Probing The Meaning Of Quantum Mechanics: Probability, Metaphysics, Explanation And Measurement
Probing The Meaning Of Quantum Mechanics: Probability, Metaphysics, Explanation And Measurement

Author: Diederik Aerts

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2023-09-21

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 9811283605

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Quantum theory is perhaps our best confirmed theory for a description of the physical properties of nature. On top of demonstrating great empirical effectiveness, many technological developments in the 20th century (such as the interpretation of the periodic table of elements, CD players, holograms, and quantum state teleportation) were only made possible with Quantum theory.Despite its success in the past decades, even today it still remains without a universally accepted interpretation.This book provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the question; 'What is Quantum Mechanics talking about?', a question which continues to be one of the most fascinating and important questions in science.Using an interdisciplinary approach to foundational problems in Quantum Mechanics (QM), ranging from philosophical questions about the interpretation of QM to technical problems in quantum computation, this book explores quantum mechanics from different perspectives (physical, logical, philosophical and mathematical), by researchers from Europe, North America, and South America.

Probing The Meaning Of Quantum Mechanics: Information, Contextuality, Relationalism And Entanglement - Proceedings Of The Ii International Workshop On Quantum Mechanics And Quantum Information. Physical, Philosophical And Logical Approaches
Probing The Meaning Of Quantum Mechanics: Information, Contextuality, Relationalism And Entanglement - Proceedings Of The Ii International Workshop On Quantum Mechanics And Quantum Information. Physical, Philosophical And Logical Approaches

Author: Diederik Aerts

Publisher: World Scientific Publishing

Published: 2018-11-15

Total Pages: 393

ISBN-13: 9813276908

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This book provides an interdisciplinary perspective on one of the most fascinating and important open questions in science: What is quantum mechanics talking about? Quantum theory is perhaps our best confirmed physical theory. However, despite its great empirical effectiveness and the subsequent technological developments that it gave rise to in the 20th century, from the interpretation of the periodic table of elements to CD players, holograms and quantum state teleportation, it stands even today without a universally accepted interpretation. The novelty of the book comes from the multiple viewpoints and subjects investigated by a group of researchers from Europe and North and South America.

Probing The Meaning Of Quantum Mechanics: Superpositions, Dynamics, Semantics And Identity
Probing The Meaning Of Quantum Mechanics: Superpositions, Dynamics, Semantics And Identity

Author: Diederik Aerts

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2016-07-21

Total Pages: 371

ISBN-13: 981314629X

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This book provides an interdisciplinary approach to one of the most fascinating and important open questions in science: What is quantum mechanics really talking about? In the last decades quantum mechanics has given rise to a new quantum technological era, a revolution taking place today especially within the field of quantum information processing; which goes from quantum teleportation and cryptography to quantum computation. Quantum theory is probably our best confirmed physical theory. However, in spite of its great empirical effectiveness it stands today still without a universally accepted physical representation that allows us to understand its relation to the world and reality.The novelty of the book comes from the multiple perspectives put forward by top researchers in quantum mechanics, from Europe as well as North and South America, discussing the meaning and structure of the theory of quanta. The book comprises in a balanced manner physical, philosophical, logical and mathematical approaches to quantum mechanics and quantum information. Going from quantum superpositions and entanglement to dynamics and the problem of identity; from quantum logic, computation and quasi-set theory to the category approach and teleportation; from realism and empiricism to operationalism and instrumentalism; the book considers from different angles some of the most intriguing questions in the field.From Buenos Aires to Brussels and Cagliari, from Florence to Florianópolis, the interaction between different groups is reflected in the many different articles. This book is interesting not only to the specialists but also to the general public attempting to get a grasp on some of the most fundamental questions of present quantum physics.

Interpreting Quantum Theories
Interpreting Quantum Theories

Author: Laura Ruetsche

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2011-06-02

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 0191617377

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Traditionally, philosophers of quantum mechanics have addressed exceedingly simple systems: a pair of electrons in an entangled state, or an atom and a cat in Dr. Schrödinger's diabolical device. But recently, much more complicated systems, such as quantum fields and the infinite systems at the thermodynamic limit of quantum statistical mechanics, have attracted, and repaid, philosophical attention. Interpreting Quantum Theories has three entangled aims. The first is to guide those familiar with the philosophy of ordinary QM into the philosophy of 'QM infinity', by presenting accessible introductions to relevant technical notions and the foundational questions they frame. The second aim is to develop and defend answers to some of those questions. Does quantum field theory demand or deserve a particle ontology? How (if at all) are different states of broken symmetry different? And what is the proper role of idealizations in working physics? The third aim is to highlight ties between the foundational investigation of QM infinity and philosophy more broadly construed, in particular by using the interpretive problems discussed to motivate new ways to think about the nature of physical possibility and the problem of scientific realism.

Worldviews, Science And Us: Philosophy And Complexity
Worldviews, Science And Us: Philosophy And Complexity

Author: Carlos Gershenson

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2007-02-27

Total Pages: 359

ISBN-13: 9814476013

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Scientific, technological, and cultural changes have always had an impact upon philosophy. They can force a change in the way we perceive the world, reveal new kinds of phenomena to be understood, and provide new ways of understanding phenomena. Complexity science, immersed in a culture of information, is having a diverse but particularly significant impact upon philosophy. Previous ideas do not necessarily sit comfortably with the new paradigm, resulting in new ideas or new interpretations of old ideas.In this unprecedented interdisciplinary volume, researchers from different backgrounds join efforts to update thinking upon philosophical questions with developments in the scientific study of complex systems. The contributions focus on a wide range of topics, but share the common goal of increasing our understanding and improving our descriptions of our complex world. This revolutionary debate includes contributions from leading experts, as well as young researchers proposing fresh ideas.

Introduction to Metaphysics
Introduction to Metaphysics

Author: Gabby Mccarthy

Publisher: Scientific e-Resources

Published: 2018-10-09

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 1839473657

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Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of existence, being and the world. Arguably, metaphysics is the foundation of philosophy: Aristotle calls it "e;first philosophy"e; (or sometimes just "e;wisdom"e;), and says it is the subject that deals with "e;first causes and the principles of things"e;.It asks questions like: "e;What is the nature of reality?"e;, "e;How does the world exist, and what is its origin or source of creation?"e;, "e;Does the world exist outside the mind?"e;, "e;How can the incorporeal mind affect the physical body?"e;, "e;If things exist, what is their objective nature?"e;, "e;Is there a God (or many gods, or no god at all)?"e; Originally, the Greek word "e;metaphysika"e; (literally "e;after physics"e;) merely indicated that part of Aristotle's oeuvre which came, in its sequence, after those chapters which dealt with physics. Later, it was misinterpreted by Medieval commentators on the classical texts as that which is above or beyond the physical, and so over time metaphysics has effectively become the study of that which transcends physics. This book provides a detailed resume of current knowledge about the Metaphysics.

Probing the Structure of Quantum Mechanics
Probing the Structure of Quantum Mechanics

Author: D. Aerts (ed.)

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 404

ISBN-13: 9789810248475

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During the last decade, scientists working in quantum theory have been engaging in promising new fields such as quantum computation and quantum information processing, and have also been reflecting on the possibilities of nonlinear behavior on the quantum level. These are challenging undertakings because (1) they will result in new solutions to important technical and practical problems that were unsolvable by the classical approaches (for example, quantum computers can calculate problems that are intractable if one uses classical computers); and (2) they open up new 'hard' problems of a fundamental nature that touch the foundation of quantum theory itself (for example, the contradiction between locality and nonlinearity and the interpretation of quantum computing as a universal process).In this book, one can distinguish two main streams of research to approach the just-mentioned problem field: (1) a theoretical structural part, which concentrates on the elaboration of a nonlinear quantum mechanics and the fundamentals of quantum computation; and (2) a theoretical experimental part, which focuses on the theoretical aspects of applications that arise from new technology and novel research perspectives such as quantum optics and quantum cryptography. Particular attention is also paid to the measurement problem, the classical limit and alternative interpretations (such as the hidden measurement approach).

The Emerging Quantum
The Emerging Quantum

Author: Luis de la Peña

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2014-07-15

Total Pages: 371

ISBN-13: 3319078933

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This monograph presents the latest findings from a long-term research project intended to identify the physics behind Quantum Mechanics. A fundamental theory for quantum mechanics is constructed from first physical principles, revealing quantization as an emergent phenomenon arising from a deeper stochastic process. As such, it offers the vibrant community working on the foundations of quantum mechanics an alternative contribution open to discussion. The book starts with a critical summary of the main conceptual problems that still beset quantum mechanics. The basic consideration is then introduced that any material system is an open system in permanent contact with the random zero-point radiation field, with which it may reach a state of equilibrium. Working from this basis, a comprehensive and self-consistent theoretical framework is then developed. The pillars of the quantum-mechanical formalism are derived, as well as the radiative corrections of nonrelativistic QED, while revealing the underlying physical mechanisms. The genesis of some of the central features of quantum theory is elucidated, such as atomic stability, the spin of the electron, quantum fluctuations, quantum nonlocality and entanglement. The theory developed here reaffirms fundamental scientific principles such as realism, causality, locality and objectivity.

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Author: Travis Norsen

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-08-17

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 3319658670

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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.