Identical Particles in Quantum Mechanics Revisited
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8398643 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robert C Hilborn (0000-0002-2287-3625), Candice L Yuca |
| Year | 2002 |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 355-389 |
| Publication date | 2002-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-0882 • E-ISSN: 1464-3537 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/bjps/53.3.355 |
| OpenAlex | W1970699217 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 42 |
The treatment of identical particles in quantum mechanics rests on two (related) principles: the spin‐statistics connection and the Symmetrization Postulate. In light of recent theories (such as q‐deformed commutators) that allow for ‘small’ violations of the spin‐statistics connection and the Symmetrization Postulate, we revisit the issue of how quantum mechanics deals with identical particles and how it supports or fails to support various philosophical stances concerning individuality. As a consequence of the expanded possibilities for quantum statistics, we argue that permutation symmetry is best formulated as a formal property of the state function describing the system of particles rather than as a property of the individual particles.1 Introduction2 Philosophical background2.1 Important terminology2.1.1 Identity2.1.2 Indistinguishability2.1.3 Indiscernibility2.2 When are particles indistinguishable?2.3 The Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles and quantum mechanics2.4 The Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles and logic2.5 Particle history2.6 Transcendental individuality3 Some quantum formalism3.1 The Principle of Permutation Invariance and the Symmetrization Postulate3.2 The configuration‐space approach3.3 Commutators and anticommutators, and identical particle statistics3.4 Q‐mutators4 Identical particle statistics: a holistic point of view5 Conclusions
Combinatorics · Connection (principal bundle) · Epistemology · Identical particles · Mathematical analysis · Permutation (music) · Physics · Property (philosophy) · Quantum · Quantum mechanics · Symmetrization · Theoretical physics · Transcendental number · Mathematics · Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories · Philosophy · Quantum Information and Cryptography · Quantum Mechanics and Applications
Why the Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles is not contingently true either
Does Quantum Mechanics Disprove the Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles
Quantum Theory and the Identity of Indiscernibles Revisited
Leibniz's Principle of The Identity of Indiscernibles
On the Significance of Permutation Symmetry
Quantum Physics and the Identity of Indiscernibles
Particle Labels and the Theory of Indistinguishable Particles in Quantum Mechanics
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,14 |
| Citation span | 2004 - 2006 (3) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |