Mind, Matter, and Freedom in Quantum Mechanics and the de Broglie-Bohm Theory
- URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.24327v1
- Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:52:44 GMT
- Title: Mind, Matter, and Freedom in Quantum Mechanics and the de Broglie-Bohm Theory
- Authors: Valia Allori,
- Abstract summary: There are several important philosophical problems to which quantum mechanics is often said to have made significant contributions.<n>By adopting the de Broglie--Bohm theory (or Bohmian mechanics), one can straightforwardly account for quantum phenomena without endorsing any of these claims.
- Score: 0.0
- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Abstract: There are several important philosophical problems to which quantum mechanics is often said to have made significant contributions: - Determinism: quantum theory has been taken to refute determinism; -Free Will: in turn, this is thought to open the door to free will; - The mind-body problem: relatedly, it is sometimes said to shed light on consciousness; - Idealism: more radically, quantum theory is assumed to have refuted realism and to have placed the observer at the center of the world; - Reductionism: even granting realism, it has been claimed that quantum theory undermines reductionism. Our main thesis in this paper is that none of this is either necessary or desirable. By adopting the de Broglie--Bohm theory (or Bohmian mechanics), one can straightforwardly account for quantum phenomena without endorsing any of these claims.
Related papers
- Stochastic Processes: From Classical to Quantum [7.034466417392574]
We start with some reminders from the theory of classical processes.
We then provide a brief overview of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.
We introduce quantum processes on a boson Fock space and their calculus.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2024-07-04T15:26:35Z) - Proposals for ruling out the real quantum theories in an
entanglement-swapping quantum network with causally independent sources [4.878380852633981]
We study the discrimination between the real and complex quantum theories with an entanglement swapping scenario.
We find a proposal with optimal coefficients of the correlation function which could give a larger discrimination between the real and quantum theories.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2023-12-22T09:22:09Z) - Understanding and Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics [0.65268245109828]
De Regt's contextual theory of understanding argues that recognizing qualitatively characteristic consequences of a theory T without performing exact calculations is a criterion for scientific understanding.
If the task of understanding quantum mechanics has been finished already, there would be a conflict between the contextual theory of understanding of quantum mechanics and interpretations of quantum mechanics.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2023-08-25T10:59:30Z) - Consistent Quantum Causes [2.1756081703276]
The Consistent Histories approach provides such a theory.<n>It justifies the usual laboratory intuition that properly tested apparatus can reveal the earlier microscopic cause.<n>The use of quantum circuits in discussions of quantum information in a time-irreversible manner can prevent the proper identification of earlier causes.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2023-03-23T19:09:02Z) - On the strangeness of quantum mechanics [0.0]
Entanglement, non-locality, collapse, many worlds, many minds, and subjectivism have challenged generations of thinkers.
Its approach can perhaps be placed in the stream of quantum logic.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2021-12-27T10:33:49Z) - Quantum realism: axiomatization and quantification [77.34726150561087]
We build an axiomatization for quantum realism -- a notion of realism compatible with quantum theory.
We explicitly construct some classes of entropic quantifiers that are shown to satisfy almost all of the proposed axioms.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2021-10-10T18:08:42Z) - Testing quantum theory with thought experiments [4.847980206213335]
How should one model systems that include agents who are themselves using quantum theory?
We give a state-of-the-art overview on quantum thought experiments involving observers.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2021-06-09T18:08:23Z) - Demystifying Quantum Mechanics [0.0]
We discuss the concepts of physical reality imposed by quantum mechanics, the role of the observer, prediction limits, a definition of collapse, and how to deal with correlated states.
The discussion is carried out within the framework of accepting that there is in fact nothing important missing, rather we are just restricted by the limitations imposed by quantum mechanics.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2021-06-03T22:32:11Z) - Impossibility of creating a superposition of unknown quantum states [16.467540842571328]
We show that the existence of a protocol that superposes two unknown pure states with nonzero probability leads to violation of other no-go theorems.
Such a protocol can be used to perform certain state discrimination and cloning tasks that are forbidden in quantum theory.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2020-11-04T13:25:42Z) - Operational Resource Theory of Imaginarity [48.7576911714538]
We show that quantum states are easier to create and manipulate if they only have real elements.
As an application, we show that imaginarity plays a crucial role for state discrimination.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2020-07-29T14:03:38Z) - Is the standard quantum mechanics a completely nondeterministic theory? [0.0]
It is argued that although quantum theory isn't an absolutely deterministic theory, it is partially deterministic.
The argument is based on the conceptual meaning of determinism and by means of some well-known phenomena in the quantum world.
arXiv Detail & Related papers (2020-07-04T14:48:13Z)
This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.
This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.