Do We Really Understand Quantum Mechanics?

Franck Laloë

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781108750417
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Quantum Theory

Quantum mechanics impacts on many areas of physics from pure theory to applications. However it is difficult to interpret, and philosophical contradictions and counter-intuitive results are apparent at a fundamental level. This book presents current understanding of the theory, providing a historical introduction and discussing many of its interpretations. Fully revised from the first edition, this book contains state-of-the-art research including loophole-free experimental Bell test, and theorems on the reality of the wave function including the PBR theorem, and a new section on quantum simulation. More interpretations are now included, and these are described and compared, including discussion of their successes and difficulties. Other sections have been expanded, including quantum error correction codes and the reference section. It is ideal for researchers in physics and maths, and philosophers of science interested in quantum physics and its foundations.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Title page
• Copyright information
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Preface to the First Edition
• 1 Historical Perspective
• 2 Present Situation, Remaining Conceptual Difficulties
• 3 The Theorem of Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen
• 4 Bell Theorem
• 5 Other Inequalities, Cirelson’s Limit, Signaling
• 6 More Theorems
• 7 Quantum Entanglement
• 8 Applications of Quantum Entanglement
• 9 Quantum Measurement
• 10 Experiments: Quantum Reduction Seen in Real Time
• 11 Various Interpretations and Reconstructions of Quantum Mechanics
• Conclusion
• 12 Annex: Basic Mathematical Tools of Quantum Mechanics
• Appendix A Mental Content of the State Vector
• Appendix B Bell Inequalities in Nondeterministic Local Theories
• Appendix C An Attempt to Construct a “Separable" Quantum Theory (Nondeterministic but Local)
• Appendix D Maximal Probability for a State
• Appendix E The Influence of Pair Selection
• Appendix F Impossibility of Superluminal Communication
• Appendix G Quantum Measurements at Different Times
• Appendix H Manipulating and Preparing Additional Variables
• Appendix I Correlations and Trajectories in Bohmian Theory
• Appendix J Models for Spontaneous Reduction of the State Vector
• Appendix K Consistent Families of Histories
• Appendix L Attractive Schrodinger Dynamics
• References
• Index