The Everett Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics (eBook)

Collected Works 1955-1980 with Commentary

Jeffrey A. Barrett, Peter Byrne (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2012
392 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-1-4008-4274-2 (ISBN)

Infos

Hugh Everett III was an American physicist best known for his many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, which formed the basis of his PhD thesis at Princeton University in 1957. Although counterintuitive, Everett's revolutionary formulation of quantum mechanics offers the most direct solution to the infamous quantum measurement problem--that is, how and why the singular world of our experience emerges from the multiplicities of alternatives available in the quantum world. The many-worlds interpretation postulates the existence of multiple universes. Whenever a measurement-like interaction occurs, the universe branches into relative states, one for each possible outcome of the measurement, and the world in which we find ourselves is but one of these many, but equally real, possibilities. Everett's challenge to the orthodox interpretation of quantum mechanics was met with scorn from Niels Bohr and other leading physicists, and Everett subsequently abandoned academia to conduct military operations research. Today, however, Everett's formulation of quantum mechanics is widely recognized as one of the most controversial but promising physical theories of the last century. In this book, Jeffrey Barrett and Peter Byrne present the long and short versions of Everett's thesis along with a collection of his explanatory writings and correspondence. These primary source documents, many of them newly discovered and most unpublished until now, reveal how Everett's thinking evolved from his days as a graduate student to his untimely death in 1982. This definitive volume also features Barrett and Byrne's introductory essays, notes, and commentary that put Everett's extraordinary theory into historical and scientific perspective and discuss the puzzles that still remain.

Autor

Jeffrey A. Barrett is professor of logic and philosophy of science at the University of California, Irvine. Peter Byrne is an award-winning investigative reporter and science writer.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 20.5.2012
• Zusatzinfo: 44 halftones.
• Verlagsort: Princeton
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Quantenphysik
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Abbreviation • affair • Amplitude • Analogy • Axiom • Bayesian probability • Boris Podolsky • Bryce DeWitt • Calculation • Causal theory • classical electromagnetism • Classical Field Theory • classical language • classical mechanics • Classical physics • coefficient • Complete theory • conditional expectation • Conditional probability distribution • Consistent Histories • Contemporary Physics • Continuity equation • Contradiction • Copenhagen Interpretation • Copernican heliocentrism • Cosmology • counterexample • David Bohm • David Deutsch • de Broglie–Bohm theory • Degeneracy (mathematics) • Degrees of freedom (mechanics) • Eigenfunction • Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors • Einstein Field Equations • Electric Field • Electromagnetic field • electromagnetism • elementary particle • Energy operator • Enrico Fermi • ergodic theory • Expectation value (quantum mechanics) • Experimental Physics • Explanation • General relativity • Hidden variable theory • hilbert space • His Family • Hugh Everett III • hydrogen atom • hydrogen cyanide • Information Theory • Instant • Interpretations of quantum mechanics • Introduction to quantum mechanics • jaynes • John Archibald Wheeler • Joint probability distribution • language interpretation • Lebesgue measure • Linearity • Many-worlds interpretation • Markov Chain • Materialism • Mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics • mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics • Mathematics • Maxwell's equations • Measurement • Measurement in quantum mechanics • measurement problem • Measure problem (cosmology) • Mechanic • Mechanics • Modern Physics • Nathan Rosen • Neutrino • Newton's laws of motion • Niels Bohr • Note (typography) • Nuclear warfare • nuclear weapon • Objective Probability • Objectivity (science) • Observable • Ontology • Orthonormal basis • Orthonormality • Particle accelerator • Particle physics • Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics • Phase space • phenomenon • Philosopher • philosophy of science • Physical law • physicist • Physics • physics today • Positivism • Predicate (mathematical logic) • Prediction • Princeton University Press • Probability • Probability Distribution • probability measure • Probability Theory • Projection (linear algebra) • Quantity • Quantum Computing • quantum correlation • Quantum Cosmology • quantum decoherence • quantum dynamics • quantum entanglement • quantum field theory • Quantum Gravity • quantum mechanics • Quantum number • quantum realm • quantum state • quantum superposition • quantum system • Radioactive fallout • renormalization • Requirement • result • Reversible process (thermodynamics) • Riemannian Geometry • Schrödinger equation • Science • Science and Hypothesis • scientific notation • scientific theory • Scientist • Special relativity • Spin (physics) • State function • State Space • Statistical Mechanics • Stern–Gerlach experiment • Stochastic process • Stokes' theorem • Suggestion • superposition principle • Theorem • theoretical physics • theory • the quantum universe • Thesis • Uncertainty • Unitary Operator • unitary transformation • Universal wavefunction • Variable (mathematics) • Washington State University • wave equation • wave function • Wave function collapse • Wave Packet • Werner Heisenberg • Wigner's friend
• ISBN-10: 1-4008-4274-3 / 1400842743
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4008-4274-2 / 9781400842742