PIRSA:09080015

# Four and a Half Axioms for Quantum Mechanics

### APA

Wilce, A. (2009). Four and a Half Axioms for Quantum Mechanics. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/09080015

### MLA

Wilce, Alexander. Four and a Half Axioms for Quantum Mechanics. Perimeter Institute, Aug. 13, 2009, https://pirsa.org/09080015

### BibTex

          @misc{ pirsa_09080015,
doi = {},
url = {https://pirsa.org/09080015},
author = {Wilce, Alexander},
keywords = {Quantum Foundations},
language = {en},
title = {Four and a Half Axioms for Quantum Mechanics},
publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
year = {2009},
month = {aug},
note = {PIRSA:09080015 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
}


## Abstract

I will discuss a set of strong, but probabilistically intelligible, axioms from which one can {\em almost} derive the appratus of finite dimensional quantum theory. These require that systems appear completely classical as restricted to a single measurement, that different measurements, and likewise different pure states, be equivalent up to the action of a compact group of symmetries, and that every state be the marginal of a bipartite state perfectly correlating two measurements. This much yields a mathematical representation of measurements, states and symmetries that is already very suggestive of quantum mechanics. One final postulate (a simple minimization principle, still in need of a clear interpretation) forces the theory's state space to be that of a formally real Jordan algebra