Quantum mechanics is an extremely successful theory of nature and yet it lacks an intuitive axiomatization. In contrast, the special theory of relativity is well understood and is rooted into natural or experimentally justified postulates. Here we introduce an axiomatization approach to quantum mechanics which is very similar to special theory of relativity derivation. The core idea is that a composed system obeys the same laws of nature as its components. This leads to a Jordan-Lie algebraic formulation of quantum mechanics. The starting assumptions are minimal: the laws of nature are invariant under time evolution, the laws of nature are invariant under tensor composition, the laws of nature are relational, together with the ability to define a physical state (positivity). Quantum mechanics is singled out by a fifth experimentally justified postulate: nature violates Bell inequalities.
Abstract This chapter introduces the four postulates of quantum mechanics: state space, evolution, and composition – which are associated with isolated quantum mechanical systems, and measurement, which defines what happens when information is extracted from a quantum mechanical system. Several important theoretical results concerning measurement are given, including the violation of the Bell inequalities, which establishes the profoundly non-classical nature of entanglement. This chapter also introduces qubits, which constitute the building blocks for the majority of quantum algorithms, and the Bloch sphere is presented as a convenient way of picturing a single-qubit state.
This paper proposes a novel framework to derive all known laws of physics from a single foundational principle: the *Law of Consistency*, introduced in Section 2. By applying this law to symmetric states and conditions—regardless of the method of execution—it becomes possible, through pure mathematical reasoning, to reconstruct both classical mechanics (as developed by Isaac Newton) and, more significantly, quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is reinterpreted in this paper under a new conceptual framework rooted in consistency, providing coherent explanations for key phenomena such as entanglement, decoherence, wave function collapse, interference, the Pauli exclusion principle, and others. The principle of consistency is also extended to the domain of special relativity and shown to underlie its transition into general relativity. Some well-known equations (e.g., *E = mc²*) are re-derived, not for novelty, but to emphasize their foundational basis in the proposed axioms of consistency (Axioms 1 and 2) and logical deduction. Constants of nature (e.g., Planck's constant, *G*, *k*, etc.) are not addressed in this work.they may represent arbitrarily assigned values within the universe,but must be preserved through space and time by definition of the consistency laws.
This paper proposes a novel framework to derive all known laws of physics from a single foundational principle: the *Law of Consistency*, introduced in Section 2 and elaborated in Section 7. By applying this law to symmetric states and conditions—regardless of the method of execution—it becomes possible, through pure mathematical reasoning, to reconstruct both classical mechanics (as developed by Isaac Newton) and, more significantly, quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is reinterpreted in this paper under a new conceptual framework rooted in consistency, providing coherent explanations for key phenomena such as entanglement, decoherence, wave function collapse, interference, the Pauli exclusion principle, and others. The principle of consistency is also extended to the domain of special relativity and shown to underlie its transition into general relativity. Some well-known equations (e.g., *E = mc²*) are re-derived, not for novelty, but to emphasize their foundational basis in the proposed axioms of consistency (Axioms 1 and 2) and logical deduction. Constants of nature (e.g., Planck's constant, *G*, *k*, etc.) are not addressed in this work. It is argued that they may represent arbitrarily assigned values within the universe, preserved through space and time by definition and by the consistency law
The general view is that all fundamental physical laws should be formulated within the framework given by quantum mechanics (QM). In a sense, QM therefore has the character of a metaphysical theory. Consequently, if it is possible to derive QM from more basic principles, these principles should be of general, philosophical nature. Here, we derive the formalism of QM from well-motivated epistemic principles. A key assumption is that a physical theory that relies on entities or distinctions that are unknowable in principle gives rise to wrong predictions. First, an epistemic formalism is developed, using concepts like knowledge and potential knowledge, identifying a physical state
S with the potential knowledge of the physical world. It is demonstrated that QM emerges from this formalism. However, Hilbert spaces, wave functions and probabilities are defined in certain well-defined observational contexts only. This means that the epistemic formalism is broader than QM. In the fundamental layer of description, the physical state
S is a subset of a state space
S={Z}, such that
S always contains many elements
Z. These elements correspond to unattainable states of complete knowledge of the world. The evolution of
S cannot be determined in terms of the individual evolution of the elements
Z, unlike the evolution of an ensemble in classical phase space. The evolution of
S is described in terms of sequential time
n∈N, which is updated according to
n→n+1 each time an event occurs, each time potential knowledge changes. Sequential time
n can be separated from relational time
t, which describes distances between events in space-time. There is an entire space-time associated with each
n, in which
t represents the knowledge at sequential time
n about the temporal relations between present and past events.