A principle of quantumness

TL;DR

This paper proposes a unifying principle derived from quantum postulates that explains quantum phenomena such as complementarity, uncertainty, and nonlocality as consequences of tension between incompatible observations.

Contribution

It introduces a fundamental principle linking quantum phenomena to the tension caused by incompatible observations, offering a new explanatory framework for quantum mechanics.

Findings

Quantum phenomena are explained as consequences of tension between incompatible observations.

The principle unifies various quantum effects like complementarity and nonlocality under a common cause.

Noncommuting observables are necessary but not always sufficient for quantum tension.

Abstract

Quantum correlations and other phenomena characteristic to a quantum world can be understood as simply consequences of a principle derived from the postulates of Quantum Mechanics. This explanatory principle states that these phenomena specific to the quantum world are caused by the tension between the constraints, or initial conditions, imposed by incompatible observations. This tension is found to be at the root of Bohr's complementarity, Heisenberg's uncertainty, results concerning nonlocality, contextuality, quantum correlations in time and space. This tension requires the presence of noncommuting observables, but noncommutativity doesn't always lead to the tension, and the two concepts are not exactly the same, as it will be explained and exemplified.