This article reconsiders E. Schrödinger's cat paradox experiment from a new perspective, grounded in the interpretation of quantum mechanics that belongs to the class of interpretations designated as "reality without realism" (RWR) interpretations. These interpretations assume that the reality ultimately responsible for quantum phenomena is beyond conception, an assumption designated as the Heisenberg postulate. Accordingly, in these interpretations, quantum physics is understood in terms of the relationships between what is thinkable and what is unthinkable, with, physical, classical, and quantum, corresponding to thinkable and unthinkable, respectively. The role of classical physics becomes unavoidable in quantum physics, the circumstance designated as the Bohr postulate, which restores to classical physics its position as part of fundamental physics, a position commonly reserved for quantum physics and relativity. This view of quantum physics and relativity is maintained by this article as well but is argued to be sufficient for understanding fundamental physics. Establishing this role of classical physics is a distinctive contribution of the article, which allows it to reconsider Schrödinger's cat experiment, but has a broader significance for understanding fundamental physics. RWR interpretations have not been previously applied to the cat experiment, including by N. Bohr, whose interpretation, in its ultimate form (he changed it a few times), was an RWR interpretation. The interpretation adopted in this article follows Bohr's interpretation, based on the Heisenberg and Bohr postulates, but it adds the Dirac postulate, stating that the concept of a quantum object only applies at the time of observation and not independently.
This article reconsiders E. Schrödinger's cat paradox experiment from a new perspective, grounded in the interpretation of quantum mechanics that belongs to the class of interpretations designated as "reality without realism" (RWR) interpretations. These interpretations assume that the reality ultimately responsible for quantum phenomena is beyond conception, an assumption designated as the Heisenberg postulate. Accordingly, in these interpretations, quantum physics is understood in terms of the relationships between what is thinkable and what is unthinkable, with, physical, classical, and quantum, corresponding to thinkable and unthinkable, respectively. The role of classical physics becomes unavoidable in quantum physics, the circumstance designated as the Bohr postulate, which restores to classical physics its position as part of fundamental physics, a position commonly reserved for quantum physics and relativity. This view of quantum physics and relativity is maintained by this article as well but is argued to be sufficient for understanding fundamental physics. Establishing this role of classical physics is a distinctive contribution of the article, which allows it to reconsider Schrödinger's cat experiment, but has a broader significance for understanding fundamental physics. RWR interpretations have not been previously applied to the cat experiment, including by N. Bohr, whose interpretation, in its ultimate form (he changed it a few times), was an RWR interpretation. The interpretation adopted in this article follows Bohr's interpretation, based on the Heisenberg and Bohr postulates, but it adds the Dirac postulate, stating that the concept of a quantum object only applies at the time of observation and not independently.
This article aims to reconsider E. Schrödinger's famous thought experiment, the cat paradox experiment, and its place in quantum foundations from a new perspective, grounded in the type of interpretation of quantum phenomena and quantum mechanics, which belongs to the class of interpretations designated here as "reality without realism" (RWR) interpretations. Such interpretations have not been previously brought to bear on the cat experiment, including by N. Bohr, whose interpretation in its ultimate forms (as he changes his interpretation a few times) is an RWR interpretation, but who does not appear to have commented on the cat experiment. The interpretation adopted in this articles follows Bohr's interpretation, as based on two assumptions or postulates, the Heisenberg and Bohr postulates, but it adds a third postulate, the Dirac postulate. The article also introduces, in conjunction with the concept of reality without realism, the concepts of visible and invisible to thought and considers their role in the cat-paradox experiment.
This article reconsiders the concept of physical reality in quantum theory and the concept of quantum measurement, following Bohr, whose analysis of quantum measurement led him to his concept of a (quantum) "phenomenon," referring to "the observations obtained under the specified circumstances," in the interaction between quantum objects and measuring instruments. This situation makes the terms "observation" and "measurement," as conventionally understood, inapplicable. These terms are remnants of classical physics or still earlier history, from which classical physics inherited it. As defined here, a quantum measurement does not measure any preexisting property of the ultimate constitution of the reality responsible for quantum phenomena. An act of measurement establishes a quantum phenomenon by an interaction between the instrument and the quantum object or in the present view the ultimate constitution of the reality responsible for quantum phenomena and, at the time of measurement, also quantum objects. In the view advanced in this article, in contrast to that of Bohr, quantum objects, such as electrons or photons, are assumed to exist only at the time of measurement and not independently, a view that redefines the concept of quantum object as well. This redefinition becomes especially important in high-energy quantum regimes and quantum field theory and allows this article to define a new concept of quantum field. The article also considers, now following Bohr, the quantum measurement as the entanglement between quantum objects and measurement instruments. The argument of the article is grounded in the concept "reality without realism" (RWR), as underlying quantum measurement thus understood, and the view, the RWR view, of quantum theory defined by this concept. The RWR view places a stratum of physical reality thus designated, here the reality ultimately responsible for quantum phenomena, beyond representation or knowledge, or even conception, and defines the corresponding set of interpretations quantum mechanics or quantum field theory, such as the one assumed in this article, in which, again, not only quantum phenomena but also quantum objects are (idealizations) defined by measurement. As such, the article also offers a broadly conceived response to J. Bell's argument "against 'measurement'".
This article reconsiders the double-slit experiment from the nonrealist or, in terms of this article, "reality-without-realism" (RWR) perspective, grounded in the combination of three forms of quantum discontinuity: (1) "Heisenberg discontinuity", defined by the impossibility of a representation or even conception of how quantum phenomena come about, even though quantum theory (such as quantum mechanics or quantum field theory) predicts the data in question strictly in accord with what is observed in quantum experiments); (2) "Bohr discontinuity", defined, under the assumption of Heisenberg discontinuity, by the view that quantum phenomena and the data observed therein are described by classical and not quantum theory, even though classical physics cannot predict them; and (3) "Dirac discontinuity" (not considered by Dirac himself, but suggested by his equation), according to which the concept of a quantum object, such as a photon or electron, is an idealization only applicable at the time of observation and not to something that exists independently in nature. Dirac discontinuity is of particular importance for the article's foundational argument and its analysis of the double-slit experiment.
Abstract This article reconsiders the Wigner’s fried experiment and questions posed by it from a new perspective, which removes paradoxes often associated with it, beginning with those, due to the role of consciousness in quantum physics, by Wigner himself. This perpective is new for two main reasons. The first is that it is based on an interpretation of quantum phenomena and quantum mechanics (QM) that was not previously brought to bear on this experiment, an interpretation defined as a “reality without realism” (RWR) interpretation. The second is that the present interpretation additionally assumes the fundamental role of classical physics in quantum physics. This role is defined by the assumption, designated as “the Bohr postulate,” that classical physics describes observed quantum phenomena themselves and the observable parts of measuring instruments defining these phenomena. Most interpretation, beginning with that of Wigner, have by contrast assumed that all physical systems, including both human agents involved in the WF experiment are quantum systems.
This work aims to analyze the philosophical consequences of the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment, discussing, among other issues, the physical explanation of the experiment and its meaning, the consequences and implications in Quantum Mechanics, namely, the privileged status of the observer, the notion of superposition, the question of self-state and wave collapse, in short, Erwin Schrödinger's criticisms of the orthodox interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. We will deal with the philosophical consequences of Schrödinger's cat mental experiment, seeking to contribute to the understanding of the aspects that differentiate Classical Physics from Quantum Mechanics, in addition to contributing to philosophical discussion in the discussion of realistic and anti-realistic positions that are found in the midst of the debate established between precursors of Quantum Mechanics. It is hoped that this article will enable an expansion of knowledge of the philosophy involved in this entire debate and that it will generate reflections on the ultimate nature of reality.
Following the view of several leading quantum-information theorists, this paper argues that quantum phenomena, including those exhibiting quantum correlations (one of their most enigmatic features), and quantum mechanics may be best understood in quantum-informational terms. It also argues that this understanding is implicit already in the work of some among the founding figures of quantum mechanics, in particular W. Heisenberg and N. Bohr, half a century before quantum information theory emerged and confirmed, and gave a deeper meaning to, to their insights. These insights, I further argue, still help this understanding, which is the main reason for considering them here. My argument is grounded in a particular interpretation of quantum phenomena and quantum mechanics, in part arising from these insights as well. This interpretation is based on the concept of reality without realism, RWR (which places the reality considered beyond representation or even conception), introduced by this author previously, in turn, following Heisenberg and Bohr, and in response to quantum information theory.