Dissolving Wigner’s Friend: The Quantum Measurement Problem under Experiential Empiricism

Abstract

The Wigner’s Friend paradox exposes a clash between subjective observation and objective fact in quantum theory. Under standard interpretations, it leads to contradictions about when and where collapse occurs or whether facts exist independently of observers. Experiential Empiricism (EE) reframes the problem: it treats all empirical content as patterns in experience, not as evidence of an observer-independent reality. Under EE, the Wigner’s Friend scenario presents no paradox—only two distinct experiential trajectories, each internally consistent. This paper shows how EE dissolves the measurement problem without invoking collapse, hidden variables, or ontological commitments, offering a minimal and coherent interpretive stance.

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References found in this work

Facing up to the problem of consciousness.David Chalmers - 1995 - Journal of Consciousness Studies 2 (3):200-19.
Quantum Theory: A Pragmatist Approach.Richard Healey - 2012 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 63 (4):729-771.

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