Constructing Physics From Measurements
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We present a reformulation of fundamental physics, transitioning from an enumeration of independent axioms to the solution of a single optimization problem derived from the structure of experiments. Any experiment comprises an initial preparation, a physical evolution, and a final measurement. Grounded in this structure, we determine the final measurement distribution by minimizing its entropy relative to its initial preparation distribution, subject to a natural constraint. Solving this optimization problem identifies a unified theory encompassing quantum mechanics, general relativity (acting on spacetime geometry), and Yang-Mills gauge theories (acting on internal spaces). Notably, consistency requirements restrict valid solutions to 3+1 dimensions, thus deriving spacetime dimensionality. This reformulation suggests that the established laws of physics, including their specific forces, symmetries, and dimensionality, emerge naturally from the requirement of the minimal informational change from preparation to measurement, consistent with the natural constraint.