2 research outputs found
Big Toy Models: Representing Physical Systems As Chu Spaces
We pursue a model-oriented rather than axiomatic approach to the foundations
of Quantum Mechanics, with the idea that new models can often suggest new
axioms. This approach has often been fruitful in Logic and Theoretical Computer
Science. Rather than seeking to construct a simplified toy model, we aim for a
`big toy model', in which both quantum and classical systems can be faithfully
represented - as well as, possibly, more exotic kinds of systems.
To this end, we show how Chu spaces can be used to represent physical systems
of various kinds. In particular, we show how quantum systems can be represented
as Chu spaces over the unit interval in such a way that the Chu morphisms
correspond exactly to the physically meaningful symmetries of the systems - the
unitaries and antiunitaries. In this way we obtain a full and faithful functor
from the groupoid of Hilbert spaces and their symmetries to Chu spaces. We also
consider whether it is possible to use a finite value set rather than the unit
interval; we show that three values suffice, while the two standard
possibilistic reductions to two values both fail to preserve fullness.Comment: 24 pages. Accepted for Synthese 16th April 2010. Published online
20th April 201