I.—the Identity of Indiscernibles

Black, Max

doi:10.1093/mind/lxi.242.153

Cited by 307 publications

(144 citation statements)

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“…The present situation seems to be this: If we do not want 1 We only consider bosons and fermions here, and do not discuss the possibility of paraparticles and parastatistics. However, consideration of paraparticles would not affect the argument of this article.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The elementary identical quantum particles we know are either bosons or fermions, whose states-defined in H 1 H 2 H 3 · · · H n -are completely symmetrical or antisymmetrical, respectively. 1 In such (anti)symmetrical states the restriction of the state to a single factor space (i.e., the density operator obtained by "partial tracing" over the variables of the other factor spaces) is the same for all factor spaces. All one-particle states defined in the individual Hilbert spaces H i are therefore equal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How Classical Particles Emerge From the Quantum World

Dieks

Lubberdink

2010

Found Phys

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The symmetrization postulates of quantum mechanics (symmetry for bosons, antisymmetry for fermions) are usually taken to entail that quantum particles of the same kind (e.g., electrons) are all in exactly the same state and therefore indistinguishable in the strongest possible sense. These symmetrization postulates possess a general validity that survives the classical limit, and the conclusion seems therefore unavoidable that even classical particles of the same kind must all be in the same state-in clear conflict with what we know about classical particles. In this article we analyze the origin of this paradox. We shall argue that in the classical limit classical particles emerge, as new entities that do not correspond to the "particle indices" defined in quantum mechanics. Put differently, we show that the quantum mechanical symmetrization postulates do not pertain to particles, as we know them from classical physics, but rather to indices that have a merely formal significance. This conclusion raises the question of whether many discussions in the literature about the status of identical quantum particles have not been misguided.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Classical Particles Emerge From the Quantum World

Dieks

Lubberdink

2010

Found Phys

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“…Those universes, like Max Black's universe comprising only two indiscernible spheres (Black 1952), seem to require that individuality is characterized by something not involving qualities and discernibility, but rather in terms of other features which could grant individuality without discernibility. The case of quantum particles is also a great example.…”

Section: Identity and Individualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Identity Really so Fundamental?

Krause

Arenhart

2018

Found Sci

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We critically examine the claim by Otávio Bueno (Bueno O. 2014. "Why identity is fundamental". American Philosophical Quarterly 51, 325--332) that identity is a fundamental concept. Bueno advances four related theses in order to ground such a claim: 1) identity is presupposed in every conceptual system; 2) identity is required to characterize an individual; 3) identity cannot be defined; 4) the intelligibility of quantification requires identity. We address each of these points and argue that there are no compelling reasons to hold that identity is fundamental in these cases. So, in the end, identity may not be a fundamental concept after all.

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“…The choice we make about what terms make up S is arbitrary. The state of S is determined by the choice of terms that go to make up the description of the state of S. 4 If S is a proper subsystem of the global system U, then the sum of the square of the norms of the coefficients will necessarily be less than 1 since S will just be a tensor product of the entangled α i .…”

Section: Relative Factsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One place where a problem might arise is in the context of a world like that suggested by Max Black in which the only things that exist are two apparently identical spheres [4]. In the context of the RFI they would share all their relational properties with one another and so it would seem that they would be incapable of being differentiated.…”

Section: Individuating Objectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relative facts interpretation and Everett's note added in proof

Conroy

2012

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in

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I.—the Identity of Indiscernibles

Cited by 307 publications

References 0 publications

How Classical Particles Emerge From the Quantum World

How Classical Particles Emerge From the Quantum World

Is Identity Really so Fundamental?

The relative facts interpretation and Everett's note added in proof

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