The Principle of Least Action as Interpreted by Nature and by the Observer

TL;DR

This paper clarifies the interpretation of the principle of least action by distinguishing between two types of actions in classical mechanics, linking them to natural and observer perspectives, and relating them through a Minplus Path Integral.

Contribution

It differentiates the Euler-Lagrange and Hamilton-Jacobi actions, explaining their roles and proposing that Nature uses the Hamilton-Jacobi action while the Euler-Lagrange action is observer-dependent.

Findings

Hamilton-Jacobi action is used by Nature without final causes.

Euler-Lagrange action involves final causes and is used by observers.

Minplus Path Integral links the two actions analogously to quantum Feynman Path Integral.

Abstract

In this paper, we show that the difficulties of interpretation of the principle of least action concerning "final causes" or "efficient causes" are due to the existence of two different actions, the "Euler-Lagrange action" (or classical action) and the "Hamilton-Jacobi action". These two actions, which are not clearly differentiated in the texbooks, are solutions to the same Hamilton-Jacobi equation, but with very different initial conditions: smooth conditions for the Hamilton-Jacobi action, singular conditions for the Euler-Lagrange action. There are related by the Minplus Path Integral which is the analog in classical mechanics of the Feynmann Path Integral in quantum mechanics. Finally, we propose a clear-cut interpretation of the principle of least action: the Hamilton-Jacobi action does not use "final causes" and seems to be the action used by Nature; the Euler-Lagrange action uses "final causes" and is the action used by an observer to retrospectively determine the trajectory of the particle.