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(2014) New directions in the philosophy of science, Dordrecht, Springer.
Ontic structural realists draw support for their view from fundamental theories in modern physics. Quantum mechanics is uncontroversially regarded as being amongst those theories. In this paper, I defend the idea that quantum mechanics cannot play this role of a fundamental theory without assuming that a solution for the measurement problem is available. I go on to illustrate that, in the light of possible solutions to the measurement problem, the support for ontic structural realism from quantum mechanics becomes disputable. I also argue that resorting to notions of fundamentality that leave the support for ontic structural realism intact presuppose too much aspects of this metaphysical position for the support from quantum mechanics to be considered significant.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-04382-1_32
Full citation:
Hermens, R. (2014)., The measurement problem is your problem too, in D. Dieks, S. Hartmann, T. Uebel, M. Weber & M. C. Galavotti (eds.), New directions in the philosophy of science, Dordrecht, Springer, pp. 469-478.