Representation and Causality in Quantum Mechanics

CHRISTIAN DE RONDE

Santiago de Chile

Workshop; III Workshop sobre filosofía, lógica e historia de la mecánica en el VIII Encuntro de Filosofia e História de la Ciencia del Cono Sur.; 2012

Asociación de Filosofía e Historia de la Ciencia del Cono Sur (AFIHC)

It is well known that both notions of ´causality´ and ´representation´ are problematic within quantum mechanics [Foreman 1971, Cassirer 1956, Kauark-]. We shall discuss the relation between these notions and both classical and quantum physics. More specifically, in this work we discuss these questions form a general realistic perspective according to which a physical theory must provide an answer to the question: ´what is the theory talking about?´ In particular, as argued in [de Ronde 2011], by considering the two main problems of quantum mechanics, namely: i) the problem of contextuality and ii) the problem of superpositions; we discuss in what sense both causality and representation expose the limits of an interpretation of quantum mechanics in terms of a classical metaphysical scheme. Cassirer, E., 1956, Determinism and Indeterminism in Modern Physics, New Haven, Yale University Press. Foreman, P., 1971, “Weimar Culture, Causality, and Quantum Theory, 1918-1927: Adaptation by German Physicists and Mathematicians to a Hostile Intellectual Environment”, Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences, 3, 1-115. Kauark-Leite, P., 2012, “Causalidade e teoria quântica”, Scientiae Studia, Vol. 10., No. 1. de Ronde, C., 2011, The Contextual and Modal Character of Quantum Mechanics: A Formal and Philosophical Analysis in the Foundations of Science, PhD Dissertation, Utrecht University.