Relation with Quantum Mechanics

Bruce M. Bennett, Donald D. Hoffman, Chetan Prakash

Michael Silberstein, W. M. Stuckey, Timothy J. McDevitt

The main thread of chapter 4 introduces some of the major mysteries and interpretational issues of quantum mechanics (QM). These mysteries and issues include: quantum superposition, quantum nonlocality, Bell’s inequality, entanglement, delayed choice, the measurement problem, and the lack of counterfactual definiteness. All these mysteries and interpretational issues of QM result from dynamical explanation in the mechanical universe and are dispatched using the authors’ adynamical explanation in the block universe, called Relational Blockworld (RBW). A possible link between RBW and quantum information theory is provided. The metaphysical underpinnings of RBW, such as contextual emergence, spatiotemporal ontological contextuality, and adynamical global constraints, are provided in Philosophy of Physics for Chapter 4. That is also where RBW is situated with respect to retrocausal accounts and it is shown that RBW is a realist, psi-epistemic account of QM. All the relevant formalism for this chapter is provided in Foundational Physics for Chapter 4.

Barbara Gellai

Vladimir K. Ignatovich

Uncertainty relations are shown to have nothing specific for quantum mechanics, being the general property valid for arbitrary function. A wave function of a particle having precisely defined position and momentum in QM simultaneously is demonstrated. Interference on two slits in a screen is shown to exist in classical mechanics. A nonlinear classical system of equations replacing QM Schrödinger equation is suggested. This approach is shown to have nothing in common with Bohmian mechanics.

W. M. Stuckey, Michael Silberstein, Michael Cifone

We introduce a new interpretation of non‐relativistic quantum mechanics (QM) called Relational Blockworld (RBW). We motivate the interpretation by outlining two results due to Kaiser, Bohr, Ulfeck, Mottelson, and Anandan, independently. First, the canonical commutation relations for position and momentum can be obtained from boost and translation operators, respectively, in a spacetime where the relativity of simultaneity holds. Second, the QM density operator can be obtained from the spacetime symmetry group of the experimental configuration exclusively. We show how QM, obtained from relativistic quantum field theory per RBW, explains the twin‐slit experiment and conclude by resolving the standard conceptual problems of QM, i.e., the measurement problem, entanglement and non‐locality.