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European Journal for Philosophy of Science

On the relation between quantum mechanical and neo-mechanistic ontologies and explanatory strategies

Meinard Kuhlmann, Stuart S. Glennan

Published May 15, 2014• 30 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1007/s13194-014-0088-3

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Under the assumption of the materialistic-mechanistic ontology implicit in classical physics, quantum theory as interpreted through Niels Bohr's epistemology of complementarity is not formally objective; i. e., it is not informative of the state of physical systems independent of particular phenomenal manifestations of them. However, an analysis of the notion of the “physical system”, in theory, as experienced, and as existing “in-itself”, reveals that if the older ontology is replaced, quantum mechanics through complementarity becomes formally objective, points the way toward a new ontology based on the notion of the power to structure interaction between systems, and provides new insights into the relations between theory, observation, and the natural world.
The phenomenon of quantum entanglement has been at the center of heated debates among physicists and philosophers since the dawn of the quantum era. The early discussions initiated by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen—regarding potential violations of the Principle of Relativity by entangled particles, expressed in the so-called “EPR Paradox”—ultimately culminated in the demonstration of Bell’s theorem and its violations. Since then, philosophers of science and physicists have developed multiple proposals attempting to account for the ontological status of quantum formalism and its possible tension with relativistic principles. This thesis contributes to these efforts by advancing a Neo-Aristotelian ontological framework inspired by scholastic philosophy. Specifically, by constructing a model rooted in the thought of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, this framework interprets quantum entanglement as a phenomenon of metaphysical deprivation that introduces the concept of “quantum coordination”. This approach provides an interpretation of entanglement that rules out problematic superluminal signaling, thereby preserving consistency with the Principle of Relativity. At the same time, this work argues against the idea that a Neo-Aristotelian perspective necessarily entails violations of Lorentz Invariance—an objection frequently raised against approaches of this type. The outcome of this research is the development of a hylomorphic interpretation of quantum mechanics and its dynamics. Such an interpretation motivates a broader re-envisioning of the quantum world as a field of possibilities that exist as virtual parts of classical systems. In so doing, this project contributes to the ongoing rehabilitation of Aristotle in contemporary philosophy, thereby reshaping how we conceive nature and its fundamental principles.
Despite nearly a century of development, quantum theories that address the special relativity-quantum mechanics tension still struggle with limited explanatory depth. Given the fundamental differences between the two core theories, this is not surprising. Quantum theories that rely on mathematical constructs to explain particle or quantum state dynamics often struggle to reconcile with special relativity’s constraints in a physical 4D spacetime. This paper explores the explanatory depth of a tightly integrated, physically grounded approach to reconciling special relativity and quantum mechanics based on a dual ontology framework where a discrete 4D spacetime and an ultra-high-dimensional space are integrated facets of a physically unified universe. The approach provides a theoretical framework that adheres to special relativity’s laws, conforms with quantum experiments challenging special relativity’s constraints, and establishes a physical one-to-one correspondence between quantum phenomena across both dimensions. The strength of the analysis lies in its physical explanatory depth. Without relying on ad hoc, fine-tuning, or perturbative techniques, the model examines physical solutions for some of the most challenging special relativity-quantum mechanics problems, including (1) quantum entanglement and nonlocality, (2) the instantaneity of quantum collapse, (3) causality, (4) the nature of time, (5) quantum state localization, (6) ) quantum tunneling, (7) the relativity of simultaneity, (8) relativistic energy increase, and (9) the Born Rule's relationship to special relativity’s constraints.