| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1161531 | Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics | 2014 | 5 Pages |
•A general geometric framework for discussing time observables is proposed.•In this framework, there is a local sense in which time observables always exist.•A restricted class of time observables can exist in a global sense.•Pauli׳s prohibition on quantum time observables is derived as a corollary.•Time observables are shown to be regained in some extensions of quantum theory.
I propose a general geometric framework in which to discuss the existence of time observables. This framework allows one to describe a local sense in which time observables always exist, and a global sense in which they can sometimes exist subject to a restriction on the vector fields that they generate. Pauli׳s prohibition on quantum time observables is derived as a corollary to this result. I will then discuss how time observables can be regained in modest extensions of quantum theory beyond its standard formulation.
