Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relative Information at the Foundation of Physics

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover It From Bit or Bit From It?

Part of the book series: The Frontiers Collection ((FRONTCOLL))

Abstract

Shannon’s notion of relative information between two physical systems can function as foundation for statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics, without referring to subjectivism or idealism. It can also represent a key missing element in the foundation of the naturalistic picture of the world, providing the conceptual tool for dealing with its apparent limitations. I comment on the relation between these ideas and Democritus.

Second prize in the 2013 FQXi context “It From Bit or Bit From It?”

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. C.E. Shannon, A mathematical theory of communication. Bell Syst. Tech. J. 27(3), 379 (1948)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  2. C. Rovelli, Relational quantum mechanics. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 35(9), 1637 (1996). 9609002

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  3. M.P. Bronstein, Kvantovanie gravitatsionnykh voln (Quantization of Gravitational Waves). Zh. Eksp. Tear. Fiz. 6, 195 (1936)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. M.P. Bronstein, Quantentheorie schwacher gravitationsfelder. Phys. Z. Sowjetunion 9, 140–157 (1936)

    Google Scholar 

  5. C. Rovelli, L. Smolin, Discreteness of area and volume in quantum gravity. Nucl. Phys. B442(593–622), 9411005 (1995)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  6. A. Ashtekar, J. Lewandowski, Quantum theory of geometry. I: Area operators. Class. Quantum Gravity 14, A55–A82 (1997), 9602046

    Google Scholar 

  7. E. Bianchi, R.C. Myers, On the architecture of spacetime geometry (2012) 1212.5183

    Google Scholar 

  8. E. Bianchi, H.M. Haggard, C. Rovelli, The Boundary is mixed (2013), 1306.5206

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CPT, Université de Toulon, 13288, Marseille, France

    Carlo Rovelli

  2. CNRS UMR7332, Aix-Marseille Université, 13288, Marseille, France

    Carlo Rovelli

Authors
  1. Carlo Rovelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlo Rovelli .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA

    Anthony Aguirre

  2. Foundational Questions Institute, New York, New York, USA

    Brendan Foster

  3. Foundational Questions Institute, New York, New York, USA

    Zeeya Merali

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Rovelli, C. (2015). Relative Information at the Foundation of Physics. In: Aguirre, A., Foster, B., Merali, Z. (eds) It From Bit or Bit From It?. The Frontiers Collection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12946-4_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation