Wigner’s Diamond and the Quantum Fragmentation of Space-time

Recent no-go theorems on interpretations of quantum theory featuring an assumption of ‘Absoluteness of Observed Events’ (AOE) are shown to have an unexpectedly strong corollary: one cannot reject AOE and at the same time assume that the ‘observed events’ in question can all be (i) single-valued and (ii) embedded within a single background space-time common to all observers. Consequently, interpretations that reject AOE appear incompatible with a ‘block universe’ view of space-time.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Foundations of Physics
Published
2026-03-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-026-00915-z
Primary Topic
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Wigner’s Diamond and the Quantum Fragmentation of Space-time

Jacques Pienaar
Foundations of Physics
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
article

Wigner’s Diamond and the Quantum Fragmentation of Space-time

Jacques Pienaar
article en

Abstract

Recent no-go theorems on interpretations of quantum theory featuring an assumption of ‘Absoluteness of Observed Events’ (AOE) are shown to have an unexpectedly strong corollary: one cannot reject AOE and at the same time assume that the ‘observed events’ in question can all be (i) single-valued and (ii) embedded within a single background space-time common to all observers. Consequently, interpretations that reject AOE appear incompatible with a ‘block universe’ view of space-time.

Foundations of PhysicsVol. 56(2)
Boston University (US), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), University of Massachusetts Boston (US)
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 21%
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.