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Senses in Which Quantum Theory Is an Analogy for Information Retrieval and Science

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Quantum Interaction (QI 2011)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 7052))

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Abstract

Quantum theory (QT) addresses phenomena of the physical world, information retrieval (IR) is concerned with social and psychological phenomena in world of human-created objects. Recent approaches to IR employ the mathematics of QT, but in doing so, inherit notions particular to physical phenomena such as entanglement and superposition; and is lead to wonder about laws of dynamics, and general scientific concepts such as invariance. QTIR contends that their use of QT is analogical. In what senses is this the case? This paper explores the senses of this analogy and the way IR is (thereby) ‘inspired’ by QT.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Glasgow, UK

    Sachi Arafat

Authors
  1. Sachi Arafat
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Computing, The Robert Gordon University, St. Andrew Street, AB25 1HG, Aberdeen, U.K.

    Dawei Song

  2. Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Via Gradenigo 6/B, 35131, Padova, Italy

    Massimo Melucci

  3. Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Bedfordshire, Park Square, LU1 3JU, Luton, UK

    Ingo Frommholz

  4. School of Computing, The Robert Gordon University, St. Andrew Street, AB25 1HG, Aberdeen, UK

    Peng Zhang  & Lei Wang  & 

  5. School of Computing, University of Glasgow, 18 Lilybank Gardens, G 128 QQ, Glasgow, UK

    Sachi Arafat

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Arafat, S. (2011). Senses in Which Quantum Theory Is an Analogy for Information Retrieval and Science. In: Song, D., Melucci, M., Frommholz, I., Zhang, P., Wang, L., Arafat, S. (eds) Quantum Interaction. QI 2011. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7052. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24971-6_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24971-6_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-24970-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-24971-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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