Delineando o problema da medição na mecânica quântica: o debate de Margenau e Wigner versus Putnam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-31662011000300009Keywords:
Margenau, Wigner, Putnam, Philosophy of physics, Foundations of quantum mechanics, Measurement problem, Realism, Consciousness, Scientific controversy, Non-epistemic factorsAbstract
This paper examines the philosophical debate that took place in the beginning of the 1960 's between, on one side, the physicists Henry Margenau and Eugene Wigner, and on the other, the philosopher and mathematician Hilary Putnam, concerning the foundations of quantum mechanics. Putnam argued that the postulates of quantum theory are inconsistent, to which Margenau & Wigner answered, introducing human consciousness into the debate. We try to understand the reasons that led to the debate, given that the views of both sides were not so different. The discussion was heated, indicating that non-epistemic factors influenced the discussion. The debate marked the rise of the style of doing philosophy of physics in departments of philosophy.Downloads
References
Ben-Menahem, Y. Introduction. In: Ben-Menahem, Y. (Ed.). Hilary Putnam. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. p. 1-16.
Bohm, D. Quantum theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1951.
Einstein, A.; Podolsky, B. & Rosen, N. A descrição da realidade física fornecida pela mecânica quântica pode ser considerada completa? Tradução C. W. Abramo. Cadernos de História e Filosofia da Ciência, 2, p. 90-6, 1981 [1935].
Emch, G. On Wigner’s different usages of models. Proceedings of the Wigner Centennial Conference. Pécs, Hungria, p. 591- 4, 2002.
Engelhardt Júnior, H. T. & Caplan, A. L. (Ed.). Scientific controversies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Epstein, E. (Ed.). Guide to the Henry Margenau papers. New Haven: Yale University Library, 1996.
Everett, H. Relative state formulation of quantum mechanics. Reviews of Modern Physics, 29, 454-62, 1957.
Fano, U. Description of states in quantum mechanics by density matrix and operator techniques. Reviews of Modern Physics, 29, p. 74-93, 1957.
Freire Júnior, O. A story without an ending: the quantum physics controversy 1950-1970. Science & Education, 12, p. 573-86, 2003.
Freire Júnior, O. Philosophy enters the optics laboratory: Bell’s theorem and its first experimental tests (1965-1982). Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 37, p. 577-616, 2006.
Freire Júnior, O. Orthodoxy and heterodoxy in the research on the foundations of quantum physics: E.P. Wigner’s case. In: Santos, B. S. (Ed.). Cognitive justice in a global world: prudent knowledges for a decent life. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2007. p. 203-24.
Freire Júnior, O. & Freitas, F. A. A formulação dos “estados relativos” da teoria quântica. Revista Brasileira de Ensino de Física, 30, p. 2307-1 a 15, 2008.
Freire Júnior, O.; Pessoa Júnior, O. & Bromberg, J. L. (Org.). Teoria quântica: estudos históricos e implicações culturais. Campina Grande/São Paulo: EDUEPB/Livraria da Física, 2010.
Freitas, F. A. A descoerência emerge: os múltiplos caminhos de um novo fenômeno físico. In: Freire Júnior, O.; Pessoa Júnior, O. & Bromberg, J. L. (Org.). Teoria quântica: estudos históricos e implicações culturais. Campina Grande/São Paulo: EDUEPB/Livraria da Física, 2010. p. 67-80.
French, S. A phenomenological solution to the measurement problem? Husserl and the foundations of quantum mechanics. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 33, p. 467-91, 2002.
Hargittai, I. The martians of science: Five physicists who changed the twentieth century. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Jammer, M. The philosophy of quantum mechanics. New York: Wiley, 1974.
Jauch, J. M.; Wigner, E.P. & Yanase, M. M. Some comments concerning measurements in quantum mechanics. Il Nuovo Cimento, 48 B, p. 144-51, 1967.
Körner, S. Observation and interpretation in the philosophy of physics. New York: Dover, 1957.
Kuhn, T. S. A estrutura das revoluções científicas. São Paulo: Perspectiva, 2001 [1962].
London, F. & Bauer, E. La théorie de l’observation en mécanique quantique. Paris: Hermann, 1939.
Ludwig, G. Die Grundlagen der Quantenmechanik. Berlin: Springer, 1954.
Maudlin, T. The tale of quantum logic. In: Ben-Menahem, Y. (Ed.). Hilary Putnam. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. p. 156-87.
Margenau, H. The nature of physical reality. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1950.
Margenau, H. Oral history transcript: Dr. Henry Margenau. College Park: American Institute of Physics, 1964. Disponível em: <http://www.aip.org/history/ohilist/4757.html>. Acesso em: 4 jul. 2011.
Margenau, H. & Wigner, E. P. Discussion: comments on professor Putnam’s comments. Philosophy of Science, 29, p. 292-3, 1962.
Margenau, H. & Wigner, E. P. Discussion: reply to professor Putnam. Philosophy of Science, 31, p. 7-9, 1964.
McMullin, E. Scientific controversy and its termination. In: Engelhardt Júnior, H. T. & Caplan, A. L. (Ed.). Scientific controversies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987. p. 49-91.
Mehra, J. Eugene Paul Wigner: Aspects of his life, work, and personality. The golden age of theoretical physics. Singapore: World Scientific, 2001. 2v.
Mueller, A. & Fine, A. Realism, beyond miracles. In: Ben-Menahem, Y. (Ed.). Hilary Putnam. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. p. 83-124.
Pessoa Júnior, O. O problema da medição em mecânica quântica: um exame atualizado. Cadernos de História e Filosofia da Ciência, série 3, 2, p. 177-217, 1992.
Pessoa Júnior, O. Conceitos de física quântica. São Paulo: Livraria da Física, 2003. v. 1.
Putnam, H. Discussion: comments on the paper of David Sharp. Philosophy of Science, 28, p. 234-7, 1961.
Putnam, H. Discussion: comments on comments on comments: a reply to Margenau and Wigner. Philosophy of Science, 31, p. 1-6, 1964.
Putnam, H. Mathematics, matter and method. Philosophical papers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.
Putnam, H. Philosophy of physics. In: Putnam, H._____. Mathematics, matter and method. Philosophical Papers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985a [1965]. v. 1, p. 79-92.
Putnam, H. A philosopher looks at quantum physics. In: Putnam, H. Mathematics, matter and method. Philosophical papers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985b [1965]. v. 1, p. 130-58.
Putnam, H. The logic of quantum mechanics. In: Putnam, H. Mathematics, matter and method. Philosophical papers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985c [1968]. v. 1, p. 174-97.
Santos, B. S. (Ed.). Cognitive justice in a global world: prudent knowledges for a decent life. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2007.
Santos, F. M. dos. Na fronteira entre a física e a filosofia: reflexões filosóficas de Eugene P. Wigner. (Dissertação de mestrado em Filosofia). Salvador: Departamento de Filosofia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 2010a.
Santos, F. M. dos. Algumas singularidades do pensamento de Eugene P. Wigner. In: Freire Júnior, O.; Pessoa Júnior, O. & Bromberg, J. L. (Org.). Teoria quântica: estudos históricos e implicações culturais. Campina Grande/São Paulo: EDUEPB/Livraria da Física, 2010b. p. 251-63.
Sharp, D. H. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox re-examined. Philosophy of Science, 28, p. 225-33, 1961.
Shimony, A. Role of the observer in quantum theory. American Journal of Physics, 31, p. 755-77, 1963.
Stapp, H. Mindful universe. New York: Springer, 2007.
Suárez, M. Quantum propensities. Studies in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 38, p. 418-38, 2007.
von Neumann, J. Mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1955 [1932].
Wigner, E. P. Letter to Shimony, 24 may 1963. Wigner Papers, coll. W742, box 94/1. Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
Wigner, E. P. The recollections of Eugene P. Wigner, as told to Andrew Szanton. New York: Plenum, 1992.
Wigner, E. P. Philosophical reflections and syntheses. New York: Springer, 1995.
Wigner, E. P. Remarks on the mind-body question. In: Wigner, E. P. Philosophical reflections and syntheses. New York: Springer, 1995a [1961]. p. 247-60.
Wigner, E. P. The problem of measurement. In: Wigner, E. P. Philosophical reflections and syntheses. New York: Springer, 1995b [1963]. p. 163-80.
Wigner, E. P. Two kinds of reality. In: Wigner, E. P. Philosophical reflections and syntheses. New York: Springer, 1995c [1964]. p. 33-47.
Wigner, E. P. The limitations of determinism. In: Wigner, E. P. Philosophical reflections and syntheses. New York: Springer, 1995d [1983]. p. 133-8.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2011 Scientiae Studia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A revista detém os direitos autorais de todos os textos nela publicados. Os autores estão autorizados a republicar seus textos mediante menção da publicação anterior na revista. A revista adota a Licença Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.
