Quantum Reflections

Eminent physicists and philosophers (including Penrose, Shimony and Aspect) discuss the foundations of quantum mechanics.

John Ellis (Edited by), Daniele Amati (Edited by)

9780521630085, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 August 2000

218 pages, 44 b/w illus. 2 tables
24.4 x 17 x 1.4 cm, 0.55 kg

Review of the hardback: 'The editors have managed to put together a book honouring John Bell written by people who are not only world-class physicists themselves, but who are all people one would refer to as Menschen - people of great humanity. This makes the book an especially fitting tribute to a man whose humanity was an intrinsic part of his greatness.' Daniel Greenberger, Nature

This volume introduces some of the basic philosophical and conceptual questions underlying the formulation of quantum mechanics, one of the most baffling and far-reaching aspects of modern physics. The book consists of articles by leading thinkers in this field, who have been inspired by the profound work of the late John Bell. Some of the deepest issues concerning the nature of physical reality are debated, including the theory of physical measurements, how to test quantum mechanics, and how classical and quantum physics are related. This book will be of interest to students with a background in quantum physics, who wish to explore in more detail its philosophical aspects, practising scientists who are not content with blindly applying the rules of quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the philosophy of physics.

Foreword D. Amati and J. Ellis
Biographical notes on John S. Bell M. Bell
1. On Bell Non-locality without probabilities: some curious geometry R. Penrose
2. Reality in neutron interference experiments H. Rauch
3. Testing Bell's inequalities A. Aspect
4. Beyond conventional quantum mechanics G. Ghirardi
5. Quantum effects in accelerator physics J. M. Leinaas
6. New Aspects of Bell's theorem A. Shimony
7. Does quantum mechanics carry the seeds of its own destruction? K. Gottfried
8. John Bell and the moral aspect of quantum mechanics K. Gottfried and N. D. Mermin
9. Remembering John Bell R. Jackiw.

Subject Areas: Quantum physics [quantum mechanics & quantum field theory PHQ]