Comment on the Paper Titled ’The Origin of Quantum Mechanical Statistics: Insights from Research on Human Language’ (arXiv preprint arXiv:2407.14924, 2024)

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Abstract

This analysis critically examines the application of quantum mechanical concepts—such as entanglement, indistinguishability, and Bose Einstein statistics — to language and cognitive processes as proposed in the paper. While the interdisciplinary approach is creative, significant theoretical and empirical challenges arise when translating quantum principles to human cognition. Key issues include the contextual and qualitative nature of cognitive processes, which differ fundamentally from the predictable, probabilistic behaviors observed in quantum systems. Cognitive phenomena are shaped by factors like emotional state, social context, and personal memory, which have no direct analogy in quantum mechanics. The assumption that words or cognitive "particles" are indistinguishable, as quantum particles are, overlooks the unique and dynamic contextual dependencies in language. Moreover, empirical support for such quantum-cognitive parallels remains limited, and the paper’s application of quantum statistics to word frequency distributions may reflect a coincidental pattern rather than a fundamental process. This assessment suggests that while the paper’s quantum analogies could foster new interdisciplinary discussions, they risk speculative overreach if treated as foundational principles for understanding cognition. Effective interdisciplinary integration would require rigorous empirical validation within cognitive science, as well as caution against reductionist interpretations that might simplify the rich complexities of human thought. Future research may benefit from more context-sensitive and evidence-based models that align more closely with established cognitive theories, thereby maintaining the intellectual richness of both quantum mechanics and cognitive science without forcing an untested theoretical bridge between them.

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