We consider the problem of gambling on a quantum experiment and enforce rational behaviour by a few rules. These rules yield, in the classical case, the Bayesian theory of probability via duality theorems. In our quantum setting, they yield the Bayesian theory generalised to the space of Hermitian matrices. This very theory is quantum mechanics: in fact, we derive all its four postulates from t...

We study the action of time dependent canonical and coordinate transformations in phase space quantum mechanics. We extend the covariant formulation of the theory by providing a formalism that is fully invariant under both standard and time dependent coordinate transformations. This result considerably enlarges the set of possible phase space representations of quantum mechanics and makes it po...

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] Learning advanced physics, in general, is challenging not only due to the increasedmathematical sophistication but also because one must continue to build on all of the prior knowledge acquired at the introductory and intermediate levels. In addition, learning quantum mechanics can be especially challenging becaus...

Nonlinear dynamics (“chaos theory”) and quantum mechanics are two of the scientific triumphs of the 20th century. The former lies at the heart of the modern interdisciplinary approach to science, whereas the latter has revolutionized physics. Both chaos theory and quantum mechanics have achieved a fairly large level of glamour in the eyes of the general public. The study of quantum chaos encomp...

Quantum mechanics has a rich geometrical structure which allows for a geometrical formulation of the theory. This formalism was introduced by Kibble and later developed by a number of other authors. The usual approach has been to start from the standard description of quantum mechanics and identify the relevant geometrical features that can be used for the reformulation of the theory. Here this...

Our aim is to revisit the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics from a novel point of view. The standard axiomatic presentation of quantum mechanics in terms of Hilbert spaces, essentially due to von Neumann [1932], has provided the mathematical bedrock of the subject for over 70 years. Why, then, might it be worthwhile to revisit it now? First and foremost, the advent of quantum inform...

This paper re-examines the key aspects of Dirac’s derivation of his relativistic equation for the electron in order advance our understanding of the nature of quantum field theory. Dirac’s derivation, the paper argues, follows the key principles behind Heisenberg’s discovery of quantum mechanics, which, the paper also argues, transformed the nature of both theoretical and experimental physics v...