A formalism based on moments for classical and quantum cosmology

Abstract

We compare the classical and quantum description of systems with one degree of freedom with an effective formalism based on statistical moments. Within this formalism the similarities and differences between the classical and quantum evolution of an initial probability distribution are made apparent. We revisit the application of this formalism to a simple cosmological model: the homogeneous and isotropic universe with a massless scalar field as matter content and with positive cosmological constant.