- Hardcover: 310 pages
- Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company (31 May 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 9814293377
- ISBN-13: 978-9814293372
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.5 x 2.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 922,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
An invaluable supplement to standard textbooks on quantum mechanics, this unique introduction to the general theoretical framework of contemporary physics focuses on conceptual, epistemological, and ontological issues. The theory is developed by pursuing the question: what does it take to have material objects that neither collapse nor explode as soon as they are formed? The stability of matter thus emerges as the chief reason why the laws of physics have the particular form that they do. The first of the book's three parts familiarizes the reader with the basics by discussing crucial experiments, a brief historical survey, and by following Feynman's route to the Schrodinger equation. The necessary mathematics is introduced along the way, to the point that all relevant theoretical concepts can be adequately grasped. Part II gets down to the nitty-gritty. As the theory takes shape, it is applied to various experimental arrangements. Many of these are central to the discussion in the final part, which aims at making epistemological and ontological sense of the theory. Pivotal to this task is an understanding of the special status that quantum mechanics attributes to measurements - without dragging in the consciousness of the observer. Key to this understanding is a rigorous definition of macroscopic which, while rarely even attempted, is conveniently provided in this book.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Humbling experience
30 Jun 2011
Format:Hardcover
Richard Feynman famously stated "I think it is safe to say that no one understands Quantum Mechanics."
This book is changing that. Although so far I have only read up to chapter 5, it looks like this unexpected treatise lives up to its preposterous subtitle.
The way Ulrich Mohrhoff introduces QM everything flows from the basic rules of calculating with probabilities and the uncertainty relation. The latter in turn is a logical requirement for stable matter and quite a misnomer in English (surprisingly the original German term "Unschaerferelation" captures its meaning significantly better).
Reading chapter 5 has been a most humbling experience. I studied physics and have always been captivated by the particle wave dualism that the classical two slit experiment embodies so beautifully. Feynman observed that this "experiment has in it the heart of quantum mechanics". Well, I feel like eating my heart out.
The way this book covers the two slit experiment everything falls into place and makes perfect sense. There is no wave particle dualism, just the naked necessity of a probabilistic regime. It is so simple. Painfully obvious. Easy to grasp with just a minimum of mathematical rigor. It boggles the mind that QM has not been understood this way from the get go. This feels like 20/20 hindsight writ large.
To add insult to injury, this is written as a text book that'll be easily accessible for an enterprising high school student, because it briefly introduces all necessary mathematical tools along the way. I.e. a physicist can easily skip these parts as they are cleanly separated from the chapters in which the author executes his QM program.
If you've been trying to make sense of QM you will hate this book. It'll make you feel stupid for not having been able to see this all along. Time to eat some humble pie.
I'll report back once I read the rest.
This book is changing that. Although so far I have only read up to chapter 5, it looks like this unexpected treatise lives up to its preposterous subtitle.
The way Ulrich Mohrhoff introduces QM everything flows from the basic rules of calculating with probabilities and the uncertainty relation. The latter in turn is a logical requirement for stable matter and quite a misnomer in English (surprisingly the original German term "Unschaerferelation" captures its meaning significantly better).
Reading chapter 5 has been a most humbling experience. I studied physics and have always been captivated by the particle wave dualism that the classical two slit experiment embodies so beautifully. Feynman observed that this "experiment has in it the heart of quantum mechanics". Well, I feel like eating my heart out.
The way this book covers the two slit experiment everything falls into place and makes perfect sense. There is no wave particle dualism, just the naked necessity of a probabilistic regime. It is so simple. Painfully obvious. Easy to grasp with just a minimum of mathematical rigor. It boggles the mind that QM has not been understood this way from the get go. This feels like 20/20 hindsight writ large.
To add insult to injury, this is written as a text book that'll be easily accessible for an enterprising high school student, because it briefly introduces all necessary mathematical tools along the way. I.e. a physicist can easily skip these parts as they are cleanly separated from the chapters in which the author executes his QM program.
If you've been trying to make sense of QM you will hate this book. It'll make you feel stupid for not having been able to see this all along. Time to eat some humble pie.
I'll report back once I read the rest.
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