Revisiting the Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics: From FAPP Solutions to Contextual Ontologies

TL;DR

The paper addresses the measurement problem by contrasting FAPP and ontological interpretations and proposes the Contexts-Systems-Modalities (CSM) framework as a non-FAPP ontology. It argues that combining CSM with an operator-algebraic treatment of macroscopic contexts yields a complete ontology that preserves the standard quantum formalism while naturally incorporating irreversibility and the structure of measurement devices, without hidden variables, collapse, or branching. The Born rule emerges from contextual quantization, and measurement is modeled as transitions between inequivalent representations in infinite algebras, typically of type III. This approach differentiates itself from Bohmian mechanics, spontaneous collapse, and many-worlds, offering a contextual-objectivity perspective that is both conceptually coherent and potentially advantageous for quantum technology design.

Abstract

This note presents a concise and non-polemical comparison of several major interpretations of quantum mechanics, with a particular emphasis on the distinction between FAPP-solutions ("For All Practical Purposes'') versus ontological solutions to the measurement problem. Building on this distinction, we argue that the Contexts-Systems-Modalities (CSM) framework, supplemented by the operator-algebraic description of macroscopic contexts, provides a conceptually complete, non-FAPP ontology that naturally incorporates irreversibility and the physical structure of measurement devices. This approach differs significantly from other ontological interpretations such as Bohmian mechanics, spontaneous collapse, or many-worlds, and highlights the major role of contextual quantization in shaping quantum theory.