Dieks, Dennis (2016) Quantum Information and Locality. [Preprint]

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Abstract

The surprising aspects of quantum information are due to two distinctly non-classical features of the quantum world: first, different quantum states need not be orthogonal and, second, quantum states may be entangled. Non-orthogonality leads to the blurring of classical distinctions. On the other hand, entanglement leads via non-locality to teleportation and other ``entanglement-assisted'' forms of communication that go beyond what is classically possible. In this article we attempt to understand these new possibilities via an analysis of the significance of entanglement for the basic physical concepts of a ``particle'' and a ``localized physical system''. Classical particles can be individuated on the basis of qualitative differences in their sets of properties. But in entangled states the ``particle labels'' of the quantum formalism usually do not pick out such sets of individuating particle properties. It is sometimes nevertheless possible to think in terms of individual particles, which may be localized; but we argue that in general the structure of quantum mechanics is at odds with such a particle interpretation. This finally leads us to the conclusion that quantum mechanics is best seen as not belonging to the category of space-time theories, in which physical quantities are functions on space-time points. The resulting picture of the quantum world is relevant for our understanding of the way in which quantum theory is non-local, and it sheds light on the novel aspects of quantum information.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Dieks, Dennis d.dieks@uu.nl 0000-0003-4755-3430
Additional Information:	To be published in a volume on Quantum Information, edited by Olimpia Lombardi
Keywords:	Identical quantum particles, quantum information, locality
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User:	Dennis Dieks
Date Deposited:	29 Jul 2016 14:37
Last Modified:	29 Jul 2016 14:37
Item ID:	12313
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date:	14 March 2016
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12313

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