dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaHolism, Physical Theories and Quantum Mechanics
| Authors | M. P. Seevinck |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0402047 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0402047 |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.shpsb.2004.08.001 |
| Journal | Stud. Hist. Phil. Mod. Phys 35B, 693 (2004) |
Abstract
Motivated by the question what it is that makes quantum mechanics a holistic theory (if so), I try to define for general physical theories what we mean by `holism'. For this purpose I propose an epistemological criterion to decide whether or not a physical theory is holistic, namely: a physical theory is holistic if and only if it is impossible in principle to infer the global properties, as assigned in the theory, by local resources available to an agent. I propose that these resources include at least all local operations and classical communication. This approach is contrasted with the well-known approaches to holism in terms of supervenience. The criterion for holism proposed here involves a shift in emphasis from ontology to epistemology. I apply this epistemological criterion to classical physics and Bohmian mechanics as represented on a phase and configuration space respectively, and for quantum mechanics (in the orthodox interpretation) using the formalism of general quantum operations as completely positive trace non-increasing maps. Furthermore, I provide an interesting example from which one can conclude that quantum mechanics is holistic in the above mentioned sense, although, perhaps surprisingly, no entanglement is needed.
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"abstract": "Motivated by the question what it is that makes quantum mechanics a holistic\ntheory (if so), I try to define for general physical theories what we mean by\n`holism\u0027. For this purpose I propose an epistemological criterion to decide\nwhether or not a physical theory is holistic, namely: a physical theory is\nholistic if and only if it is impossible in principle to infer the global\nproperties, as assigned in the theory, by local resources available to an\nagent. I propose that these resources include at least all local operations and\nclassical communication. This approach is contrasted with the well-known\napproaches to holism in terms of supervenience. The criterion for holism\nproposed here involves a shift in emphasis from ontology to epistemology. I\napply this epistemological criterion to classical physics and Bohmian mechanics\nas represented on a phase and configuration space respectively, and for quantum\nmechanics (in the orthodox interpretation) using the formalism of general\nquantum operations as completely positive trace non-increasing maps.\nFurthermore, I provide an interesting example from which one can conclude that\nquantum mechanics is holistic in the above mentioned sense, although, perhaps\nsurprisingly, no entanglement is needed.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0402047",
"authors": [
"M. P. Seevinck"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1016/j.shpsb.2004.08.001",
"journal_ref": "Stud. Hist. Phil. Mod. Phys 35B, 693 (2004)",
"title": "Holism, Physical Theories and Quantum Mechanics",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0402047"
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