Complementarity, identity and contradiction in the logic of Niels Bohr

Abstract

The discoveries of quantum physics, that occurred in the twentieth century, pose many challenges to the experimental and conceptual level. Along with the advent of these findings, there are also theories and principles that seek to explain them and sometimes break with paradigms that correspond to other areas of research. This is precisely the case of the principle of complementarity, developed by the Danish physicist Niels Bohr in the context of the discovery of the wave-particle duality. This feature that lies to the nature of the photon and transforms the classical notion of identity, obliged to perform an analysis of the laws of thought as were set by Aristotle –identity, non-contradiction and of excluded middle– because, in some way, it contradicts them. This is the discussion of which looms the present article, which at first presents a description of the work of Bohr within the scope of the quantum research, subsequently conduces an exhibition of the aristotelian laws that have marked the work of logic for centuries, although nowadays many schools have passed, within the same problem set the problem of the relationship between logic and ontology in order to finally, analyze the case of light and make a brief reference to the topic of identity.
The conclusiones relate to the generality of the problem since it is impossible to establish a clear-cut solution to the problem, in the last instance, it would respond to the perspective you have about the relationship between logic, ontology and language.