Peter J Lewis
Biographic Data
| ID | 3873333 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Peter J Lewis |
| GIVEN NAMES | Peter J |
| FAMILY NAME | Lewis |
| SIGNATURE | LEWIS P J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Miami |
| ORCID | 0009-0000-0005-7400 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 32 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 74 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 32 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1965 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Quantum Quasi-realism
Attempting to understand quantum claims as describing physical systems leads to well-known difficulties. In this regard, quantum mechanics is like ethics : attempting to understand moral claims as describing physical systems leads to (different) well-known difficulties. I argue that the quasi-realist strategy for addressing the latter issue can also help with the former. Quasi-realism starts from a non-representationalist understanding of a parti…
Accuracy-First Epistemology and Scientific Progress
The accuracy-first program attempts to ground epistemology in the norm that one’s beliefs should be as accurate as possible, where accuracy is measured using a scoring rule. We argue that considerations of scientific progress suggest that such a monism about epistemic value is untenable. In particular, we argue that counterexamples to the standard scoring rules are ubiquitous in the history of science, and hence that these scoring rules cannot be…
The indeterminate present
A non-solipsist form of presentness is usually thought to require the non-relative co-presentness of space-like separated events, where this requirement further implies the non-relative simultaneity of these events. Since special relativity is thought to rule out any global, non-relative simultaneity, typical non-solipsist forms of presentness are taken to be inconsistent with special relativity. To address this problem, we re-explain the relatio…
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
Simulation and self-location
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
Accuracy, conditionalization, and probabilism
Animal deception and the content of signals
Toward a formal analysis of deceptive signaling
Africa: Dilemmas of Development and Change
 Terra Nullius Amnesiacsâ
Retrocausal quantum mechanics: Maudlin's challenge revisited
The Doomsday Argument and the Simulation Argument
Credence and self-location
Probability, Self-Location, and Quantum Branching
The main problem with the many-worlds theory is that it is not clear how the notion of probability should be understood in a theory in which every possible outcome of a measurement actually occurs. In this paper, I argue for the following theses concerning the many-worlds theory: (1) If probability can be applied at all to measurement outcomes, it must function as a measure of an agent's self-location uncertainty. (2) Such probabilities typically…
Uncertainty and probability for branching selves
How Bohm's Theory Solves the Measurement Problem
I examine recent arguments based on functionalism that claim to show that Bohm's theory fails to solve the measurement problem, or if it does so, it is only because it reduces to a form of the many-worlds theory. While these arguments reveal some interesting features of Bohm's theory, I contend that they do not undermine the distinctive Bohmian solution to the measurement problem
Empty Waves in Bohmian Quantum Mechanics
There is a recurring line of argument in the literature to the effect that Bohm's theory fails to solve the measurement problem. I show that this argument fails in all its variants. Hence Bohm's theory, whatever its drawbacks, at least succeeds in solving the measurement problem. I briefly discuss a similar argument that has been raised against the GRW theory. 1. Introduction2. Three Theories3. The Basic Argument4. Branches and Worlds5. Theory an…
Conspiracy Theories of Quantum Mechanics
It has long been recognized that a local hidden variable theory of quantum mechanics can in principle be constructed, provided one is willing to countenance pre-measurement correlations between the properties of measured systems and measuring devices. However, this ‘conspiratorial’ approach is typically dismissed out of hand. In this article I examine the justification for dismissing conspiracy theories of quantum mechanics. I consider the existi…
GRW: A Case Study in Quantum Ontology
This article provides an overview of the philosophical literature on the GRW theory of quantum mechanics, and argues for a particular position regarding that literature. Much of the literature is ontological; it attempts to defend a conception of what the world is like according to the GRW theory against perceived competitors. I argue that there is no real debate here, since these supposedly conflicting positions are better regarded as alternativ…
Interpreting spontaneous collapse theories
Why The Pessimistic Induction Is A Fallacy
Life in Configuration Space
This paper investigates the tenability of wavefunction realism, according to which the quantum mechanical wavefunction is not just a convenient predictive tool, but is a real entity figuring in physical explanations of our measurement results. An apparent difficulty with this position is that the wavefunction exists in a many-dimensional configuration space, whereas the world appears to us to be three-dimensional. I consider the arguments that ha…
Quantum Mechanics, Orthogonality, and Counting
In quantum mechanics it is usually assumed that mutually exclusives states of affairs must be represented by orthogonal vectors. Recent attempts to solve the measurement problem, most notably the GRW theory, require the relaxation of this assumption. It is shown that a consequence of relaxing this assumption is that arithmatic does not apply to ordinary macroscopic objects. It is argued that such a radical move is unwarranted given the current st…
Credence and self-location
How Bohm's Theory Solves the Measurement Problem
I examine recent arguments based on functionalism that claim to show that Bohm's theory fails to solve the measurement problem, or if it does so, it is only because it reduces to a form of the many-worlds theory. While these arguments reveal some interesting features of Bohm's theory, I contend that they do not undermine the distinctive Bohmian solution to the measurement problem
Accuracy, conditionalization, and probabilism
Toward a formal analysis of deceptive signaling
Counting Marbles: A Reply to Critics
The Doomsday Argument and the Simulation Argument
Empty Waves in Bohmian Quantum Mechanics
There is a recurring line of argument in the literature to the effect that Bohm's theory fails to solve the measurement problem. I show that this argument fails in all its variants. Hence Bohm's theory, whatever its drawbacks, at least succeeds in solving the measurement problem. I briefly discuss a similar argument that has been raised against the GRW theory. 1. Introduction2. Three Theories3. The Basic Argument4. Branches and Worlds5. Theory an…
Conspiracy Theories of Quantum Mechanics
It has long been recognized that a local hidden variable theory of quantum mechanics can in principle be constructed, provided one is willing to countenance pre-measurement correlations between the properties of measured systems and measuring devices. However, this ‘conspiratorial’ approach is typically dismissed out of hand. In this article I examine the justification for dismissing conspiracy theories of quantum mechanics. I consider the existi…
GRW: A Case Study in Quantum Ontology
This article provides an overview of the philosophical literature on the GRW theory of quantum mechanics, and argues for a particular position regarding that literature. Much of the literature is ontological; it attempts to defend a conception of what the world is like according to the GRW theory against perceived competitors. I argue that there is no real debate here, since these supposedly conflicting positions are better regarded as alternativ…
Quantum Mechanics and Ordinary Language: The Fuzzy Link
It is widely acknowledged that the link between quantum language and ordinary language must be “fuzzier” than the traditional eigenstate-eigenvalue link. In the context of spontaneous-collapse theories, Albert and Loewer (1996) argue that the form of this fuzzy link is a matter of convention, and can be freely chosen to minimize anomalies for those theories. I defend the position that the form of the link is empirical, and could be such as to ren…
Animal deception and the content of signals
Probability, Self-Location, and Quantum Branching
The main problem with the many-worlds theory is that it is not clear how the notion of probability should be understood in a theory in which every possible outcome of a measurement actually occurs. In this paper, I argue for the following theses concerning the many-worlds theory: (1) If probability can be applied at all to measurement outcomes, it must function as a measure of an agent's self-location uncertainty. (2) Such probabilities typically…
Risk and child abuse
This article outlines a framework for the assessment of risk in child abuse work and describes its use in an interagency training programme in Nottinghamshire over the last five years. Two key concepts are introduced: critical pathways and risk analysis. The authors go on to describe the way they have used these as the basis for interdisciplinary learning alongside a number of other useful ways of looking at risk and child abuse
Focus on Geographic Activity: A Collection of Original Studies
Risk and child abuse
This article outlines a framework for the assessment of risk in child abuse work and describes its use in an interagency training programme in Nottinghamshire over the last five years. Two key concepts are introduced: critical pathways and risk analysis. The authors go on to describe the way they have used these as the basis for interdisciplinary learning alongside a number of other useful ways of looking at risk and child abuse
Quantum Mechanics, Orthogonality, and Counting
In quantum mechanics it is usually assumed that mutually exclusives states of affairs must be represented by orthogonal vectors. Recent attempts to solve the measurement problem, most notably the GRW theory, require the relaxation of this assumption. It is shown that a consequence of relaxing this assumption is that arithmatic does not apply to ordinary macroscopic objects. It is argued that such a radical move is unwarranted given the current st…
Why The Pessimistic Induction Is A Fallacy
Counting Marbles: A Reply to Critics
Quantum Mechanics and Ordinary Language: The Fuzzy Link
It is widely acknowledged that the link between quantum language and ordinary language must be “fuzzier” than the traditional eigenstate-eigenvalue link. In the context of spontaneous-collapse theories, Albert and Loewer (1996) argue that the form of this fuzzy link is a matter of convention, and can be freely chosen to minimize anomalies for those theories. I defend the position that the form of the link is empirical, and could be such as to ren…
Life in Configuration Space
This paper investigates the tenability of wavefunction realism, according to which the quantum mechanical wavefunction is not just a convenient predictive tool, but is a real entity figuring in physical explanations of our measurement results. An apparent difficulty with this position is that the wavefunction exists in a many-dimensional configuration space, whereas the world appears to us to be three-dimensional. I consider the arguments that ha…
Interpreting spontaneous collapse theories
Conspiracy Theories of Quantum Mechanics
It has long been recognized that a local hidden variable theory of quantum mechanics can in principle be constructed, provided one is willing to countenance pre-measurement correlations between the properties of measured systems and measuring devices. However, this ‘conspiratorial’ approach is typically dismissed out of hand. In this article I examine the justification for dismissing conspiracy theories of quantum mechanics. I consider the existi…
GRW: A Case Study in Quantum Ontology
This article provides an overview of the philosophical literature on the GRW theory of quantum mechanics, and argues for a particular position regarding that literature. Much of the literature is ontological; it attempts to defend a conception of what the world is like according to the GRW theory against perceived competitors. I argue that there is no real debate here, since these supposedly conflicting positions are better regarded as alternativ…
Uncertainty and probability for branching selves
How Bohm's Theory Solves the Measurement Problem
I examine recent arguments based on functionalism that claim to show that Bohm's theory fails to solve the measurement problem, or if it does so, it is only because it reduces to a form of the many-worlds theory. While these arguments reveal some interesting features of Bohm's theory, I contend that they do not undermine the distinctive Bohmian solution to the measurement problem
Empty Waves in Bohmian Quantum Mechanics
There is a recurring line of argument in the literature to the effect that Bohm's theory fails to solve the measurement problem. I show that this argument fails in all its variants. Hence Bohm's theory, whatever its drawbacks, at least succeeds in solving the measurement problem. I briefly discuss a similar argument that has been raised against the GRW theory. 1. Introduction2. Three Theories3. The Basic Argument4. Branches and Worlds5. Theory an…
Probability, Self-Location, and Quantum Branching
The main problem with the many-worlds theory is that it is not clear how the notion of probability should be understood in a theory in which every possible outcome of a measurement actually occurs. In this paper, I argue for the following theses concerning the many-worlds theory: (1) If probability can be applied at all to measurement outcomes, it must function as a measure of an agent's self-location uncertainty. (2) Such probabilities typically…
Credence and self-location
Retrocausal quantum mechanics: Maudlin's challenge revisited
The Doomsday Argument and the Simulation Argument
 Terra Nullius Amnesiacsâ
Africa: Dilemmas of Development and Change
Toward a formal analysis of deceptive signaling
Accuracy, conditionalization, and probabilism
Animal deception and the content of signals
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Publication Information
Computer Science (20 works) · Epistemology (20 works) · Philosophy (20 works) · Philosophy and History of Science (14 works) · Quantum Mechanics and Applications (13 works) · Mathematics (11 works) · Physics (11 works) · Quantum mechanics (9 works) · Theoretical physics (9 works) · Quantum (8 works)