Does quantum mechanics disprove the principle of the identity of indiscernibles?

Philosophy of Science 45 (3):466-470 (1978)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Alberto Cortes, in [1], attempts to show that Leibniz's Principle of The Identity of Indiscernibles is a principle restricted to individuals, and that photons appear to violate L. L is stated by Leibniz as “no two substances are completely similar, or differ solo numero.” In second-order quantification theory with identity L becomes

Categories

Keywords

Reprint years

DOI

10.1086/288822

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 91,349

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

My notes

Similar books and articles

Brute facts, the necessity of identity, and the identity of indiscernibles.Charles B. Cross - 2011 - Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 92 (1):1-10.
Identical particles in quantum mechanics revisited.Robert C. Hilborn & Candice L. Yuca - 2002 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 53 (3):355-389.
Quantum Superposition, Necessity and the Identity of Indiscernibles.Allan F. Randall - unknown
Particle labels and the theory of indistinguishable particles in quantum mechanics.Michael Redhead & Paul Teller - 1992 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 43 (2):201-218.
The identity of indiscernibles and the co-location problem.Robin Jeshion - 2006 - Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 87 (2):163–176.
Why the principle of the identity of indiscernibles is not contingently true either.Steven French - 1989 - Synthese 78 (2):141 - 166.
Physics and Leibniz's principles.Simon Saunders - 2003 - In Katherine Brading & Elena Castellani (eds.), Symmetries in Physics: Philosophical Reflections. Cambridge University Press. pp. 289--307.
On some putative graph-theoretic counterexamples to the Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles.Rafael De Clercq - 2012 - Synthese 187 (2):661-672.
Can quantum mechanics be shown to be incomplete in principle?Carsten Held - unknown
The principle of the identity of indiscernibles and quantum mechanics.James Ladyman & Tomasz Bigaj - 2010 - Philosophy of Science 77 (1):117-136.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
104 (#164,377)

6 months
12 (#203,353)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Ron Barnette
Valdosta State University

Citations of this work

Quantum physics and the identity of indiscernibles.Steven French & Michael Redhead - 1988 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 39 (2):233-246.
Discerning Fermions.Simon Saunders & F. A. Muller - 2008 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 59 (3):499 - 548.
Discerning elementary particles.F. A. Muller & M. P. Seevinck - 2009 - Philosophy of Science 76 (2):179-200.

View all 14 citations / Add more citations

References found in this work

Add more references