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Two Forms of Functional Reductionism in Physics.

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Functionalising the wavefunction.

Lorenzo Lorenzetti1

  • 1University of Bristol, Department of Philosophy, Cotham House, BS6 6JL, UK.

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
|November 4, 2022
PubMed
Summary

This paper presents a functionalist approach to Wave Function Realism (WFR), showing how three-dimensional objects can emerge from the wavefunction. It offers a rigorous WFR version and highlights the benefits of functional reductionism in philosophy of science.

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • Metaphysics
  • Quantum Mechanics

Background:

  • Functionalism defines entities by their roles.
  • Wave Function Realism (WFR) posits the wavefunction as fundamental.
  • Existing WFR accounts face challenges in explaining emergent macroscopic objects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To defend a functionalist account of three-dimensional entities within WFR.
  • To propose a novel, rigorous version of WFR using functional reductionism.
  • To demonstrate the utility of functional reductionism through the WFR case study.

Main Methods:

  • Advocating for a functional reductionist approach inspired by David Lewis.
  • Detailing the conditions under which the wavefunction can be identical to three-dimensional objects.

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  • Analyzing the reduction of higher-level entities to lower-level ones based on their behavior.

    • Main Results:

    • A novel, improved, and more rigorous version of Wave Function Realism is presented.
    • The functionalist account successfully explains the recovery of three-dimensional entities from the wavefunction.
    • The paper demonstrates how the wavefunction can be identical to macroscopic objects under specific conditions.

    Conclusions:

    • The proposed functionalist WFR resolves existing theoretical issues and provides a foundation for future research.
    • Functional reductionism, particularly in its defended form, offers significant advantages in philosophical and scientific debates.
    • The approach has potential applications in other philosophical and scientific contexts beyond WFR.