TL;DR
This paper explores Hertz's Bild conception of scientific theories as a means to address foundational issues in quantum mechanics, proposing a shift away from observational viewpoints towards a theory-based perspective exemplified by PCSFT.
Contribution
It advocates for using Hertz's Bild conception to resolve quantum theory foundations and introduces PCSFT as a concrete example of a Bild-based approach.
Findings
Hertz's Bild conception offers a valuable framework for quantum foundations.
PCSFT models quantum phenomena as random subquantum fields.
Rejecting observational viewpoints can clarify quantum theory's conceptual issues.
Abstract
In 19th century (in the process of transition from mechanics to the field theory) the German school of theoretical physics confronted problems similar to the basic problems in the foundations of quantum mechanics (QM). Hertz tried to resolve such problem through analysis of the notion of a scientific theory and interrelation of theory and experiment. This analysis led him to the Bild (image) conception of theory (which was latter essentially developed, but also modified by Boltzmann). In this paper we claim that to resolve the basic foundational problems of QM, one has to use the Bild conception and reject the observational viewpoint on physical theory. As an example of a Bild theory underlying QM (treated as an observational theory), we consider prequantum classical statistical field theory (PCSFT): theory of random subquantum fields.
Peer Reviews
No public reviews on file for this paper yet. If you reviewed it on a platform where reviews are public (OpenReview, ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML), you can paste yours below so the community can read it here.
Videos
No videos yet. Explain this paper in a talk, walkthrough, or lecture? Add one.