> Peter Evans: "Causal Symmetry and the Transactional Interpretation" > > Abstract: Cramer's transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics posits > retrocausal influences in quantum processes in an attempt to alleviate some > of the interpretational difficulties of the Copenhagen interpretation. In > response to Cramer's theory, Maudlin has levelled a significant objection > against any retrocausal model of quantum mechanics. I present here an > examination of the transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics and an > analysis of Maudlin's critique. I claim that, although Maudlin correctly > isolates the weaknesses of Cramer's theory, his justification for this > weakness is off the mark. The cardinal vice of the transactional > interpretation is its failure to provide a sufficient causal structure to > constrain uniquely the behaviour of quantum systems and I contend that this > is due to a lack of causal symmetry in the theory. In contrast, Maudlin > attributes this shortcoming to retrocausality itself and emphasises an > apparently fundamental incongruence between retrocausality and his own > metaphysical picture of reality. I conclude by arguing that the problematic > aspect of this incongruence is Maudlin's assumptions about what is > appropriate for such a metaphysical picture. > > Wednesday 29 September, 11:30am, Philosophy Common Room, Main Quad. All > welcome. > > Please see http://bit.ly/SydFop for the latest program. >
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