CERN Colloquium

Indeterminism in Physics and Intuitionistic Mathematics

by Prof. Nicolas Gisin (Université de Genève - CH)

Europe/Zurich
Video only (CERN)

Video only

CERN

Description

Physics is formulated in terms of timeless axiomatic mathematics. However, time is essential in all our stories, in particular in physics. For example, to think of an event is to think of something in time. A formulation of physics based of intuitionism, a constructive form of mathematics built on time-evolving processes, would offer a perspective that is closer to our experience of physical reality and may help bridging the gap between static relativity and quantum indeterminism.
Historically, intuitionistic mathematics was introduced by Brouwer with a very subjectivist view where an idealized mathematician continuously produces new information by solving conjectures. Here, in contrast, I’ll introduce intuitionism as an objective mathematics that incorporates a dynamical/creative time and an open future. Standard mathematics appears as the view from the “end of time” and the usual real numbers appear as the hidden variables of classical physics. 

 
Passcode: 262016
Organised by

Wolfgang Lerche / TH-SP