QUANTUM METAPHYSICS - E-thesis

Correct conception of the matter has been difficult, because traditional theories of the philosophy
of science have also been formulated within the classical paradigm of science and they attempt to
hold onto the ideals of objectivity shaped by the theories of classical physics. By the familiar
strategy of avoiding metaphysics, or forgetting their own metaphysical starting points, science
and the philosophy of science attempt to investigate the world objectively, from an external
viewpoint. As a research objective, detached intelligence forms a representation of the world
whose formation is specified only by empirically observed regularities and logical rules. For
example, the basic idea of empiricism is that science can only be objective if it is regulated by
factors which can be examined in an independent manner, free of human influence,
anthropomorphism and all normative judgements. 573
The almost century-long debate concerning the interpretation of quantum mechanics has not yet
led to a common view of whether quantum theory requires a renewal of the metaphysical
foundation for describing reality. Even the question of whether the theory requires an
interpretation cannot be replied to in an unambiguous manner not dependent on the assumptions
adopted by a particular approach to the philosophy of science. There is however general
agreement that the degree of interpretation of the theories can change. Physical theories should
always be at least in part interpreted in order for being of any use in research. The minimal
instrumental interpretation of quantum theory links the formalism to the possible experimental
results with the assistance of quantisation and statistical algorithms. 575 All users of the theory are
unanimous about how the system and operator are connected to the world of observations, but
there are differing views concerning the need for an interpretation of the wave function - the
most important term in quantum theory.
Theories which lack a comprehensive interpretation do not increase our understanding of the
world. According to the realistic approach to scientific philosophy, physics has the specific task
of explaining the structure of the world that surrounds us. Realists want to know why a theory
predicts the correct results, i.e. which of the world’s features does it reflect? With the help of an
interpretation, an abstract theory can be used as some kind of map of reality. It provides a
general framework of reference which helps us to understand the nature of new phenomena by
employing already familiar concepts and analogies that belong to our world of experience.
572 Fo more concerning Bohr’s interpretation, see Kallio-Tamminen 1994, 52-81.
573 Hooker 1987, 202, 206. This kind of ideal situation was best available in classical astronomy. In general terms,
the empirical method implies measurements and human intervention.
575 Redhead 1987, 44.
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