Skip to main content
Log in

Equivalence relations between deterministic and quantum mechanical systems

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Statistical Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Several quantum mechanical models are shown to be equivalent to certain deterministic systems because a basis can be found in terms of which the wave function does not “spread.” This suggests that apparently indeterministic behavior typical for a quantum mechanical world can be the result of locally deterministic laws of physics. We show how certain deterministic systems allow the construction of a Hilbert space and a Hamiltonian so that at long distance scales they may appear to behave as quantum field theories, including interactions but as yet no mass term. These observations are suggested to be useful for building theories at the Planck scale.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. N. G. van Kampen, Ten theorems about quantummechanical measurements, Utrecht preprint THU-88-3.

  2. M. Jammer,The Conceptual Development of Quantum Mechanics (McGraw-Hill, 1966).

  3. J. S. Bell, Talk given at the Schwinger Symposium, UCLA, March 12, 1988.

  4. J. M. Jauch,Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (Addison-Wesley, 1968).

  5. A. Einstein, B. Podolsky, and N. Rosen,Phys. Rev. 47:777 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  6. J. S. Bell,Physics 1:195 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  7. G. 't Hooft, On the quantization of space and time, inProceedings of the Moscow Seminar on Quantum Gravity (Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1987), Utrecht preprint 1987.

  8. G. 't Hooft, inRecent Developments in Gravitation, M. Lévy and S. Deser, eds. (Plenum, New York); C. J. L. Mannion and J. G. Taylor,Phys. Lett. 100B:261 (1981); T. D. Lee, Physics in terms of difference equations, Talk given at the Niels Bohr Centenary Symposium, Copenhagen, October 1985; L. Bombelliet al., Spacetime as a causal set, Syracuse, preprint, March 1987; P. Menotti and A. Pelissetto,Phys. Rev. D 35:1194 (1987).

  9. E. Fredkin and T. Toffoli,Int. J. Theor. Phys. 21:219 (1982); T. Toffoli,Int. J. Theor. Phys. 21:165 (1982); R. P. Feynman,Int. J. Theor. Phys. 21:467 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This paper is dedicated to N. G. van Kampen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hooft, G. Equivalence relations between deterministic and quantum mechanical systems. J Stat Phys 53, 323–344 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01011560

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01011560

Key words

Navigation