Metalinguistic views of quantum mechanics and its formalizability

• Much like the way we distinguish between formalism and experimentalism, we distinguish between ascertainment by proof and ascertainment by measurement. We argue that quantum mechanics, which characteristically encompasses both kinds of ascertainment, is too complex to be fully captured by formalism alone, and needs relativization to language in its complementaristic conception. In particular, we argue that there is a partial tie between the two ascertainments. Although, at higher levels, inferences or proofs may well be accepted as less constructive than direct measurements, they are tied at a basic level of constructivity. An inference is here of the same constructive nature as that of a direct measurement. The levelled approach is helpful, e.g., for understanding Bohr´s wave-particle complementarity and its recent challenge by the double-prism experiment (as well as, e.g., for understanding a thesis of a programmable experimentability within "quantum computation").

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

kap (subject category)

vet (subject category)