Albert Einstein & Quantum Mechanics

[jhooper3581]

Okay, I have heard that Albert Einstein wasn't really into this whole idea of quantum mechanics. What was some of the reasons for this?

 

[maverick_starstrider]

He didn't like the probabilistic interpretation of it among more technical problems. He was also bothered by things like the EPR paradox and felt that there must be a hidden variable theory (although later, local hidden variables theories were determined to be impossible). In general, basically all of his specific objections have been smoothed over since then.

 

[jhooper3581]

Okay, thanks for the reply! I'm very confident that physics will get advanced as time goes by.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

Okay, thanks for the reply! I'm very confident that physics will get advanced as time goes by.

Advanced from what? Look around you. We're in the digital age, the age that quantum built. Quantum mechanics gave us the transistor, electronics, LCD screens, lasers, etc.

 

[sokrates]

I don't think that QM "gave us" the transistor... What specific QM idea is involved in the goold old Schokley BJT ?!

Of course, solid state built up on QM, but it's like saying Newton gave us the big-bang theory...

 

[maverick_starstrider]

I don't think that QM "gave us" the transistor... What specific QM idea is involved in the goold old Schokley BJT ?!

Of course, solid state built up on QM, but it's like saying Newton gave us the big-bang theory...

Well you need quantum to get condensed and solid state and get quasi-particle treatment of holes and such. I mean all of our understanding of semiconductors comes from quantum. A quantum particle in an infinite, vanishly weak periodic potential basically.

 

[ngjingyi]

he said that probability was not physics at all... am i right?

 

[Bob_for_short]

he said that probability was not physics at all... am i right?

He believed that one could do without probabilities, in a deterministic way.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

he said that probability was not physics at all... am i right?

well he said "God does not play dice with the universe".

 

[Zarqon]

well he said "God does not play dice with the universe".

to which Niels Bohr replied "Stop telling God what to do with his dice."

 

[Dmitry67]

Unfortunately Einstein did not know other interpretations.

 

[pep_i]

Advanced from what? Look around you. We're in the digital age, the age that quantum built. Quantum mechanics gave us the transistor, electronics, LCD screens, lasers, etc.

Man are you saying....Physics will always grow.Such are wonderful yes but as they been perfected no. They are problems and there will always be problems

 

[pep_i]

well he said "God does not play dice with the universe".

Metaphysics can't be mixed with physics total foolishness.

 

[alxm]

I don't think that QM "gave us" the transistor... What specific QM idea is involved in the goold old Schokley BJT ?!

Plenty of QM was involved, the whole theoretical development was done on a basis of QM theory - what other theory was there? Go look at Shockley's and Bardeen's papers from 1947-50. Even when not using quantum theory explicitly, they were still working from it.

Of course, solid state built up on QM, but it's like saying Newton gave us the big-bang theory...

Equating those two things is a lot more far-fetched than saying transistors and solid state theory were a consequence of QM. About 250 years elapsed between the publication of Principia and the Big Bang theory. Quantum mechanics to the development of the transistor was about 20.