An intrinsic causality principle in histories-based quantum theory: a proposal
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Dowker, Fay
Sorkin, Rafael D
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Relativistic causality (RC) is the principle that no cause can act outside its future light cone, but any attempt to formulate this principle more precisely will depend on the foundational framework that one adopts for quantum theory. Adopting a histories-based (or 'path integral') framework, we relate RC to a condition we term 'Persistence of Zero' (PoZ), according to which an event E of measure zero remains forbidden if one forms its conjunction with any other event associated to a spacetime region that is later than or spacelike to that of E. We also relate PoZ to the Bell inequalities by showing that, in combination with a second, more technical condition it leads to the quantal counterpart of Fine's patching theorem in much the same way as Bell's condition of local causality leads to Fine's original theorem. We then argue that RC per se has very little to say on the matter of which correlations can occur in nature and which cannot. From the point of view we arrive at, histories-based quantum theories are nonlocal in spacetime, and fully in compliance with RC.
Date Issued
2023-12-01
Date Acceptance
2023-10-13
Citation
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 2023, 56 (48)
ISSN
1751-8113
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Volume
56
Issue
48
Copyright Statement
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
License URL
Identifier
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1751-8121/ad0347
Subjects
causality
EPR
histories
MECHANICS
nonlocality
path integral
Physical Sciences
Physics
Physics, Mathematical
Physics, Multidisciplinary
quantum foundations
relativistic causality
Science & Technology
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
485304
Date Publish Online
2023-11-10