A Phenomenological Approach to Epistemic Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics

ABSTRACT

Generally, there are two interpretative approaches to quantum theory: psi-ontic and psi-epistemic. According to the psi-ontic interpretations, quantum theory does/should describe or represent what the world is like. In contrast, according to the psi-epistemic interpretations, rather than representing the way the world is, quantum theory advises us on what to expect from the world and so helps us better navigate our surrounding world. In this paper, we will argue that Edmund Husserl’s philosophy of science especially his notion of lifeworld provides an appropriate framework for better understanding this shift from the psi-ontic to psi-epistemic interpretations of quantum theory. In particular, we analyse Richard Healey’s pragmatic approach to quantum mechanics from a phenomenological point of view.

Notes

1 For more on phenomenological approaches to physics see Harald A. Wiltsche and Philipp Berghofer (2020).

2 For Healey, the agent using quantum theory need not necessarily be human or conscious.

3 For a discussion of anti-realist attitudes in Husserl’s philosophy of science see e.g. Wiltsche (2012).

4 For more on this point see Fuchs (2018) and de La Tremblaye (2020).