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Questions tagged [quantum-interpretations]

This tag is for questions relating to what, if anything, the quantum mechanical formalism and experimental results say about the way the world works.

Quantum mechanics raises a lot of questions about the world. This tag is for questions relating to various proposed explanations, while allowing for questions that do not fit in with the standard interpretations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretations_of_quantum_mechanics http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Quantum_mechanics#Problems_with_interpretations

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Has quantum mechanics destroyed the fundaments of logical reasoning?

In quantum mechanics it is thought to be possible that something could be at two places at the same time. But if that is really the case then perhaps law of non-contradiction is no longer valid. So to what level are the fundamentals of logic really…
Marijn
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How does Quantum Mechanics affect the modern account of free will and determinism?

In the edition of Feb/Mar 2016 of the Philosophy Now Magazine says: Under Feel Free to Differ it says: [...] Determinism itself comes in different flavours. Hard determinism of the most absolute sort is the theory that the entire history of the …
Edwin Dalorzo
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A Neo-Kantian View on Causality?

Quantum non-determinism seems incompatible with Kant’s defense of causality in his Second Analogy. Stephen R. Palmquist however provides an interesting and appealing case against this supposition, which he states in his paper. Specifically, my…
user13847
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"God doesn't play with dice": does QM's randomness really contradict religion?

Everyone knows Einstein's popular phrase on Quantum Mechanics - "God doesn't play with dice", implying that the randomness theory that the universe "popped" into existence randomly doesn't align with Einstein's perception of God (which is…
Yechiam Weiss
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Can the observer be the observed?

As a supplement to this question as to whether particles can be observers, supposing that the answer is yes. One could suppose a setup where particle A is observing particle B, but what to stop us switching viewpoints around here and supposing…
Mozibur Ullah
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How can we take the ontologies of our best physical theories seriously?

It seems to me that numerous features of our best physical theories thus far (most notably in my humble and near-meaningless opinion: the whole notion of renormalization in quantum field theory) themselves strongly hint at not taking the ontology of…
OperaticDreamland
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Is the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics philosophically untenable?

I saw this: http://aeon.co/essays/is-the-many-worlds-hypothesis-just-a-fantasy In this article the author raises a number of intriguing philosophical challenges against the so-called "many worlds" interpretations of quantum theory. In particular,…
The_Sympathizer
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Plato meets Quantum Mechanics

What would Plato have said about the Quantum Mechanics theory development? I mean, we have had to give the reason a second place in order to give to the observations the main motor of the theory and I think that Plato would have a lot to say in this…
marc-cejalvo
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Is the delayed choice quantum eraser a refutation of principle of causality? How does contemporary philosophy make sense of it?

Causality, as per Wiki Is the relation between an event (the cause) and a second event (the effect), where the first event is understood to be responsible for the second. For this relationship to hold true, it is necessary that the first event…
Graviton
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Assuming many-worlds interpretation of QM, do ethical obligations cross worlds' boundaries?

Bear with me here. Let's assume, for the purpose of this discussion, many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. This interpretation stipulates something like multiple parallel realities that don't interact going forward. It opens door to…
Michael
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Are QM interpretations physics or philosophy?

Are QM interpretations physics or philosophy? I asked a question on physics.stackexchange, and was told they were philosophy. Does anyone disagree?
user6917
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Why do realists not define measurement?

I have recently read that different interpretation of QM define measurement differently, but that some realists (examples?) refuse to define measurement at all..why is this? I'm taking a class on the philosophy of physics and currently studying the…
sarahusher
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Does ones interpretation of quantum mechanics alter one's moral philosophy?

Say one was given a trolley problem such that one outcome was certain to kill 10 people, and the other had a 1% chance of killing 100 people depending on the outcome of some quantum event, similar to Schrodinger's cat box. Under the Copenhagen…
User65535
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Quantum mechanics and the principle of bivalence

Does quantum mechanics, due to the phenomenon of superposition (Schrodinger's cat is both dead and alive), give reasons to alter the laws of logic, specifically the principle of bivalance (something is either true or untrue). What would be the…
6thsense
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Many-worlds interpretation of QM and modal realism

Does the difficulty of making sense of quantum mechanical phenomena, (i.e. arriving at a nice philosophical interpretation of QM) taken together with Everett's many-worlds interpretation, constitute real evidence for accepting modal realism? I…
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