The Logical Foundations of Quantum Physics and AI: A Philosophical Reflection on Formal Methods

Dear Colleagues,

The year 2025 marks the “Quantum Centenary,” a pivotal moment to reflect on the past century of quantum mechanics while simultaneously witnessing the explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence. These two fields, arguably the most transformative scientific revolutions of our time, have historically developed along separate trajectories. However, they share a deep reliance on complex formal structures that challenge our traditional understanding of reality, causality, and cognition.

In our rapidly evolving technological landscape, the convergence of Quantum Information Technology and generative AI forces us to re-evaluate fundamental philosophical concepts. It is crucial to bridge the conceptual divide between these disciplines and rigorously examine their shared logical foundations. This examination builds upon the rich tradition of Quantum Logic, initiated by Birkhoff and von Neumann’s seminal 1936 work ‘The Logic of Quantum Mechanics’ and further interrogated by Hilary Putnam’s 1969 inquiry, ‘Is Logic Empirical?’

In this Special Issue of Philosophies, we invite contributions exploring the philosophy of quantum physics, the philosophy of AI, and the meta-philosophical theory of “Logical Permeationism.” We seek to construct a unified theoretical dialog that integrates the rigor of formal logic with normative ethical concerns. Topics of interest include the following:

• In Commemoration of the Ideas and Contributions of Professor Chen-Ning Yang: Reflections on the philosophical implications of Professor Yang’s groundbreaking contributions (e.g., gauge theory, statistical mechanics) and their enduring impact on the philosophy of science, marking the significance of the "Quantum Centenary."
• Fundamentals and Philosophical Issues in Quantum Physics: Ontological and epistemological analyses of core concepts such as superposition, entanglement, and the measurement problem. Inquiries may delve into how these formal structures shape our ontological commitments and the nature of reality and causality. We specifically invite discussions on the epistemological and ontological status of Quantum Logic, addressing the tension between the classical Boolean logic of scientific inquiry and the non-Boolean logic of quantum events.
• Frontier Philosophical Issues in Quantum Information Technology: Explorations of how quantum computing and algorithms reshape our understanding of information, complexity, and the Church–Turing thesis. This includes investigating the logical frameworks that underpin modern physics and intelligent systems.
• Logical Permeationism: Investigating the meta-philosophical position of "Logical Permeationism"—whether unified logical principles can permeate across the distinct domains of physics, biology, and AI. While specific approaches (such as "Modal Endogeneity" or the "Special Theory of Relativity of Functions") aim to excavate a deep logical kernel to resolve shared paradoxes, we broadly invite contributions that examine the possibility of such unification. Authors are encouraged to explore whether a single, deep logical foundation can underpin both Quantum Physics and AI, or if the unique ontological nature of each field necessitates distinct, domain-specific logical foundations.

In conclusion, the purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a dedicated platform for philosophical reflection on formal methods, addressing the deep ontological and epistemological crises triggered by the "Second Quantum Revolution" and the rise of AGI.

The Special Issue welcomes submissions from participants of the 2025 International Symposium on “Philosophy of Quantum Physics, Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, and Logical Permeationism”, to be held from December 12–14, 2025, in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online via the Philosophies online submission system. During the submission process, authors must select the appropriate Special Issue title (e.g., "SI: The Logical Foundations of Quantum Physics and AI") to ensure the manuscript is correctly assigned.

All submissions will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process. Research articles, in-depth review articles, and insightful commentaries are invited. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary papers that build clear and compelling bridges between quantum physics, Artificial Intelligence, and philosophy.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers which must be significantly extended). Please refer to the Philosophies Instructions for Authors page for formatting guidelines.

Prof. Dr. Xiaolong Wan
Dr. Kui Ran
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Philosophies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• philosophy of quantum physics
• philosophy of artificial intelligence
• logical permeationism
• quantum information technology
• formal methods