Implications of Local Friendliness Violation for Quantum Causality

Abstract

We provide a new formulation of the Local Friendliness no-go theorem of Bong et al. [Nat. Phys. 16, 1199 (2020)] from fundamental causal principles, providing another perspective on how it puts strictly stronger bounds on quantum reality than Bell’s theorem. In particular, quantum causal models have been proposed as a way to maintain a peaceful coexistence between quantum mechanics and relativistic causality while respecting Leibniz’s methodological principle. This works for Bell’s theorem but does not work for the Local Friendliness no-go theorem, which considers an extended Wigner’s Friend scenario. More radical conceptual renewal is required; we suggest that cleaving to Leibniz’s principle requires extending relativity to events themselves.

Keywords

• quantum foundations
• quantum causality
• causal models
• quantum causal models
• Wigner’s friend paradox
• experimental metaphysics