Anti-foundationalist Coherentism as an Ontology for Relational Quantum Mechanics

Jaura, Emma

Abstract

There have been a number of recent attempts to identify the best metaphysical framework for capturing Rovelli’s Relational Quantum Mechanics (RQM). All such accounts commit to some form of fundamentalia, whether they be traditional objects, physical relations, events or ‘flashes’, or the cosmos as a fundamental whole. However, Rovelli’s own recommendation is that ‘a natural philosophical home for RQM is an anti-foundationalist perspective' (Rovelli in Philos Trans R Soc 376:10, 2018). This gives us some prima facie reason to explore options beyond these foundationalist frameworks, and take seriously a picture that lacks fundamentalia. I construct an argument from elimination in favour of an anti-foundationalist interpretation of RQM. The argument notes that priority monism and priority pluralism are exhaustive foundationalist options, and then shows that there are reasons to reject their union with RQM. I finish by recommending metaphysical coherentism as a promising anti-foundationalist alternative, which captures the key characteristics of RQM through accepting symmetrical dependence, whilst avoiding challenges by jettisoning any commitment to fundamental entities.

Citation

Jaura, E. (2024). Anti-foundationalist Coherentism as an Ontology for Relational Quantum Mechanics. Foundations of Physics, 54(4), Article 58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-024-00794-2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 2, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Aug 21, 2024
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Aug 15, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 2, 2025
• Journal: Foundations of Physics
• Print ISSN: 0015-9018
• Electronic ISSN: 1572-9516
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 54
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: 58
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-024-00794-2
• Keywords: Relational quantum mechanics, Metaphysical coherentism, Ontological interpretation, Anti-foundationalism, Ontological interdependence, Fundamentality
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/38379021
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10701-024-00794-2
• Additional Information: Received: 16 July 2024; Accepted: 2 August 2024; First Online: 21 August 2024; : ; : The authors declare no competing interests.