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Routledge eBooks

Contemporary Quantum Philosophy

WU Guo-lin

Published Oct 8, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Following the first and second quantum revolutions, quantum information theory has expanded beyond the field of physics into numerous other interdisciplinary areas. This book provides a comprehensive philosophical exploration of quantum mechanics and quantum information. The author examines key concepts such as quantum reality, quantum entanglement, quantum information, the quantum world, quantum computing, and quantum matter, while also extending quantum mechanical theory to encompass phenomenology, hermeneutics, and trans- empirical philosophy. Drawing on Kant’s transcendental idealism and neo- Kantianism, the author introduces the concept of “trans-empirical”— that which transcends experience without abandoning it and which, in fact, enables it. The book skillfully demonstrates how trans- empirical reality and cognition offer valuable analytical frameworks for contemporary quantum philosophy. This work will appeal to scholars and graduate students in various disciplines, including the philosophy of science and technology, analytical philosophy, the philosophy of language, phenomenology, and hermeneutics.

DOI
10.4324/9781003677987

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Following the first and second quantum revolutions, quantum information theory has expanded beyond the field of physics into numerous other interdisciplinary areas. This book provides a comprehensive philosophical exploration of quantum mechanics and quantum information. The author examines key concepts such as quantum reality, quantum entanglement, quantum information, the quantum world, quantum computing, and quantum matter, while also extending quantum mechanical theory to encompass phenomenology, hermeneutics, and trans- empirical philosophy. Drawing on Kant’s transcendental idealism and neo- Kantianism, the author introduces the concept of “trans-empirical”— that which transcends experience without abandoning it and which, in fact, enables it. The book skillfully demonstrates how trans- empirical reality and cognition offer valuable analytical frameworks for contemporary quantum philosophy. This work will appeal to scholars and graduate students in various disciplines, including the philosophy of science and technology, analytical philosophy, the philosophy of language, phenomenology, and hermeneutics.
Quantum mechanics, which emerged in the 20th century, has achieved remarkable feats, giving rise to the first quantum revolution. Toward the end of the 20th century, the emergence of quantum information theory sparked the second quantum revolution. Unlike the first one, the second quantum revolution directly focuses on the development of quantum artifacts that are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. This book delves deeply into the core concepts of the two quantum revolutions, including quantum reality, quantum information, quantum entanglement, quantum world, quantum computing, and quantum matter. By analyzing quantum mechanics from the perspectives of phenomenology, hermeneutics, and the trans-empirical concept, it expands the frontiers of understanding. This approach contributes to the formation of a trans-empirical reality and a trans-empirical cognition model.
Combining physics and philosophy, this is a uniquely interdisciplinary examination of quantum information science which provides an up-to-date examination of developments in this field. The authors provide coherent definitions and theories of information, taking clearly defined approaches to considering information in connection with quantum mechanics, probability, and correlations. Concepts addressed include entanglement of quantum states, the relation of quantum correlations to quantum information, and the meaning of the informational approach for the foundations of quantum mechanics. Furthermore, the mathematical concept of information in the communicational context, and the notion of pragmatic information are considered. Suitable as both a discussion of the conceptual and philosophical problems of this field and a comprehensive stand-alone introduction, this book will benefit both experienced and new researchers in quantum information and the philosophy of physics.
This is a unique text that explores quantum-like modelling frameworks that connect quantum mechanics with cognitive science and consciousness studies to propose a new ontological framework that transcends traditional boundaries between physics, philosophy, and cognitive science. The book develops along two complementary paths. First, it explores quantum-like modelling, an exciting emerging field where researchers apply logical and mathematical structures from quantum mechanics and information theory to cognitive modelling and decision science. Second, it investigates the profound links between quantum science and consciousness studies, incorporating insights from advanced mathematical frameworks such as category theory. By synthesizing these two approaches, the authors propose a novel framework termed 'quantum-like reality' that moves beyond pragmatic modelling to offer deeper ontological thinking that can enrich both foundational understanding and applied research. This will be an interesting read for students and researchers working at the intersection of quantum physics, cognitive science, and consciousness studies.
Recent work in quantum information science has produced a revolution in our understanding of quantum entanglement. Scientists now view entanglement as a physical resource with many important applications. These range from quantum computers, which would be able to compute exponentially faster than classical computers, to quantum cryptographic techniques, which could provide unbreakable codes for the transfer of secret information over public channels. These important advances in the study of quantum entanglement and information touch on deep foundational issues in both physics and philosophy. This interdisciplinary volume brings together fourteen of the world's leading physicists and philosophers of physics to address the most important developments and debates in this exciting area of research. It offers a broad spectrum of approaches to resolving deep foundational challenges - philosophical, mathematical, and physical - raised by quantum information, quantum processing, and entanglement. This book is ideal for historians, philosophers of science and physicists.
Kantian philosophy provided a strong foundation for classical Newtonian mechanics; however, it is difficult to fully account for the features of quantum mechanics. Functionalized and structured a priori knowledge provides only an additional explanation in terms of the hierarchy and role of knowledge; nevertheless, it does not fundamentally alter Kant’s traditional concept, and the transformed a priori knowledge still fails to reveal the state of knowledge in quantum mechanics. Therefore, this chapter is going to construct a new notion of “trans-empirical” that absorbs both the meanings of transcendental and a priori and the meaning of experience to understand quantum mechanics, so that trans-empirical is itself capable of being linked to experience. The trans-empirical refers to something that surpasses experience but also connects it and enables it. This inherent tension between surpassing and connecting experience is what allows objects in quantum mechanics and superstring theory to possess a trans-empirical feature. Different quantum states correspond to distinct quantum realities, and quantum reality is trans-empirical reality, that is, between the possible world and the real world. A single measurement of a quantum system provides only a partial glimpse of its overall reality. It is the whole of the various realities that completely describes the quantum reality. The basic framework of the trans-empirical reality is: Different trans-empirical concepts + perceptual material, perceptual models → different scientific models (rational models) → different scientific realities (trans-empirical realities). In addition, this chapter presents the model of trans-empirical cognition: Pre-experience → pre-understanding → trans-empirical ideas → perceptual knowledge → trans-empirical concepts → rational knowledge → post-experience.
As probably the most successful scientific theory ever created, quantum theory has profoundly changed our view of the world and extended the limits of our knowledge, impacting both the theoretical interpretation of a tremendous range of phenomena and the practical development of a host of technological breakthroughs. Yet for all its success, quantum theory remains utterly baffling. Quantum Reality: Theory and Philosophy, Second Edition cuts through much of the confusion to provide readers with an exploration of quantum theory that is as authoritatively comprehensive as it is intriguingly comprehensible. The book has been fully updated throughout to include the latest results in quantum entanglement, the theory and practical applications of quantum computing, quantum cosmology and quantum gravity. Needing little more than a school level physics and mathematics background, this volume requires only an interest in understanding how quantum theory came to be and the myriad ways it both explains how our universe functions and extends the reach of human knowledge. Written by well-known physics author and teacher Dr. Jonathan Allday, this highly engaging work: • Presents a thorough grounding in the theoretical machinery of quantum physics • Offers a whistle-stop tour through the early part of the 20th century when the founding fathers of quantum theory forever altered the frontiers of human thought • Provides an example-filled interpretation of the theory, its applications, and its pinnacle in quantum field theory (QFT), so crucial in shaping ideas about the nature of reality • Separates fact from speculation regarding quantum physics’ ability to provide a starting point for philosophical queries into ultimate understanding and the limits of science The world beneath the one that we experience with our senses is profoundly mysterious, and while we may never completely unravel that mystery, quantum theory allows us to come closer than ever to understanding where the science leaves off and the mystery begins. Quantum Reality: Theory and Philosophy, Second Edition makes that understanding accessible to anyone possessing a quest for knowledge and a sense of awe.