Kastner, Ruth (2021) The Relativistic Transactional Interpretation and The Quantum Direct-Action Theory. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This paper presents key aspects of the quantum relativistic direct-action theory that underlies the Relativistic Transactional Interpretation. It notes some crucial ways in which traditional interpretations of the direct-action theory have impeded progress in developing its quantum counterpart. Specifically, (1) the so-called ‘light tight box’ condition is re-examined and it is shown that the quantum version of this condition is much less restrictive than has long been assumed; and (2) the notion of a ‘real photon’ is disambiguated and revised to take into account that real (on-shell) photons are indeed both emitted and absorbed and therefore have finite lifetimes. Also discussed is the manner in which real, physical non-unitarity naturally arises in the quantum direct-action theory of fields, such that the measurement transition can be clearly defined from within the theory, without reference to external observers and without any need to modify quantum theory itself. It is shown that field quantization arises from the non-unitary interaction.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Kastner, Ruth rkastner@umd.edu
Additional Information:	This paper is based on material from a forthcoming 2nd Edition of my book "The Transactional Interpretation of Quantum Theory" with Cambridge University Press (1st edition, 2012). It presents the most recent quantitative developments of the Relativistic Transactional Interpretation (RTI). Comments welcome.
Keywords:	Transactional Interpretation; Absorber theory; Direct-Action Theory; Quantum Field Theory; Quantum Measurement
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Computation/Information > Quantum Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Field Theory Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User:	Ruth E. Kastner
Date Deposited:	03 Jan 2021 14:31
Last Modified:	03 Jan 2021 14:31
Item ID:	18564
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Computation/Information > Quantum Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Field Theory Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date:	2 January 2021
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/18564

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