Chen, Eddy Keming (2018) Realism about the Wave Function. [Preprint]
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Abstract
A century after the discovery of quantum mechanics, the meaning of quantum mechanics still remains elusive. This is largely due to the puzzling nature of the wave function, the central object in quantum mechanics. If we are realists about quantum mechanics, how should we understand the wave function? What does it represent? What is its physical meaning? Answering these questions would improve our understanding of what it means to be a realist about quantum mechanics. In this survey article, I review and compare several realist interpretations of the wave function. They fall into three categories: ontological interpretations, nomological interpretations, and the sui generis interpretation. For simplicity, I will focus on non-relativistic quantum mechanics.
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| Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
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| Keywords: | quantum mechanics, wave function, quantum state of the universe, scientific realism, measurement problem, configuration space realism, Hilbert space realism, multi-field, spacetime state realism, laws of nature | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism |
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| Depositing User: | Dr. Eddy Keming Chen | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 13 Oct 2018 22:01 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 13 Oct 2018 22:01 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 15153 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism |
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| Date: | 13 October 2018 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15153 |
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