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Quantum Mutual Information, Fragile Systems and Emergence
Yasmín Navarrete1, Sergio Davis2,3
1Instituto de Filosofía y Ciencias de la Complejidad, Los Alerces 3024 Ñuñoa, Santiago 7780192, Chile.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 24, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a new framework for understanding emergence using quantum mechanics. It proposes a method to quantify emergent information by analyzing system correlations, offering insights into complex systems.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Information Theory
- Complex Systems Science
- Foundations of Physics
Background:
- Emergence is a key concept in complex systems, but lacks a rigorous, quantitative definition.
- The observer effect in quantum mechanics, where measurement influences a system, provides a novel perspective on studying emergent phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an analytical description of emergence within the density matrix framework.
- To propose a quantitative descriptor for emergent information based on quantum mutual information.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the density matrix formalism to represent systems as states of knowledge.
- Applying quantum mutual information to calculate inner correlations between system subsystems.
- Investigating fragile systems where observer interaction is crucial for detecting emergence.
Main Results:
- An analytical framework for emergence is established, linking it to the observer effect.
- A novel descriptor based on quantum mutual information is proposed to identify emergent information.
- The research suggests a potential definition of emergent systems based on emergent information.
Conclusions:
- Emergence can be analytically described from a quantum information perspective.
- The proposed descriptor offers a quantitative tool for studying emergent systems.
- This work bridges quantum mechanics and complex systems, paving the way for a deeper understanding of emergent phenomena.
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