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Bohmian Dispositions

Suárez, Mauricio (2015) Bohmian Dispositions. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This paper argues for a broadly dispositionalist approach to the ontology of Bohmian mechanics. It first distinguishes the ‘minimal’ and the ‘causal’ versions of Bohm’s Theory, and then briefly reviews some of the claims advanced on behalf of the ‘causal’ version by its proponents. A number of ontological or interpretive accounts of the wave function in Bohmian mechanics are then addressed in detail, including i) configuration space, ii) multi-field, iii) nomological, and iv) dispositional approaches. The main objection to each account is reviewed, namely i) the ‘problem of perception’, ii) the ‘problem of communication’, iii) the ‘problem of temporal laws’, and iv) the ‘problem of under-determination’. It is then shown that a version of dispositionalism overcomes the under-determination problem while providing neat solutions to the other three problems. A pragmatic argument is thus furnished for the use of dispositions in the interpretation of the theory more generally. The paper ends in a more speculative note by suggesting ways in which a dispositionalist interpretation of the wave function is in addition able to shed light upon some of the claims of the proponents of the causal version of Bohmian mechanics.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Suárez, Mauricio
Additional Information: Forthcoming in Synthese (online version published 23 April 2015)
Keywords: Philosophy of Physics, Quantum Propensities, Metaphysics of Science, Dispositions, Bohmian mechanics
Subjects: General Issues > Causation
Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
Specific Sciences > Probability/Statistics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User: Prof Mauricio Suárez
Date Deposited: 26 Apr 2015 14:13
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2015 14:13
Item ID: 11429
Official URL: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-01...
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1007/s11229-015-0741-1
Subjects: General Issues > Causation
Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
Specific Sciences > Probability/Statistics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date: April 2015
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11429

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