Physical Observers and Quantum Reconstructions

TL;DR

This paper justifies the core premise of relational quantum mechanics by proposing that physical observers optimize their information processing strategies to approach physical limits, leading to a predictive model that clarifies foundational principles.

Contribution

It introduces a principle based on energy dissipation limits that justifies the observer's predictive information restriction in relational quantum mechanics.

Findings

Observers optimize information strategies to approach physical limits.

The principle leads to a compact predictive model.

Supports the operational basis of relational quantum mechanics.

Abstract

There is a multitude of interpretations of quantum mechanics, but foundational principles are lacking. Relational quantum mechanics views the observer as a physical system, which allows for an unambiguous interpretation as all axioms are purely operational, describing how observers acquire information. The approach, however, is based on the premise that the observer retains only predictive information about the observed system. Here, we justify this premise using the following principle: Physically embedded observers choose information processing strategies that provide them with the option to approach physical limits to the greatest possible extent. Applied to a lower limit on energy dissipation, the principle leads directly to a compact predictive model, thus justifying this core premise of relational quantum mechanics.