Quantum, Probability, Logic

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxii

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2. Classical Logic, Classical Probability, and Quantum Mechanics

   • Samson Abramsky

   Pages 1-17

3. Why Scientific Realists Should Reject the Second Dogma of Quantum Mechanics

   • Valia Allori

   Pages 19-48

4. Unscrambling Subjective and Epistemic Probabilities

   • Guido Bacciagaluppi

   Pages 49-89

5. Wigner’s Friend as a Rational Agent

   • Veronika Baumann, Časlav Brukner

   Pages 91-99

6. Pitowsky’s Epistemic Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics and the PBR Theorem

   • Yemima Ben-Menahem

   Pages 101-124

7. On the Mathematical Constitution and Explanation of Physical Facts

   • Joseph Berkovitz

   Pages 125-164

8. Everettian Probabilities, The Deutsch-Wallace Theorem and the Principal Principle

   • Harvey R. Brown, Gal Ben Porath

   Pages 165-198

9. ‘Two Dogmas’ Redux

   • Jeffrey Bub

   Pages 199-215

10. Physical Computability Theses

    • B. Jack Copeland, Oron Shagrir

    Pages 217-231

11. Agents in Healey’s Pragmatist Quantum Theory: A Comparison with Pitowsky’s Approach to Quantum Mechanics

    • Mauro Dorato

    Pages 233-256

12. Quantum Mechanics As a Theory of Observables and States (And, Thereby, As a Theory of Probability)

    • John Earman, Laura Ruetsche

    Pages 257-283

13. The Measurement Problem and Two Dogmas About Quantum Mechanics

    • Laura Felline

    Pages 285-304

14. There Is More Than One Way to Skin a Cat: Quantum Information Principles in a Finite World

    • Amit Hagar

    Pages 305-316

15. Is Quantum Mechanics a New Theory of Probability?

    • Richard Healey

    Pages 317-336

16. Quantum Mechanics as a Theory of Probability

    • Meir Hemmo, Orly Shenker

    Pages 337-351

17. On the Three Types of Bell’s Inequalities

    • Gábor Hofer-Szabó

    Pages 353-374

18. On the Descriptive Power of Probability Logic

    • Ehud Hrushovski

    Pages 375-397

19. The Argument Against Quantum Computers

    • Gil Kalai

    Pages 399-422

20. Why a Relativistic Quantum Mechanical World Must Be Indeterministic

    • Avi Levy, Meir Hemmo

    Pages 423-447

This volume provides a broad perspective on the state of the art in the philosophy and conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics. Its essays take their starting point in the work and influence of Itamar Pitowsky, who has greatly influenced our understanding of what is characteristically non-classical about quantum probabilities and quantum logic, and this serves as a vantage point from which they reflect on key ongoing debates in the field. Readers will find a definitive and multi-faceted description of the major open questions in the foundations of quantum mechanics today, including: Is quantum mechanics a new theory of (contextual) probability? Should the quantum state be interpreted objectively or subjectively? How should probability be understood in the Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics? What are the limits of the physical implementation of computation? The impact of this volume goes beyond the exposition of Pitowsky’s influence: it provides a unique collection of essays by leading thinkers containing profound reflections on the field.

Chapter 1. Classical logic, classical probability, and quantum mechanics (Samson Abramsky)

Chapter 2. Why Scientific Realists Should Reject the Second Dogma of Quantum Mechanic (Valia Allori)

Chapter 3. Unscrambling Subjective and Epistemic Probabilities (Guido Bacciagaluppi)

Chapter 4. Wigner’s Friend as a Rational Agent (Veronika Baumann, Časlav Brukner)

Chapter 5. Pitowsky's Epistemic Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics and the PBR Theorem (Yemima Ben-Menahem)

Chapter 6. On the Mathematical Constitution and Explanation of Physical Facts (Joseph Berkovitz)

Chapter 7. Everettian probabilities, the Deutsch-Wallace theorem and the Principal Principle (Harvey R. Brown, Gal Ben Porath)

Chapter 8. ‘Two Dogmas’ Redu (Jeffrey Bub)

Chapter 9. Physical Computability Theses (B. Jack Copeland, Oron Shagrir)

Chapter 10. Agents in Healey’s Pragmatist Quantum Theory: A Comparison with Pitowsky’s Approach to Quantum Mechanics (Mauro Dorato)

Chapter 11. Quantum Mechanics As a Theory of Observables and States and, Thereby, As a Theory of Probability (John Earman, Laura Ruetsche)

Chapter 12. The Measurement Problem and two Dogmas about Quantum Mechanic (Laura Felline)

Chapter 13. There Is More Than One Way to Skin a Cat: Quantum Information Principles In a Finite World(Amit Hagar)

Chapter 14. Is Quantum Mechanics a New Theory of Probability? (Richard Healey)

Chapter 15. Quantum Mechanics as a Theory of Probability (Meir Hemmo, Orly Shenker)

Chapter 16. On the Three Types of Bell's Inequalities (Gábor Hofer-Szabó)

Chapter 17. On the Descriptive Power of Probability Logic (Ehud Hrushovski)

Chapter 18. The Argument against Quantum Computers (Gil Kalai)

Chapter 19. Why a Relativistic Quantum Mechanical World Must be Indeterministic (Avi Levy, Meir Hemmo)

Chapter 20. Subjectivists about Quantum Probabilities Should be Realists about Quantum States (Wayne C. Myrvold)

Chapter 21. The Relativistic Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Argument (Michael Redhead)

Chapter 22. What price statistical independence? How Einstein missed the photon.(Simon Saunders)

Chapter 23. How (Maximally) Contextual is Quantum Mechanics? (Andrew W. Simmons)

Chapter 24. Roots and (Re)Sources of Value (In)Definiteness Versus Contextuality (Karl Svozil)

Chapter 25: Schrödinger’s Reaction to the EPR Paper (Jos Uffink)

Chapter 26. Derivations of the Born Rule (Lev Vaidman)

Chapter 27. Dynamical States and the Conventionality of (Non-) Classicality (Alexander Wilce).

• Arrow of Time philosophy
• Contextual Probabilities
• Explaining Probability Physics
• Physical Limit Computation
• Quantum Mechanics Philosophy
• Quantum Nonlocality Philosophy
• Statistical Mechanics Philosophy
• Typicality Measure foundation
• Pitowsky Philosophy
• Pitowsky overview
• Pitowsky research
• Pitowsky Quantum Physics
• Pitowsky probability
• Pitowsky logic
• Pitowsky epistemology
• Schrödinger Philosophy
• Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Philosophy
• EPR Paper Philosophy
• Physical computability Philosophy
• Einstein Philosophy of Science

• University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

  Meir Hemmo

• The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

  Orly Shenker

Orly Shenker is an associate professor at the program for history and philosophy of science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, holds the Eleanor Roosevelt Chair in History and Philosophy of Science, and is the director of the Sidney M. Edelstein Centre for History and Philosophy of Science Technology and Medicine. She holds a PhD in philosophy of physics is from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, a BSc in physics from the same university, and an LLb from the faculty of law at Tel Aviv University, Israel. She has co-authored (with Meir Hemmo) the book The Road to Maxwell’s Demon: Conceptual Foundations of Statistical Mechanics (Cambridge University Press, 2012), and published papers on the foundations of classical and quantum statistical mechanics, the concept of probability, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and on physicalism in the special sciences and in the philosophy of mind.

Meir Hemmo is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Haifa. He has received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 1996.  He is co-author (with Orly Shenker) of the book The Road to Maxwell’s Demon: Conceptual Foundations of Statistical Mechanics (Cambridge University Press, 2012), and has published papers on the conceptual foundations of classical and quantum statistical mechanics, the foundations and interpretation of quantum mechanics and relativity theory, and on physicalism in the special sciences and in philosophy of mind. 

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