Search Results (29)

This paper explores the formal structure and philosophical implications of polarization-path entanglement in quantum optics, where different degrees of freedom of a single photon become entangled. We examine the mathematical conditions under which coherence is preserved or lost, emphasizing the role of distinguishability and information flow. The analysis is situated within major interpretational frameworks (including Copenhagen, Many-Worlds, QBism, and Bohmian mechanics) to evaluate whether such entanglement reflects physical reality or epistemic constraints. Finally, we discuss experimental realizations, relevance to quantum information processing, and open conceptual questions regarding the ontological status of single-particle entanglement. Full article

This paper investigates how verbal affixes that encode manner information (manner affixes) interact with verbs of different lexical aspect classes and transitivity values in West Greenlandic (Inuit–Yupik–Unangan: Greenland). Manner affixes remain an understudied and poorly understood grammatical category. The data presented and discussed here is primarily based on original fieldwork conducted in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Nuuk (Greenland). The findings show that manner affixes are interspersed among syntactic projections encoding event and argument structure, with a high degree of flexibility in terms of linear and hierarchical ordering, which correlate with differences in scope interpretation. However, this flexibility is limited by the productivity of the affixes involved, and manner affixes cannot intervene between the syntactic projections that encode the event core (the big VP in traditional generative terminology). Furthermore, manner affixes interact with verbs of different lexical aspect classes in ways similar to manner adverbs, highlighting the similarities between the two categories and the similarities between morphological structures (manner affixes) and syntactic structures (manner adverbs). Full article

Quantum mechanics (QM) has long challenged our understanding of time, space, and reality, with phenomena such as superposition, wave–particle duality, and quantum entanglement defying classical notions of causality and locality. Despite the predictive success of QM, its interpretations—such as the Copenhagen and many-worlds interpretations—remain contentious and incomplete. This paper introduces Strip Theory, a novel framework that reconceptualises time as a two-dimensional manifold comprising foretime, the sequential dimension, and sidetime, an orthogonal possibility dimension representing parallel quantum outcomes. By incorporating sidetime, the theory provides a unified explanation for quantum superposition, coherence, and interference, resolving ambiguities associated with wavefunction collapse. The methods involve extending the mathematical formalism of QM into a five-dimensional framework, where sidetime is explicitly encoded alongside spatial and sequential temporal dimensions. The principal findings demonstrate that this model reproduces all measurable results of QM while addressing foundational issues, offering a clearer and more deterministic interpretation of quantum phenomena. Furthermore, the framework provides insights into quantum coherence, wave–particle duality, and the philosophical implications of free will. These results suggest that Strip Theory can serve as a bridge between interpretations and provide a deeper understanding of time and reality, advancing both theoretical and conceptual horizons. Full article

Background: With the advancement of digital technology, it has become possible to record jaw motion using intraoral scanners. However, there is a paucity of studies evaluating their accuracy. Methods: Twelve sets of scan data from 12 individuals were additively manufactured using a 3D printer and 3D-printable material. Each pair of scan data was mounted onto a semi-adjustable articulator. A blue articulating paper was inserted between the mounted models, and the pin of the articulator was moved to simulate motion (ART group). Subsequently, intraoral scan data were obtained, and the movements of the articulator were recorded. The trajectory expressed in the intraoral scanner software (TRIOS3; 3Shape A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark) appeared red on the monitor screen (IOS group). The blue and red areas in the ART and IOS groups, respectively, were measured in pixels for each tooth type, and the number of trajectories marked or expressed for each tooth type was counted. Results: Regarding the areas of trajectory, significant differences were observed between the ART and IOS groups across all tooth types. Statistically significant differences were also noted in the number of trajectories for the first premolars and first molars between the two groups. Conclusions: Intraoral scanners may not accurately reproduce motion movements at the current level of technology. However, these results should be interpreted with caution because defining the trajectory accuracy between the two groups is challenging unless the (two) trajectories are exactly the same. Full article

Einstein’s 1919 distinction between “principle theories” and ”constructive theories” has been applied by Jeffrey Bub to classify the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics (QM) as a principle theory agree with this classification. Additionally, I argue that Bohm’s interpretation of QM fits Einstein’s concept of a constructive theory. Principle theories include empirically established laws or principles, such as the first and second laws of thermodynamics or the principles of special relativity, including the Born Rule of QM. According to Einstein, principle theories offer ”security in their foundations and logical perfection”. However, ultimate understanding requires constructive theories, which build complex phenomena from simpler models. Constructive theories provide intelligible models of physical phenomena. Bohm’s QM, with its added microstructure, presents such a model. In this framework, quantum phenomena appear from statistical ensembles of microparticles in motion, with deterministic particle trajectories guided by the wave function. This reveals how Bohm’s account offers a constructive model for understanding quantum phenomena. Full article

Since its inception, the intricate mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics has empowered physicists to describe and predict specific physical events known as quantum processes. However, this success in probabilistic predictions has been accompanied by a profound challenge in the ontological interpretation of the theory. This interpretative complexity stems from two key aspects. Firstly, quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory that, so far, is not derivable from any more basic scientific theory. Secondly, it delves into a realm of invisible phenomena that often contradicts our intuitive and commonsensical notions of matter and causality. Despite its notorious difficulties of interpretation, the most widely accepted set of views of quantum phenomena has been known as the Copenhagen interpretation since the beginning of quantum mechanics. According to these views, the correct ontological interpretation of quantum mechanics is incompatible with ontological realism in general and with philosophical materialism in particular. Anti-realist and anti-materialist interpretations of quantum matter have survived until today. This paper discusses these perspectives, arguing that materialistic interpretations of quantum mechanics are compatible with its mathematical formalism, while anti-realist and anti-materialist views are based on wrong philosophical assumptions. However, although physicalism provides a better explanation for quantum phenomena than idealism, its downward reductionism prevents it from accounting for more complex forms of matter, such as biological or sociocultural systems. Thus, the paper argues that neither physicalism nor idealism can explain the universe. I propose then a non-reductionistic form of materialism called inclusive materialism. The conclusion is that the acknowledgment of the qualitative irreducibility of ontological emergent levels above the purely physical one does not deny philosophical materialism but enriches it. Full article

A precise interpretation of the universe wave function is forbidden in the spirit of the Copenhagen School since a precise notion of measure operation cannot be satisfactorily defined. Here, we propose a Bohmian interpretation of the isotropic universe quantum dynamics, in which the Hamilton–Jacobi equation is restated by including quantum corrections, which lead to a classical trajectory containing effects of order ${\hslash }^2$. This solution is then used to determine the spectrum of gauge-invariant quantum fluctuations living on the obtained background model. The analysis is performed adopting the wave function approach to describe the fluctuation dynamics, which gives a time-dependent harmonic oscillator for each Fourier mode and whose frequency is affected by the ${\hslash }^2$ corrections. The properties of the emerging spectrum are discussed, outlining the modification induced with respect to the scale-invariant result, and the hierarchy of the spectral index running is discussed. Full article

We claim that quantum collapse, as per the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, follows naturally from the energetics of measurement. We argue that a realistic device generates an interaction energy that drives a random walk in Hilbert space and generates the probabilistic interpretation of Born. Full article

In this study, the security implications of utilizing the concept of entanglement in time in the quantum representation of a blockchain data structure are investigated. The analysis reveals that the fundamental idea underlying this representation relies on an uncertain interpretation of experimental results. A different perspective is provided by adopting the Copenhagen interpretation, which explains the observed correlations in the experiment without invoking the concept of entanglement in time. According to this interpretation, the qubits responsible for these correlations are not entangled, posing a challenge to the security foundation of the data structure. The study incorporates theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experiments using real quantum hardware. By employing a dedicated circuit for detecting genuine entanglement, the existence of entanglement in the process of generating a quantum blockchain is conclusively excluded. Full article

Everett’s many-worlds or multiverse theory is an attempt to find an alternative to the standard Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. Everett’s theory is often claimed to be local in the Bell sense. Here, we show that this is not the case and debunk the contradictions by analyzing in detail the Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) nonlocality theorem. We discuss and compare different notions of locality often mixed in the Everettian literature and try to explain the nature of the confusion. We conclude with a discussion of probability and statistics in the many-worlds theory and stress that the strong symmetry existing between branches in the theory prohibits the definition of probability and that the theory cannot recover statistics. The only way out from this contradiction is to modify the theory by adding hidden variables à la Bohm and, as a consequence, the new theory is explicitly Bell-nonlocal. Full article

Spectral lines in the optical spectra of atoms, molecules, and other quantum systems are characterized by a range of frequencies $\omega$ or a range of wavelengths $\lambda =2\pi c/\omega$, where c is the speed of light. Such a frequency or wavelength range is called the width of the spectral lines (linewidth). It is influenced by many specific factors. Thermal motion of the molecules results in broadening of the lines as a result of the Doppler effect (thermal broadening) and by their collisions (pressure broadening). The electric fields of neighboring molecules lead to Stark broadening. The linewidth to be considered here is the so-called parametric broadening (PB) of spectral lines in the optical spectrum. PB can be considered the fundamental type of broadening of the electronic vibrational–rotational (rovibronic) transitions in a molecule, which is the direct manifestation of the basic concept of the collapse of a wavefunction that is postulated by the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. Thus, that concept appears to be not only valid but is also useful for predicting physically observable phenomena. Full article

One can only know where a rock bridge is once one measures it. In addition, to measure it, you need the rock mass to fail. This critical problem is ignored by many, and engineers continue to refer to rock bridges as geometrical distances between non-persistent fractures. This paper argues that this rather simplistic approach can lead to non-realistic failure mechanisms. We also raise the critical question of whether the inappropriate functioning of strength equations centred on the measurement of rock bridge percentages could result in misinterpreting the risk of failure. We propose a new interpterion, aptly called the Bologna Interpretation, as an analogy to the Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics, to highlight the indeterministic nature of rock bridges and to honour the oldest university in Europe (Bologna University). The Bologna Interpretation does not negate the existence of rock bridges. What rock bridges look like, how many there are, and where they are, we do not know; we can assume their existence and account for their contribution to rock mass strength using a potential analogue. Full article

Electrons moving at slow speeds much lower than the speed of light are described by a wave function which is a solution of Pauli’s equation. This is a low-velocity limit of the relativistic Dirac equation. Here we compare two approaches, one of which is the more conservative Copenhagen’s interpretation denying a trajectory of the electron but allowing a trajectory to the electron expectation value through the Ehrenfest theorem. The said expectation value is of course calculated using a solution of Pauli’s equation. A less orthodox approach is championed by Bohm, and attributes a velocity field to the electron also derived from the Pauli wave function. It is thus interesting to compare the trajectory followed by the electron according to Bohm and its expectation value according to Ehrenfest. Both similarities and differences will be considered. Full article

Core quantum postulates including the superposition principle and the unitarity of evolutions are natural and strikingly simple. I show that—when supplemented with a limited version of predictability (captured in the textbook accounts by the repeatability postulate)—these core postulates can account for all the symptoms of classicality. In particular, both objective classical reality and elusive information about reality arise, via quantum Darwinism, from the quantum substrate. This approach shares with the Relative State Interpretation of Everett the view that collapse of the wavepacket reflects perception of the state of the rest of the Universe relative to the state of observer’s records. However, our “let quantum be quantum” approach poses questions absent in Bohr’s Copenhagen Interpretation that relied on the preexisting classical domain. Thus, one is now forced to seek preferred, predictable, hence effectively classical but ultimately quantum states that allow observers keep reliable records. Without such (i) preferred basis relative states are simply “too relative”, and the ensuing basis ambiguity makes it difficult to identify events (e.g., measurement outcomes). Moreover, universal validity of quantum theory raises the issue of (ii) the origin of Born’s rule, $p_k={\left|{\psi }_k\right|}^2$, relating probabilities and amplitudes (that is simply postulated in textbooks). Last not least, even preferred pointer states (defined by einselection—environment—induced superselection)—are still quantum. Therefore, unlike classical states that exist objectively, quantum states of an individual system cannot be found out by an initially ignorant observer through direct measurement without being disrupted. So, to complete the ‘quantum theory of the classical’ one must identify (iii) quantum origin of objective existence and explain how the information about objectively existing states can appear to be essentially inconsequential for them (as it does for states in Newtonian physics) and yet matter in other settings (e.g., thermodynamics). I show how the mathematical structure of quantum theory supplemented by the only uncontroversial measurement postulate (that demands immediate repeatability—hence, predictability) leads to preferred states. These (i) pointer states correspond to measurement outcomes. Their stability is a prerequisite for objective existence of effectively classical states and for events such as quantum jumps. Events at hand, one can now enquire about their probability—the probability of a pointer state (or of a measurement record). I show that the symmetry of entangled states—(ii) entanglement—assisted invariance or envariance—implies Born’s rule. Envariance also accounts for the loss of phase coherence between pointer states. Thus, decoherence can be traced to symmetries of entanglement and understood without its usual tool—reduced density matrices. A simple and manifestly noncircular derivation of $p_k={\left|{\psi }_k\right|}^2$ follows. Monitoring of the system by its environment in course of decoherence typically leaves behind multiple copies of its pointer states in the environment. Only pointer states can survive decoherence and can spawn such plentiful information-theoretic progeny. This (iii) quantum Darwinism allows observers to use environment as a witness—to find out pointer states indirectly, leaving systems of interest untouched. Quantum Darwinism shows how epistemic and ontic (coexisting in epiontic quantum state) separate into robust objective existence of pointer states and detached information about them, giving rise to extantons—composite objects with system of interest in the core and multiple records of its pointer states in the halo comprising of environment subsystems (e.g., photons) which disseminates that information throughout the Universe. Full article

Teachers’ work engagement is associated with positive outcomes regarding work-related well-being. Conversely, burnout menaces teachers’ work and attitudes toward professional development. As indicated in the literature, burnout can influence teachers’ work engagement. Considering the impact of ICT on school activities, interest toward ICT training can also affect teachers’ work engagement. The present study aims to explore the differences among different school levels concerning work engagement, burnout, and interest toward ICT training. Furthermore, we study the extent to which teachers’ burnout and interest toward ICT training predict work engagement, taking into account the school level. The participants were 358 Italian teachers of primary, middle, and high school. We proposed to fill out the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, and three ad hoc items assessing interest toward ICT training among 358 Italian teachers. To compare the school levels, an ANOVA and a Multiple regression analysis for each group corresponding to a different school level has been used. Results showed that: (a) primary school teachers have a higher level of work engagement and interest in ICT training compared to their colleagues at high schools; (b) burnout predicts work engagement in all school levels; (c) interest toward ICT training influences work engagement only in primary and high school. Cultural and contextual dimensions are considered when interpreting the results. Implications for teachers’ enhancing their commitment at work are discussed, as well as limitations of this study and possible further development. Full article