Foundations of Relational Realism: A Topological Approach to Quantum Mechanics and the Philosophy of Nature (Contemporary Whitehead Studies) by Michael Epperson (PDF)

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If there is a central conceptual framework that has reliably borne the weight of modern physics as it ascends into the 21st century, it is the framework of quantum mechanics. Because of its enduring stability in experimental application, physics has today reached heights that not only inspire wonder, but arguably exceed the limits of intuitive vision, if not intuitive comprehension. For many physicists and philosophers, however, the currently fashionable tendency toward exotic interpretation of the theoretical formalism is recognized not as a mark of ascent for the tower of physics, but rather an indicator of sway–one that must be dampened rather than encouraged if practical progress is to continue. In this unique two-part volume, designed to be comprehensible to both specialists and non-specialists, the authors chart out a pathway forward by identifying the central deficiency in most interpretations of quantum mechanics, and indeed, in modern philosophy more generally: That in the conventional, metrical depiction of extension, inherited from the Enlightenment, objects are characterized as fundamental to relations–i.e., such that relations presuppose objects but objects do not presuppose relations. The authors, by contrast, argue that in quantum mechanics physical extensiveness fundamentally entails not only relations of objects, but also relations of relations. In this way, quantum mechanics exemplifies a concept of extensive connection that it is fundamentally topological rather than metrical, and thus requires a logico-mathematical framework grounded in category theory rather than set theory.By this thesis, the fundamental quanta of quantum physics are properly defined as units of logico-physical relation rather than merely units of physical relata as is the current convention. Objects are always understood as relata, and likewise relations are always understood objectively. Objects and relations are thus coherently defined as mutually implicative. The conventional notion of a history as ‘a story about fundamental objects’ is thereby reversed, such that the classical ‘objects’ become the story by which we understand physical systems that are fundamentally histories of quantum events.These are just a few of the novel critical claims explored in this volume–claims whose exemplification in quantum mechanics will, the authors argue, serve more broadly as foundational principles for the philosophy of nature as it evolves through the 21st century and beyond.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐the pages 391-421 are missing. there must have been a mistake in printing and binding, and i would appreciate receiving those pages.

⭐This work presents a profound new epistemological view of the world – based on the subtle and under appreciated schemata of A. N. Whitehead – and backs it up with hard mathematics. It is consequently not an easy read but will greatly reward close study. It belongs on the shelf of every serious student of philosophy, mathematics or physics.

⭐An excellent development of Whitehead’s speculative philosophy to issues of quantum mechanics.

⭐While it is good to use the Whitehead concept of an occasion of activity as an analytic device for interpretation of experiments, sad to say Epperson and Zafiris have not come to grips with the basic fallacy of the famous Bell argumentation. They uncritically accept the Bell argumentation and so their book is largely drivel, dressed up in fancy language and very technical theorizing. I am sorry to report this, but I think it best to speak plainly about such an important matter.

⭐Leveraging rigorously-tested core quantum physics results, in combination with careful philosophical distinctions and new mathematical developments (topology and category theory), Drs. Epperson and Zafiris have achieved a uniquely viable interpretation of all known quantum experiments (including many rigorously- checked Bell inequality tests) in a way that is intuitively reasonable and avoids the usual exotica. In addition, their predictions on non-local quantum correlations associated with global topological phases have been confirmed in recent experiments. Epperson provides very readable yet in-depth philosophical and interpretive foundations (210 pages) followed by Zafiris’ rigorous treatment of mathematical foundations (177 pages). This work is a must read for all those interested in the philosophy of physics, as well as those concerned with foundational philosophical questions impacted by such new physics results.Tim Eastman, PhD, Physics

⭐The strand of thinking ably represented here is that the success of quantum theory should lead us to recognise the inadequacy of our assumptions in physics. The central problem is succinctly characterised as: “The absence in quantum mechanics of a formal means of depicting local-global relations in an extensive continuum.” If this phrase might mean something to you, then you may enjoy reading & learning from this book (as I did).While I consider that the radical aspect presented, a purported need to replace set theory by category theory as basis, is ambitious (I would prefer to extend the current conceptual framework), nevertheless there is a wholly consistent thesis, very well described, & its core has been demonstrated ‘not wrong’ by the evidence in quantum experiments. If you can consider relations to be as fundamental as objects, then this is a good place to read about it. I haven’t found anything so satisfying since encountering Bohmian mechanics.

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