A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings
In the framework of ontological models, the inherently nonclassical features of quantum theory always seem to involve properties that are fine tuned, i.e. properties that hold at the operational level but break at the ontological level. Their appearance at the operational level is due to unexplained...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Verein zur Förderung des Open Access Publizierens in den Quantenwissenschaften
2023-03-01
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Series: | Quantum |
Online Access: | https://quantum-journal.org/papers/q-2023-03-16-948/pdf/ |
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author | Lorenzo Catani Matthew Leifer |
author_facet | Lorenzo Catani Matthew Leifer |
author_sort | Lorenzo Catani |
collection | DOAJ |
description | In the framework of ontological models, the inherently nonclassical features of quantum theory always seem to involve properties that are fine tuned, i.e. properties that hold at the operational level but break at the ontological level. Their appearance at the operational level is due to unexplained special choices of the ontological parameters, which is what we mean by a fine tuning. Famous examples of such features are contextuality and nonlocality. In this article, we develop a theory-independent mathematical framework for characterizing operational fine tunings. These are distinct from causal fine tunings – already introduced by Wood and Spekkens in [NJP,17 033002(2015)] – as the definition of an operational fine tuning does not involve any assumptions about the underlying causal structure. We show how known examples of operational fine tunings, such as Spekkens' generalized contextuality, violation of parameter independence in Bell experiment, and ontological time asymmetry, fit into our framework. We discuss the possibility of finding new fine tunings and we use the framework to shed new light on the relation between nonlocality and generalized contextuality. Although nonlocality has often been argued to be a form of contextuality, this is only true when nonlocality consists of a violation of parameter independence. We formulate our framework also in the language of category theory using the concept of functors. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:09:23Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-e83d7a61b3634791b6cd4c47c4eaf9ee |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2521-327X |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:09:23Z |
publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
publisher | Verein zur Förderung des Open Access Publizierens in den Quantenwissenschaften |
record_format | Article |
series | Quantum |
spelling | doaj.art-e83d7a61b3634791b6cd4c47c4eaf9ee2023-03-16T15:25:43ZengVerein zur Förderung des Open Access Publizierens in den QuantenwissenschaftenQuantum2521-327X2023-03-01794810.22331/q-2023-03-16-94810.22331/q-2023-03-16-948A mathematical framework for operational fine tuningsLorenzo CataniMatthew LeiferIn the framework of ontological models, the inherently nonclassical features of quantum theory always seem to involve properties that are fine tuned, i.e. properties that hold at the operational level but break at the ontological level. Their appearance at the operational level is due to unexplained special choices of the ontological parameters, which is what we mean by a fine tuning. Famous examples of such features are contextuality and nonlocality. In this article, we develop a theory-independent mathematical framework for characterizing operational fine tunings. These are distinct from causal fine tunings – already introduced by Wood and Spekkens in [NJP,17 033002(2015)] – as the definition of an operational fine tuning does not involve any assumptions about the underlying causal structure. We show how known examples of operational fine tunings, such as Spekkens' generalized contextuality, violation of parameter independence in Bell experiment, and ontological time asymmetry, fit into our framework. We discuss the possibility of finding new fine tunings and we use the framework to shed new light on the relation between nonlocality and generalized contextuality. Although nonlocality has often been argued to be a form of contextuality, this is only true when nonlocality consists of a violation of parameter independence. We formulate our framework also in the language of category theory using the concept of functors.https://quantum-journal.org/papers/q-2023-03-16-948/pdf/ |
spellingShingle | Lorenzo Catani Matthew Leifer A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings Quantum |
title | A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings |
title_full | A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings |
title_fullStr | A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings |
title_full_unstemmed | A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings |
title_short | A mathematical framework for operational fine tunings |
title_sort | mathematical framework for operational fine tunings |
url | https://quantum-journal.org/papers/q-2023-03-16-948/pdf/ |
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