Jena 2013 – scientific programme

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AGPhil: Arbeitsgruppe Philosophie der Physik

AGPhil 8: Philosophy of Science Perspectives

AGPhil 8.2: Talk

Wednesday, February 27, 2013, 11:45–12:15, SR 113

Quantum Physics and Relational Ontology — •João Cordovil — Center of Philosophy of Sciences of University of Lisbon

The discovery of the quantum domain of reality put a serious ontological challenge, a challenge that is still well present in the recent developments of Quantum Physics.

Physics was conceived from an atomistic conception of the world, reducing it, in all its diversity, to two types of entities: simple, individual and immutable entities (atoms, in metaphysical sense) and composite entities, resulting solely from combinations. Linear combinations, additive, indifferent to the structure or to the context.

However, the discovery of wave-particle dualism and the developments in Quantum Field Theories and in Quantum Nonlinear Physical, showed that quantum entities are not, in metaphysical sense, neither simple, nor merely the result of linear (or additive) combinations.

In other words, the ontological foundations of Physics revealed as inadequate to account for the nature of quantum entities. Then a fundamental challenge arises: How to think the ontic nature of these entities?

In my view, this challenge appeals to a relational and dynamist ontology of physical entities. This is the central hypothesis of this communication.

In this sense, this communication has two main intentions: 1) positively characterize this relational and dynamist ontology; 2) show some elements of its metaphysical suitability to contemporary Quantum Physics.