2013/11/04 by M. S. Leifer, Leifer, M. S.
Arts and Humanities · Physics and Astronomy · #Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics #FOS: Physical sciences #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #Philosophy and History of Science #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #physics.hist-ph #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1311.0857
First prize winner of 2013 fqxi.org essay contest, "It from bit, or bit from it?". See http://fqxi.org/community/forum/topic/1938 and links therein. v1: LaTeX 10 pages v2: 14 pages. Updated for publication in Springer Frontiers Collection volume
openalex publication_date 2013/11/04 · arxiv created 2014/05/17 · arxiv updated 2014/05/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
I argue that, on the subjective Bayesian interpretation of probability, "it from bit" requires a generalization of probability theory. This does not get us all the way to the quantum probability rule because an extra constraint, known as noncontextuality, is required. I outline the prospects for a derivation of noncontextuality within this approach and argue that it requires a realist approach to physics, or "bit from it". I then explain why this does not conflict with "it from bit". This version of the essay includes an addendum responding to the open discussion that occurred on the FQXi website. It is otherwise identical to the version submitted to the contest.