In this article we discuss the contextual character of quantum mechanics in
the framework of modal interpretations. We investigate its historical origin
and relate contemporary modal interpretations to those proposed by M. Born and
W. Heisenberg. We present then a general characterization of what we consider
to be a modal interpretation. Following previous papers in which we have
introduced modalities in the Kochen-Specker theorem, we investigate the
consequences of these theorems in relation to the modal interpretations of
quantum mechanics.Comment: 21 pages, no figures, preprint submitted to SHPM
