A Potentiality and Conceptuality Interpretation of Quantum Physics

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel interpretation of quantum mechanics where particles interact with matter conceptually, linking quantum phenomena to human concepts and philosophical realism, and explaining foundational issues through this lens.

Contribution

It introduces a new interpretation based on conceptual interactions, connecting quantum formalism with human concepts, and offers explanations for non-locality, identity, and the emergence of macroscopic reality.

Findings

Quantum particles interact with matter conceptually.

The interpretation aligns with violations of Leggett's inequalities.

It explains quantum phenomena using human concept modeling.

Abstract

We elaborate on a new interpretation of quantum mechanics which we introduced recently. The main hypothesis of this new interpretation is that quantum particles are entities interacting with matter conceptually, which means that pieces of matter function as interfaces for the conceptual content carried by the quantum particles. We explain how our interpretation was inspired by our earlier analysis of non-locality as non-spatiality and a specific interpretation of quantum potentiality, which we illustrate by means of the example of two interconnected vessels of water. We show by means of this example that philosophical realism is not in contradiction with the recent findings with respect to Leggett's inequalities and their violations. We explain our recent work on using the quantum formalism to model human concepts and their combinations and how this has given rise to the foundational ideas of our new quantum interpretation. We analyze the equivalence of meaning in the realm of human concepts and coherence in the realm of quantum particles, and how the duality of abstract and concrete leads naturally to a Heisenberg uncertainty relation. We illustrate the role played by interference and entanglement and show how the new interpretation explains the problems related to identity and individuality in quantum mechanics. We put forward a possible scenario for the emergence of the reality of macroscopic objects.