Ontology in Quantum Field Theory Through Hegel's Science of Logic

ABSTRACT Quantum entities pose significant ontological challenges that manifest as two interconnected problems: one concerns the ontological status of virtual particles in quantum field theory (QFT) and quasiparticles in condensed matter physics (CMP), while the other deals with the deeper question of QFT’s fundamental ontology. This paper proposes a new metaontological perspective that moves beyond the limitations of conventional concrete objects and naïve realism (e.g., Quine‐Carnap meta‐ontology) through G. W. F. Hegel’s Science of Logic, particularly his ontological logic. What is relevant, then, is not the individual objects but the field of relations that makes them effective in the first place. Hegel's logic does not directly challenge the theories of QFT and CMP but instead critiques the foundational assumptions upon which they are based. This approach informs a broader ontological understanding of QFT, offering a novel pathway for resolving the major ontological challenge: the fundamental ontology of QFT. Finally, we address several additional challenges faced by the theory.