Potential, propensity, and categorical realism

Erkenntnis 45 (1):45 - 68 (1996)
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Abstract

I argue that categorical realism, contrary to what most believe today, holds for quantum (and indeed for all) objects and substances. The main argument consists of two steps: (i) the recent experimental verification of the AB effect gives strong empirical evidence for taking quantum potentials as physically real (or substantival), which suggests a change of the data upon which any viable interpretation of quantum theory must rely, and (ii) quantum potentials may be consistently taken as the categorical properties of quantum objects so that categorical realism can be restored.

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Chuang Liu
University of Florida

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Why is the transference theory of causation insuffcient? The challenge of the Aharonov-Bohm effect.Vincent Ardourel & Alexandre Guay - 2018 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 63:12-23.
Gauge gravity and the unification of natural forces.Chuang Liu - 2001 - International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 17 (2):143 – 159.

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References found in this work

The structure and interpretation of quantum mechanics.R. I. G. Hughes - 1989 - Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Three theses about dispositions.Elizabeth W. Prior, Robert Pargetter & Frank Jackson - 1982 - American Philosophical Quarterly 19 (3):251-257.
Dispositions.Elizabeth W. Prior - 1985 - Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humanities Press.

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