A Is QM Foundations Facing a Crisis?

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The discussion highlights a perceived crisis in the foundations of quantum mechanics (QM), characterized by a proliferation of interpretations and a lack of consensus among experts. This situation is exacerbated by a shortage of independent researchers and a tendency to focus on finding the "best axioms" rather than addressing deeper theoretical issues. Comparisons are drawn to historical challenges in the foundations of mathematics and fluid mechanics, suggesting that similar confusion and interpretational problems persist in QM. The conversation also notes that many physicists show little interest in foundational issues, viewing them as less relevant to practical applications. Overall, the field of QM foundations is seen as struggling to make significant progress despite the increasing number of physicists.
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  • #32
After review, the thread will remain closed. The topic of the thread is not whether the claims of Durr et al. in the paper cited are correct, but "is there an issue with QM foundations". Since the latter is a matter of opinion, it's not really a good thread topic, but in any case, enough opinions have been expressed for the topic to be reasonably covered at this point.
 
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