Faglia, Paolo (2025) Relational Quantum Mechanics Does Not Resolve the Problem of Measurement. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Relational quantum mechanics (RQM) explains the world in terms of an ontology of systems and events, where an event consists of a variable of a system taking a value relative to another system. Two strands of RQM may be distinguished depending on whether events are taken to be absolute or relative. The arguments in this paper apply to both. I argue that, in order to solve the problem of measurement, RQM needs to offer a specification of the circumstances in which events occur. Current formulations of RQM claim that events occur whenever interactions occur, without further defining what is meant by ‘interaction’. I develop the most plausible ways of understanding the notion of interaction, but I show that they fail to provide a satisfactory specification for the occurrence of events. In light of these failed constructive efforts, I conclude that the prospects for formulating a version of RQM which both satisfies its aims and solves the problem of measurement are dim.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Faglia, Paolo paolo.faglia@icloud.com 0000-0002-3125-9141
Keywords:	Relational Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Measurement Problem
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User:	Paolo Faglia
Date Deposited:	09 Jan 2025 13:33
Last Modified:	09 Jan 2025 13:33
Item ID:	24499
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date:	2025
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/24499

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