Informational derivation of Quantum Theory

TL;DR

This paper derives quantum theory from informational principles, showing that core quantum structures emerge naturally from five axioms and a key postulate, without relying on the traditional Hilbert space formalism.

Contribution

It introduces a set of informational axioms and a purification postulate that uniquely characterize quantum theory within a broad class of information-processing theories.

Findings

Quantum structures are derived from informational principles.

Quantum theory is singled out by the purification postulate.

Core quantum features emerge without Hilbert space formalism.

Abstract

Quantum theory can be derived from purely informational principles. Five elementary axioms-causality, perfect distinguishability, ideal compression, local distinguishability, and pure conditioning-define a broad class of theories of information-processing that can be regarded as a standard. One postulate-purification-singles out quantum theory within this class. The main structures of quantum theory, such as the representation of mixed states as convex combinations of perfectly distinguishable pure states, are derived directly from the principles without using the Hilbert space framework.