Quantum Dialogue: The Making of a Revolution (Science and Its Conceptual Foundations series) - Softcover

Beller, Mara

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226041824 ISBN 13: 9780226041827

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2001

Synopsis

"Science is rooted in conversations," wrote Werner Heisenberg, one of the twentieth century's great physicists. In Quantum Dialogue, Mara Beller shows that science is rooted not just in conversation but in disagreement, doubt, and uncertainty. She argues that it is precisely this culture of dialogue and controversy within the scientific community that fuels creativity.

Beller draws her argument from her radical new reading of the history of the quantum revolution, especially the development of the Copenhagen interpretation. One of several competing approaches, this version succeeded largely due to the rhetorical skills of Niels Bohr and his colleagues. Using extensive archival research, Beller shows how Bohr and others marketed their views, misrepresenting and dismissing their opponents as "unreasonable" and championing their own not always coherent or well-supported position as "inevitable."

Quantum Dialogue, winner of the 1999 Morris D. Forkosch Prize of the Journal of the History of Ideas, will fascinate everyone interested in how stories of "scientific revolutions" are constructed and "scientific consensus" achieved.

"[A]n intellectually stimulating piece of work, energised by a distinct point of view."—Dipankar Home, Times Higher Education Supplement

"[R]emarkable and original. . . . [Beller's] arguments are thoroughly supported and her conclusions are meticulously argued. . . . This is an important book that all who are interested in the emergence of quantum mechanics will want to read."—William Evenson, History of Physics Newsletter

About this title

About the Author

Mara Beller is the Barbara Druss Dibner Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

From the Back Cover

Winner of the Morris D. Forkosch Prize of the Journal of the History of Ideas for Best Book on Intellectual History, 1999

"Science is rooted in conversations," wrote Werner Heisenberg, one of the twentieth century's great physicists; Quantum Dialogue shows us how often science is rooted not just in conversation but in disagreement, a culture that fuels scientific creativity. Using original correspondence, notebooks, and drafts of talks and published papers, Beller reveals how world-famous scientists promoted their views by dismissing their opponents as "unreasonable" and championing their own not-always-coherent positions as "inevitable." Quantum Dialogue provides a revision of the accepted history of the quantum revolution, proposes a new approach to the history and philosophy of science, and will surely fascinate anyone interested in how "scientific revolutions" are constructed and "scientific consensus" is achieved.

From the Inside Flap

Winner of the Morris D. Forkosch Prize of the Journal of the History of Ideas for Best Book on Intellectual History, 1999

"Science is rooted in conversations," wrote Werner Heisenberg, one of the twentieth century's great physicists; Quantum Dialogue shows us how often science is rooted not just in conversation but in disagreement, a culture that fuels scientific creativity. Using original correspondence, notebooks, and drafts of talks and published papers, Beller reveals how world-famous scientists promoted their views by dismissing their opponents as "unreasonable" and championing their own not-always-coherent positions as "inevitable." Quantum Dialogue provides a revision of the accepted history of the quantum revolution, proposes a new approach to the history and philosophy of science, and will surely fascinate anyone interested in how "scientific revolutions" are constructed and "scientific consensus" is achieved.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226041824
• ISBN 13: 9780226041827
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 390