Quantum Particles as Conceptual Entities: A Possible Explanatory Framework for Quantum Theory

Abstract

We put forward a possible new interpretation and explanatory framework for quantum theory. The basic hypothesis underlying this new framework is that quantum particles are conceptual entities. More concretely, we propose that quantum particles interact with ordinary matter, nuclei, atoms, molecules, macroscopic material entities, measuring apparatuses,…, in a similar way to how human concepts interact with memory structures, human minds or artificial memories. We analyze the most characteristic aspects of quantum theory, i.e. entanglement and non-locality, interference and superposition, identity and individuality in the light of this new interpretation, and we put forward a specific explanation and understanding of these aspects. The basic hypothesis of our framework gives rise in a natural way to a Heisenberg uncertainty principle which introduces an understanding of the general situation of 'the one and the many' in quantum physics. A specific view on macro and micro different from the common one follows from the basic hypothesis and leads to an analysis of Schrödinger's Cat paradox and the measurement problem different from the existing ones. We reflect about the influence of this new quantum interpretation and explanatory framework on the global nature and evolutionary aspects of the world and human worldviews, and point out potential explanations for specific situations, such as the generation problem in particle physics, the confinement of quarks and the existence of dark matter.

Ephemeral Properties and the Illusion of Microscopic Particles

“…These advances follow from the successes of Aerts and his group, in recent years, in using the quantum formalism for the modeling of human concepts. This led him to ask a deep and thought provoking question (Aerts 2009): "If quantum mechanics as a formalism models human concepts so well, perhaps this indicates that quantum particles themselves are conceptual entities? "…”

“…According to Aerts, quantum entities would (Aerts 2009) "[…] interact with ordinary matter, nuclei, atoms, molecules, macroscopic material entities, measuring apparatus, …, in a similar way to how human concepts interact with memory structures, human minds or artificial memories." Therefore, quoting again Aerts (2009): "if proven correct, this new quantum interpretation would provide an explanation according to which 'quantum particles' behave like something we are all very familiar with and have direct experience with, namely concepts.…”

“…It is not our intention to further comment this subtle explanatory framework and its effectiveness in truly explaining phenomena such as entanglement and non-locality, which are traditionally considered (in the spirit of the above mentioned quote of Feynman) "not understood," and leave to the reader the intellectual pleasure to directly discover them in Aerts' recently published articles (Aerts 2009(Aerts , 2010. Let us just observe-and on this we conclude-that no doubts we have come a long way since those days when we only disposed of very naïf images of particles and Descartian substances moving in space, to describe our truly multidimensional physical reality.…”

Some Remarks on the Notion of Separability Within the Creation Discovery View

“…Classical reality is just a local contraction in a much larger quantum or quantumlike reality. Aerts has worked out recently a much more concrete explanatory framework for quantum mechanics along these lines, where indeed 'material-energetic-reality' is put forward as a special case of a wider quantum and non material-energetic reality, and such that plausible arguments are given for 'why this could be the case' [10,11].…”

“…Quantum non locality, following Aerts' interpretation, is not space-like. The 'vessels of water model' would in this sense be difficult to generalize to entail non locality situations of more than two quantum particles, as remarked in [10].…”