On Tarski's axiomatic foundations of the calculus of relations

It is shown that Tarski's set of ten axioms for the calculus of relations is independent in the sense that no axiom can be derived from the remaining axioms. It is also shown that by modifying one of Tarski's axioms slightly, and in fact by replacing the right-hand distributive law for relative multiplication with its left-hand version, we arrive at an equivalent set of axioms which is redundant in the sense that one of the axioms, namely the second involution law, is derivable from the other axioms. The set of remaining axioms is independent. Finally, it is shown that if both the left-hand and right-hand distributive laws for relative multiplication are included in the set of axioms, then two of Tarski's other axioms become redundant, namely the second involution law and the distributive law for converse. The set of remaining axioms is independent and equivalent to Tarski's axiom system

A further simplification of Tarski's axioms of geometry

A slight modification to one of Tarski's axioms of plane Euclidean geometry is proposed. This modification allows another of the axioms to be omitted from the set of axioms and proven as a theorem. This change to the system of axioms simplifies the system as a whole, without sacrificing the useful modularity of some of its axioms. The new system is shown to possess all of the known independence properties of the system on which it was based; in addition, another of the axioms is shown to be independent in the new system.Comment: 10 page

Is there life beyond Quantum Mechanics?

We formulate physically-motivated axioms for a physical theory which for systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom uniquely lead to Quantum Mechanics as the only nontrivial consistent theory. Complex numbers and the existence of the Planck constant common to all systems arise naturally in this approach. The axioms are divided into two groups covering kinematics and basic measurement theory respectively. We show that even if the second group of axioms is dropped, there are no deformations of Quantum Mechanics which preserve the kinematic axioms. Thus any theory going beyond Quantum Mechanics must represent a radical departure from the usual a priori assumptions about the laws of Nature.Comment: 23 pages, latex. v3: commentaries on the axioms expanded, a non-technical summary added, references added, typos fixed. v4: version accepted for publication in Journal of Mathematical Physic (under a different title). Axiomatics is simplified and the number of axioms reduced, some proofs clarified, typos fixe