Quantum theory from rules on information acquisition

Abstract

We summarise a recent reconstruction of the quantum theory of qubits from rules constraining an observer's acquisition of information about physical systems. This review of [arXiv:1412.8323, arXiv:1511.01130] is accessible and fairly self-contained, focussing on the main ideas and results and not the technical details. The reconstruction offers an informational explanation for the architecture of the theory and specifically for its correlation structure. In particular, it explains entanglement, monogamy and non-locality compellingly from limited accessible information and complementarity. As a byproduct, it also unravels new `conserved informational charges' from complementarity relations that characterise the unitary group and the set of pure states.

16 pages, several figures, review of [arXiv:1412.8323, arXiv:1511.01130]. Accepted for publication in the special issue `Quantum information and foundations' in Entropy, Eds. D'Ariano and Perinotti. (Minor clarifications added, e.g. on the notion of state updating.)

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