Ancient atomism introduced to save determinism. Lucretius: the laws of motion and the 'swerve' to save Atomism. Descartes' program: deterministic kinematics. Newton's tactic: determinism by embedding. Hidden variables and cosmic holism. The difficulties of defining determinism; its proper formulation.
Possibility of an indeterministic universe. Causality in an indeterministic universe. Principle of the Common Cause. Bell's Inequalities: preliminary discussion. Common causes as hidden variables. The proof of Bell's Inequalities from t hree premises about causality.
Two slit interference: thought experiments and actual experiments. What are the conceptual implications? The Mixing Principle for probabilities. Two classical principles and their apparent (?) violation.
1st report due Fri Feb 27 2-3 pp
The strange story of the photo-electric effect. Polarization and probability.
Greenstein & Zajonc, Ch. 5
The paper by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen. How is EPR related to the Bell Inequalities? What sorts of explanations are (in principle) available? "Two sides of a single coin" explanations do not work. Sinister consequences and spooky ac tion at a distance? Impossibility of the Bell telephone.
states, pure and mixed; observables, incompatibility; probability models
Concept of state. Mixed states defined; superpositions defined. The differences between pure and mixed states. Non-unique decomposition of mixtures. Ignorance interpretation of mixtures: first refutation. What is an observable? The prep aration criterion. Heisenberg's thought experiment and its misinterpretations. Compatibility and incompatibility.
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2nd report due Mon Mar 30 3-4 pp
How to study an equation of motion: change and invariance. Motivation for the Postulates. Consequences for evolution of pure states. New concept: transition probability. How to study interaction. Classical probability models with compos ition. Basic principles for composition of observables and pure states. Mixing and composition combined. The 'holism' of quantum states. Ignorance interpretation of mixtures: second refutation.
Greenstein & Zajonc, Ch. 7
The cat as measuring instrument. Schroedinger's equation and effective correlation of observables. The states of cat, particle, and total system distinguished -- where is the superposition? What precisely is the measurement problem? The interpretation problem at the end of measurement.
Greenstein & Zajonc, Ch. 8
Von Neumann's choices. 'Deduction' of the collapse of the wave packet. The GRW model, as improvement/substitute for vN interpretation. Is there a profound difference between Macro and Micro-world? Quantum thermodynamics to the rescue? ' Decoherence' due to the environment; Superselection Rules. Can these proposals be empirically tested?
The Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI)-- interference between branches? Bohm, the Pilot Wave. Preliminary sketch of Bohm's interpretation. A crucial tension in Bohm's view. Why the initial disregard of Bohm's views? Bohm's solution for ho w to deal with incompatibility. Bohm and the Eigenstate-Eigenvalue Link.
Assumption of genuine indeterminism. Rejection of the Eigenstate-Eigenvalue Link. Extent of determinism. How the values of observables are constrained. Relative possibility; composite systems. Measurement and probability; application to Schroedinger's Cat.
The spectrum of interpretations -- what is the value of an interpretation? What attitude can we have toward interpretations? Patterns of choice in interpretation
Tues May 12 Dean's date -- paper due 8-10 pages
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Books on Reserve (Firestone)
BIBLIOGRAPHY: The Firestone Reserve Room has been requested to place the following books
on reserve.
A. GENERAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL
- Albert, D. Quantum Mechanics and Experience. QC39.A4 1992
- Baggott, J. The Meaning of Quantum Theory. QC174.12 B34 1992
- Colodny, R.G. (ed), Frontiers of science and philosophy. Q174.F76
- Colodny, R.G., et al. (ed), From quarks to quasars. QC6.F76
- Cushing, J.T., McMullin, E. (ed.), Philosophical consequences of quantum theory: reflections on Bell's theory. QC174.12.P43
- Cushing, J.T.et al. Science and reality. Q175.3.S3, 1984.
- Earman, John A primer on determinism. QC6.4.D46 E27 1986
- Fine, Arthur The shaky game : Einstein, realism, and the quantum theory. QC6 .F54 1986
- Jammer, Max, The conceptual development of quantum mechanics. QC174.12.J26
- McLaughlin, R., (ed), What? where? when? why? Q175.3.W48, 1982
- B. ADVANCED
- Beltrametti, E.G., van Fraassen, B.C., Current issues in quantum logic. QC174.17.M35 W67, 1979
- Halmos, Paul R., Finite-dimensional vector spaces. QA186.H34
- Healey, Richard The philosophy of quantum mechanics. QC174.12 .H43
- Hooker, A., Physical theory as logico-operational structure. QC174.12.P45
- Hughes, R. I. G. The Structure and Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. QC174.12.H82 1989
- Lahti, P., Mittelstaedt, P. (ed), Symposium on the Foundations of Modern Physics: 50 Years of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Gedankenexperiment, QC173.96.S96, 1985.
- Lahti, P., Mittelstaedt. P. (ed), Symposium on the Foundations of Modern Physics, 1987: the Copenhagen interpretation 60 years after Como lecture, QC173.96.S955
- Maudlin, T. Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity. QC6.M3612 1994
- Mittelstaedt, P., Stachow, E-W. (ed), Recent developments in quantum logic. QC174.17.M35 S95, 1984
- Redhead, M Incompleteness, nonlocality, and realism. Fine Hall Lib. (SM) QC174.12 .R43 1987
- Van Fraassen, B. C. Quantum Mechanics, An Empiricist View QC174.12 V34 1991
- Wheeler, J.A., Zurek, W.H., Quantum theory and measurement. QC174.125.Q38
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