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arXiv:0811.2516 · Compendium of Quantum Physics

Operational Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Axiomatics and Quantum Structures

Diederik Aerts

Published Jan 1, 2009• 31 citations
arXivHTMLPDF
DOI
10.1007/978-3-540-70626-7_132

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An axiomatic mathematical structure is presented in terms of which arbitrary mathematical models of a physical system can be rigorously formulated and studied. Physical systems, observables, and states all arise in a natural way from the primitive notion of a physical operation. In particular, the structure is independent of the special mathematical completion defined by the quantum mechanical model, since no lattice theoretical or Hilbert space assumptions are used. The precise relationship between the present structure and the usual quantum mechanical model is investigated in a succeeding paper.

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Purification as the Structural Seed of Quantum Theory: Minimal Axioms Beyond Finite Accessibility

Paul Cooney

Arc V — Gravity & Quantum Theory Paper 7 Title Purification as the Structural Seed of Quantum Theory:Minimal Axioms Beyond Finite Accessibility Zenodo DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18226009 Description This paper presents a full axiomatic reconstruction of quantum theory starting from finite accessibility augmented by a single additional structural principle: purification. Building on the identification of the quantum gap in Paper V.6, it demonstrates that purification is not merely sufficient but structurally generative—acting as the seed from which the full architecture of quantum mechanics emerges. The analysis shows that when purification is imposed on an accessibility-limited operational framework, core quantum features arise necessarily rather than by assumption. These include superposition, entanglement, reversible dynamics, and the tensor-product structure of composite systems. No geometric ontology, wavefunction realism, or microscopic state postulates are introduced. The paper carefully distinguishes purification from interpretational assumptions. It is treated not as a metaphysical claim about reality, but as a constraint on admissible descriptions: all apparent irreversibility must be explainable as loss of access to a larger, pure structure. From this requirement alone, the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics is shown to follow. By identifying purification as the minimal axiom beyond finite accessibility, the paper sharply limits the space of possible quantum theories. Any alternative framework lacking purification is shown to fail to reproduce essential quantum phenomena, while any stronger assumption introduces surplus structure. Keywords quantum reconstruction; purification axiom; entanglement; superposition; operational quantum mechanics; axiomatic foundations Notes Arc V — Gravity & Quantum Theory (axiomatic quantum reconstruction) Purification elevated from repair mechanism to generative principle Quantum structure derived without geometry or microstates Strong separation between operational axioms and interpretation Direct precursor to non-geometric formulations of quantum mechanics

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A Wave-Representational Formulation of Cognitional Mechanics: From Algebraic Finality to Process Visibility

T.O.

Cognitional Mechanics (CM) is an axiomatic framework in which computations are performed as determinate sequences of non-commutative matrix operations. In its original formulation, CM guarantees logical finality: given the same inputs and operational ordering, the outcome is uniquely determined. While this ensures rigor and eliminates ambiguity, it also renders the internal computational process opaque, hiding the sequence of transformations that produce the result. This opacity has historically led to superficial analogies with Quantum Mechanics (QM), where wave and matrix formulations coexist. However, unlike QM, CM’s dual descriptions are purely representational: they do not introduce probability, superposition, or measurement postulates. Instead, representation choice affects only the visibility of the computational process, not the outcome. To address the explanatory limitations of the algebraic description, this work introduces a wave-representational layer for CM. This formulation maps discrete matrix operations onto continuous trajectories in an abstract state space. The resulting “wave” picture provides process visibility while preserving determinacy, making internal computation transparent without changing the axiomatic conclusions. By making operational trajectories explicit, this approach clarifies the structural distinction between CM and QM, formally invalidates the common CM = QM analogy, and provides a general framework for visualizing computation in axiomatic systems. The wave-representational layer is not a physical theory; it is an internal descriptive extension that enhances conceptual understanding of CM’s deterministic and non-commutative nature.

•Jan 1, 2026•0 citations
An axiomatic mathematical structure is presented in terms of which arbitrary mathematical models of a physical system can be rigorously formulated and studied. Physical systems, observables, and states all arise in a natural way from the primitive notion of a physical operation. In particular, the structure is independent of the special mathematical completion defined by the quantum mechanical model, since no lattice theoretical or Hilbert space assumptions are used. The precise relationship between the present structure and the usual quantum mechanical model is investigated in a succeeding paper.
Arc V — Gravity & Quantum Theory Paper 7 Title Purification as the Structural Seed of Quantum Theory:Minimal Axioms Beyond Finite Accessibility Zenodo DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18226009 Description This paper presents a full axiomatic reconstruction of quantum theory starting from finite accessibility augmented by a single additional structural principle: purification. Building on the identification of the quantum gap in Paper V.6, it demonstrates that purification is not merely sufficient but structurally generative—acting as the seed from which the full architecture of quantum mechanics emerges. The analysis shows that when purification is imposed on an accessibility-limited operational framework, core quantum features arise necessarily rather than by assumption. These include superposition, entanglement, reversible dynamics, and the tensor-product structure of composite systems. No geometric ontology, wavefunction realism, or microscopic state postulates are introduced. The paper carefully distinguishes purification from interpretational assumptions. It is treated not as a metaphysical claim about reality, but as a constraint on admissible descriptions: all apparent irreversibility must be explainable as loss of access to a larger, pure structure. From this requirement alone, the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics is shown to follow. By identifying purification as the minimal axiom beyond finite accessibility, the paper sharply limits the space of possible quantum theories. Any alternative framework lacking purification is shown to fail to reproduce essential quantum phenomena, while any stronger assumption introduces surplus structure. Keywords quantum reconstruction; purification axiom; entanglement; superposition; operational quantum mechanics; axiomatic foundations Notes Arc V — Gravity & Quantum Theory (axiomatic quantum reconstruction) Purification elevated from repair mechanism to generative principle Quantum structure derived without geometry or microstates Strong separation between operational axioms and interpretation Direct precursor to non-geometric formulations of quantum mechanics
Cognitional Mechanics (CM) is an axiomatic framework in which computations are performed as determinate sequences of non-commutative matrix operations. In its original formulation, CM guarantees logical finality: given the same inputs and operational ordering, the outcome is uniquely determined. While this ensures rigor and eliminates ambiguity, it also renders the internal computational process opaque, hiding the sequence of transformations that produce the result. This opacity has historically led to superficial analogies with Quantum Mechanics (QM), where wave and matrix formulations coexist. However, unlike QM, CM’s dual descriptions are purely representational: they do not introduce probability, superposition, or measurement postulates. Instead, representation choice affects only the visibility of the computational process, not the outcome. To address the explanatory limitations of the algebraic description, this work introduces a wave-representational layer for CM. This formulation maps discrete matrix operations onto continuous trajectories in an abstract state space. The resulting “wave” picture provides process visibility while preserving determinacy, making internal computation transparent without changing the axiomatic conclusions. By making operational trajectories explicit, this approach clarifies the structural distinction between CM and QM, formally invalidates the common CM = QM analogy, and provides a general framework for visualizing computation in axiomatic systems. The wave-representational layer is not a physical theory; it is an internal descriptive extension that enhances conceptual understanding of CM’s deterministic and non-commutative nature.