Abstract
Objective reality is a fundamental concept in both philosophy and science, serving as the basis for our understanding of the world and the origin of how the world is defined. As a key discipline in comprehending the universe, physics underwent a revolution in the early 20th century with the advent of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics and its Copenhagen interpretation introduced new perspectives on the definition of objective reality, yet the Copenhagen interpretation remains highly controversial. This study thoroughly analyzes the physical implications of quantum mechanics and the cognitive pitfalls of the Copenhagen interpretation, proposing a Global Approximation Interpretation (GAI) that aligns more logically with human intuitive understanding. The GAI originates from the fundamentality of interactions, elucidating the origins of the quantum mechanics formalism and highlighting the interactive essence of the measurement process. Through interactional measurement and cognitive description, it concludes that objective reality is relative, implying that the reality described by cognition is only relatively objective. Meanwhile, the ontological reality is objective, though not precisely or comprehensively knowable. Therefore, one can infer that the world is deterministic but not precisely predictable. The notion of relativity in cognitive descriptions of objective reality and the unpredictability within determinism are philosophical concepts born from the development of quantum mechanics.
Objective Reality and Quantum Mechanics
Reality, or objective reality, encompasses all existence in the universe. It is distinct from imagined or non-existent phenomena and constitutes the ontology of scientific and philosophical inquiry. In physics, reality concerns the studied physical systems, traditionally deemed independent of our awareness of it.
The emergence of quantum mechanics altered this perception. The Copenhagen interpretation, led by Bohr and Heisenberg, redefined measurement and objective reality. Bohr's statement "objective reality is an illusion" is often interpreted to mean the non-existence of objective reality, with a quantum foundation in the uncertainty principle, probabilistic nature of wave functions, and wave function collapse upon measurement. The significant influence of quantum mechanics has widely propagated and validated this conception of objective reality.
Controversy
Despite the profound success of quantum mechanics, it is accompanied by intense debates. Numerous quantum mechanics concepts, such as the probabilistic nature of wave functions, wave-particle duality, quantum entanglement, basic particles and their conceptual images (e.g., photons, electrons, spin), Schrödinger's cat, and others suffering from limited evidential support, have emerged into popular discourse. Few physicists focused on foundational quantum mechanics research endorse the Copenhagen interpretation, although its views inadvertently permeate discussions on quantum concepts. Consequently, the Copenhagen perception—that objective reality does not exist—has infiltrated modern society's various facets, including philosophy, literature, and popular science.
Announcing the non-existence of objective reality based solely on inconclusive scientific theories is evidently rash.
Global Approximation Interpretation
The Global Approximation Interpretation (GAI) approaches the understanding of microphysical systems from the standpoint of fundamental interactions and considers the determinative impact of global properties under microconditions. It elucidates the mathematical and physical significance of the Schrödinger equation, providing intuitive insights into "strange" quantum phenomena, such as interference effects, quantum entanglement, photons, particles, quantization, spin, among others.
Unlike other interpretations, the GAI introduces no assumptions beyond established fundamental interaction theories or existing analyses and explanations of quantum mechanics' mathematical framework. It focuses on fields and waves under low-energy approximations, emphasizing that the quantum mechanics formalism approximates fundamental interactions at specific scales and lacks detailed representations of inherent processes, such as eigenstate establishment and reformation, occurring on smaller scales. Treating the approximative nature of this framework as a first-principles theory inevitably obscures comprehension.
The GAI distinguishes itself as a potentially verifiable theoretical framework through experimentation, providing distinct predictions for quantum entanglement, quantum erasure, wave-particle duality, quantization, etc., differing from other interpretations. Empirical phenomena like forbidden transitions and the quantum Zeno effect already lend support to the GAI while challenging related theories.
The GAI demystifies the mystical aspects of quantum mechanics, reestablishing it as a coherent scientific theory comprehensible through intuition.
Wave Functions, Measurement, and Objective Reality
Within quantum mechanics, defining objective reality centers around wave function interpretation, specifically whether physical entities are probabilistic. If so, physical entities lack determinacy, an ontological aspect. Additionally, since measurement—integral to observation—directly affects defining objective reality, its characteristics carry epistemological significance.
Previously, the Schrödinger equation and the wave function's physical significance have been discussed, emphasizing the interactive nature of measurements.
The GAI posits that physical systems’ ontological essence is objectively existent, with the wave function as an abstraction and approximation thereof. Interactive measurement embodies classical and Copenhagen measurement attributes, potentially influencing or not the state or properties of the measured subject. Thus, cognitive recognition of objective reality can never be absolutely precise nor reliable.
The objective reality of physical systems manifests as processes being historically traceable on at least a local scale, enabling deterministic derivation of future states from current conditions.
Comparison of GAI and Copenhagen Interpretation on Measurement
| Feature | Global Approximation Interpretation | Copenhagen Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Interaction present | Yes, continuous | Yes, new quantum state upon measurement |
| Measurement outcome | Not necessarily accurate in single instances | Accurate in statistical sense |
| Measurement integrity | Incomplete but approximately complete in one aspect | Complete with premise of state collapse |
| Interaction continuity | Continuous and reversible | Instantaneous collapse, irreversible |
Cognition through Measurement
Cognition is the outcome of observation or measurement.
Descriptions serve as measurements of the subject.
Cognition, equating to expression, can only be relatively precise or truthful, represented through confidence levels or accuracy.
Therefore, cognition is inherently relative, furnishing partial credible depictions of objective reality—i.e., the physical system.
Determinism
Within a physical system, the future state is entirely determined by past states.
Newtonian mechanical determinism insists on the complete determinacy and precise calculability of the future, contingent on comprehensive present state knowledge.
The Copenhagen interpretation views quantum systems as intrinsically random, rendering futures uncertain, especially at microscopic scales.
The Global Approximation Interpretation asserts deterministic futures while allowing partial predictability due to cognitive or measurement errors and the infeasibility of exact computation.
Further Implications
The GAI reconciles materialism and idealism through its understanding of both the objective world and cognition. The determinism characterized as partially predictable represents a compromise between deterministic and non-deterministic philosophies, concurring with conventional cognitive understandings.
This content was presented at the 25th World Congress of Philosophy.