Arroyo, Raoni and Arenhart, Jonas R. B. (2025) Antirealism in sheep's clothing: Wave function realism and scientific realism. Foundations of Physics, 55 (70). pp. 1-19. ISSN 1572-9516
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Abstract
Scientific realism is the philosophical stance that science tracks truth, in particular in its depiction of the world's ontology. Ontologically, this involves a commitment to the existence of entities posited by our best scientific theories; metaontologically, it includes the claim that the theoretical framework itself is true. In this article, we examine wave function realism as a case study within this broader methodological debate. Wave function realism holds that the wave function, as described by quantum mechanics, corresponds to a real physical entity. We focus on a recent formulation of this view that commits to the ontology of the wave function while deliberately avoiding the metaontological question of the framework's truth. Instead, the view is defended on pragmatic, non-truth-conductive grounds. This, we argue, raises tensions for the purported realism of wave function realism and its compatibility with scientific realism more broadly.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | |||||||||
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| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Ontology General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism |
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| Depositing User: | Dr. Raoni Arroyo | |||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 05 Sep 2025 10:48 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 05 Sep 2025 10:48 | |||||||||
| Item ID: | 26435 | |||||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Foundations of Physics | |||||||||
| Publisher: | Springer | |||||||||
| Official URL: | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10701-0... | |||||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1007/s10701-025-00881-y | |||||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Ontology General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism |
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| Date: | 4 September 2025 | |||||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 1-19 | |||||||||
| Volume: | 55 | |||||||||
| Number: | 70 | |||||||||
| ISSN: | 1572-9516 | |||||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/26435 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Antirealism in sheep's clothing: Wave function realism and scientific realism. (deposited 30 Jul 2025 12:51)
- Antirealism in sheep's clothing: Wave function realism and scientific realism. (deposited 05 Sep 2025 10:48) [Currently Displayed]
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