Incidentally, New Scientist ("Ghosts in the atom: Unmasking the quantum phantom", Aug 2, 2012) are now reporting that theoretical breakthroughs have disproved non-realist interpretations of QM. Its been shown that different interpretations of QM have different empirical consequences, and the naive version of the Copenhagen interpretation contradicts empirical data.

"Now Matthew Pusey and Terry Rudolph of Imperial College London, with Jonathan Barrett of Royal Holloway University of London, seem to have struck gold. They imagined a hypothetical theory that completely describes a single quantum system such as an atom but, crucially, without an underlying wave telling the particle what to do.

Next they concocted a thought experiment to test their theory, which involved bringing two independent atoms together and making a particular measurement on them. What they found is that the hypothetical wave-less theory predicts an outcome that is different from standard quantum theory. "Since quantum theory is known to be correct, it follows that nothing like our hypothetical theory can be correct," says Rudolph (Nature Physics, vol 8, p 476).

Some colleagues are impressed. "It's a fabulous piece of work," says Antony Valentini of Clemson University in South Carolina. "It shows that the wave function cannot be a mere abstract mathematical device. It must be real - as real as the magnetic field in the space around a bar magnet."