Does the quantum mechanical wave function exist?
Quantum Physics
2019-08-14 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Abstract
I address the question whether the wave function in quantum theory exists as a real (ontic) quantity or not. For this purpose, I discuss the essentials of the quantum formalism and emphasize the central role of the superposition principle. I then explain the measurement problem and discuss the process of decoherence. Finally, I address the special features that the quantization of gravity brings into the game. From all of this I conclude that the wave function really exists, that is, it is a real (ontic) feature of Nature.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1908.04607,
title = {Does the quantum mechanical wave function exist?},
author = {Claus Kiefer},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1908.04607},
year = {2019}
}
Comments
13 pages, 1 figure, contribution to the conference On What Exists in Physics (Krakow, October 2017)