The Probabilistic World A Fundamental Approach to Quantum Mechanics and Probabilistic Computing

This book offers a fundamental description of physics using classical probabilities for events occurring at all times and locations throughout the Universe. The laws of quantum mechanics emerge naturally when focusing on a specific moment in time. Each step is explained in detail through simple systems, such as bits, Ising spins, or fermionic occupation numbers, allowing readers to grasp the core concepts of the modern functional integral approach to fundamental physics without requiring prior knowledge. Notably, probabilistic cellular automata are presented as intriguing quantum systems or as representations of fermionic quantum field theories. Embedding quantum mechanics within classical statistics opens up new avenues for computing, particularly through the use of correlation functions. A small neuromorphic computer, for instance, can learn basic quantum operations without the typical requirement for extreme isolation, as is the case with conventional quantum computers. On a philosophical level, the book proposes a fresh perspective on science. The content is aimed at readers with a foundational understanding of physics, suitable for advanced students.

1 The classical and the quantum world.- 2 Qubit automaton.- 2 Entanglement in classical and quantum statistics.- 4 Continuous classical variables.- 5 Quantum mechanics.- 6 Correlated computing.- 7 Conditional probabilities and measurements.- 8 The “paradoxes” of quantum Mechanics.- 9 Embedding quantum mechanics in classical statistics.- References.

Christof Wetterich has been a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Heidelberg University since 1992. Prior to that, he worked at DESY in Hamburg and CERN in Geneva. He has authored numerous papers on quantum mechanics and regularly delivers lectures on the subject. His research spans a broad range of areas within fundamental physics. In cosmology, he is best known for being the first to propose the concept of dynamical dark energy. He also derived a functional renormalization group equation, which is widely applied across many fields of physics, from superconductors to strong interactions in particle physics and quantum gravity. In particle physics, Prof. Wetterich proposed a mechanism to explain why neutrino masses are so small. He has published more than 300 papers, which are highly cited.