Determinism beneath Quantum Mechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores the possibility of underlying deterministic models for quantum mechanics that reproduce quantum behavior while addressing issues like vacuum fluctuations and non-locality, potentially impacting our understanding of causality at fundamental scales.

Contribution

It proposes that deterministic theories with local information loss can underlie quantum mechanics, offering explanations for vacuum complexity and apparent non-locality.

Findings

Deterministic models can replicate quantum stochastic behavior.

Constructing Hamiltonians with a stable ground state is challenging.

Deterministic theories may explain Bell inequality violations.

Abstract

Contrary to common belief, it is not difficult to construct deterministic models where stochastic behavior is correctly described by quantum mechanical amplitudes, in precise accordance with the Copenhagen-Bohr-Bohm doctrine. What is difficult however is to obtain a Hamiltonian that is bounded from below, and whose ground state is a vacuum that exhibits complicated vacuum fluctuations, as in the real world. Beneath Quantum Mechanics, there may be a deterministic theory with (local) information loss. This may lead to a sufficiently complex vacuum state, and to an apparent non-locality in the relation between the deterministic ("ontological") states and the quantum states, of the kind needed to explain away the Bell inequalities. Theories of this kind would not only be appealing from a philosophical point of view, but may also be essential for understanding causality at Planckian distance scales.