Undergrad Deriving Special Relativity from Particle Indistinguishability

[accdd]

Is it possible to derive special relativity from the principle of quantum mechanics according to which particles of the same type are indistinguishable?
For example, if it is not possible to distinguish particles of the same type then particles colliding in a train at constant speed should produce the same result as those colliding in the lab. This would imply that the laws of physics are the same on the train and in the laboratory.
Is that a question that makes sense?

 

[Nugatory]

Is it possible to derive special relativity from the principle of quantum mechanics according to which particles of the same type are indistinguishable?

No.

For example, if it is not possible to distinguish particles of the same type then particles colliding in a train at constant speed should produce the same result as those colliding in the lab. This would imply that the laws of physics are the same on the train and in the laboratory.

That does not follow. The laws of physics apply to distinguishable particles just as they do to indistinguishable ones, so they can be the same on the train and in the lab regardless of the distinguishability of the particles.

Note that this notion that the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames way predates the development of SR.

 

[robphy]

It’s not at all clear how “indistinguishable particles” implies the causal structure of Minkowski (lorentz-signature) spacetime
(with its finite maximum signal speed).

 

[Dale]

Is it possible to derive special relativity from the principle of quantum mechanics according to which particles of the same type are indistinguishable?

No, but SR is related to quantum mechanics charge-parity-time symmetry.