On the Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics

What is quantum mechanics about? The most natural way to interpret quantum mechanics realistically as a theory about the world might seem to be what is called wave function ontology: the view according to which the wave function mathematically\ud represents in a complete way fundamentally all there is in the world.\ud We argue that:\ud • Strictly speaking, it is not possible to interpret quantum theories as theories about the wave function;\ud • Even if the wave function is supplemented by additional non-ontological structures, there are reasons not to take the resulting theory seriously;\ud • All quantum theories should be regarded as theories in which physical objects are constituted by a primitive ontology. The primitive ontology is mathematically represented in the theory by a mathematical entity in three-dimensional space, or space-time