…
The Schrödinger equation is shown to be equivalent to a constrained Liouville equation under the assumption that phase space is extended to Grassmann algebra valued variables. For onedimensional systems, the underlying Hamiltonian dynamics has a N=2 supersymmetry. Potential applications to more realistic theories are briefly discussed.
Bohmian mechanics can be generalized to a relativistic theory without preferred foliation, with a price of introducing a puzzling concept of spacetime probability conserved in a scalar time. We explain how analogous concept appears naturally in classical statistical mechanics of relativistic particles, with scalar time being identified with the proper time along particle trajectories. The conceptual understanding of relativistic Bohmian mechanics is significantly enriched by this classical insight. In particular, the analogy between classical and Bohmian mechanics suggests the interpretation o…
This is an introductory chapter of the book in progress on quantum foundations and incompleteness of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is represented as statistical mechanics of classical fields.
A motivation is given for expressing classical mechanics in terms of diagonal projection matrices and diagonal density matrices. Then quantum mechanics is seen to be a simple generalization in which one replaces the diagonal real matrices with suitable Hermitian matrices.
Quantum mechanics in its presently known formulation requires an external classical time for its description. A classical spacetime manifold and a classical spacetime metric are produced by classical matter fields. In the absence of such classical matter fields, quantum mechanics should be formulated without reference to a classical time. If such a new formulation exists, it follows as a consequence that standard linear quantum mechanics is a limiting case of an underlying non-linear quantum theory. A possible approach to the new formulation is through the use of noncommuting spacetime coordin…
It is argued on the basis of certain mathematical characteristics that classical mechanics is not constitutionally suited to accomodate consciousness, whereas quantum mechanics is. These mathematical characteristics pertain to the nature of the information represented in the state of the brain, and the way this information enters into the dynamics.
We present a generally covariant approach to quantum mechanics in which generalized positions, momenta and time variables are treated as coordinates on a fundamental "phase-spacetime." We show that this covariant starting point makes quantization into a purely geometric flatness condition. This makes quantum mechanics purely geometric, and possibly even topological. Our approach is especially useful for time-dependent problems and systems subject to ambiguities in choices of clock or observer. As a byproduct, we give a derivation and generalization of the Wigner functions of standard quantum m…
Quantum mechanics can emerge from classical statistics. A typical quantum system describes an isolated subsystem of a classical statistical ensemble with infinitely many classical states. The state of this subsystem can be characterized by only a few probabilistic observables. Their expectation values define a density matrix if they obey a "purity constraint". Then all the usual laws of quantum mechanics follow, including Heisenberg's uncertainty relation, entanglement and a violation of Bell's inequalities. No concepts beyond classical statistics are needed for quantum physics - the differenc…
Using quantum-classical analogies, we find that dynamical pictures of quantum mechanics have precise counterparts in classical mechanics. In particular, the Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions of fluid dynamics in classical mechanics are the analogs of the Schroedinger and Heisenberg pictures in quantum mechanics, respectively. Similarities between classical and quantum dynamical pictures are explored within the framework of the Koopman-von Neumann formalism. These allow for a natural definition of various dynamical pictures in classical mechanics as well as the application of classical conc…
Both the set of quantum states and the set of classical states described by symplectic tomographic probability distributions (tomograms) are studied. It is shown that the sets have common part but there exist tomograms of classical states which are not admissible in quantum mechanics and vica versa, there exist tomograms of quantum states which are not admissible in classical mechanics. Role of different transformations of reference frames in phase space of classical and quantum systems (scaling and rotation) determining the admissibility of the tomograms as well as the role of quantum uncerta…
In spite of its popularity, it has not been possible to vindicate the conventional wisdom that classical mechanics is a limiting case of quantum mechanics. The purpose of the present paper is to offer an alternative formulation of classical mechanics which provides a continuous transition to quantum mechanics via environment-induced decoherence.
Entropic Dynamics is a framework in which quantum theory is derived as an application of entropic methods of inference. There is no underlying action principle. Instead, the dynamics is driven by entropy subject to the appropriate constraints. In this paper we show how a Hamiltonian dynamics arises as a type of non-dissipative entropic dynamics. We also show that the particular form of the "quantum potential" that leads to the Schroedinger equation follows naturally from information geometry.
Time-dependent $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics is featured by a varying inner-product metric and has stimulated a number of interesting studies beyond conventional quantum mechanics. In this paper, we explore geometric aspects of time-dependent $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics. We not only find a geometric phase factor emerging naturally from cyclic evolutions of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric systems, but also formulate a series of differential geometry concepts, including connection, curvature, parallel transport, metric tensor, and quantum geometric tensor. Our findings const…
We introduce into classical mechanics the concept of non-discerned particles for particles that are identical, non-interacting and prepared in the same way. The non-discerned particles correspond to an action and a density which satisfy the statistical Hamilton-Jacobi equations and allow to explain the Gibbs paradox in a simple manner. On the other hand, a discerned particle corresponds to a particular action that satisfies the local Hamilton-Jacobi equations. We then study the convergence of quantum mechanics to classical mechanics when hbar -> 0 by considering the convergence for the two cas…
The Hellmann-Feynman, virial and comparison theorems are three fundamental theorems of quantum mechanics. For the first two, counterparts exist for classical mechanics with relativistic or nonrelativistic kinetic energy. It is shown here that these three theorems are valid for classical mechanics with a nonstandard kinetic energy. This brings some information about the connections between the quantum and classical worlds. Constraints about the functional form of the kinetic energy are also discussed.
Supmech, an algebraic scheme of mechanics integrating noncommutative symplectic geometry and noncommutative probability, subsumes quantum and classical mechanics and permits consistent treatment of interaction of quantum and classical systems. Quantum measurements are treated in this framework; the von Neumann reduction rule (generally postulated) is derived and interpreted in physical terms.
I review the formalism of classical extensions of quantum mechanics introduced by Beltrametti and Bugajski, and compare it to the classical representations discussed e.g. by Busch, Hellwig and Stulpe and recently used by Fuchs in his discussion of quantum mechanics in terms of standard quantum measurements. I treat the problem of finding Bayesian analogues of the state transition associated with measurement in the canonical classical extension as well as in the related 'uniform' classical representation. In the classical extension, the analogy is extremely good.
Where does quantum mechanics part ways with classical mechanics? How does quantum randomness differ fundamentally from classical randomness? We cannot fully explain how the theories differ until we can derive them within a single axiomatic framework, allowing an unambiguous account of how one theory is the limit of the other. Here we derive nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and classical statistical mechanics within a common framework. The common axioms include conservation of average energy and conservation of probability current. But two axioms distinguish quantum mechanics from classical st…
A recent notion in theoretical physics is that not all quantum theories arise from quantising a classical system. Also, a given quantum model may possess more than just one classical limit. These facts find strong evidence in string duality and M-theory, and it has been suggested that they should also have a counterpart in quantum mechanics. In view of these developments we propose "dequantisation", a mechanism to render a quantum theory classical. Specifically, we present a geometric procedure to "dequantise" a given quantum mechanics (regardless of its classical origin, if any) to possibly d…
We derive the classical limit of quantum mechanics by describing the center of mass of a system constituted by a large number of particles. We will show that in that limit the commutator between the position and velocity of the center of mass is infinitesimal, which allows both to be known with great precision. We then show how the infinitesimal commutator allows for the definition of functions of position and velocity, and how the commutator reduces to a Poisson bracket.
In this article we propose a solution to the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. We point out that the measurement problem can be traced to an a priori notion of classicality in the formulation of quantum mechanics. If this notion of classicality is dropped and instead classicality is defined in purely quantum mechanical terms the measurement problem can be avoided. We give such a definition of classicality. It identifies classicality as a property of large quantum system. We show how the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics is a result of this notion of classicality. We also commen…
A non-Hermitian operator with a real spectrum and a complete set of eigenvectors may serve as the Hamiltonian operator for a unitary quantum system provided that one makes an appropriate choice for the defining inner product of the physical Hilbert state. We study the consequences of such a choice for the representation of states in terms of projection operators and the geometry of the state space. This allows for a careful treatment of the quantum Brachistochrone problem and shows that it is indeed impossible to achieve faster unitary evolutions using PT-symmetric or other non-Hermitian Hamil…
In this paper we show that, via an extension of time, some metric structures naturally appear in both classical and quantum mechanics when both are formulated via path integrals. We calculate the various Ricci scalar and curvatures associated to these metrics and prove that they can be choosen to be zero in classical mechanics while this is not possible in quantum mechanics.
Contrary to the widespread belief, the problem of the emergence of classical mechanics from quantum mechanics is still open. In spite of many results on the $\h \to 0$ asymptotics, it is not yet clear how to explain within standard quantum mechanics the classical motion of macroscopic bodies. In this paper we shall analyze special cases of classical behavior in the framework of a precise formulation of quantum mechanics, Bohmian mechanics, which contains in its own structure the possibility of describing real objects in an observer-independent way.
We analyze the different ways to define the energy operator in geometric theories of quantum mechanics. In some formulations the operator contains the scalar curvature as a multiplicative term. We show that such term can be canceled or added with an arbitrary constant factor, both in the mainstream Geometric Quantization and in the Covariant Quantum Mechanics, developed by Jadczyk and Modugno with several contributions from many authors.
In this paper we show how Feynman diagrams, which are used as a tool to implement perturbation theory in quantum field theory, can be very useful also in classical mechanics, provided we introduce also at the classical level concepts like path integrals and generating functionals.
The classical-statistical limit of quantum mechanics is studied. It is proved that the limit $\hbar \to 0$ is the good limit for the operators algebra but it si not so for the state compact set. In the last case decoherence must be invoked to obtain the classical-statistical limit.
The Dirac equation, usually obtained by `quantizing' a classical stochastic model is here obtained directly within classical statistical mechanics. The special underlying space-time geometry of the random walk replaces the missing analytic continuation, making the model `self-quantizing'. This provides a new context for the Dirac equation, distinct from its usual context in relativistic quantum mechanics.
The statistical mechanics of quantum-classical systems with holonomic constraints is formulated rigorously by unifying the classical Dirac bracket and the quantum-classical bracket in matrix form. The resulting Dirac quantum-classical theory, which conserves the holonomic constraints exactly, is then used to formulate time evolution and statistical mechanics. The correct momentum-jump approximation for constrained system arises naturally from this formalism. Finally, in analogy with what was found in the classical case, it is shown that the rigorous linear response function of constrained quan…
Here I explore a novel no-collapse interpretation of quantum mechanics which combines aspects of two familiar and well-developed alternatives, Bohmian mechanics and the many-worlds interpretation. Despite reproducing the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics, the theory looks surprisingly classical. All there is at the fundamental level are particles interacting via Newtonian forces. There is no wave function. However, there are many worlds.
The generalized h-dependent operator algebra is defined ($0\leq h \leq h_o$). For h= h_o it becomes equivalent to the quantum mechanical algebra of observables and for h=0 it is equivalent to the classical one. We show this by proposing how the main features of both mechanics can be defined in operator form.
The aim of this paper is to analyze the reconstructability of quantum mechanics from classical conditional probabilities representing measurement outcomes conditioned on measurement choices. We will investigate how the quantum mechanical representation of classical conditional probabilities is situated within the broader frame of noncommutative representations. To this goal, we adopt some parts of the quantum formalism and ask whether empirical data can constrain the rest of the representation to conform to quantum mechanics. We will show that as the set of empirical data grows conventional el…
In this paper a didactic approach is described which immediately leads to an understanding of those postulates of quantum mechanics used most frequently in quantum computation. Moreover, an interpretation of quantum mechanics is presented which is motivated by retaining the point of view of classical mechanics as much as possible, and which is consistent with relativity theory. Everything can be written down in terms of well-known mathematical formulations that can be found in every textbook about quantum mechanics. Therefore, in this version, almost no formulas are used.
We investigate the possibility that the semiclassical limit of quantum mechanics might be correctly described by a classical dynamical theory, other than standard classical mechanics. Using a set of classicality criteria proposed in a related paper, we show that the time evolution of a set of quantum initial data satisfying these criteria is fully consistent with the predictions of a new theory of classical dynamics. The dynamical structure of the new theory is given by the Moyal bracket. This is a Lie bracket that was first derived as the dynamical structure of the Moyal-Weyl-Wigner formulati…
This thesis is concerned with the representation theory of the Heisenberg group and its applications to both classical and quantum mechanics. We continue the development of $p$-mechanics which is a consistent physical theory capable of describing both classical and quantum mechanics simultaneously. $p$-Mechanics starts from the observation that the one dimensional representations of the Heisenberg group play the same role in classical mechanics which the infinite dimensional representations play in quantum mechanics. In this thesis we introduce the idea of states to $p$-mechanics. $p$-Mechanic…
We construct a non-Grassmann spinning-particle model which, by analogy with quantum mechanics, does not admit the notion of a trajectory within the position space. The pseudo-classical character of the model allows us to avoid the inconsistencies arising in the quantum-mechanical interpretation of a one-particle sector of the Dirac equation.
Measurement theory in classical mechanics is investigated in the formulation of classical mechanics by Koopman and von Neumann (KvN), using Hilbert space. It is shown that the classical and the quantum measurements give different "relative interpretations" of the measurement state and the recording state of the measurement device. The uncertainty relation in classical mechanics is also derived.
By means of the examples of classical and Bohmian quantum mechanics, we illustrate the well-known ideas of Boltzmann as to how one gets from laws defined for the universe as a whole to dynamical relations describing the evolution of subsystems. We explain how probabilities enter into this process, what quantum and classical probabilities have in common and where exactly their difference lies.
We present a general method to derive the classical mechanics of a system of identical particles in a way that retains information about quantum statistics. The resulting statistical mechanics can be interpreted as a classical version of Haldane's exclusion statistics.
Classical statistical particle mechanics in the configuration space can be represented by a nonlinear Schrodinger equation. Even without assuming the existence of deterministic particle trajectories, the resulting quantum-like statistical interpretation is sufficient to predict all measurable results of classical mechanics. In the classical case, the wave function that satisfies a linear equation is positive, which is the main source of the fundamental difference between classical and quantum mechanics.
