Skip to main content
Log in

Quantum Ontology and Extensional Mereology

  • Published:
Foundations of Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present paper has three closely related aims. We first argue that Agazzi’s scientific realism about Quantum Mechanics is in line with Selleri’s and Tarozzi’s proposal of Quantum Waves. We then go on to formulate rigorously different metaphysical principles such as property compositional determinateness and mereological extensionalism. We argue that, contrary to widespread agreement, realism about Quantum Mechanics actually refutes only the former. Indeed we even formulate a new quantum mechanical argument in favor of extensionalism. We conclude by noting that, given the results of the work, Agazzi’s particular attitude towards Quantum Mechanics is still one of the most promising theoretical perspectives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Agazzi, E.: Temi e problemi di filosofia della fisica. Manfredi, Milano (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Agazzi, E.: Waves, particles and complementarity. In: Tarozzi, G., Van Der Merwe, A. (eds.) Italian Studies in the Foundations and Philosophy of Modern Physics, pp. 53–74. Kluwer, Dordrecht (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Armstrong, D.M.: Universals and Scientific Realism. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Auletta, G., Tarozzi, G.: On the reality of quantum waves. Found. Phys. 34, 11 (2004)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Auletta, G., Fortunato, M., Parisi, G.: Quantum Mechanics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2009)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Eberle, R.A.: Nominalistic Systems. Reidel, Dordrecht (1970)

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Fano, V., Macchia, G.: Realismo dei modelli e progresso scientifico. In: Alai, M. (ed.) Il realismo scientifico di Evandro Agazzi, Atti del convegno di studi Urbino, 17 novembre 2006, pp. 157–172. Montefeltro, Urbino (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Fuchs, C.: Quantum mechanics as quantum information (and a little more). Preprint at arXiv:quant-ph/0205039 (2002)

  9. Hagar, A.: A philosopher looks at quantum information theory. Philos. Sci. 70(3), 752–775 (2003)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  10. Hardy, L.: On the existence of quantum waves in quantum theory. Phys. Lett. A 167, 11–16 (1992)

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hempel, C.G.: Reflections on Nelson Goodman’s “The structure of appearance”. Philos. Rev. 62, 108–116 (1953)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Hovda, P.: What is classical mereology? J. Philos. Log. 38(1), 55–82 (2009)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. Hughes, R.I.G.: The Structure and Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Jauch, J.M.: Foundations of Quantum Mechanics. Addison-Wesley, Reading (1968)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. Laudan, L.: A confutation of convergence realism. Philos. Sci. 48(1), 19–49 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Laudisa, F.: The EPR argument in a relational interpretation of quantum mechanics. Found. Phys. Lett. 14, 119–132 (2001)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. Maudlin, T.: Part and whole in quantum mechanics. In: Castellani, E. (ed.) Interpreting Bodies, pp. 46–60. Princeton University Press, Princeton (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Rescher, N.: Axioms for the part relation. Philos. Stud. 6, 8–11 (1955)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Rosen, G., Dorr, C.: Composition as fiction. In: Gale, R. (ed.) The Blackwell Guide to Metaphysics, pp. 151–174. Blackwell, Oxford (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Rovelli, C.: Relational quantum mechanics. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 35, 1637–1678 (1996)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Selleri, F.: On the wave function of quantum mechanics. Lett. Nuovo Cimento 908–910 (1969)

  22. Suppes, P.: The axiomatic method in the empirical sciences. In: Henkin, L., et al. (ed.) Proceedings of the Tarski Symposium, Proceedings of Symposia in Pure Mathematics, pp. 465–479. American Mathematical Society, Providence (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Tarozzi, G.: Réalisme d’Einstein et mécanique quantique: un cas de contradiction entre une théorie physique et une hypothèse philosophique clairement definite. Rev. Synth. 52, 125–158 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Van Frassen, B.: The Scientific Image. Clarendon Press, Oxford (1980)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  25. Varzi, A.: Universalism entails extensionalism. Analysis 69, 599–604 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Varzi, A.: Mereology. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mereology/ (2009)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claudio Calosi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Calosi, C., Fano, V. & Tarozzi, G. Quantum Ontology and Extensional Mereology. Found Phys 41, 1740–1755 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-011-9590-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-011-9590-z

Keywords

Navigation