How can a philosopher know Quantum?

[jamalkoiyess]

My friend is a philosopher professor and he is searching for a way to know Quantum mechanics since he is very passionate about physics (his field is Aesthetics by the way). What do you recommend as a series of books for him to be able to know a decent level of QM. He has a background in calculus only. Please choose the easiest resources since he is really not mathematical, but he will do all his efforts.

 

[eigenmax]

Leonard Susskind's "Quantum Mechanics", or "Quantum Mechanics for Dummies", are good.

 

[vanhees71]

For someone indulged in the study of Aesthetics, you should point him to Noether's theorem and symmetries in physics. This shows that physics is in fact a highly aesthetical subject. Its beauty, however, gets only revealed with the adequate level of math. Susskind's book is a good choice to begin with.

 

[Demystifier]

For someone indulged in the study of Aesthetics, you should point him to Noether's theorem and symmetries in physics.

That reminds me of a joke:
Two young theoretical physicists are talking about girls.
- I am dating a perfectly beautiful girl.
- Really?
- Yes, she can be accurately described by only one parameter.

 

[Lord Jestocost]

I recommend "Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness" by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner.

 

[jamalkoiyess]

I recommend "Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness" by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner.

Is it technical or descriptive?

 

[Lord Jestocost]

Have a look at: http://quantumenigma.com/

 

[Buffu]

That reminds me of a joke:
Two young theoretical physicists are talking about girls.
- I am dating a perfectly beautiful girl.
- Really?
- Yes, she can be accurately described by only one parameter.

I did not get the joke :((, Can you please explain it to me ?

 

[Demystifier]

I did not get the joke :((, Can you please explain it to me ?

”Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. You understand it better but the frog dies in the process.”
E.B. White

 

[UsableThought]

I recommend "Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness" by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner.

But see this page describing what seems to be the book's purpose: http://quantumenigma.com/controversy/

The OP's friend is already a philosopher, yes; but should he be recommended a book that is apparently most interested in speculating about the role of consciousness?

 

[jamalkoiyess]

What he wants is a technical intro. He knows all the pop science behind the theory. Please recommend textbooks

 

[Lord Jestocost]

What he wants is a technical intro. He knows all the pop science behind the theory. Please recommend textbooks

There is an entry Quantum Mechanics in the „Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy“: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm/
Check the bibliography!

 

[narcissus_papyra]

Leonard Susskind's "Quantum Mechanics", or "Quantum Mechanics for Dummies", are good.

Watched the first lecture
His way of explaining is cool I liked it
But I think I didn't cope with the curriculum he's teaching

 

[eigenmax]

Watched the first lecture
His way of explaining is cool I liked it
But I think I didn't cope with the curriculum he's teaching

Quantum Physics for Dummies is rather good.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

”Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. You understand it better but the frog dies in the process.”
E.B. White

E.B. White assumes that the frog was alive in the process of dissection.

That's the problem with theoretical physicists, "hidden assumptions". :-)

 

[Buffu]

”Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. You understand it better but the frog dies in the process.”
E.B. White

I prefer sacrifice of few frogs to save others.

 

[OCR]

Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. You understand it better but the frog dies in the process.

You and "E. B." might have to do a little more explaining, Demystifier...

I prefer sacrifice of few frogs to save others.

E.B. White assumes that the frog was alive in the process of dissection.

That's the problem with theoretical physicists, "hidden assumptions". :-)

OK, now guys... this was just a little pun foking fun poking ...

 

[jamalkoiyess]

You and "E. B." might have to do a little more explaining, Demystifier...

OK, now guys... this was just a little pun foking fun poking ...

Thats too many frogs for a physics forum.

 

[vanhees71]

Have a look at: http://quantumenigma.com/

This is hopeless. They praise the book not to use mathematical formulae. That's the worst you can say about a book on quantum theory. Quantum theory is not possible to be formulated without math, and if philosophers want to have a chance to understand QT they have to learn tha math as anybody else. Usually what philsophers tend to produce with regard to the hard sciences, particularly quantum physics, is bad enough. You shouldn't mislead them by claiming to be able to formulate QT without math!

 

[jamalkoiyess]

This is hopeless. They praise the book not to use mathematical formulae. That's the worst you can say about a book on quantum theory. Quantum theory is not possible to be formulated without math, and if philosophers want to have a chance to understand QT they have to learn tha math as anybody else. Usually what philsophers tend to produce with regard to the hard sciences, particularly quantum physics, is bad enough. You shouldn't mislead them by claiming to be able to formulate QT without math!

He wants math. That is all what this post is about. I want you to give me a list of books that he can follow to be able at the end to tackle a quantum mechanics textbook. Linear algebra, calculus, maybe classical mechanics. Anything! As long as the end is a clear , mathematical, and 100% correct understanding of the quantum mechanics.

 

[Lord Jestocost]

This is hopeless. They praise the book not to use mathematical formulae. That's the worst you can say about a book on quantum theory. Quantum theory is not possible to be formulated without math, and if philosophers want to have a chance to understand QT they have to learn tha math as anybody else. Usually what philsophers tend to produce with regard to the hard sciences, particularly quantum physics, is bad enough. You shouldn't mislead them by claiming to be able to formulate QT without math!

The intention of the book "Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness" is a simple one: The authors bring out the experimental facts which show that the world is different in its nature than many think (even after they have studied quantum mechanics in detail and know all the math). The authors show that quantum mechanics easily accounts for every single one of these facts, and that it does so completely. That's all, where is the problem?

I have recommended this book as a good start for for a professor of philosophy who is searching for a way to know Quantum mechanics.

 

[narcissus_papyra]

Quantum Physics for Dummies is rather good.

If this is what you meant
Then it's indeed fantastic
Thanks

There is an entry Quantum Mechanics in the „Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy“: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm/
Check the bibliography!

 

[eigenmax]

If this is what you meant
Then it's indeed fantastic
Thanks

No, I meant the book, by Steven Holzner, it's far more mathematical than the video, and presents a more complete picture. Hope he enjoys it.

 

[Demystifier]

Thats too many frogs for a physics forum.

This thread should be moved to biology subforum.

 

[Lord Jestocost]

He wants math. That is all what this post is about. I want you to give me a list of books that he can follow to be able at the end to tackle a quantum mechanics textbook. Linear algebra, calculus, maybe classical mechanics. Anything! As long as the end is a clear , mathematical, and 100% correct understanding of the quantum mechanics.

There are a lot of online lecture notes from various universities addressing the mathematics you are looking for. Nevertheless, he should begin with tackling a standard quantum mechanics textbook, e. g., R. Shankar's "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" or L. Susskind's "Quantum Mechanics". The math skills can be acquired as needed using the appropriate lecture notes.

 

[david2]

Talking about Leonard Susskind

I recently posted lectures of him here:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/physics-learning-resources.825111/page-2

last post

maybe you find some topics interesting

oh you wanted books. don't know any.

 

[Zurvan]

Well depending on how he wants to approach it, Griffiths and Shankar would be pretty good intros along with "Modern Physics" by Tipler as the starting point. And if he wants a Quantum technical book WITH philosophy then I suggest the books by Michael Epperson and Timothy Eastman. I don't know if your friend knows about Alfred North Whitehead but those books blends the mathematical structures with Whitehead's process philosophy pretty well.