Adán Cabello
Universidad de Sevilla (University of Seville), Spain
The totalitarian principle explains quantum correlations
Wheeler conjectured that the laws of physics follow from an ultimate law which cannot be itself a law of physics. Hence the expression “law without law.” In elementary-particle physics, Gell-Mann observed that any process which is not forbidden by a conservation law actually does take place. This is called “Gell-Mann’s totalitarian principle.” A long-standing problem in physics is what is the property of nature that singles out the set of quantum correlations for each measurement scenario. Here we show that the “no-law/totalitarian principle,” stating that nature lacks of laws governing the outcomes of some experiments and, as a consequence, every outcome probability distribution that is not inconsistent must take place as a result of some reproducible experimental procedure, is enough to single out the set of quantum correlations for any Bell and contextuality scenario.