Schwinger and the Ontology of Quantum Field Theory

An epistemological interpretation of quantum mechanics hinges on the claim that the distinctive features of quantum mechanics can be derived from some distinctive features of an observational basis. Old and new variations of this theme are listed. The program has a limited success in non-relativistic quantum mechanics. The crucial issue is how far it can be extended to quantum field theory without introducing significant ontological postulates. A C*-formulation covers algebraic quantum field theory, but not the standard model. Julian Schwinger’s anabatic methodology extended a strict measurement-based formulation of quantum mechanics through field theory. His extension also excluded the quark hypothesis and the standard model. Quarks and local gauge invariance are postulates that go beyond the limits of an epistemological interpretation of quantum mechanics. The ontological significance ascribed to these advances depends on the role accorded ontology.

意识的注意图式理论

意识给我们带来了一系列理智上的挑战,比如本体论问题、解释问题和功能问题。近来提出的注意图式理论(AST)可以很好地回答上述问题。根据AST,意识是神经系统在不断改进信号处理方式的过程中进化出来的用以控制注意的建构物,即注意图式。这是一个丹尼特式的错觉理论,如果成立的话,不但可以消除"难问题"和"解释鸿沟"等难题,而且可以很好地说明意识的功能问题。不过,AST尚待进一步完善,其中的注意图式的信息内容和自我概念,需要更为详细的说明。     

查尔默斯的意识理论评析

"意识科学"是一门新兴的前沿科学.美国哲学家戴维·查尔默斯的意识理论在当前的研究中颇具特色,它既不同于各种"纯科学的"理论,也不同于其他的"纯哲学的"理论.本文首先概述了查尔默斯意识研究的基本原则与基本观点,进而对他的意识理论作出了以下评论其一,将意识问题划分为"困难的问题"与"容易的问题",是查尔默斯对意识科学研究的重要贡献;其二,查尔默斯的非还原的唯物主义为意识科学的跨学科研究奠定了基础;其三,他的意识理论中还存在着某些不足之处.     

Quantum Mechanics and Operational Probability Theory

We discuss a generalization of the standard notion of probability space and show that the emerging framework, to be called operational probability theory, can be considered as underlying quantal theories. The proposed framework makes special reference to the convex structure of states and to a family of observables which is wider than the familiar set of random variables: it appears as an alternative to the known algebraic approach to quantum probability.     

新二元论的崛起与马克思主义意识论的发展

感受性质是当代心灵哲学的一大难题.它不仅对当代西方心灵哲学中自然主义主流思潮形成了严峻挑战,而且也成为包括马克思主义在内的唯物主义的棘手问题.它所指明的是:在大千世界中,即使其他所有的现象包括绝大部分的心理现象都可以是物质世界的一部分,惟独感受性质属于非物质世界.目前,新二元论作为解释这一现象的理论劲旅已活跃于心灵哲学领域,几乎演变成了推动意识非还原运动的主导力量.这种新二元论的崛起对于发展马克思主义意识论也有着重要的借鉴意义.     

量子场论的模态解释

量子力学的模态解释运用模态逻辑,取得了对量子现象的实在性解释,量子场论进一步发展了量子力学,解释了微观粒子生成、湮灭的过程。本文比较了两种量子场论模态解释;分析了量子场论的模态解释成功必须具备的充分条件;给出了量子粒子的模态解释语境的结构;进而,总结了量子场论语境下的模态解释的特征和内涵。     

海曼关于知识本性的理论及其问题

海曼关于知识本性的理论认为,知识——包括个体事实性知识——是被事实引导的能力。这一主张与传统的、符合常识的认识论观念相冲突。在主流认识论理论中,命题知识会被看作某种信念或心智状态;而这两者似乎都不是能力。为解决该问题,海曼希望通过论证说明:1)知识不是信念,且2)知识可以既是能力又是心智状态。然而通过分析可以看出,海曼实际上并没有为上述两个论点提供完备的论证。因此,他关于知识本性的看法,即"知识是一种能力"的结论是不正当的。     

量子场论的还原性问题

描述粒子物理学的核心语言是可重整化的量子场论。重整化最初是应对量子场论中数学计算无穷大问题的有效策略,是解决理论物理学中“突现”问题的有力手段。本文从重整化操作在量子场论中产生的影响出发,回顾了有效场论思想产生的历史,叙述了重整化方法所引起的哲学争论,旨在对还原论和反还原论在解释量子场论中涉及的“还原”、“突现”、“层次性”等问题予以方法论考察,最后从语境的视角对重整化方法进行诠释,指出对基础理论及理论间关系的探讨是具有境遇性的。     

Making Quantum Theory Compatible with Realism

After a brief account of theway quantum theory deals with naturalprocesses, the crucial problem that such atheory meets, the measurement or, better, themacro-objectification problem is discussed.The embarrassing aspects of the occurrence ofentangled states involving macroscopic systemsare analyzed in details. The famous example ofSchroedinger's cat is presented and it ispointed out how the combined interplay of thesuperposition principle and the ensuingentanglement raises some serious difficultiesin working out a satisfactory quantum worldview, agreeing with our definiteperceptions. The orthodox solution to themacro-objectification problem, i.e. thepostulate of wave packet reduction, isanalyzed and is proved to be inconsistent withthe assumption that the theory governes alsothe measurement process. After these premises,the rest of the paper is devoted to discuss arecent proposal of overcoming the difficultiesof the standard formalism by acceptingnonlinear and stochastic modifications of thequantum dynamics. The proposed theory is shownto agree with all known predictions of thestandard theory concerning microscopic systemsand to account, on the basis of a universaldynamics which is assumed to govern allnatural processes, for wave packet reductionin measurement processes and, more important,to eliminate all the difficulties concerningmacroscopic situations. Actually, the proposedtheory allows one to take consistently amacrorealistic position about natural processes and about our definite perceptions.     

当代量子引力及其哲学反思

本文从量子引力概念的分析入手，介绍了当代量子引力研究的进展，评析了其取得的主要成就，并对之作了简略的哲学反思。     

塞尔的进化论自然主义意识理论述评

美国哲学家塞尔20多年来一直致力于意识问题的研究,90年代以来他提出了一种“进化论自然主义”的意识理论,并阐明了其意识研究的基本立场。本文认为,塞尔的“进化论自然主义”是一种非还原的唯物主义,它为科学地研究意识提供了一个非常有价值的本体论和方法论平台,并成为对意识进行跨学科研究的一个范例。     

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

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.     

弦论:一种新的自然观

起源问题隐含着人类对世界统一性的追求,这是一种用最简单的概念和径路寻求把握世界的方式、方法。弦论是以能量概念为核心,使能量可用自然科学语言描述,进而把人对自然的理解和认知推进到可描述的底线。这是继古代朴素的起源学说和近代形成的以物质概念之后在自然观方面的重大创新。这种转换是一种视阈性的转换,从而确立了以能量及其演化为核心的自然观。     

自然辩证法中的“技术创新”问题

技术创新理论已经成为当代自然辩证法的教学内容之一,但是它在充实这一教学领域的同时也带来了相关的理论问题,需要认真考察二者的内在联系,确定技术创新理论在自然辩证法中的位置和教学方法,实现二者的有机统一。     

Embedding Quantum Mechanics into a Broader Noncontextual Theory

Scholars concerned with the foundations of quantum mechanics (QM) usually think that contextuality (hence nonobjectivity of physical properties, which implies numerous problems and paradoxes) is an unavoidable feature of QM which directly follows from the mathematical apparatus of QM. Based on some previous papers on this issue, we criticize this view and supply a new informal presentation of the extended semantic realism (ESR) model which embodies the formalism of QM into a broader mathematical formalism and reinterprets quantum probabilities as conditional on detection rather than absolute. Because of this reinterpretation a hidden variables theory can be constructed which justifies the assumptions introduced in the ESR model and proves its objectivity. When applied to special cases the ESR model settles long-standing conflicts (it reconciles Bell’s inequalities with QM), provides a general framework in which previous results obtained by other authors (as local interpretations of the GHZ experiment) are recovered and explained, and supports an interpretation of quantum logic which avoids the introduction of the problematic notion of quantum truth.     

技术本质的批判与批判的技术本质--以系统论的观点看技术本质

技术本质的界定是技术理论探讨中不可回避但却不易达成共识的重要问题，这既存在着技术本质客观上的复杂性，又存在着认识主观层次上的差异性，二者共同决定的技术本质必然呈现出丰富的多样性，但都是不同程度对技术本质的逼近。本文在批判技术哲学演进中各阶段出现的关于技术本质的片面认识的基础上，从系统论的观点分析了技术构成的要素，并提出技术的本质是存在及其过程的观点，试图达到对技术本质的深刻揭示。     

图尔敏论证理论中的科学创新本质

图尔敏从论证的角度考察了逻辑在生活和科学实践中的应用,认为逻辑的实质是经验知识而不是先天的、分析性推理,科学创新和进步的本质是不同范式的转化,是想象力在科学认知中的作用。图尔敏的思想对当今创新教育和教育创新具有重要价值。     

Possible Implications of the Quantum Theory of Gravity: An Introduction to the Meduso-Anthropic Principle

If we assume that the constants of nature fluctuate near the singularity when a black hole forms (assuming, also, that physical black holes really do form singularities) then a process of evolution of universes becomes possible. We explore the implications of such a process for the origin of life, interstellar travel, and the human future.