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  • Identity and Individuality in Quantum Theory (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

    From the page: Identity and Individuality in Quantum Theory First published Tue Feb 15, 2000; substantive revision Fri Jan 20, 2006 What are the metaphysical implications of quantum physics? One way of approaching this question is to consider the impact of the theory on our understanding of... more

    Reviewed by JIR Jul 02 2008, 09:31am ( 46 reviews ) • stanford.edu

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  • Reviewed by philosophickle on Jul 25, 9:13am

    tl;dr

  • Rated by ggwbach on May 07 2009, 11:29am

    "It is typically held that chairs, trees, rocks, people and many of the so-called `everyday' objects we encounter can be regarded as individuals. The issue, then, is how this individuality is to be understood, or what constitutes the `principle' of individuality. This is an issue which has a very long history in philosophy. A number of approaches to it can be broadly delineated."

  • Rated by boirix on Feb 27 2009, 11:23pm

    fundamental objects of physics cannot be regarded as individuals

  • Rated by caracolita on Sep 06 2008, 2:11am

    From the page: "What are the metaphysical implications of quantum physics?"

  • Rated by JIR on Jul 02 2008, 9:31am

    From the page: Identity and Individuality in Quantum Theory First published Tue Feb 15, 2000; substantive revision Fri Jan 20, 2006 What are the metaphysical implications of quantum physics? One way of approaching this question is to consider the impact of the theory on our understanding of objects as individuals with well defined identity conditions. One view is that quantum theory implies that the fundamental particles of physics cannot be regarded as individual objects in this sense. Such a view has motivated the development of non-standard formal systems which are appropriate for representing such non-individual objects. However, it has also been argued that quantum physics is in fact compatible with a metaphysics of individual objects. Nevertheless, such objects are indistinguishable in a sense which leads to the violation of Leibniz's famous Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles. Finally, this underdetermination of the metaphysics of individuality by the physics has important implications for the realism-antirealism debate. * 1. Introduction * 2. Quantum Non-Individuality * 3. Quantum Individuality * 4. Quantum Physics and the Identity of Indiscernibles * 5. Non-individuality and self-identity * 6. Metaphysical Underdetermination * Bibliography * Other Internet Resources * Related Entries 1. Introduction It is typically held that chairs, trees, rocks, people and many of the so-called 'everyday' objects we encounter can be regarded as individuals. The issue, then, is how this individuality is to be understood, or what constitutes the 'principle' of individuality. This is an issue which has a very long history in philosophy. A number of approaches to it can be broadly delineated. We might begin by noting that a tree and rock, say, can be distinguished in terms of their different properties. We might then go further and insist that this also forms the basis for ascribing individuality to them. Even two apparently very similar objects, such as two coins of the same denomination or so-called identical twins, will display some differences in their properties - a scratch here, a scar there, and so on. On this account such differences are sufficient to both distinguish and individuate the objects. This forms the basis of the so-called 'bundle' view of individuality, according to which an individual is nothing but a bundle or properties. On this view, no two individuals can be absolutely indistinguishable, or indiscernible, in the sense of possessing exactly the same set of properties. This last claim has been expressed as the Principle of Identity of Indiscernibles and we shall return to it below.

  • Reviewed by kevinryanmooney on Jul 01 2008, 10:06pm

    This isn't really 'metaphysics' in the way that most people are going to think (new age self-help books), it's an in-depth thought experiment about what happens to quantum packets as they pop in and out of observable reality.If you are interested in quantum mechanics as it relates to "What the Bleep", "The Secret", "The Dancing Wu Li Masters", Deepok Chopra, or similar topics, please PLEASE do your homework. You will realize that the bridge from real science to these new-age subjects is pseudoscientific nonsense engineered to sell 'empowering' self-help books.

  • Rated by Snubbelkalle on Jan 19 2008, 11:25am

    From the page: "What are the metaphysical implications of quantum physics?"

  • Rated by spacetimecowboy on Mar 18 2007, 5:43pm

    Quantum Physics, Metaphysics and Individuality