Gao, Shan (2019) Does the PBR theorem refute Bohmian mechanics? [Preprint]
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Abstract
The nature of the wave function has been a hot topic of debate since the early days of quantum mechanics. The recent PBR theorem proves that the wave function is ontic, representing the ontic state of a physical system or a concrete physical entity. On the other hand, Bohmian mechanics regards the wave function as not ontic but nomological, like a law of nature. This raises an interesting question: does the PBR theorem refute Bohmian mechanics? It seems widely thought that the ontic view and the nomological view are compatible, and thus the PBR theorem has no implications for Bohmian mechanics. In this paper, I argue that this is not the case. First, I point out that the nomological view and the ontic view are two different views of the wave function. This means that the result of the PBR theorem and Bohmian mechanics are incompatible. Next, I argue that the PBR theorem and Bohmian mechanics are nevertheless compatible, and the former does not refute the latter. The reason is that the PBR theorem and Bohmian mechanics are based on different fundamental assumptions, and in particular, Bohmian mechanics rejects one key assumption of the ontological models framework on which the PBR theorem is based. Finally, I argue that the rejection of this assumption will bring to our attention a potential important issue of Bohmian mechanics.
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| Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
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| Keywords: | wave function; PBR theorem; Bohmian mechanics; ontic view; nomological view; laws of nature | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics |
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| Depositing User: | Prof. Shan Gao | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 21 Nov 2019 05:09 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 21 Nov 2019 05:09 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 16645 | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics |
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| Date: | 20 November 2019 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16645 |
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