scholarly journals Agent Inaccessibility as a Fundamental Principle in Quantum Mechanics: Objective Unpredictability and Formal Uncomputability

Entropy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Walleczek
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Random Sequence ◽  
Fundamental Principle ◽  
Formal Proof ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Dynamical Chaos ◽  
Interpretations Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Fundamental Limit ◽  
Formal Limit ◽  
Complete Quantum

The inaccessibility to the experimenter agent of the complete quantum state is well-known. However, decisive answers are still missing for the following question: What underpins and governs the physics of agent inaccessibility? Specifically, how does nature prevent the agent from accessing, predicting, and controlling, individual quantum measurement outcomes? The orthodox interpretation of quantum mechanics employs the metaphysical assumption of indeterminism—‘intrinsic randomness’—as an axiomatic, in-principle limit on agent–quantum access. By contrast, ontological and deterministic interpretations of quantum mechanics typically adopt an operational, in-practice limit on agent access and knowledge—‘effective ignorance’. The present work considers a third option—‘objective ignorance’: an in-principle limit for ontological quantum mechanics based upon self-referential dynamics, including undecidable dynamics and dynamical chaos, employing uncomputability as a formal limit. Given a typical quantum random sequence, no formal proof is available for the truth of quantum indeterminism, whereas a formal proof for the uncomputability of the quantum random sequence—as a fundamental limit on agent access ensuring objective unpredictability—is a plausible option. This forms the basis of the present proposal for an agent-inaccessibility principle in quantum mechanics.

scholarly journals Barad, Bohr, and quantum mechanics

Synthese ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Faye ◽  
Rasmus Jaksland
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Science Studies ◽  
Niels Bohr ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Strict Sense ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Feminist Science ◽  
Interpretations Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Agential Realism

AbstractThe last decade has seen an increasing number of references to quantum mechanics in the humanities and social sciences. This development has in particular been driven by Karen Barad’s agential realism: a theoretical framework that, based on Niels Bohr’s interpretation of quantum mechanics, aims to inform social theorizing. In dealing with notions such as agency, power, and embodiment as well as the relation between the material and the discursive level, the influence of agential realism in fields such as feminist science studies and posthumanism has been profound. However, no one has hitherto paused to assess agential realism’s proclaimed quantum mechanical origin including its relation to the writings of Niels Bohr. This is the task taken up here. We find that many of the implications that agential realism allegedly derives from a Bohrian interpretation of quantum mechanics dissent from Bohr’s own views and are in conflict with those of other interpretations of quantum mechanics. Agential realism is at best consistent with quantum mechanics and consequently, it does not capture what quantum mechanics in any strict sense implies for social science or any other domain of inquiry. Agential realism may be interesting and thought provoking from the perspective of social theorizing, but it is neither sanctioned by quantum mechanics nor by Bohr’s authority. This conclusion not only holds for agential realism in particular, it also serves as a general warning against the other attempts to use quantum mechanics in social theorizing.

scholarly journals Quantum Mechanics and an Ontology of Intersubjectivity: Perils and Promises

Open Theology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 325-341
Author(s):  
Marc A. Pugliese
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
New Physics ◽  
Relativity Theory ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Experimental Procedure ◽  
Interpretations Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Ontological Categories ◽  
Per Se ◽  
The Many

AbstractContemporary theology has realized the importance of integrating what we know from the “new physics”-quantum mechanics and relativity theory-into the metaphysical and ontological categories used by theology to consider God, the world, and the God-world relationship. The categories of subjectivity and relationality have risen to prominence in these discussions. Both academic and popular presentations can obscure the vital distinction between what physicists agree on concerning quantum mechanics and the contested interpretation of quantum mechanics, or what quantum mechanics reveals about reality. After (1) summarizing the significant distinction between quantum mechanics per se and the interpretations of quantum mechanics and (2) the agreed upon quantum mechanical experimental procedure and its attendant mathematical formalism, as well as a few of the foremost interpretations, this paper (3) attempts a minimalist culling of some rudimentary but clear ontological principles and categories from what is agreed upon in quantum mechanics, without appeals-tacit or explicit-to one of the many controversial interpretations or to contestable philosophical assumptions and deductions, and these are: experience, subjectivity, relationship, and event. The paper closes by (4) commending one speculative scheme that is especially conducive to developing an interpretation of quantum mechanics consonant with the ontological principles and categories so derived, that of Alfred North Whitehead

Chaos and Indeterminism

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Copenhagen Interpretation ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Variable Theory ◽  
Hidden Variable ◽  
Successful Theory ◽  
Interpretations Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
The Subject

Laplacean determinism remains a popular theory among philosophers and scientists alike, in spite of the fact that the Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics, with which it is inconsistent, has been around for more than fifty years. There are a number of reasons for its continuing popularity. One, recently articulated by Honderich, is that there are too many possible interpretations of quantum mechanics, and the subject is too controversial even among physicists to be an adequate basis for overturning determinism. Nevertheless, quantum mechanics is an enormously successful theory, considering the quantity and variety of its predictions which have been verified under conditions never dreamt of by its originators; and the Copenhagen Interpretation is the only widely accepted interpretation of it. Although a hidden variable theory consistent with the results of quantum mechanics is not impossible, one of its major advocates admits that it is highly speculative, and far from adequately developed. Yet such a theory would be needed to reconcile Laplacean determinism with quantum mechanics; most of the controversies alluded to by Honderich are irrelevant.

On the Probabilistic Nature of Observable Phenomena

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ali
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Complete Theory ◽  
Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Multiple Realities ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Complete Theories ◽  
Probabilistic Nature

This paper proposes a Gadenkan experiment named “Observer’s Dilemma”, to investigate the probabilistic nature of observable phenomena. It has been reasoned that probabilistic nature in, otherwise uniquely deterministic phenomena can be introduced due to lack of information of underlying governing laws. Through theoretical consequences of the experiment, concepts of ‘Absolute Complete’ and ‘Observably Complete” theories have been introduced. Furthermore, nature of reality being ‘absolute’ and ‘observable’ have been discussed along with the possibility of multiple realities being true for observer. In addition, certain aspects of quantum mechanics have been interpreted. It has been argued that quantum mechanics is an ‘observably complete’ theory and its nature is to give probabilistic predictions. Lastly, it has been argued that “Everettian - Many world” interpretation of quantum mechanics is very real and true in the framework of ‘observable nature of reality’, for humans.

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