Quantum Words for a Quantum World

Abstract

A conventional view on quantum physics, as put forward by Bohr, is that all statements referring to the quantum world ought to be ultimately couched in classical language, in order to make sense with respect to our common experience. Such a requirement, although historically fruitful, can no longer be accepted at face value today. More than half a century of quantum theory and experience has led to a new awareness of the quantum world and a genuine intuition of quantum behavior, the expression, development and diffusion of which is seriously hampered by the lack of an adequate and specific terminology. It has had devastating effects on the conceptual understanding of quantum physics, both by physicists themselves and by philosophers, not to speak of laymen. It is then necessary to exert a voluntary terminological activity, and to establish new ways of speaking for no-longer-so-new ways of thinking. Some proposals in this direction are discussed.