Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that the link between quantum language and ordinary language must be "fuzzier" than the traditional eigenstate-eigenvalue link. In the context of spontaneous-collapse theories, Albert and Loewer (1996) argue that the form of this fuzzy link is a matter of convention, and can be freely chosen to minimize anomalies for those theories. I defend the position that the form of the link is empirical, and could be such as to render collapse theories idle. This means that defenders of spontaneous-collapse theories must gamble that the actual form of the link renders such theories tenable.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1437-1446 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Philosophy of Science |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2003 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Philosophy
- History and Philosophy of Science
- History
Cite this
Quantum Mechanics and Ordinary Language : The Fuzzy Link. / Lewis, Peter.
In: Philosophy of Science, Vol. 70, No. 5, 12.2003, p. 1437-1446.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantum Mechanics and Ordinary Language
T2 - The Fuzzy Link
AU - Lewis, Peter
PY - 2003/12
Y1 - 2003/12
N2 - It is widely acknowledged that the link between quantum language and ordinary language must be "fuzzier" than the traditional eigenstate-eigenvalue link. In the context of spontaneous-collapse theories, Albert and Loewer (1996) argue that the form of this fuzzy link is a matter of convention, and can be freely chosen to minimize anomalies for those theories. I defend the position that the form of the link is empirical, and could be such as to render collapse theories idle. This means that defenders of spontaneous-collapse theories must gamble that the actual form of the link renders such theories tenable.
AB - It is widely acknowledged that the link between quantum language and ordinary language must be "fuzzier" than the traditional eigenstate-eigenvalue link. In the context of spontaneous-collapse theories, Albert and Loewer (1996) argue that the form of this fuzzy link is a matter of convention, and can be freely chosen to minimize anomalies for those theories. I defend the position that the form of the link is empirical, and could be such as to render collapse theories idle. This means that defenders of spontaneous-collapse theories must gamble that the actual form of the link renders such theories tenable.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1842853843&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=1842853843&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/377420
DO - 10.1086/377420
M3 - Article
VL - 70
SP - 1437
EP - 1446
JO - Philosophy of Science
JF - Philosophy of Science
SN - 0031-8248
IS - 5
ER -