Abstract
This paper investigates the tenability of wavefunction realism, according to which the quantum mechanical wavefunction is not just a convenient predictive tool, but is a real entity figuring in physical explanations of our measurement results. An apparent difficulty with this position is that the wavefunction exists in a many-dimensional configuration space, whereas the world appears to us to be three-dimensional. 1 consider the arguments that have been given for and against the tenability of wavefunction realism, and note that both the proponents and the opponents assume that quantum mechanical configuration space is many-dimensional in exactly the same sense in which classical space is three-dimensional. I argue that this assumption is mistaken, and that configuration space can be taken as three-dimensional in a relevant sense. I conclude that wavefunction realism is far less problematic than it has been taken to be.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 713-729 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | British Journal for the Philosophy of Science |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2004 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- History
- History and Philosophy of Science
- Philosophy
Cite this
Life in configuration space. / Lewis, Peter.
In: British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, Vol. 55, No. 4, 2004, p. 713-729.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Life in configuration space
AU - Lewis, Peter
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - This paper investigates the tenability of wavefunction realism, according to which the quantum mechanical wavefunction is not just a convenient predictive tool, but is a real entity figuring in physical explanations of our measurement results. An apparent difficulty with this position is that the wavefunction exists in a many-dimensional configuration space, whereas the world appears to us to be three-dimensional. 1 consider the arguments that have been given for and against the tenability of wavefunction realism, and note that both the proponents and the opponents assume that quantum mechanical configuration space is many-dimensional in exactly the same sense in which classical space is three-dimensional. I argue that this assumption is mistaken, and that configuration space can be taken as three-dimensional in a relevant sense. I conclude that wavefunction realism is far less problematic than it has been taken to be.
AB - This paper investigates the tenability of wavefunction realism, according to which the quantum mechanical wavefunction is not just a convenient predictive tool, but is a real entity figuring in physical explanations of our measurement results. An apparent difficulty with this position is that the wavefunction exists in a many-dimensional configuration space, whereas the world appears to us to be three-dimensional. 1 consider the arguments that have been given for and against the tenability of wavefunction realism, and note that both the proponents and the opponents assume that quantum mechanical configuration space is many-dimensional in exactly the same sense in which classical space is three-dimensional. I argue that this assumption is mistaken, and that configuration space can be taken as three-dimensional in a relevant sense. I conclude that wavefunction realism is far less problematic than it has been taken to be.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=14844325865&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/bjps/55.4.713
DO - 10.1093/bjps/55.4.713
M3 - Article
VL - 55
SP - 713
EP - 729
JO - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
JF - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
SN - 0007-0882
IS - 4
ER -