A Philosopher's Understanding of Quantum Mechanics: Possibilities and Impossibilities of a Modal Interpretation - Softcover

Vermaas, Pieter E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521675677 ISBN 13: 9780521675673

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2005

Synopsis

Modal interpretations provide a general framework within which quantum mechanics can be considered as a theory that describes reality in terms of physical systems possessing definite properties. Modal interpretations are relatively new attempts to present quantum mechanics as a theory which, like other physical theories, describes an observer-independent reality. In this book, Pieter Vermaas details the results of this work. He provides both an accessible survey and a systematic reference work about how to understand quantum mechanics using a modal interpretation. The book will be of great value to undergraduates, graduate students and researchers in philosophy of science and physics departments with an interest in learning about modal interpretations of quantum mechanics.

About this title

Review

'... the strengths of this book are its clear, detailed exposition of the quantum formalism, and the way in which issues of interpretation are related back to this formalism ... the book is very mathematical.' Rachel Wallace Garden, Zentralblatt für Mathematik

Book Description

This book is both an accessible survey and a systematic reference work about how to understand quantum mechanics using a modal interpretation. Modal interpretations provide a general framework within which quantum mechanics can be considered as a theory that describes reality in terms of physical systems possessing definite properties.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521675677
• ISBN 13: 9780521675673
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 308