Egg, Matthias (1 November 2018). Dissolving the measurement problem is not an option for the realist (Unpublished). In: PSA2018: The 26th Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association. Seattle, USA. 01-04 Nov 2018.
|
Slideshow
dissolving.pdf - Presentation Available under License BORIS Standard License. Download (109kB) | Preview |
This paper critically assesses the proposal that scientific realists do not need to search for a solution of the measurement problem in quantum mechanics, but should instead dismiss the problem as ill-posed. James Ladyman and Don Ross have sought to support this proposal with arguments drawn from their naturalized metaphysics and from a Bohr-inspired approach to quantum mechanics. I show that the first class of arguments is unsuccessful, because formulating the measurement problem does not depend on the metaphysical commitments which are undermined by ontic structural realism, rainforest realism, or naturalism in general. The second class of arguments is problematic due to its refusal to provide an analysis of the term “measurement”. It turns out that the proposed dissolution of the measurement problem is in conflict not only with traditional forms of scientific realism but even with the rather minimal realism that Ladyman and Ross themselves defend. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of two related proposals: Healey's pragmatist approach and Bub's information-theoretic interpretation.
Item Type: |
Conference or Workshop Item (Speech) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institute of Philosophy 06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institute of Philosophy > Theoretical Philosophy |
UniBE Contributor: |
Egg, Matthias |
Subjects: |
100 Philosophy 100 Philosophy > 110 Metaphysics 100 Philosophy > 120 Epistemology 500 Science 500 Science > 530 Physics |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Matthias Peter Egg |
Date Deposited: |
29 May 2019 11:14 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 15:28 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.129579 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/129579 |
Actions (login required)
 |
Edit item |