The Meaning of the Wave Function: In Search of the Ontology of Quantum Mechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores the fundamental nature of the quantum wave function, proposing an ontic interpretation based on protective measurements and a model of particles in discontinuous motion, aiming to clarify quantum ontology.

Contribution

It introduces a novel ontological interpretation of the wave function as discontinuous particle motion and provides new arguments supporting the ontic view in quantum mechanics.

Findings

Supports the ontic view of the wave function through protective measurements

Proposes a new ontological model based on discontinuous particle motion

Analyzes the completeness and relativistic extension of the quantum ontology

Abstract

The meaning of the wave function has been a hot topic of debate since the early days of quantum mechanics. Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in this long-standing question. Is the wave function ontic, directly representing a state of reality, or epistemic, merely representing a state of (incomplete) knowledge, or something else? If the wave function is not ontic, then what, if any, is the underlying state of reality? If the wave function is indeed ontic, then exactly what physical state does it represent? In this book, I aim to make sense of the wave function in quantum mechanics and find the ontological content of the theory. The book can be divided into three parts. The first part addresses the question of the nature of the wave function (Chapters 1-5). After giving a comprehensive and critical review of the competing views of the wave function, I present a new argument for the ontic view in terms of protective measurements. In addition, I also analyze the origin of the wave function by deriving the free Schroedinger equation. The second part analyzes the ontological meaning of the wave function (Chapters 6, 7). I propose a new ontological interpretation of the wave function in terms of random discontinuous motion of particles, and give two main arguments supporting this interpretation. The third part investigates whether the suggested quantum ontology is complete in accounting for our definite experience and whether it needs to be revised in the relativistic domain (Chapters 8, 9).