Quantum contextuality as a topological property, and the ontology of potentiality

Abstract

Quantum contextuality and its ontological meaning are very controversial issues, and they relate to other problems concerning the foundations of quantum theory. I address this controversy and stress the fact that contextuality is a universal topological property of quantum processes, which conflicts with the basic metaphysical assumption of the definiteness of being. I discuss the consequences of this fact and argue that generic quantum potentiality as a real physical indefiniteness has nothing in common with the classical notions of possibility and counterfactuality, and that also it reverses, in a way, the classical mirror-like relation between actuality and definite possibility.

Keywords

• quantum contextuality
• the bell–kochen–specker theorem
• quantum ontology
• potentiality
• ontic indefiniteness
• sheaf theory