The nature of Einstein's objections to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics

Michel Paty (1)

1 REHSEIS (UMR_7596) - Recherches Epistémologiques et Historiques sur les Sciences Exactes et les Institutions Scientifiques

In what follows, I examine three main points which may help us to understand the deep nature of Einstein's objections to quantum mechanics. After having played a fundamental pioneer role in the birth of quantum physics, Einstein was, as it is well known, far less enthusiastic about its constitution as a quantum mechanics and, since 1927, he constantly argued against the pretention of its founders and proponents to have settled a definitive and complete theory. I emphasize first the importance of the philosophical climate, which was dominated by the Copenhagen orthodoxy and Bohr's idea of complementarity : what Einstein was primarily reluctant to was to accept the fundamental character of quantum mechanics as such, and to modify for it the basic principles of knowledge. I thus stress the main lines of Einstein's own programme in respect to quantum physics, which is to be considered in relation with his other contemporary attempts and achievements. Finally, I show how Einstein's arguments, when dealing with his objections, have been fruitful and some of them still worthy, with regard to recent developments concerning local non-separability as well as concerning the problems of completeness and accomplishment of quantum theory.

Mots clés: Bell; Bohm; Max Born; Copenhagen; Dialectica; Einstein; EPR; Heisenberg; Podolsky; quantum mechanics; quantum <br />physics; quantum theory; Rosen

Domaines: Histoire, Philosophie et Sociologie des sciences

Michel Paty. The nature of Einstein's objections to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. Foundations of physics (New York), 1995, n°1 (january), pp.183-204. ⟨halshs-00170463⟩