Beginning with the definition of a duplicated experiment and the fact that the resulting data are summarized as a set of configurations of some observables, together with frequencies of occurrence of each configuration, we derive the formal structure of conventional quantum theory using only the statistical properties of such data, and show that certain elements of the theory have heretofore been overlooked. This derivation yields a rather broad generalization of the theory which suggests new methods for describing phase transitions and possibly fundamental particles as well.

• Received 29 September 1969

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.1.379