Science and metaphysics: The case of quantum physics

Abstract

The chapter argues that doing metaphysics requires taking science into account and that doing so implies going as far as to take a stance on what the appropriate formulation of the scientific theories in question is. I illustrate this claim by considering quantum physics. The famous measurement problem teaches us that answering the very question of what the appropriate formulation of quantum mechanics requires employing the conceptual tools of philosophy. I first set out a general metaphysical framework that applies to all the different formulations of quantum mechanics (namely a certain sort of holism), then consider the three different types of solution to the measurement problem and finally conclude that despite appearances to the contrary, Bohm’s theory still stands out as the best candidate for an ontological interpretation of quantum theory.