[PhilPhys] Lisbon Philosophy of Physics Seminars: Wayne Myrvold (May 10 on Zoom)

[Andrea Oldofredi]

Dear List Members,

On Wednesday May 10 Wayne Myrvold (University of Western Ontario) will give
a talk at the Lisbon Philosophy of Physics Seminars titled "*Varieties of
Wave Function Realism, or, WTF is WFR?*" (abstract below).

These events are organized in the context of the activities of the LanCog
Research Group <https://cful.letras.ulisboa.pt/lancog/> at the Centre of
Philosophy of the University of Lisbon, and they will focus on the
foundations of quantum and spacetime physics.

The meeting will be held on Zoom (17:00-19:00 CEST). If you have not
registered yet, you can do so here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pe9-CUZwKFA_uS0j-wD7bRQatIO-SdzxBqKlmkM6XOY/edit?usp=drive_web>
.

You can address any question to Andrea Oldofredi (
aoldofredi at letras.ulisboa.pt).

ABSTRACT:

The phrase “Wave Function Realism” (WFR) has come to be used for a family
of views according to which quantum theory motivates us to think that
quantum wave functions are fields on a space of extremely high dimension,
which is in some sense more fundamental that ordinary three-dimensional
space or four-dimensional spacetime.



With an aim at gaining clarity about the nature of the project, in this
talk I distinguish between varieties of Wave Function Realism that one
might hold. I focus on two axes of distinction. One has to do with the
nature of the project. Is it an Interpretive project, one of accepting
standard quantum theory pretty much as we have it, and exploring its
implications for ontology? Or is it a Constructive project, which finds
standard quantum theory wanting in crucial aspects, and seeks to construct
a new theory that will satisfy some set of metaphysical constraints?  The
other has to do with how radical the claims are that are made about the
nature of spacetime. Does the fundamental space on which the wave functions
of WFR are defined have intrinsic structure corresponding to the
low-dimensional spacetime structure? I call versions of WFR on which this
is so “Mild” versions, as on such a view any sense in which the
low-dimensional spatial structure is non-fundamental would be at best a
highly attenuated one. A more radical view, which I call “Spicy,” has it
that the fundamental space has no intrinsic structure corresponding to our
low-dimensional spacetime, and that such structure is emergent from the
structure and evolution of certain sort of wave functions.



Judging from what they say about the view, it seems that proponents of WFR
intend it to be Interpretive and Spicy. I will argue that there can be no
such position. Standard quantum mechanics makes such heavy use of
low-dimensional spacetime structure that an Interpretive version of WFR
must be Extremely Mild. A Spicy but Constructive version has yet to be
formulated, as proponents of WFR have never been specific about the
structure of the supposed fundamental space, or about the dynamics of the
theory they envisage.

Best regards,

Andrea Oldofredi
----------

Dr. Andrea Oldofredi

Postdoc FCT

Internet Resources:
https://unil.academia.edu/AndreaOldofredi
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrea_Oldofredi

Mailing Address:
University of Lisbon
Centre of Philosophy
Alameda da Universidade, 1600-214, Lisbon
Portugal
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