Halvorson, Hans (2022) Objective description in physics. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I argue against the claim -- advocated by Albert Einstein, Bernard Williams, and Ted Sider, among others -- that a description is objective only if it says how the world is in itself. Instead, I argue for the claim -- inspired by comments of Niels Bohr -- that a family of descriptions is objective only if they co-vary with their respective descriptive contexts. Moreover, I claim that "there is a shared objective reality" simply means that it is possible to satisfy this kind of covariance requirement.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Halvorson, Hans hhalvors@princeton.edu 0000-0003-3022-2344
Keywords:	objectivity, quantum mechanics, absolute conception, god's eye view, Einstein, Bohr
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics General Issues > Structure of Theories General Issues > Values In Science
Depositing User:	Hans Halvorson
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2022 03:47
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2022 03:47
Item ID:	20520
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics General Issues > Structure of Theories General Issues > Values In Science
Date:	April 2022
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/20520

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