The Stochastic-Quantum Correspondence

This paper argues that every quantum system can be understood as a sufficiently general kind of stochastic process unfolding in an old-fashioned configuration space according to ordinary notions of probability. This argument is based on an exact correspondence between the class of “indivisible” stochastic processes and quantum theory. This new stochastic-quantum correspondence demotes the wave function from a primary ontological ingredient to a secondary mathematical tool and yields a deflationary account of exotic quantum phenomena, such as interference, decoherence, entanglement, noncommutative observables, and wave-function collapse. At a more practical level, the stochastic-quantum correspondence leads to a novel reconstruction of quantum theory, alongside the Hilbert-space, path-integral, and quasiprobability representations, and also provides a framework for using Hilbert-space methods to formulate highly generic, non-Markovian types of stochastic dynamics, with potential applications throughout the sciences.