In this paper I review three different positions on the wave function, namely: nomological realism, dispositionalism, and configuration space realism by regarding as essential their capacity to account for the world of our experience. I conclude that the first two positions are committed to regard the wave function as an abstract entity. The third position will be shown to be a merely speculative attempt to derive a primitive ontology from a reified mathematical space. Without entering any discussion about nominalism, I conclude that an elimination of abstract entities from one’s ontology commits one to instrumentalism about the wave function, a position that therefore is not as unmotivated as it has seemed to be to many philosophers.

Dorato, M. (2015). Laws Of Nature And The Reality Of The Wave Function. SYNTHESE, 192, 3179-3201 [10.1007/s11229-015-0696-2].

Laws Of Nature And The Reality Of The Wave Function

DORATO, Mauro
Investigation
2015-01-01

Abstract

In this paper I review three different positions on the wave function, namely: nomological realism, dispositionalism, and configuration space realism by regarding as essential their capacity to account for the world of our experience. I conclude that the first two positions are committed to regard the wave function as an abstract entity. The third position will be shown to be a merely speculative attempt to derive a primitive ontology from a reified mathematical space. Without entering any discussion about nominalism, I conclude that an elimination of abstract entities from one’s ontology commits one to instrumentalism about the wave function, a position that therefore is not as unmotivated as it has seemed to be to many philosophers.
2015
Dorato, M. (2015). Laws Of Nature And The Reality Of The Wave Function. SYNTHESE, 192, 3179-3201 [10.1007/s11229-015-0696-2].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11590/136391
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