Quantum Particles as Conceptual Entities: A Possible Explanatory Framework for Quantum Theory Diederik Aerts Center Leo Apostel for Interdisciplinary Studies and Departments of Mathematics and Psychology Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1160 Brussels, Belgium E-Mail: diraerts@vub.ac.be Abstract We put forward a possible new interpretation and explanatory framework for quantum theory. The basic hypothesis underlying this new framework is that quantum particles are conceptual entities. More concretely, we propose that quantum particles interact with ordinary matter, nuclei, atoms, molecules, macroscopic material entities, measuring apparatuses, . . . , in a similar way to how human concepts interact with memory structures, human minds or artificial memories. We analyze the most characteristic aspects of quantum theory, i.e. entanglement and non-locality, interference and superposition, identity and individuality in the light of this new interpretation, and we put forward a specific explanation and understanding of these aspects. The basic hypothesis of our framework gives rise in a natural way to a Heisenberg uncertainty principle which introduces an understanding of the general situation of ‘the one and the many’ in quantum physics. A specific view on macro and micro different from the common one follows from the basic hypothesis and leads to an analysis of Schr¨ odinger’s Cat paradox and the measurement problem different from the existing ones. We reflect about the influence of this new quantum interpretation and explanatory framework on the global nature and evolutionary aspects of the world and human worldviews, and point out potential explanations for specific situations, such as the generation problem in particle physics, the confinement of quarks and the existence of dark matter. 1 Introduction We have formulated a proposal for a possible new interpretation of quantum theory accompanied by a specific explanatory framework [1]. In the present article we elaborate this new interpretation and its explanatory framework, as well as its consequences for the micro and macroscopic world. The basis of our new quantum interpretation is the hypothesis that a quantum particle is a conceptual entity, more specifically, that a quantum particle interacts with ordinary matter in a similar way than a human concept interacts with a memory structure. With ordinary matter we mean substance made of elementary fermions, i.e. quarks, electrons and neutrinos, hence including all nuclei, atoms, molecules, macroscopic material entities and hence also measuring apparatuses. Ordinary matter is sometimes also called baryonic matter in the literature, when contrasted with dark matter, which plausibly is not consti- tuted of baryons. A memory structure for human concepts can be a human mind or an artificial memory. The idea for this basic hypothesis follows from our work involving the use of quantum formalism for the modeling of human concepts [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]. This made us ask the question that, ‘if quantum mechanics as a formalism models human concepts so well, perhaps this indicates that quantum particles themselves are conceptual entities?’ More importantly, however, the specific way in which quantum mechanics models human concepts and the fact that this yields a simple explanation for 1 arXiv:1004.2530v1 [quant-ph] 15 Apr 2010