A contextual deterministic stochastic model for quantum mechanics

Since its conception, quantum mechanics has provided description for the behaviour of the smallest parts of the universe, but has also introduced new, paradoxical, and unintuitive features to the scheme of physics. While quantum wave mechanics is well understood descriptively, the actual physical nature behind it has long been debated, and numerous different interpretations exist. In this thesis, we argue the merits of a contextual realist design over the traditional Copenhagen interpretation and demonstrate with a novel numerical model that the assumptions of the Copenhagen interpretation are unnecessary when quantum effects can be modelled through deterministic ensembles. This model uses the general-purpose programming language Python to simulate a collection of particles which act deterministically while demonstrating a characteristic quantum interference effect. This is achieved by allowing deterministic interaction between each particle and the `apparatus' of the virtual experiment. In this way, it is demonstrated that deterministic contextual behaviour is sufficient to explain certain quantum effects, and that it is unnecessary to assign indeterminacy or a dual-nature to individual objects. Chapters 1 and 2 review some of the history and existing interpretations of quantum mechanics, and highlight which stems of thought can be taken and developed into a modern contextual quantum theory. Chapter 3 explores a novel numerical result related to Bell-test experiments, which are a cornerstone in examinations of quantum foundations. Chapters 4 and 5 more explicitly connect existing contextual ideas to those used in this thesis' new model, which is described in chapter 6. Finally chapter 7 compares the new model with the known `Feynman Little Arrow' notation.