GRW as an ontology of dispositions


Autoria(s): Esfeld M; Dorato M
Data(s)

2010

Resumo

The paper argues that the formulation of quantum mechanics proposed by Ghirardi, Rimini and Weber (GRW) is a serious candidate for being a fundamental physical theory and explores its ontological commitments from this perspective. In particular, we propose to conceive of spatial superpositions of non-massless microsystems as dispositions or powers, more precisely propensities, to generate spontaneous localizations. We set out five reasons for this view, namely that (1) it provides for a clear sense in which quantum systems in entangled states possess properties even in the absence of definite values; (2) it vindicates objective, single-case probabilities; (3) it yields a clear transition from quantum to classical properties; (4) it enables to draw a clear distinction between purely mathematical and physical structures, and (5) it grounds the arrow of time in the time-irreversible manifestation of the propensities to localize.

Identificador

http://serval.unil.ch/?id=serval:BIB_F3294451FD80

http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/4870/

http://my.unil.ch/serval/document/BIB_F3294451FD80.pdf

http://nbn-resolving.org/urn/resolver.pl?urn=urn:nbn:ch:serval-BIB_F3294451FD805

Idioma(s)

en

Direitos

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Fonte

Studies in History and Philosphy of Modern Physics, vol. 41, pp. 41-49

Tipo

info:eu-repo/semantics/article

article