This paper examines the philosophical debate that took place in the beginning of the 1960 's between, on one side, the physicists Henry Margenau and Eugene Wigner, and on the other, the philosopher and mathematician Hilary Putnam, concerning the foundations of quantum mechanics. Putnam argued that the postulates of quantum theory are inconsistent, to which Margenau & Wigner answered, introducing human consciousness into the debate. We try to understand the reasons that led to the debate, given that the views of both sides were not so different. The discussion was heated, indicating that non-epistemic factors influenced the discussion. The debate marked the rise of the style of doing philosophy of physics in departments of philosophy.
Margenau; Wigner; Putnam; Philosophy of physics; Foundations of quantum mechanics; Measurement problem; Realism; Consciousness; Scientific controversy; Non-epistemic factors
