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150Quantum mechanics, strong emergence and ontological non-reducibilityFoundations of Chemistry 17 (2): 117-127. 2015.We show that a new interpretation of quantum mechanics, in which the notion of event is defined without reference to measurement or observers, allows to construct a quantum general ontology based on systems, states and events. Unlike the Copenhagen interpretation, it does not resort to elements of a classical ontology. The quantum ontology in turn allows us to recognize that a typical behavior of quantum systems exhibits strong emergence and ontological non-reducibility. Such phenomena are not e…Read more
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130An axiomatic formulation of the Montevideo interpretation of quantum mechanicsStudies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 42 (4): 256-263. 2011.We make a first attempt to axiomatically formulate the Montevideo interpretation of quantum mechanics. In this interpretation environmental decoherence is supplemented with loss of coherence due to the use of realistic clocks to measure time to solve the measurement problem. The resulting formulation is framed entirely in terms of quantum objects without having to invoke the existence of measurable classical quantities like the time in ordinary quantum mechanics. The formulation eliminates any p…Read more
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82Relational Physics with Real Rods and Clocks and the Measurement Problem of Quantum MechanicsFoundations of Physics 37 (7): 1074-1092. 2007.The use of real clocks and measuring rods in quantum mechanics implies a natural loss of unitarity in the description of the theory. We briefly review this point and then discuss the implications it has for the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. The intrinsic loss of coherence allows to circumvent some of the usual objections to the measurement process as due to environmental decoherence
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81Undecidability and the problem of outcomes in quantum measurementsFoundations of Physics 93-115. forthcoming.We argue that it is fundamentally impossible to recover information about quantum superpositions when a quantum system has interacted with a sufficiently large number of degrees of freedom of the environment. This is due to the fact that gravity imposes fundamental limitations on how accurate measurements can be. This leads to the notion of undecidability: there is no way to tell, due to fundamental limitations, if a quantum system evolved unitarily or suffered wavefunction collapse. This in tur…Read more
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64The Montevideo Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics: a short reviewEntropy 20 (6). 2015.The Montevideo interpretation of quantum mechanics, which consists in supplementing environmental decoherence with fundamental limitations in measurement stemming from gravity, has been described in several publications. However, some of them appeared before the full picture provided by the interpretation was developed. As such it can be difficult to get a good understanding via the published literature. Here we summarize it in a self contained brief presentation including all its principal elem…Read more
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49Undecidability and the Problem of Outcomes in Quantum MeasurementsFoundations of Physics 40 (1): 93-115. 2009.We argue that it is fundamentally impossible to recover information about quantum superpositions when a quantum system has interacted with a sufficiently large number of degrees of freedom of the environment. This is due to the fact that gravity imposes fundamental limitations on how accurate measurements can be. This leads to the notion of undecidability: there is no way to tell, due to fundamental limitations, if a quantum system evolved unitarily or suffered wavefunction collapse. This in tur…Read more
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45A single-world consistent interpretation of quantum mechanics from fundamental time and length uncertaintiesPhysical Review A 100 (012). 2018.Within ordinary ---unitary--- quantum mechanics there exist global protocols that allow to verify that no definite event ---an outcome to which a probability can be associated--- occurs. Instead, states that start in a coherent superposition over possible outcomes always remain as a superposition. We show that, when taking into account fundamental errors in measuring length and time intervals, that have been put forward as a consequence of a conjunction of quantum mechanical and general relativi…Read more
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38Three principles for canonical quantum gravityStudies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 46 (2): 164-169. 2014.We outline three principles that should guide us in the construction of a theory of canonical quantum gravity: diffeomorphism invariance, implementing the proper dynamics and related constraint algebra, local Lorentz invariance. We illustrate each of them with its role in model calculations in loop quantum gravity
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16An axiomatic formulation of the Montevideo interpretation of quantum mechanicsStudies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 42 (4): 256-263. 2011.We make a first attempt to axiomatically formulate the Montevideo interpretation of quantum mechanics. In this interpretation environmental decoherence is supplemented with loss of coherence due to the use of realistic clocks to measure time to solve the measurement problem. The resulting formulation is framed entirely in terms of quantum objects. Unlike in ordinary quantum mechanics, time only plays the role of an unobservable parameter. The formulation eliminates any privileged role of the mea…Read more
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Louisiana State UniversityRegular Faculty
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Physical Science |
Areas of Interest
Philosophy of Mind |
Philosophy of Physical Science |