FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS SEMINAR SERIES SPECIAL EVENT
Wednesday the 8th of December
New Law Building Annex seminar room 107, 1pm to 4pm
1pm: Philip Goyal (Albany)
Process Logic and the Origin of Quantum Theory
It is possible to combine simple experimental arrangements in various different
ways to generate more elaborate ones. When formalized, this leads to what I
refer to as a process logic, the core of which are two binary operators
("series" and "parallel" combination operators) and a set of five symmetries.
Recently, I have shown how this logic, when supplemented with a very simple
formalization of complementarity, naturally leads to Feynman?s rules of quantum
theory (including their complex nature) [1].
Remarkably, the same symmetries are also present in inference and in
mathematics, where they also play a fundamental role. In particular, these
symmetries are present in Boolean algebra, where they lead (via an argument
originally due to Cox [2], and refined by Knuth [3]) to the formalism of
probability theory, and in the mathematical foundations of number fields, where
they form the basis for systematically extending arithmetic beyond real number
arithmetic to, for example, complex and quaternion arithmetic.
In this talk, I shall outline the derivation of Feynman?s rules, and
demonstrate the linkages that the derivation thereby establishes between the
quantum formalism, probability theory, and the foundations of mathematics. I
shall conclude by discussing some of the implications for our understanding of
the nature of quantum reality, as well as describing some of the open questions
that remain.
[1] Origin of Complex Quantum Amplitudes and Feynman's Rules, P. Goyal, K.
Knuth, J. Skilling, Phys. Rev. A 81, 022109 (2010). Full text available at
www.philipgoyal.org
[2] Probability, Frequency, and Reasonable Expectation, R. T. Cox, Am. J. Phys.
14, 1 (1946).
[3] Deriving Laws from Ordering Relations, K. Knuth, arXiv:physics/0403031
2:30pm: Sean Gryb (PI)
Gauge theory on configuration space: relationalism and scale invariance in GR
I will discuss a novel way of looking at GR: as a gauge theory on configuration
space. This approach was inspired by Julian Barbour's conceptual framework for
implementing Mach's principle. I will discuss two important results that are
implied by this picture. First, one is lead to a natural and precise definition
of background independence and observables. These observables, which have a
natural geometric interpretation in the gauge theory, seem to be closely
connected to those proposed by Dittrich. Second, one is led to a procedure for
trading foliation invariance for local scale invariance. The possible
applications of this trading will be discussed.
All welcome.
Information on the website: http://bit.ly/SydFop
----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
_______________________________________________
SydPhil mailing list: http://sydphil.info
945 subscribers now served.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, change your MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS, find ANSWERS TO COMMON
PROBLEMS, or visit our ONLINE ARCHIVES, please go to the LIST INFORMATION PAGE:
http://sydphil.info
