The discussion revolves around the readability and quality of the book "Quantum Field Theory for Mathematicians" by Robin Ticciati, particularly in comparison to other introductory texts on quantum field theory (QFT). Participants share their experiences, challenges, and prerequisites for understanding the material presented in the book.
There is no consensus on the clarity and accessibility of the book. While some participants advocate for its quality, others express uncertainty about its readability for beginners and the effectiveness of its explanations.
Participants note varying levels of mathematical maturity and background knowledge, which may influence their ability to engage with the book's content. The discussion highlights the importance of prerequisites, but does not resolve the question of the book's overall clarity.
George Jones said:At this level, I prefer Quantum Field Theory for Mathematicians by Robin Ticciti. This is an excellent quantum field theory book, and, in spite of its title, is not a tome on axiomatic quantum field theory, or a book that emphasizes mathematical rigour. Its presentation is, however, a little less fuzzy than presentations in many other books. It shows how to calculate physical things like cross sections, and is a serious competitor for standard works like Peskin and Schroeder. I wish this book had been available when I was a grad student!
smodak said:Ok. I purchased the book. However, I am having a hard time following what the author is even trying to explain. It could be the language or my mathematical immaturity - I have no idea. I guess I will just keep trying...
For example, can anybody tell me what the author is trying to say and the logic behind what he is saying in the following two paragraphs?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ALdh4vV7PwsT6dQz2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o12tObtXHnmLMI1W2
I am pretty sure I do not have the prerequisite to read this book effectively, but I can't help but thinking, the presentation may be quite fuzzy!
What background do I need to read and understand this book? I know QM (from Sakurai and a few others). I do understand SR and GR. However, I do not know much of group theory or lie algebra or a ton of Hilbert Space formalism.
If you are looking for a context in which the author explains the paragraphs that I mentioned, you could look at this excerpt.
http://www.beck-shop.de/fachbuch/leseprobe/9780521632652_Excerpt_001.pdf
Thanks. Still I am no longer sure the book is written in a clear language or suitable for a beginner.Buffu said:From the aforementioned book :
The prerequisites for this presentations are (1) familiarity with Hilbert-space formalism of quantum mechanics (2) assimilation of basic principles of special relativity (3) a goodly measure of mathematical maturity
Concerning your physics questions, I suggest you ask in the QT forum. For a quite elementary treatment of the representation theory of the Poincare group, see my QFT manuscript (Appendix B):smodak said:Ok. I purchased the book. However, I am having a hard time following what the author is even trying to explain. It could be the language or my mathematical immaturity - I have no idea. I guess I will just keep trying...
For example, can anybody tell me what the author is trying to say and the logic behind what he is saying in the following two paragraphs?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ALdh4vV7PwsT6dQz2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o12tObtXHnmLMI1W2
I am pretty sure I do not have the prerequisite to read this book effectively, but I can't help but thinking, the presentation may be quite fuzzy!
What background do I need to read and understand this book? I know QM (from Sakurai and a few others). I do understand SR and GR. However, I do not know much of group theory or lie algebra or a ton of Hilbert Space formalism.
If you are looking for a context in which the author explains the paragraphs that I mentioned, you could look at this excerpt.
http://www.beck-shop.de/fachbuch/leseprobe/9780521632652_Excerpt_001.pdf
Thank you!vanhees71 said:Concerning your physics questions, I suggest you ask in the QT forum. For a quite elementary treatment of the representation theory of the Poincare group, see my QFT manuscript (Appendix B):
https://th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de/~hees/publ/lect.pdf
Another very good book for preparation of learning relativistic QFT is
Sexl, Urbandtke, Relativity, Groups, Particles, Springer Verlag