Quantum Theory from First Principles

Quantum theory is the soul of theoretical physics. It is not just a theory of specific physical systems, but rather a new framework with universal applicability. This book shows how we can reconstruct the theory from six information-theoretical principles, by rebuilding the quantum rules from the bottom up. Step by step, the reader will learn how to master the counterintuitive aspects of the quantum world, and how to efficiently reconstruct quantum information protocols from first principles. Using intuitive graphical notation to represent equations, and with shorter and more efficient derivations, the theory can be understood and assimilated with exceptional ease. Offering a radically new perspective on the field, the book contains an efficient course of quantum theory and quantum information for undergraduates. It is aimed at researchers, professionals, and students in physics, computer science and philosophy, as well as the curious outsider seeking a deeper understanding of the theory.

Giacomo Mauro D'Ariano is a Professor at Università degli Studi di Pavia, Italy, where he teaches quantum mechanics and foundations of quantum theory, and leads the Quantum Information Theory (QUIT) group. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the Optical Society of America, a member of the Academy Istituto Lombardo of Scienze e Lettere, the Center for Photonic Communication and Computing at Northwestern University, Illinois, and the Foundational Questions Institute (FQXi).

Giulio Chiribella is Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at The University of Hong Kong. He is a Visiting Fellow of Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, a member of the Standing Committee of the International Colloquia on Group Theoretical Methods in Physics, and a member of the Foundational Questions Institute (FQXi). In 2010, he was awarded the Hermann Weyl Prize for applications of group theory in quantum information.

Paolo Perinotti is Assistant Professor at Università degli Studi di Pavia, Italy, where he teaches quantum information theory. His research activity is focused on foundations of quantum information, quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. He is a member of the Foundational Questions Institute (FQXi) and the International Quantum Structures Association. In 2016 he was awarded the Birkhoff-von Neumann Prize for research in quantum foundations.