2025/12/16 by Karen Crowther, Crowther, Karen
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2512.14315
openalex publication_date 2025/12/16 · openalex created_date 2025/12/18 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Interpretation is not the only way to explain a theory's success, form and features, and nor is it the only way to solve problems we see with a theory. This can also be done by giving a reductive explanation of the theory, by reference to a newer, more accurate, and/or more fundamental theory. We are seeking a theory of quantum gravity, a more fundamental theory than both quantum mechanics and general relativity, yet, while this theory is supposed to explain general relativity, it's not typically been thought to be necessary, or able, to explain quantum mechanics -- a task instead assigned to interpretation. Here, I question why this is. I also present a new way of assessing the various interpretations of quantum mechanics, in terms of their heuristic and unificatory potential in helping us find a more fundamental theory.