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Journal of Mathematical Physics

Probability manifolds

Stanley Gudder

Published Aug 1, 1984• 33 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The concept of a probability manifold M is introduced. The global properties of M inherited from its local structure are then considered. It is shown that a deterministic spin model due to Pitowski falls within this general framework. Finally, we construct a phase-space model for nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. These two models give the same global description as conventional quantum mechanics. However, they also give a local description which is not possible in conventional quantum mechanics.

DOI
10.1063/1.526461

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The concept of a probability manifold M is introduced. The global properties of M inherited from its local structure are then considered. It is shown that a deterministic spin model due to Pitowski falls within this general framework. Finally, we construct a phase-space model for nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. These two models give the same global description as conventional quantum mechanics. However, they also give a local description which is not possible in conventional quantum mechanics.
We focus on several questions arising during the modelling of quantum systems on a phase space. First, we discuss the choice of phase space and its structure. We include an interesting case of discrete phase space. Then, we introduce the respective algebras of functions containing quantum observables. We also consider the possibility of performing strict calculations and indicate cases where only formal considerations can be performed. We analyse alternative realisations of strict and formal calculi, which are determined by different kernels. Finally, two classes of Wigner functions as representations of states are investigated.
Since the very early days of quantum theory there have been numerous attempts to interpret quantum mechanics as a statistical theory. This is equivalent to describing quantum states and ensembles together with their dynamics entirely in terms of phase-space distributions. Finite dimensional systems have historically been an issue. In recent works [Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 180401 (2016) and Phys. Rev. A 96, 022117 (2017)] we presented a framework for representing any quantum state as a complete continuous Wigner function. Here we extend this work to its partner function---the Weyl function. In doing so we complete the phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics---extending work by Wigner, Weyl, Moyal, and others to any quantum system. This work is structured in three parts. First we provide a brief modernized discussion of the general framework of phase-space quantum mechanics. We extend previous work and show how this leads to a framework that can describe any system in phase space---putting it for the first time on a truly equal footing to Schr\"odinger's and Heisenberg's formulation of quantum mechanics. Importantly, we do this in a way that respects the unifying principles of ``parity'' and ``displacement'' in a natural broadening of previously developed phase-space concepts and methods. Secondly we consider how this framework is realized for different quantum systems; in particular we consider the proper construction of Weyl functions for some example finite dimensional systems. Finally we relate the Wigner and Weyl distributions to statistical properties of any quantum system or set of systems.
Interpretational paradoxes of quantum mechanics may be associated with the application of the structure of classical probability theory to systems whose probabilistic organization is fundamentally contextual. In this work, we propose an outline of an alternative probability theory in which the primary object is not an elementary outcome but a contextual whole—a class of alternatives defined by a common structural property. In this approach, probability is organized on two levels. The first level describes the probabilities of contextual wholes, while the second level describes the conditional probabilities of alternatives within those wholes. Individual alternatives do not possess autonomous probabilities outside their context. Their probabilities arise only as contextual projections of a more fundamental probabilistic structure. Within this model, quantum mechanics appears as a special case of a more general theory in which contextual wholes are described by superpositions of probability amplitudes. Classical probability theory emerges as a limiting case in which all contexts are mutually compatible and can be combined into a single global description. The proposed framework provides a possible conceptual foundation for understanding quantum probability, contextuality, interference, and hybrid probability distributions within a unified structure.
The methods of general and differential topology (topology ≈︁ “rubber geometry”) are particularly suitable for the quantum-mechanical description of nonrigid molecular systems. The concept of nuclear configuration space 3NR is replaced by a metric space M and subsequently by a topological space (M, TC) where points of nuclear geometries, as fundamental entities, are replaced by open sets. These open sets provide a quantum-mechanical description of molecular structures, reaction mechanisms, and reaction networks. Exploiting the special properties of the metric of M, the topological space (M, TC) can be provided with a differentiable manifold structure. This differentiable manifold is proposed as a common basis for both local and global analysis of reacting molecular systems.
Modern science increasingly encounters systems where the properties of individual components cannot be separated from the structure of the whole. Quantum systems, artificial intelligence networks, information flows, and complex economic or physical processes often exhibit strong contextual dependencies, correlations, and non-orthogonal interactions. Classical measure theory provides a powerful description of additive systems, where the measure of the whole can be constructed from independent contributions of its parts. However, in strongly interconnected systems, direct bottom-up decomposition may become insufficient, leading to non-additive descriptions or complex correction procedures. This work presents a general contextual measure framework based on a different methodological principle: the global invariant is considered primary, while local measures emerge through contextual decomposition. Building on previous works on the Global Measure Decomposition Method and stationary equilibrium modeling, we investigate how a conserved global measure can generate normalized contextual weights describing the distribution of measurable properties among system components. The Riesz representation theorem is considered as an important example of how global scalar invariants may be connected with internal Hilbert-space geometry. This connection suggests a broader interpretation of Hilbert spaces as mathematical structures suitable for systems where local properties arise from global relational constraints. Within this framework, quantum probability is interpreted as a particular realization of contextual measure decomposition, where amplitudes, superposition, and projection probabilities describe the distribution of a global invariant relative to a measurement context. The same structural principle is explored in other domains, including artificial intelligence optimization, information processing, and complex adaptive systems. Dynamic extensions based on Fokker–Planck-type equations demonstrate how contextual measures may evolve while preserving global conservation. The proposed framework does not claim to replace existing theories, but suggests a possible unifying mathematical perspective: systems with strong contextual dependencies may be described by deriving local measures from global invariants rather than constructing the whole from independent parts.