Abstract
Some recent work in the philosophy of quantum mechanics has suggested that quantum systems can be thought of as non-separable and therefore non-individual, in some sense, in Bell and E.P.R. type situations. This suggestion is set in the context of previous work regarding the individuality of quantal particles and it is argued that such entities can be considered as individuals if their non-classical statistical correlations are understood in terms of ‘non-supervenient’ relations holding between them. We conclude that such relations are strongly non-supervenient in Cleland's sense and note a possible connection between this idea and the realist quantum logic programme.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clauser, J. F. and Horne, M. A.: 1974, ‘Experimental Consequences of Objective Local Theories’, Physical Review D 10, 526–535.
Cleland, C. E.: 1984, ‘Space: An Abstract System of Non-Supervenient Relations’, Philosophical Studies 46, 19–40.
Cufaro-Petroni, N., Kyprianides, A., Maric, Z., Sardelis, D., and Vigier, J.: 1984, ‘Causal Stochastic Interpretation of Fermi-Dirac Statistics in terms of Distinguishable Non-Locally Correlated Particles’, Physics Letters 101 A, 4–6.
d'Espagnat, B.: 1976, Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (W. A. Benjamin).
French, S.: 1985, Identity and Individuality in Classical and Quantum Physics (Ph.D. thesis, unpublished, University of London).
French, S.: forthcoming a, ‘Identity and Individuality in Classical and Quantum Physics’, to appear in The Australasian Journal of Philosophy.
French, S.: forthcoming b, ‘Why the Identity of Indiscernibles is Not Contingently True Either’, to appear in Synthese.
French, S. and Redhead, M.: forthcoming, ‘Quantum Physics and the Identity of Indiscernibles’, to appear in British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.
Gracia, J.: 1986, ‘The Ontological Status of Individuality’, Manuscrito 9, 51–74.
Greenberg, O. W. and Messiah, A.: 1964, ‘Symmetrization Postulate and its Experimental Foundation’, Physical Review B 136, 248–267.
Hartle, J. B. and Taylor, J. R.: 1969, ‘Quantum Mechanics of Paraparticles’, Physical Review B 178, 2043–2051.
Howard, D.: 1985, ‘Einstein on Locality and Separability’, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 16, 171–201.
Howard, D.: forthcoming, ‘Locality, Separability and the Physical Implications of the Bell Experiments’.
Hoy, R. C.: 1984, ‘Inquiry, Intrinsic Properties and the Identity of Indiscernibles’, Synthese 61, 275–297.
Jarrett, J.: 1984, ‘On the Physical Significance of the Locality Conditions in the Bell Arguments’, Noûs 18, 569–589.
Jauch, M.: 1966, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (Addison-Wesley).
Landau, L. and Lifshitz, E.: 1965, Quantum Mechanics (Pergamon Press).
Landshoff, P. V. and Stapp, H. P.: 1967, ‘Parastatistics and a Unified Theory of Identical Particles’, Annals of Physics 45, 72–92.
Lewis, D.: 1983, ‘Extrinsic Properties’, Philosophical Studies 44, 197–200.
Margenau, H.: 1950, The Nature of Physical Reality (McGraw-Hill).
Post, H. R.: 1963, ‘Individuality and Physics’, radio talk reproduced in The Listener, 10 Oct. 1963, available as a departmental reprint, Dept. of History and Philosophy of Science, Chelsea College, University of London.
Quinton, A.: 1973, The Nature of Things (Routledge and Kegan Paul).
Redhead, M.: 1983, ‘Relativity, Causality and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox: Non-Locality and Peaceful Coexistence’, in R. Swinburne (ed.), Space, Time and Causality (D. Reidel).
Redhead, M.: 1986, ‘Relativity and Quantum Mechanics — Conflict or Peaceful Coexistence?’, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 480, 14–20.
Reichenbach, H.: 1965, Philosophical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (University of California Press).
Shimony, A.: 1984a, ‘Controllable and Uncontrollable Non-Locality’ in S. Kamefuchi et. al. (eds.), Proceedings of the International Symposium: Foundations of Quantum Mechanics in the Light of New Technology (Physical Society of Japan, Tokyo).
Shimony, A.: 1984b, ‘Contextual Hidden Variable Theories and Bell's Inequalities’, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 35, 25–45.
Shimony, A.: 1985, ‘Events and Processes in the Quantum World’, in C. J. Isham, R. Penrose and D. W. Sciama (eds.) Quantum Gravity 3 (Oxford at the Clarendon Press), pp. 182–203.
Stairs, A.: 1983, ‘Quantum Logic, Realism and Value Definiteness’, Philosophy of Science 50, 578–602.
Stairs, A.: 1984, ‘Sailing Into The Charybdis: van Fraassen on Bell's Theorem’, Synthese 61, 351–360.
Teller, P.: 1984, ‘A Poor Man's Guide to Supervenience and Determination’, The Southern Journal of Philosophy 22 (Supplement Spindel Conference 1983 on Supervenience), 137–162.
Teller, P.: 1986, ‘Relational Holism and Quantum Mechanics’, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 37, 71–81.
van Fraassen, B.: 1982, ‘The Charybdis of Realism: The Epistemological Implications of Bell's Inequality’, Synthese 52, 25–38.
van Fraassen, B.: 1984, ‘The Problem of Indistinguishable Particles’, in J. T. Cushing, C. F. Delaney and G. M. Gutting (eds.), Science and Reality: Recent Work in the Philosophy of Science (University of Notre Dame Press), pp. 153–172.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
French, S. Individuality, supervenience and Bell's theorem. Philos Stud 55, 1–22 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372716
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372716