RELATIVISTIC COVARIANCE AND THE INTERPRETATION OF QUANTUM-MECHANICS

The standard interpretation of quantum mechanics is raised to conform to the relativistic theory based on the many-amplitudes formalism for the many-particle system. The wave function has a character close to t hat of the electromagnetic field, with a secondary role for operators, the uncertainty principle, and the observer. There is no particle sep arate from the wave. The measurement process is interpreted as the qua ntum mechanical interaction between the system and the measuring appar atus. This approach leads to a different view of the double-slit exper iment, the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox, and the thought experiment with Schrodinger's cat. Difficulties with spinor wavefunctions repres enting spin-1/2 particles are also addressed. It remains to be shown t hat many-amplitude nonrelativistic quantum mechanics agrees with exper iment at least as well as the standard theory. The SWEEP model of stro ng, weak, and electromagnetic interactions of elementary particles is included here, because it allows for the use of relativistic quantum m echanics in all of elementary particle physics, thus extending the int erpretation of wave functions.