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Philosophical Aspects of Quantum Field Theory: II
Author(s) -
Ruetsche Laura
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
philosophy compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.973
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 1747-9991
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-9991.2011.00387.x
Subject(s) - quantum field theory , theoretical physics , uniqueness , hilbert space , field (mathematics) , quantum , equivalence (formal languages) , relationship between string theory and quantum field theory , mathematics , pure mathematics , physics , quantum mechanics , quantum gravity , mathematical analysis
According to a regnant criterion of physical equivalence for quantum theories, a quantum field theory (QFT) typically admits continuously many physically inequivalent realizations. This, the second of a two‐part introduction to topics in the philosophy of QFT, continues the investigation of this alarming circumstance. It begins with a brief catalog of quantum field theoretic examples of this non‐uniqueness, then presents the basics of the algebraic approach to quantum theories, which discloses a structure common even to ‘physically inequivalent’ realizations of a QFT. Finally, it introduces and evaluates a handful of strategies for interpreting quantum theories in the face of the non‐uniqueness of their Hilbert space representations.