Quantum Sense and Nonsense

Front Cover
Springer, Oct 27, 2017 - Science - 286 pages

Permeated by the author's delightful humor, this little book explains, with nearly no mathematics, the main conceptual issues associated with quantum mechanics:

The issue of determinism. Does quantum mechanics signify the end of a deterministic word-view?

The role of the human subject or of the "observer" in science. Since Copernicus, science has increasingly tended to dethrone Man from his formerly held special position in the Universe. But quantum mechanics, with its emphasis on the notion of observation, may once more have given a central role to the human subject.

The issue of locality. Does quantum mechanics imply that instantaneous actions at a distance exist in Nature?

In these pages the author offers a variety of views and answers - bad as well as good - to these questions. The reader will be both entertained and enlightened by Jean Bricmont's clear and incisive arguments.

 

Selected pages

Contents

1 What Are the Issues Raised by Quantum Mechanics?
1
Interference
17
What Is Determinism?
31
4 How Do Physicists Deal with Interference?
49
5 Schrödingers Cat and Hidden Variables
69
What Is Wrong with Observations?
87
Nonlocality
101
The de BroglieBohm Theory
137
10 A Revised History of Quantum Mechanics
183
11 The Cultural Impact of Quantum Mechanics
209
12 Summary of the Main Theses of This Book
243
Quantum Sense and Nonsense
248
Glossary
249
Further Reading
261
Bibliography
267
Index
278

9 Many Worlds?
173
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Quantum Sense and Nonsense
Jean Bricmont
No preview available - 2017

Common terms and phrases

action Albert Einstein Alice and Bob answer anti)-correlations atoms Bell’s Bohm Bohm’s Bohr Bohr’s Bricmont Broglie Broglie–Bohm theory Chap claim Copenhagen interpretation course David Bohm detected deterministic direction opposite discussed distance double-slit experiment Einstein electrons EPR argument EPR-Bell evolution example existence explain given half-boxes Heisenberg hidden variables theorem idea inequality initial conditions instantaneously interactions interpretation of quantum John Bell large number law of large laws lower slit macroscopic many-worlds interpretation Max Born means motion Newton’s nonlocality objects observations one’s ordinary quantum mechanics particle goes Pascual Jordan philosophy physicists pointer positions and velocities problem properties quantum formalism quantum mechanical predictions Quantum Sense quantum theory question random relativity of simultaneity results of measurements role Schrödinger scientific second wall Sect simply situation slit is open slit the particle Solvay Conference spin statistical distribution superposition theory of relativity trajectories upper slit wave function

About the author (2017)

Jean Bricmont (born in 1952) is a theoretical physicist and a professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain. He works on statistical and mathematical physics but has also written about philosophy of science. He is mostly known to the non-academic audience for co-authoring Fashionable Nonsense (also known as Intellectual Impostures) with Alan Sokal, in which they criticize abuses of scientific concepts by postmodernist thinkers and relativism in the philosophy of science.

Bibliographic information

TitleQuantum Sense and Nonsense
AuthorJean Bricmont
PublisherSpringer, 2017
ISBN3319652710, 9783319652719
Length286 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Science / General
Science / History
Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects
Science / Physics / General
Science / Physics / Quantum Theory
  
Export CitationBiBTeX EndNote RefMan