The Ontic Necessity of the Quantum Wavefunction: Why Epistemic Views Struggle with the Uncertainty Principle

TL;DR

This paper argues that viewing the quantum wavefunction as a real physical entity (ontic) is necessary to properly explain the uncertainty principle, which epistemic views cannot adequately account for.

Contribution

It demonstrates that ontic interpretations naturally derive the uncertainty principle from Hilbert space structure, highlighting limitations of epistemic views.

Findings

Ontic view explains the uncertainty principle more coherently.

Epistemic view struggles with the universality of quantum constraints.

Ontic interpretation aligns with the mathematical structure of quantum theory.

Abstract

The ontological status of the quantum wavefunction remains one of the most debated questions in quantum theory. While epistemic interpretations regard the wavefunction as a reflection of our knowledge or beliefs, ontic interpretations treat it as a real physical object. In this paper, we argue that epistemic approaches struggle to explain the universality and precision of the uncertainty principle, a core feature of quantum mechanics. By contrast, treating the wave-function as ontic allows a consistent and natural derivation of quantum uncertainty from the mathematical structure of Hilbert space. We examine key interpretations on both sides and highlight why the epistemic view falls short in addressing constraints that appear to be intrinsic to nature.