Beyond Measure: Modern Physics, Philosophy, and the Meaning of Quantum TheoryQuantum theory is one the most important and successful theories of modern physical science. It has been estimated that its principles form the basis for about 30 per cent of the world's manufacturing economy. This is all the more remarkable because quantum theory is a theory that nobody understands. The meaning of Quantum Theory introduces science students to the theory's fundamental conceptual and philosophical problems, and the basis of its non-understandability. It does this with the barest minimum of jargon and very little mathematics in the main text. Readers wishing to delve more deeply into the theory's mathematical subtleties can do so in an extended series of appendices. The book brings the reader up to date with the results of new experimental tests of quantum weirdness and reviews the latest thinking on alternative interpretations, the frontiers of quantum cosmology, quantum gravity and potential application of this weirdness in computing, cryptography and teleportation. |
Contents
An act of desperation | 3 |
Bohrs theory of the atom | 19 |
An absolute wonder | 40 |
Quantum rules | 59 |
Quantum measurement | 75 |
Von Neumanns theory of measurement | 83 |
Which way did it go? | 89 |
The schism | 97 |
The expansion theorem and quantum projections | 311 |
State vectors and classical unit vectors | 314 |
fermions and bosons | 316 |
Projection amplitudes for photonpolarization states | 318 |
Quantum measurement and expectation values | 322 |
Complementary observables of twoparticle states | 324 |
Quantum measurement and the infinite regress | 325 |
Von Neumanns impossibility proof | 327 |
A bolt from the blue | 120 |
Bells theorem and local reality | 140 |
Bohms version of the EPR experiment | 146 |
Generalization of Bells inequality | 158 |
Complementarity and entanglement | 181 |
Pilot waves potentials and propensities | 207 |
An irreversible act | 223 |
Many worlds one universe | 263 |
Closing remarks | 286 |
Blackbody radiation and the origin of the quantum | 294 |
Atomic theory and the emergence of quantum numbers | 297 |
Special relativity and de Broglies hypothesis | 300 |
Schrödingers wave equation | 302 |
Diracs relativistic quantum theory of the electron | 305 |
The expectation value | 307 |
Complementary observables and the uncertainty principle | 309 |
Photon spin correlations | 329 |
Quantum versus local hidden variable correlations | 332 |
Bells inequality | 335 |
Bells inequality for nonideal cases | 337 |
Threephoton GHZ states | 339 |
The ClauserHorneShimonyHolt form of Bells inequality | 343 |
testing complementarity | 345 |
The quantum eraser | 347 |
Beam me up Scotty | 350 |
The de BroglieBohm theory | 352 |
Neutron worlds | 355 |
| 357 | |
| 365 | |
| 371 | |
Common terms and phrases
angular momentum apparatus Appendix argued argument atom beamsplitter behaviour Bell's inequality Bohm Bohr Bohr's cavity circular polarization classical physics collapse combination concepts consciousness Copenhagen interpretation correlated corresponding decoherence denote described detected detector Dirac eigenstates Einstein electromagnetic electron emission emitted energy entangled expectation value experiment experimental Feynman field filter frequency Heisenberg hidden variable theory horizontally polarized interaction interpretation of quantum large number linear polarization macroscopic magnetic many-worlds interpretation mathematical matrix matrix mechanics measurement eigenstates measuring device molecules motion Neumann neutron non-locality observer operator orbit orientations pairs pass path philosophical photomultiplier physicists Planck's polarization analyser polarized light polarized photons position possible postulate predictions probability problem projection amplitudes properties quantum entities quantum measurement quantum mechanics quantum numbers quantum particles quantum system quantum theory quarks radiation result Schrödinger scientists simple slits socks space special relativity spin spin quantum superposition theoretical trajectory vertically polarized wave function wave mechanics
References to this book
Quantum Mechanics: Its Early Development and the Road to Entanglement Edward G. Steward Limited preview - 2008 |