Understanding Quantum Mechanics
Description
This book discusses the physical and mathematical foundations of modern quantum mechanics and three realistic quantum theories that John Stuart Bell called "theories without observers" because they do not merely speak about measurements but develop an objective picture of the physical world. These are Bohmian mechanics, the GRW collapse theory, and the Many Worlds theory.
The book is ideal to accompany or supplement a lecture course on quantum mechanics, but also suited for self-study, particularly for those who have completed such a course but are left puzzled by the question: "What does the mathematical formalism, which I have so laboriously learned and applied, actually tell us about nature?"
Reviews / Votes
"The book under review is really fantastic. It is undoubtedly remarkable. . Without a doubt, the present book is fundamentally important. I recommend it not only for researchers working in the field of the foundations of quantum mechanics, but also for physics students." (Eugene Kryachko, zbMATH 1467.81005, 2021)More details
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Persons
Detlef Dürr
studied physics in Münster, Germany, where he obtained his PhD in physics in 1978. After his post-doc years at Rutgers in Joel Lebowitz´s group working with Sheldon Goldstein, he was awarded a Heisenberg fellowship. In 1989 he became a professor of mathematics at the University of Munich. His research interests are non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, Bohmian mechanics and the foundations of quantum theory.
Dustin Lazarovici
studied physics and mathematics at the University of Munich, Germany and earned his PhD in 2015 under the supervision of Detlef Dürr. He is currently working in philosophy of physics at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Content
Some Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics.- The Measurement Problem.- Chance in Physics.- Bohmian Mechanics.- Collapse Theory.- The Many-Worlds Theory.- The Measurement Process and Observables.- Weak Measurements of Trajectories.- Hidden Variables.- Nonlocality.- Relativistic Quantum Theory.- Further Food for Thought.- Epilogue.