2002/03/05 by Jon Eakins, Eakins, Jon, George Jaroszkiewicz +1
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #gr-qc #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.quant-ph/0203020
6 pages
arxiv created 2002/03/05 · openalex publication_date 2002/03/05 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
On the basis that the universe is a closed quantum system with no external observers, we propose a paradigm in which the universe jumps through a series of stages. Each stage is defined by a quantum state, an information content, and rules governing temporal evolution. Only some of these rules are currently understood; we can calculate answers to quantum questions, but we do not know why those questions have been asked in the first place. In this paradigm, time is synonymous with the quantum process of information extraction, rather than a label associated with a temporal dimension. We discuss the implications for cosmology.