Best Book on the Interpretations of Quantum?

[Geremia]

What is the best book that covers all the various interpretations of quantum mechanics? Thanks

 

[Meir Achuz]

Dirac has the correct interpretation. I don't know which book best covers the various wrong interpretations.

 

[jokkon]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/069108131X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

this one only talks about Everett's Many worlds interpretation but its one of the most interesting one :D

a quick search on amazon.com and got this
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0691036691/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Take a look at the contents see if its what you want

 

[xristy]

The most comprehensive book on interpretations (NB not a singe interpretation but the most well known ones) is Max Jammer's https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471439584/?tag=pfamazon01-20. It's out of print but used copies are available (if pricy) and of course it should be in most reasonable libraries.

 

[Geremia]

Dirac has the correct interpretation.

In his http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10194741"?

 

[Geremia]

The most comprehensive book on interpretations (NB not a singe interpretation but the most well known ones) is Max Jammer's https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471439584/?tag=pfamazon01-20. It's out of print but used copies are available (if pricy) and of course it should be in most reasonable libraries.

$624.93! Wow, I will have to find it in a library. Thank you, though

 

[xristy]

There are used copies for much less

 

[Geremia]

Dirac has the correct interpretation.

His seems to be an instrumentalist. From his Principles of Quantum Mechanics pg. 10, when discussing the superposition of a photon into different polarization states, mentions that

the main object of physical science is not the provision of pictures, but is the formulation of laws governing phenomena and the application of these laws to the discovery of new phenomena. If a picture exists, so much the better; but whether a picture exists or not is a matter of only secondary importance. [...] One may, however, extend the meaning of 'picture' to include any way of looking at the fundamental laws which makes their self-consistency obvious.

[...]

t may be remarked that for many simple experiments with light, an elementary theory of waves and photons connected in a vague statistical way would be adequate to account for the results. In the case of such experiments quantum mechanics has no further information to give.

 

[Geremia]

The most comprehensive book on interpretations (NB not a singe interpretation but the most well known ones) is Max Jammer's https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471439584/?tag=pfamazon01-20. It's out of print but used copies are available (if pricy) and of course it should be in most reasonable libraries.

I talked to a professor at the U. of Arizona, and he said all these book are better than Jammer's:

I would suggest three books, each with different virtues. David Albert's "Quantum Mechanics and Experience" is short and philosophically provocative, though ahistorical and a bit idiosyncratic in style. Andrew Whitaker's "Einstein, Bohr and the Quantum Dilemma" is fair and comprehensive, and includes lots of history. Giancarlo Ghirardi's "Sneaking a Look at God's Cards" is more elementary, interesting and generally reliable, but not so good philosophically.

 

[xristy]

based on the OP

What is the best book that covers all the various interpretations of quantum mechanics?

Jammer, among the books that have been thus far mentioned in this thread, is the only one that actually meets the criteria set out; although, Whitaker does have some coverage in a chapter of other interpretations.

Apparently in discussions with the professor at U. of Arizona some other criteria were elicited that resulted in the three recommendations that you mentioned. Since you're around U. Arizona you can surely look at all these and if you're more towards history and the arising of the currently dominant view of QM then perhaps https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198519974/?tag=pfamazon01-20 might also be of interest.

 

[Geremia]

professor at U. of Arizona

He also said Whitaker's is the most mathematical out of the three he recommended. Also, he said:

There are more mathematical books by Redhead "Incompleteness, Nonlocality and Realism" and R.I.G. Hughes "The Structure and Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics". But, good as these are, these offer only partial coverage of different interpretations.

 

[George Jones]

based on the OP Jammer, among the books that have been thus far mentioned in this thread, is the only one that actually meets the criteria set out; although, Whitaker does have some coverage in a chapter of other interpretations.

Jammer is a very good book, but it was published in 1974, and thus has nothing about more modern interpretations and refinements of intrepretations (Hartle, Griffiths (Not that Griffiths!), Omnes, Zurek, etc.). Also, many foundational experiments have been performed since 1974.

I like Whitaker, but I think that he favours Bohm's interpretation. I also like Hughes, but I, too, don't think that it is the book for which you are looking. There is a nice sentence in Hughes's preface:

Having thus outlined my program and declared my allegiances, I leave the reader to decide whether to proceed further, or to open another beer, or both.

I have not looked at Entanglement, Information, and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics by Gregg Jaeger,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/3540921273/?tag=pfamazon01-20,

but it appears to be interesting.

Before reading any of these, I recommend reading the short book Lectures on Quantum Theory: Mathematical and Structural Foundations by C. J. Isham,

http://www.worldscibooks.com/etextbook/p001/p001_toc.pdf

cover to cover. Some of it will be review, but it will give you a fresh perspective on many things.

 

[Geremia]

How do you guys like http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00003321/" ? A philosopher of physics recommended it to me, saying it is the best.

 

[atyy]

Aharonov and Rohrlich's "Quantum Paradoxes: A Guide for the Perplexed" is quite fun. Doesn't cover all interpretations, but does treat many worlds which they dislike, but acknowledge to be correct.

 

[Landau]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1402009321/?tag=pfamazon01-20 by de Muynck seems pretty interesting. Does anyone know this book?

 

[gabrielh]

A good introductory text to the subject would be http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Qu...m/e/9780195342505/?itm=1&USRI=quantum+enigma" by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner. The book discusses the basics of physics needed to gain a decent understanding of quantum mechanics, as well as the historical aspects that led scientists to embrace quantum mechanics. Plenty of diagrams and analogies aid in the understanding of the topic.

Though not centrally focused on Quantum Mechanics, http://http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Quantum-Enigma/Bruce-Rosenblum/e/9780195342505/?itm=1&USRI=quantum+enigma" by Briane Greene discusses the topic in depth in a few chapters, also explaining and presenting evidence for String Theory. A bit of a read compared to the previous text I mentioned, but a good one nonetheless.