The "thing" of everyday life

pp. 159-210

in: Michel Bitbol, Schrödinger's philosophy of quantum mechanics, Berlin, Springer, 1996

Abstract

As we emphasized in previous chapters, Schrödinger's rejection of corpuscularian entities, and his adoption of wave entities instead, can only be understood in the light of his general views on ontology. Our aim in this chapter is to provide one with an exposition and a critical assessment of Schrödinger's conception of the objects (or "things") of everyday life, and then to connect it back with the ontological issues raised by quantum mechanics. This connection is by no means artificial, for Schrödinger developed his ideas about the "things" of everyday life in permanent relation with his reflection on quantum mechanics. In most texts, quantum mechanics even appears as the true motivation for a (usually short) discussion about general ontology.