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PreprintCC BY 4.0arXiv

What is the connection between quantum relationality and symmetry-based relationality?

  • Emily Adlam
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Abstract

Although it has often been noted that both quantum mechanics and relativistic physics involve significant forms of relationality, the nature of the connection remains unclear. In addressing such a question it makes sense to start from the simplest possibility, so in this article I set out to consider the viability of the hypothesis that the two types of relationality are ultimately the same: that is, quantum states always characterize degrees of freedom which can be changed by a symmetry transformation, so they are relativized for exactly the same reason as partial observables in general relativity. I use the idea that we only measure partial observables to argue that this suggestion is compatible with all existing empirical evidence for quantum mechanics, and then I consider the consequences for ongoing debates about the nature of measurement in quantum mechanics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{adlam2026what,
  title = {{What is the connection between quantum relationality and symmetry-based relationality?}},
  author = {Emily Adlam},
  howpublished = {arXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2611.02219},
  eprint = {2611.02219},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.02219},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - What is the connection between quantum relationality and symmetry-based relationality?
AU  - Emily Adlam
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/01
PB  - arXiv
DO  - 10.48550/arxiv.2611.02219
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.02219
AB  - Although it has often been noted that both quantum mechanics and relativistic physics involve significant forms of relationality, the nature of the connection remains unclear. In addressing such a question it makes sense to start from the simplest possibility, so in this article I set out to consider the viability of the hypothesis that the two types of relationality are ultimately the same: that is, quantum states always characterize degrees of freedom which can be changed by a symmetry transformation, so they are relativized for exactly the same reason as partial observables in general relativity. I use the idea that we only measure partial observables to argue that this suggestion is compatible with all existing empirical evidence for quantum mechanics, and then I consider the consequences for ongoing debates about the nature of measurement in quantum mechanics.
ER  -