Could wavefunctions simultaneously represent knowledge and reality?

Jonte R. Hance*, John Rarity, James Ladyman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)
219 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In discussion of the interpretation of quantum mechanics the terms ‘ontic’ and ‘epistemic’ are often used in the sense of pertaining to what exists, and pertaining to cognition or knowledge respectively. The terms are also often associated with the formal definitions given by Harrigan and Spekkens for the wavefunction in quantum mechanics to be ψ-ontic or ψ-epistemic in the context of the ontological models framework. The formal definitions are contradictories, so that the wavefunction can be either ψ-epistemic or ψ-ontic but not both. However, we argue, nothing about the informal ideas of epistemic and ontic interpretations rules out wavefunctions representing both reality and knowledge. The implications of the Pusey-Barrett-Rudolph theorem and many other issues may be rethought in the light of our analysis.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)333-341
Number of pages9
JournalQuantum Studies: Mathematics and Foundations
Volume9
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank Hatim Salih and Karim Thebault for useful discussions. This work was supported by the University of York’s EPSRC DTP Grant EP/R513386/1, and the Quantum Communications Hub funded by the EPSRC Grant EP/M013472/1.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).

Research Groups and Themes

  • QETLabs
  • Centre for Science and Philosophy
  • Bristol Quantum Information Institute
  • Photonics and Quantum

Keywords

  • Quantum foundations
  • Reality of the wavefunction
  • Epistemic
  • Ontic
  • PBR theorem
  • Ontological models framework

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  • QComms2: 8031 EP/T001011/1 Quantum Communication Hub via York

    Rarity, J. G. (Principal Investigator), Nejabati, R. (Co-Investigator), Simeonidou, D. (Co-Investigator), Sahin, D. (Co-Investigator), Kanellos, G. (Co-Investigator), Aktas, D. V. C. (Researcher), Joshi, S. K. (Researcher), Lowndes, D. L. D. (Researcher), Venkatachalam, N. (Researcher), Hugues Salas, E. (Researcher), Woodland, E. M. (Manager), Erven, C. (Co-Investigator), Zhang, P. (Student), Hance, J. R. (Student), Clark, M. J. H. (Student), Rosenfeld, L. M. (Researcher), Hastings, E. M. J. (Student), Johlinger, F. B. (Student), Wang, R. (Researcher), Stange Tessinari, R. (Researcher), Solomons, N. R. (Student), Fasoulakis, T. (Student) & Alia, O. (Researcher)

    1/12/1930/11/24

    Project: Research

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