Realism about the wave function
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4079704 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Eddy Keming Chen (0000-0001-5144-0952, University of California San Diego, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Publication date | 2019-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Philosophy Compass (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1747-9991 • E-ISSN: 1747-9991 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/phc3.12611 |
| OpenAlex | W2895818074 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 19 |
| References cited | 60 |
A century after the discovery of quantum mechanics, the meaning of quantum mechanics still remains elusive. This is largely due to the puzzling nature of the wave function, the central object in quantum mechanics. If we are realists about quantum mechanics, how should we understand the wave function? What does it represent? What is its physical meaning? Answering these questions would improve our understanding of what it means to be a realist about quantum mechanics. In this survey article, I review and compare several realist interpretations of the wave function. They fall into three categories: ontological interpretations, nomological interpretations, and thesui generisinterpretation. For simplicity, I will focus on non-relativistic quantum mechanics
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Decoherence, branching, and the Born rule in a mixed-state Everettian multiverse
The operational framework for quantum theories is both epistemologically and ontologically neutral
Quantum metaphysical indeterminacy and the ontological foundations of orthodoxy
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The Quantum Revolution in Philosophy
Is the Universe Fundamentally a Density Matrix
Wavefunction Mereology
Typical Quantum States of the Universe are Observationally Indistinguishable
The One Magic Wave
Humeanism about laws of nature
Scientific realism and underdetermination in quantum theory
The Tools of Metaphysics and the Metaphysics of Science
Quantum Mechanics and Experience
The Emergent Multiverse
Time and Chance
Quantum equilibrium and the origin of absolute uncertainty
Unified dynamics for microscopic and macroscopic systems
Humean Supervenience
"Relative State" Formulation of Quantum Mechanics
Typical worlds
Determinism and Chance
The relative facts interpretation and Everett's note added in proof
One world, one beable
Finding the world in the wave function
A challenge for Super-Humeanism
What is a wavefunction
Wave Function Ontology
Quantum Mechanics and 3 N -Dimensional Space
Empirical Adequacy and the Availability of Reliable Records in Quantum Mechanics
Against Radical Quantum Ontologies
Self-locating Uncertainty and the Origin of Probability in Everettian Quantum Mechanics
Measures, Explanations and the Past
On the Common Structure of Bohmian Mechanics and the Ghirardi–Rimini–Weber Theory
Life in Configuration Space
How to Be a Relativistic Spacetime State Realist
Many Worlds and Schrödinger’s First Quantum Theory
Quantum Mechanics on Spacetime I
Quantum Mechanics in a Time-Asymmetric Universe
Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Humeanism, or
| Unique citing works | 19 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3,17 |
| Citation span | 2020 - 2026 (7) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 19 |