Scientific Realism and the Quantum

Quantum theory is widely regarded as one of the most successful theories in the history of science. It explains a hugely diverse array of phenomena and is a natural candidate for our best representation of the world at the level of 'fundamental' physics. But how can the world be the way quantum theory says it is? It is famously unclear what the world is like according to quantum physics, which presents a serious problem for the scientific realist who is committed to regarding our best theories as more or less true. The present volume canvasses a variety of responses to this problem, from restricting or revising realism in different ways to exploring entirely new directions in the lively debate surrounding realist interpretations of quantum physics. Some urge us to focus on new formulations of the theory itself, while others examine the status of scientific realism in the further context of quantum field theory. Each chapter is written by a renowned specialist in the field and is aimed at graduate students and researchers in both physics and the philosophy of science. Together they offer a range of illuminating new perspectives on this fundamental debate and exemplify the fruitful interaction between physics and philosophy.

1 - Introduction
2 - Scientific Realism Without the Quantum
3 - Truth vs. Progress Realism about Spin
4 - Can We Quarantine the Quantum Blight?
5 - On the Plurality of Quantum Theories: Quantum theory as a framework and its implications for the quantum measurement problem
6 - Naturalism and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
7 - Pragmatist Quantum Realism
8 - Can Pragmatism About Quantum Theory Handle Objectivity About Explanations?
9 - Quantum Mechanics and its (Dis)Contents
10 - Losing Sight of the Forest for the Psi: Beyond the Wavefunction Hegemony
11 - Scientific Realism without the Wave Function
12 - On the Status of Quantum State Realism
13 - The Non-Miraculous Success of Formal Analogies in Quantum Theories
14 - Towards a Realist View of Quantum Field Theory
15 - Perturbing Realism

Steven French gained his PhD at the University of London under the supervision of Michael Redhead. After working in Brazil and the USA he moved to Leeds in 1993, where he is Professor of Philosophy of Science. He has published numerous articles and books in the philosophy of physics and the philosophy of science more generally, covering issues from the metaphysics of quantum theory to scientific modelling and structural realism. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. Juha Saatsi is Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Leeds. He works on various topics in philosophy of science, and he has particular interests in the philosophy explanation and the scientific realism debate. He is co-editor of The Bloomsbury Companion to the Philosophy of Science (2014), The Structural Foundations of Quantum Gravity (Oxford 2006), and Explanation Beyond Causation (Oxford 2018).