Does Heisenberg Have Ontological Commitments to Quantum Theory?

[DesertFox]

TL;DR Summary

What are Heisenberg's views on Quantum theory?

Heisenberg is regarded as a major figure of the Copenhagen interpretation. In a certain degree, he is influenced by Logical positivism.

Despite of that, has he any ontological commitments regarding the Quantum theory?

Or, he considers the Quantum theory merely as calculation procedure for preeictions?
(The word "merely" is loaded word on purpose.)

 

[gentzen]

Here is how I see Heisenberg’s position, independent of whether Bohr agrees:

Max Born and Werner Heisenberg claimed in 1927 that quantum mechanics is a closed theory (abgeschlossene Theorie), just like Newton’s mechanics is a closed theory. And by this they meant that its description of reality is complete and accurate, whenever it is applicable. The limits of applicability are not part of the closed theories themselves, according to Heisenberg.

Despite of that, has he any ontological commitments regarding the Quantum theory?

Let me quote Heisenberg himself (from the book "Physics and philosophy" by Werner Heisenberg, which is based on the Gifford-lectures he presented in 1955/56, and was published in 1958):

… what one may call metaphysical realism. The world, i.e., the extended things, ‘exist’. This is to be distinguished from practical realism, and the different forms of realism may be described as follows: We ‘objectivate’ a statement if we claim that its content does not depend on the conditions under which it can be verified. Practical realism assumes that there are statements that can be objectivated and that in fact the largest part of our experience in daily life consists of such statements. Dogmatic realism claims that there are no statements concerning the material world that cannot be objectivated. Practical realism has always been and will always be an essential part of natural science. Dogmatic realism, however, …

So Heisenberg believes that the moon is there even when nobody looks, and that Schrödinger's cat is either dead or alive, long before the box is opened. For him, the quantum state is purely epistemic, i.e. it has no direct reality of its own. (This fact is unrelated to the quote above.) He is agnostic as to whether there exists a deeper theory "underlying" quantum mechanics. But for him, it is not a problem that quantum mechanics does not enforce a reality where every statement can be objectivated.

 

[PeroK]

Summary: What are Heisenberg's views on Quantum theory?

Werner Heisenberg is long dead, I'm sorry to say.

 

[PeterDonis]

has he

he considers

As has been pointed out, Heisenberg is no longer around to answer questions or publish papers, so using the present tense to ask about his views is rather odd. The best we can do is look at what he wrote and published while he was alive, as @gentzen did in post #2.

 

[DesertFox]

Werner Heisenberg is long dead, I'm sorry to say.

That was the most profound and knowledgeable reply so far.

 

[DesertFox]

The best we can do is look at what he wrote and published while he was alive, as @gentzen did in post #2.

To be on-topic is even better than "the best" YOU can do...

Self-education is a good idea, too.. Historical present tense, anyone?

 

[PeterDonis]

@DesertFox your thread is now closed since you appear to be more interested in complaining than in discussion. You have some good information with which to continue your research on this topic.