Philosophical Consequences of Quantum Theory

Sadri Hassani

The highly mathematical nature of the quantum theory, combined with the probability inherent in it, makes it one of the “weirdest” theories ever discovered by humankind. This weirdness comes partly because of our attempt at “translating” the consequences of the quantum theory into our own language. Such a “philosophization” of the quantum theory, a theory which works smoothly and perfectly in the language of mathematics, has led to its different “interpretations.” In this chapter, we summarize some consequences of the quantum theory.

Wojciech Piotr Grygiel

The current 50th issue of Philosophical Problems in Science (Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce) summarizes the efforts of both philosophers and scientists to understand how a broader philosophical context sets the stage for the development of scientific research, with physics playing a leading role. In particular, the paper reviews the content of the last twenty-five issues of the journal with an emphasis on the philosophical problems that arise in the practice of physics. The overview reveals that these problems reflect the main conceptual division in physics between the treatment of the micro-world described by quantum mechanics and the macro-world governed by the general theory of relativity. Both of these theories, taken separately, generate a host of philosophical concerns such as their proper interpretation (Bell’s Theorem and its consequences) or the meaning and the eventual validity of the notions of space and time. Other philosophical problems in physics, such as chaos and determinism, are also considered. The authors are well aware that the formulation of the future theory of quantum gravity will be a demanding task requiring profound philosophical reflection.

Neal Grossman

J. Sánchez-Guillén, Vazquez, R. A.

Inspired by philosophical ideas of Boltzmann, which are briefly recalled, we provide strong support for the possibility and convenience of a realistic world picture, properly nuanced. The arguments have consequences for the interpretation of quantum mechanics, and for relevant concepts of quantum field and string theory, like monopoles and branes. Our view is illustrated with a cybernetic analogy and complemented with a summary of the basic philosophical concepts.