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Foundations of Quantum Mechanics: An Exploration of the Physical Meaning of Quantum Theory
Authored by an acclaimed teacher of quantum physics and philosophy, this textbook pays special attention to the aspects that many courses sweep under the carpet. Traditional courses in quantum mechanics teach students how to use the quantum formalism to make calculations. But even the best students - indeed, especially the best students - emerge rather confused about what, exactly, the theory says is going on, physically, in microscopic systems. This supplementary textbook is designed to help such students understand that they are not alone in their confusions (luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Erwin Schroedinger, and John Stewart Bell having shared them), to sharpen their understanding of the most important difficulties associated with interpreting quantum theory in a realistic manner, and to introduce them to the most promising attempts to formulate the theory in a way that is physically clear and coherent. The text is accessible to students with at least one semester of prior exposure to quantum (or "modern") physics and includes over a hundred engaging end-of-chapter "Projects" that make the book suitable for either a traditional classroom or for self-study.
325 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 25, 2018
According to the physicist David Mermin, the orthodox (Copenhagen) interpretation of quantum mechanics is encapsulated by the phrase "shut up and calculate." This is good advice for anyone learning the subject, but anyone with a serious interest in science will find it lacking. Norsen's book provides a gentle introduction to the foundations of quantum mechanics suitable for anyone who has taken an introductory course on the subject. The book fills a much needed void in standard university physics education.
Anyone with a solid background using quantum mechanics will find the book easy reading, with little technical detail. However, the history, and the many quotations from founders of the subject make it a fascinating read. Norsen writes in the afterword: “There also exist, of course, many other “interpretations” of quantum mechanics that were (undoubtedly to the great annoyance of their defenders) not included in this book. That is, of course, because I view them as less worthwhile.” I think this is fair. Unfortunately, Norsen fails to discuss decoherence theory. Decoherence theory is not simply an “interpretation” of quantum mechanics, rather, it is an important part of quantum theory that is central to understanding how the classical world of our everyday experience comes about from the equations of quantum mechanics. In a book on the foundations of quantum mechanics, this topic certainly deserves more attention then it was given by Norsen.
Apart from the lack of attention given to decoherence theory, I think this is an excellent introductory book.
Anyone with a solid background using quantum mechanics will find the book easy reading, with little technical detail. However, the history, and the many quotations from founders of the subject make it a fascinating read. Norsen writes in the afterword: “There also exist, of course, many other “interpretations” of quantum mechanics that were (undoubtedly to the great annoyance of their defenders) not included in this book. That is, of course, because I view them as less worthwhile.” I think this is fair. Unfortunately, Norsen fails to discuss decoherence theory. Decoherence theory is not simply an “interpretation” of quantum mechanics, rather, it is an important part of quantum theory that is central to understanding how the classical world of our everyday experience comes about from the equations of quantum mechanics. In a book on the foundations of quantum mechanics, this topic certainly deserves more attention then it was given by Norsen.
Apart from the lack of attention given to decoherence theory, I think this is an excellent introductory book.
April 20, 2018
Read this!
This is a book that we physics foundationalists have been waiting for a long time: nothing particularly or deeply new, but the first accessible, readible and complete presentation of the problems hidden in quantum physics that I know of.
In particular, the unentangling of the measurement problem and the ontology problem has helped me personally with getting things clear. Although one needs to have experience with some physics, the philosophical prerequisites are kept minimal, and the concepts - for example ontology, locality, measurement, epistemology, - that are crucial are carefully and elaborately explained.
The novelty, then, is that this would be perfect for undergraduate physics students do within too much philosophical jargon and unfamiliar patterns of conceptual reasoning. The exercises are also quite original, notwithstanding that they are demanding in both time and individual reasoning - just the way we like it.
This is a book that we physics foundationalists have been waiting for a long time: nothing particularly or deeply new, but the first accessible, readible and complete presentation of the problems hidden in quantum physics that I know of.
In particular, the unentangling of the measurement problem and the ontology problem has helped me personally with getting things clear. Although one needs to have experience with some physics, the philosophical prerequisites are kept minimal, and the concepts - for example ontology, locality, measurement, epistemology, - that are crucial are carefully and elaborately explained.
The novelty, then, is that this would be perfect for undergraduate physics students do within too much philosophical jargon and unfamiliar patterns of conceptual reasoning. The exercises are also quite original, notwithstanding that they are demanding in both time and individual reasoning - just the way we like it.
September 26, 2023
Probably the best extant introduction to this subject. It's suitable for people with only a modest familiarity with quantum mechanics, and doesn't require any heavy mathematical machinery - one hardly even needs to understand what a Hilbert space or a differential equation is in order to appreciate most of the salient points.
The book focuses on three foundational problems of quantum mechanics:
1) The measurement problem: Why don't we observe superpositions of measurement results?
2) The ontology problem: What does quantum mechanics say the world consists of?
3) The locality problem: Are there instantaneous causal effects at a distance?
and three interpretations: the de-Broglie Bohm hidden variables theory, the GRW spontaneous collapse theory, and the Everettian many-worlds theory.
Each interpretation's solution (or proposed solutions) to these problems is carefully considered. Ultimately the author considers the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation to be the best of the three at answering these questions, but isn't dogmatic about it or dismissive of the others.
Issues related to relativity and field theory aren't discussed (as Tim Maudlin points out, that is complicated enough that it would require a sequel book, which I would love to see from Norsen eventually).
The book focuses on three foundational problems of quantum mechanics:
1) The measurement problem: Why don't we observe superpositions of measurement results?
2) The ontology problem: What does quantum mechanics say the world consists of?
3) The locality problem: Are there instantaneous causal effects at a distance?
and three interpretations: the de-Broglie Bohm hidden variables theory, the GRW spontaneous collapse theory, and the Everettian many-worlds theory.
Each interpretation's solution (or proposed solutions) to these problems is carefully considered. Ultimately the author considers the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation to be the best of the three at answering these questions, but isn't dogmatic about it or dismissive of the others.
Issues related to relativity and field theory aren't discussed (as Tim Maudlin points out, that is complicated enough that it would require a sequel book, which I would love to see from Norsen eventually).
June 12, 2022
superb
This excellent book is the one to read after your first standard introduction to quantum mechanics. You’ve learnt the recipe and applied it to a few simple problems. It all works out so nicely and it gives the right answers. Experimentally verifiable. BUT what in the world is going on. What is it telling us about real world processes. And lingering in the background is Niels Bohr’s spluttering pseudo philosophical nonsense, aka the Copenhagen Interpretation - which is surely just so much rubbish. This was where I was at when I first learnt quantum mechanics. How very deeply I would have appreciated a book like this back then. Might have even stayed in physics.
This excellent book is the one to read after your first standard introduction to quantum mechanics. You’ve learnt the recipe and applied it to a few simple problems. It all works out so nicely and it gives the right answers. Experimentally verifiable. BUT what in the world is going on. What is it telling us about real world processes. And lingering in the background is Niels Bohr’s spluttering pseudo philosophical nonsense, aka the Copenhagen Interpretation - which is surely just so much rubbish. This was where I was at when I first learnt quantum mechanics. How very deeply I would have appreciated a book like this back then. Might have even stayed in physics.
March 24, 2022
An excellent survey of the chronological morphology of quantum mechanical theory.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews