Epistemological and ontological aspects of quantum theory

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel framework for understanding quantum states through conceptual variables, exploring their epistemological and ontological implications and how they relate to experimental information and reality.

Contribution

It proposes a new approach based on conceptual variables and accessibility, offering fresh insights into the ontological status of quantum states and the interpretation of measurement data.

Findings

Introduces a new machinery for discussing quantum state ontology.

Shows how accessibility influences the interpretation of quantum states.

Implications for understanding the link between measurement and reality.

Abstract

In this paper, epistemology and ontology of quantum states are discussed based on a completely new way of founding quantum theory. The fundamental notions are conceptual variables in the mind of an observer or in the joint minds of a group of observers. These conceptual variables are very often accessible, that is, it is possible to find values of the variables by doing experiments or by making measurements. An important notion is that of maximal accessibility. It is shown here that this new machinery may facilitate the discussion of when a specific quantum state can be given an ontological interpretation, and also the more speculative question whether all states can be given such an interpretation. The discussion here is general, and has implications for the basic problem of how one should look upon information from experiments and measurement, in particularly the question concerning when this information may reflect properties of the real world.