Individuation and Identity in quantum mechanics

In Nalanda Dialogue Series , Volume 2. Nalanda , India: Navanalanda Mahavihara. pp. 151-165 (2022)
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Abstract

Developments of quantum mechanics during the first three decades of the last century led most fundamentally to different orders of difficulties in the spatio-temporal modes of description. And, as a consequence, ambiguities in the meaning of quantum mechanical are in sight for the first time. So the question (from logico-philosophical grounds) we were left as back as late 20s of the last century – a question methodologically prior to all other questions - How to talk about quantum particles [in a Language] which are not instantiation of spatio-temporal is or ONE of their particular kind? Though not popular among the physicists, philosophers often use the phrase failure of principles of Individuation or ontological priorities of individual to describe this situation. Within the intended scope of this volume, we need not give the technical details of this failure here. We are basically narrating here a non-technical story outline of the way quantum mechanical language messes with standard logic and set theory embedded with the concept of unambiguous is, and the possible consequences.

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