The Relational Dissolution of the Quantum Measurement Problems

TL;DR

This paper argues that Relational Quantum Mechanics offers a solution to the quantum measurement problem and the Wigner friend paradox by dissolving these issues through a relational interpretative framework.

Contribution

It demonstrates how RQM addresses and dissolves the quantum measurement problem and Wigner's friend paradox, including critical objections and refinements of the theory.

Findings

RQM dissolves the quantum measurement problem.

Relational explanation clarifies Wigner's friend paradox.

Addressing objections improves understanding of RQM.

Abstract

The Quantum Measurement Problem is arguably one of the most debated issues in the philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, since it represents not only a technical difficulty for the standard formulation of the theory, but also a source of interpretational disputes concerning the meaning of the quantum postulates. Another conundrum intimately connected with the QMP is the Wigner friend paradox, a thought experiment underlining the incoherence between the two dynamical laws governing the behavior of quantum systems, i.e the Schr\"odinger equation and the projection rule. Thus, every alternative interpretation aiming to be considered a sound formulation of QM must provide an explanation to these puzzles associated with quantum measurements. It is the aim of the present essay to discuss them in the context of Relational Quantum Mechanics. In fact, it is shown here how this interpretative framework dissolves the QMP. More precisely, two variants of this issue are considered: on the one hand, I focus on the "the problem of outcomes" contained in Maudlin (1995) - in which the projection postulate is not mentioned - on the other hand, I take into account Rovelli's reformulation of this problem proposed in Rovelli (2022), where the tension between the Schr\"odinger equation and the stochastic nature of the collapse rule is explicitly considered. Moreover, the relational explanation to the Wigner's friend paradox is reviewed, taking also into account some interesting objections contra Rovelli's theory contained in Laudisa (2019). I contend that answering these critical remarks leads to an improvement of our understanding of RQM. Finally, a possible objection against the relational solution to the QMP is presented and addressed.