Is Information the Key?

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:11050035,
            doi = {10.48660/11050035},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/11050035},
            author = {Brassard, Gilles},
            keywords = {Quantum Foundations},
            language = {en},
            title = {Is Information the Key?},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2011},
            month = {may},
            note = {PIRSA:11050035 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

Consider the two great physical theories of the twentieth century: relativity and quantum mechanics. Einstein derived relativity from very simple principles. By contrast, the foundation of quantum mechanics is built on a set of rather strange, disjointed and ad hoc axioms, reflecting at best the history that led to discovering this new world order. The purpose of this talk is to argue that a better foundation for quantum mechanics lies within the teachings of quantum information science. The basic postulate is that the truly fundamental laws of Nature concern information, not waves or particles. For example, it is known that quantum key distribution is possible but quantum bit commitment is not and that nature is nonlocal but not as nonlocal as is imposed by causality. But should these statements be considered as theorems or axioms? It's time to pause and reflect on what is really fundamental and what are merely consequences. Could information be the key?