De Rerum (Incerta) Natura: A Tentative Approach to the Concept of “Quantum-like”

Abstract

In recent years, the term “quantum-like” has been increasingly used in different disciplines, including neurosciences, psychological and socio-economical disciplines, claiming that some investigated phenomena show “something” in common with quantum processes and, therefore, they can be modeled using a sort of quantum formalism. Thus, the increasing use of the term “quantum-like” calls for defining and sharing its meaning in order to adopt it properly and avoid possible misuse. There is a fil rouge linking both pre-Socratic and Eastern philosophies and quantum physics, suggesting an epistemological symmetry between them. In our opinion, the concept of “quantum-like” may be successfully applied to macroscopic phenomena and empirical sciences other than physics when the following two conditions are satisfied: (a) the behavior of the investigated phenomena show logical analogies with quantum phenomena; (b) it is possible to find a criterion of truth based on an experiential/scientific approach applied to a probabilistic model of description of the phenomena. This is only a first small step in the approach to the concept of “quantum-like”, which will hopefully be helpful in promoting further discussion and achieving a better definition.