Predictions and Primitive Ontology in Quantum Foundations: A Study of Examples

DOI10.1093/BJPS/AXS048MaRDI QIDQ5265970zbMATHOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Valia Allori, Roderich Tumulka, Nino Zanghì, Sheldon Goldstein

Publication date 29 July 2015

Published in The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1206.0019

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05)

Abstract: A major disagreement between different views about the foundations of quantum mechanics concerns whether for a theory to be intelligible as a fundamental physical theory it must involve a "primitive ontology" (PO), i.e., variables describing the distribution of matter in 4-dimensional space-time. In this paper, we illustrate the value of having a PO. We do so by focussing on the role that the PO plays for extracting predictions from a given theory and discuss valid and invalid derivations of predictions. To this end, we investigate a number of examples based on toy models built from the elements of familiar interpretations of quantum theory.

Recommendations

• The primitive ontology of quantum physics: Guidelines for an assessment of the proposals
• Quantum states for primitive ontologists. A case study
• Primitive ontology and quantum field theory
• Quantum ontology and extensional mereology
• Ontological models for quantum theory as functors
• Ontological states and dynamics of discrete (pre-) quantum systems
• Remarks on quantum ontology
• Quantum mechanics between ontology and epistemology

Cited in

(17)

• Uniform probability distribution over all density matrices
• Four tails problems for dynamical collapse theories
• What is it like to be a relativistic GRW theory? Or: quantum mechanics and relativity, still in conflict after all these years
• A puzzle for the field ontologists
• Quantum theory and determinism
• Quantum mechanics, time and ontology
• Primitive ontology and quantum state in the GRW matter density theory
• From time asymmetry to quantum entanglement: the Humean unification
• Can the wave function in configuration space be replaced by single-particle wave functions in physical space?
• The primitive ontology of quantum physics: Guidelines for an assessment of the proposals
• The quantum formalism and the GRW formalism
• Stochasticity and Bell-type quantum field theory
• Primitive ontology and the classical world
• Electron charge density: a clue from quantum chemistry for quantum foundations
• Binding quantum matter and space-time, without romanticism
• Tabletop experiments for quantum gravity are also tests of the interpretation of quantum mechanics
• Interpretive analogies between quantum and statistical mechanics

This page was built for publication: Predictions and Primitive Ontology in Quantum Foundations: A Study of Examples

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q5265970)