2,669 research outputs found
Hilbert-Post completeness for the state and the exception effects
In this paper, we present a novel framework for studying the syntactic
completeness of computational effects and we apply it to the exception effect.
When applied to the states effect, our framework can be seen as a
generalization of Pretnar's work on this subject. We first introduce a relative
notion of Hilbert-Post completeness, well-suited to the composition of effects.
Then we prove that the exception effect is relatively Hilbert-Post complete, as
well as the "core" language which may be used for implementing it; these proofs
have been formalized and checked with the proof assistant Coq.Comment: Siegfried Rump (Hamburg University of Technology), Chee Yap (Courant
Institute, NYU). Sixth International Conference on Mathematical Aspects of
Computer and Information Sciences , Nov 2015, Berlin, Germany. 2015, LNC
Cauchy, infinitesimals and ghosts of departed quantifiers
Procedures relying on infinitesimals in Leibniz, Euler and Cauchy have been
interpreted in both a Weierstrassian and Robinson's frameworks. The latter
provides closer proxies for the procedures of the classical masters. Thus,
Leibniz's distinction between assignable and inassignable numbers finds a proxy
in the distinction between standard and nonstandard numbers in Robinson's
framework, while Leibniz's law of homogeneity with the implied notion of
equality up to negligible terms finds a mathematical formalisation in terms of
standard part. It is hard to provide parallel formalisations in a
Weierstrassian framework but scholars since Ishiguro have engaged in a quest
for ghosts of departed quantifiers to provide a Weierstrassian account for
Leibniz's infinitesimals. Euler similarly had notions of equality up to
negligible terms, of which he distinguished two types: geometric and
arithmetic. Euler routinely used product decompositions into a specific
infinite number of factors, and used the binomial formula with an infinite
exponent. Such procedures have immediate hyperfinite analogues in Robinson's
framework, while in a Weierstrassian framework they can only be reinterpreted
by means of paraphrases departing significantly from Euler's own presentation.
Cauchy gives lucid definitions of continuity in terms of infinitesimals that
find ready formalisations in Robinson's framework but scholars working in a
Weierstrassian framework bend over backwards either to claim that Cauchy was
vague or to engage in a quest for ghosts of departed quantifiers in his work.
Cauchy's procedures in the context of his 1853 sum theorem (for series of
continuous functions) are more readily understood from the viewpoint of
Robinson's framework, where one can exploit tools such as the pointwise
definition of the concept of uniform convergence.
Keywords: historiography; infinitesimal; Latin model; butterfly modelComment: 45 pages, published in Mat. Stu
Relational Quantum Mechanics
I suggest that the common unease with taking quantum mechanics as a
fundamental description of nature (the "measurement problem") could derive from
the use of an incorrect notion, as the unease with the Lorentz transformations
before Einstein derived from the notion of observer-independent time. I suggest
that this incorrect notion is the notion of observer-independent state of a
system (or observer-independent values of physical quantities). I reformulate
the problem of the "interpretation of quantum mechanics" as the problem of
deriving the formalism from a few simple physical postulates. I consider a
reformulation of quantum mechanics in terms of information theory. All systems
are assumed to be equivalent, there is no observer-observed distinction, and
the theory describes only the information that systems have about each other;
nevertheless, the theory is complete.Comment: Substantially revised version. LaTeX fil
A de Finetti representation theorem for infinite dimensional quantum systems and applications to quantum cryptography
According to the quantum de Finetti theorem, if the state of an N-partite
system is invariant under permutations of the subsystems then it can be
approximated by a state where almost all subsystems are identical copies of
each other, provided N is sufficiently large compared to the dimension of the
subsystems. The de Finetti theorem has various applications in physics and
information theory, where it is for instance used to prove the security of
quantum cryptographic schemes. Here, we extend de Finetti's theorem, showing
that the approximation also holds for infinite dimensional systems, as long as
the state satisfies certain experimentally verifiable conditions. This is
relevant for applications such as quantum key distribution (QKD), where it is
often hard - or even impossible - to bound the dimension of the information
carriers (which may be corrupted by an adversary). In particular, our result
can be applied to prove the security of QKD based on weak coherent states or
Gaussian states against general attacks.Comment: 11 pages, LaTe
On the spin of gravitational bosons
We unearth spacetime structure of massive vector bosons, gravitinos, and
gravitons. While the curvatures associated with these particles carry a
definite spin, the underlying potentials cannot be, and should not be,
interpreted as single spin objects. For instance, we predict that a spin
measurement in the rest frame of a massive gravitino will yield the result 3/2
with probability one half, and 1/2 with probability one half. The simplest
scenario leaves the Riemannian curvature unaltered; thus avoiding conflicts
with classical tests of the theory of general relativity. However, the quantum
structure acquires additional contributions to the propagators, and it gives
rise to additional phases.Comment: Honorable mention, 2002 Gravity Research Foundation Essay
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