Paolo Faglia: 'No relative facts in Healey’s pragmatist approach to quantum theory'
Abstract: Over the last decade, Richard Healey has developed a pragmatist approach to quantum theory which promises to solve the measurement problem without hidden variables, many worlds or collapse. In recent papers, Healey argues that, according to this interpretation, facts are relative. I argue this is mistaken: although there is a sense in which measurement outcomes are relative, facts themselves are not.
I will briefly outline the details of his interpretation, paying particular attention to his take on semantics in the light of quantum theory. I will argue that such semantics indicates that measurement outcomes are indeed relative to an agent-situation, but it does not suggest that facts themselves are. Finally, time-allowing, I will explain how Healey’s approach deals with the popular Extended Wigner’s Friend Scenarios.
The PoP-Grunch (Philosophy of Physics Graduate Lunch) is a weekly informal seminar in which graduate students in Philosophy of Physics present their work in progress.
Philosophy of Physics Graduate Lunch Seminar Convenor: Paolo Faglia
