Philosophy in the Quantum Technologies Era: Rethinking Knowledge, Reality, and Society Beyond Quantum Theory
A special issue of Philosophies (ISSN 2409-9287).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2026 | Viewed by 366
Special Issue Editors
Interests: philosophy; artificial intelligence; causality
Interests: graphene; silicon; nanostructured carbon; superconductors, transistors; NEMS; electron/ion beam patterning; atomic force microscopy; particle irradiation; nanofabrication; micro/nanoelectronics; quantum computing
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The core motivation of this Special Issue is to shift the philosophical focus from traditional interpretative debates about quantum theory toward the emerging epistemological, ontological, ethical, and socio-political challenges raised by quantum technologies. While the 20th-century philosophy of quantum mechanics centered on foundational controversies—realism vs. anti-realism, determinism vs. indeterminism, locality vs. nonlocality—the current century confronts us with something structurally different: quantum phenomena are now being engineered, operationalized, and embedded into technological infrastructures.
Quantum computing, communication, simulation, sensing, and metrology are increasingly shaping research agendas, industrial strategies, cybersecurity frameworks, and geopolitical dynamics. In this context, philosophical inquiry must move beyond purely theoretical interpretation and engage with the implications of quantum technologies as transformative infrastructures that reshape knowledge production, computation, materiality, and governance.
In this Special Issue, we aim to bring together transdisciplinary and co-authored contributions that bridge philosophy with physics, engineering, computer science, cognitive science, economics, law, and social sciences. We seek forward-looking analyses that address how quantum technologies redefine epistemic practices, technological mediation, information ontology, ethical responsibility, and socio-economic organization. Rather than revisiting established interpretative controversies, this Special Issue will articulate the conceptual frameworks relevant to what might be called the emerging “quantum technological condition.”
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Jordi Vallverdú
Dr. Gemma Rius
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- quantum epistemology
- quantum ontologies
- quantum ethics
- quantum paradoxes
- foundations of quantum computing
- philosophy of quantum information
- interpretation of quantum mechanics
- quantum algorithms
- quantum simulation
- quantum complexity
- quantum logic
- quantum measurement problem
- entanglement and nonlocality
- computational complexity
- scientific modeling and simulation
- explanation in quantum science
- realism and anti-realism in quantum theory
- emerging quantum technologies
- conceptual analysis of quantum computation
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