Quantons are quaint but basic and real, and the quantum theory explains much but not everything: Reply to my commentators (Q1408705)

In this issue of \textit{Science \& Education} a lot of papers were published as comments on the author's paper entitled ``Twenty-five centuries of quantum physics'', ibid. 12, No. 5--6, 445--466 (2003; Zbl 1030.81001). For some reviews see Zbl 1035.81002, Zbl 1035.81004, and Zbl 1035.81005. In this paper Bunge addresses the main points of contention in a collective manner, although there is agreement between him and commentators on some important points: (i) the Copenhagen interpretation, particularly the claim that quantum events are mind-dependent, is false and (ii) quantons (terminology introduced by Bunge in order to avoid discussions concerning the duality wave-particle in quantum theory) exist on their own. Here the author emphasizes the peculiarities of quantons, shows why standard quantum theory of measurement fails to explain how measuring devices work, and states that the ambition to know the state-vector of the universe is just a fantasy by quantum cosmologists. Bunge also insists on the point that the counter-intuitive aspects of quantum theory should be presented within an axiomatic framework, and unscientific philosophies like idealism and positivism should be avoided.