beableとは 意味・読み方・使い方

名詞

beable (複数形 beables)

1. (physics, quantum theory, philosophy) anything that could possibly be, in particular in any of a number of superimposed quantum states
   • 1984 J. S. Bell: Beables for Quantum Field Theory CERN-TH.4035/84,

     In particular we will exclude the notion of “observable” in favour of that of “beable”. The beables of the theory are those elements which might correspond to elements of reality, to things which exist. Their existence does not depend on “observation”. Indeed observation and observers must be made out of beables.
     I use the term “beable” rather than some more committed term like “being” or “beer” to recall the essentially tentative nature of any physical theory. Such a theory is at best a candidate for the description of nature. Terms like “being”, “beer”, “existent”, etc., would seem to me lacking in humility. In fact “beable” is short for “maybe-able”.
     

   • 1999, Michael Redhead, From Physics to Philosophy, page 17:

     In line with the approach to value definiteness taken by modal interpretations, I will also not be requiring that the beables of a quantum system be the same from one quantum state of the system to another.

使用する際の注意点

• To be able to may be used whenever can (the modal verb) is used; it is always used in tenses where can, which is defective, has no corresponding form. For example, "He said I would be able to go" is the same as "He said I could go", and "You will be able to watch" replaces the non-existent *You will can watch.
• To be able to can be used instead of could to avoid ambiguity between would be able to and was/were able to. For example, "I know I could win" can mean either "I know I was able to win" or "I know I would be able to win", whereas the forms using to be able to avoid this ambiguity.

下位語

• (have ability to): know how to