In contrast to the Copenhagen interpretation we consider quantum mechanics as universally valid and query whether classical physics is really intuitive and plausible.-We discuss these problems within the quantum logic approach to quantum mechanics where the classical ontology is relaxed by reducing metaphysical hypotheses. On the basis of this weak ontology a formal logic of quantum physics can...

Mermin’s “shut up and calculate!” somehow summarizes the most widely accepted view on quantum mechanics. This conception has led to a rather constraining way to think and understand the quantum world. Nonetheless, a closer look at the principles and formal body of this theory shows that, beyond longstanding prejudices, there is still room enough for alternative tools. This is the case, for exam...

The role of probability in quantummechanics is reviewed, with a discussion of the “orthodox” versus the statistical interpretative frameworks, and of a number of related issues. After a brief summary of sources of unease with quantum mechanics, a survey is given of attempts either to give a new interpretive framework assuming quantum mechanics is exact, or to modify quantum mechanics assuming i...

The rules of quantum mechanics require a time coordinate for their formulation. However, a notion of time is in general possible only when a classical spacetime geometry exists. Such a geometry is itself produced by classical matter sources. Thus it could be said that the currently known formulation of quantum mechanics pre-assumes the presence of classical matter fields. A more fundamental for...

Previously we searched for the ab initio global minima of several SixHy clusters by a genetic algorithm in which we used the AM1 semiempirical method to facilitate a rapid energy calculation for the many different cluster geometries explored. However, we found that the AM1 energy ranking significantly differs from the ab initio energy ranking. To better guarantee locating the ab initio global m...

In this work a generalization of the consistent histories approach to quantum mechanics is presented. We first critically review the consistent histories approach to nonrelativistic quantum mechanics in a mathematically rigorous way and give some general comments about it. We investigate to what extent the consistent histories scheme is compatible with the results of the operational formulation...

In contrast to the Copenhagen interpretation we consider quantum mechanics as universally valid and query whether classical physics is really intuitive and plausible.-We discuss these problems within the quantum logic approach to quantum mechanics where the classical ontology is relaxed by reducing metaphysical hypotheses. On the basis of this weak ontology a formal logic of quantum physics can...

Quantum mechanics successfully describes physical processes at the microscopic scale and sometimes exhibits unique counter-intuitive phenomena. One such example is quantum-mechanical tunneling that cannot be explained in terms of classical mechanics. In search of an applicability for quantum mechanics on a macroscopic scale [1], the effect of dissipation on quantum tunneling has been studied in...