Between Quantum and Cosmos

Between Quantum and Cosmos Studies and Essays in Honor of John Archibald Wheeler

Edited by Wojciech Hubert Zurek Alwyn van der Merwe Warner Allen Miller

Published by FYinceton University Press. 41 William Street. Princeton. New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Guildford. Surrey

The contents of this book were first published in six special issues of Foundations of Physics. Volume 16. Numbers 2 through 7 (February 1986 through July 1986). comprising invited papers in honor of John Wheeler. ® 1986 by Plenum Publishing Corporation. Reprinted by arrangement with Plenum Publishing Corporation.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Between quantum and cosmos : studies and essays in honor of John Archibald Wheeler / edited by Wojciech Hubert Zurek. Alwyn van der Merwe. and Wamer Allen Miller. p. cm. "The contents . . . were first published in six special issues of Foundations of physics"—T.p. verso. ISBN 0-691-08490-4 (alk. paper) 1. Physics. 2. Quantum theory. 3. Wheeler, John Archibald. 1911- I. Wheeler. John Archibald. 1911- . II. Zurek. Wojciech Hubert. III. Van der Merwe. Alwyn. IV. Miller. Warner Allen. QC71.B45 1988 539—del 9 88-1497

Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are chosen for strength and durability

Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey

viii Between Quantum and Cosmos

14. Test of the Gravitomagnetic Field via Laser-Ranged Satellites Ignazio Ciufolini 188 15. Static Electromagnetic Geon Marek Demianski 196 16. The Geometrodynamic Content of the Regge Equations as Illuminated by the Boundary of a Boundary Principle Warner Allen Miller 201 17. Canonical Geometrodynamics and General Covariance Karel V. Kuchar 229 18. Boundary Terms in the Action Principles of General Relativity James H7. York, Jr. 246 19. Bianchi Identities and the Automatic Conservation of Energy- Momentum and Angular Momentum in General-Relativistic Field Theories Friedrich W. Hehl and J. Dermott McCrea 256 20. The Boundary of a Boundary Principle: A Unified Approach Arkady Kheyfets 284 21. The Gravitational Field at Spatial Infinity Matthew Alexander and Peter G. Bergmann 300 22. Gravitational Radiation Reaction on the Motion of Particles in General Relativity P. A. Hogan and I. Robinson 311 23. Equivalent Lagrangians in Classical Field Theory Sergio Hojman and L. C. Shepley 322 24. p-Form Electrodynamics Marc Henneaux and Claudio Teitelboim 340 25. General Covariance and Quantum Theory Bahram Mashhoon 366 26. Steering the Universe James lsenberg 384 27. On Observing the Absence of an Atom R. H. Dicke 400 28. How to Evade the Confrontation with the Uncertainty Relations V. B. Braginsky and F. Ya. Khalili 408 29. Are the Quantum Rules Exact? The Case of the Imperfect Measurements Bernard d'Espagnat 413 Contents ix

30. The Problems in Quantum Foundations in the Light of Gauge Theories Yuval Ne'eman 424 31. Joint Wigner Distribution for Spin-1/2 Particles Leon Cohen and Marian O. Scully 442 32. WedgesI Cecile DeWitt-Morette, Stephen G. Low, Lawrence S. Schulman, and Anwar Y. Shiekh 459 33. The Measurement of Quantum Noise Reduction in Squeezed States W. G. Unruh 499 34. Quantum Mechanics without Probability Amplitudes William K. Wootters 507 35. QuantumMechanicalComputers Richard P. Feynman 523 36. Computability and Physical Theories Robert Geroch and James B. Hartle 549 37. Computation and Physics: Wheeler's Meaning Circuit? Rolf Landauer 568 38. On Wheeler's Notion of "Law without Law" in Physics David Deutsch 583 39. Existence of "Free Will" as a Problem of Physics Asher Peres 592 40. On the Nature and Origin of Complexity in Discrete, Homogeneous, Locally-Interacting Systems Charles H. Bennett 605 Descriptions of Plates 614

Preface

The forty papers collected here honor one of the great twentieth-century scientists—John Archibald Wheeler. Preceding each paper is an original drawing by Wheeler (Wheeler's descriptions are provided at the end of the book). The papers and interwoven drawings capture and illuminate Wheeler's many contributions to physics, from his work with Niels Bohr in atomic and nuclear physics (the scat- tering matrix and liquid drop model) through his influential contributions to Albert Einstein's theory of gravity (black holes), his deep insights into quantum theory and measurement (the elementary quantum phenomenon), and his efforts to ex- plain the origins of the quantum postulate and quantum gravity (the meaning circuit and the Wheeler-DeWitt Equation). The majority of the papers contained here are a reflection and sharpening of Wheeler's original and potentially earthshaking ideas. Many scientists are con- vinced that Wheeler's insights into the foundation of modern-day physics will spur a revolution in our perception of the universe. This book attempts to capture one man's rendering of the "big picture" by providing a glimpse of it through the eyes of his many colleagues. Rather than talk about John in this preface we have decided to let him speak for himself: quotations and, especially, the drawings il- lustrate the essence of the physics that forms the framework of his deep insight into the inner workings of nature. The contributed papers reveal this framework in a somewhat different, but no less dramatic, manner. The measure of the impact a scientist has on his field is best provided by the influence his ideas have on his colleagues. The contents of this volume—viewed in this light—speak for them- selves. We wish to extend our gratitude to John Archibald Wheeler, not only for in- spiring the papers in this book, but also for providing the drawings: they are in- tended by Professor Wheeler as an expression of his gratitude to his colleagues who have helped him celebrate his seventy-fifth birthday with this volume. We would also like to thank Zelda Davis for her indispensable help, the editors of Princeton University Press for the care with which this book was prepared, and the publishers of Foundations of Physics, in which the papers appeared in 1986, for their cooperation. We are particularly grateful to all the contributors.

Los Alamos WOJCIECH HUBERT ZUREK November 5, 1987 ALWYN VAN DER MERWE WARNER ALLEN MILLER

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