What Is Real? (the Unfinished Quest For The Meaning Of Quantum Physics)

By (author) Adam Becker; By (author) Becker Adam
Short description/annotation
The untold story of the heretical thinkers who challenged the establishment to rethink quantum physics and the nature of reality
Description
Every physicist agrees quantum mechanics is among humanity''s finest scientific achievements. But ask what it means, and the result will be a brawl. For a century, most physicists have followed Niels Bohr''s Copenhagen interpretation and dismissed questions about the reality underlying quantum physics as meaningless. A mishmash of solipsism and poor reasoning, Copenhagen endured, as Bohr''s students vigorously protected his legacy, and the physics community favoured practical experiments over philosophical arguments. As a result, questioning the status quo long meant professional ruin. And yet, from the 1920s to today, physicists like John Bell, David Bohm, and Hugh Everett persisted in seeking the true meaning of quantum mechanics. What is Real? is the gripping story of this battle of ideas and the courageous scientists who dared to stand up for truth.
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A thorough, illuminating exploration of the most consequential controversy raging in modern science . . . Becker leads us through an impressive account of the rise of competing interpretations, grounding them in the human stories, which are naturally messy and full of contingencies. He makes a convincing case that it''s wrong to imagine the Copenhagen interpretation as a single official or even coherent statement
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[A] fresh debut . . . Vivid biographical portraits enliven even dense theoretical explanations with wit and bite . . . With his crisp voice, Becker lucidly relates the complicated history of quantum foundations
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A useful introduction to the history of quantum theory for scientifically inclined readers
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...an impressive account of the rise of competing interpretations, grounding them in the human stories, which are naturally messy and full of contingencies. He makes a convincing case that it''s wrong to imagine the Copenhagen interpretation as a single official or even coherent statement.
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Becker handles the physics with aplomb... The cast is colourful and expansive, and provides engaging drama... The subtext running through this hugely enjoyable book is that, if we still have a long way to go before we understand reality... The story so far is of dazzling insights, flawed male scientists - and very few female ones. It''s a key acknowledgement that should help to ensure that writing the next chapters of the quantum tale is open to all.
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Adam Becker has written an excellent, accessible account of an intricate story.
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What Is Real? is an argument for keeping an open mind. Becker reminds us that we need humility as we investigate the myriad interpretations and narratives that explain the same data.
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Becker has done a great service in putting this fascinating story together into a single easily-digestible volume that is gripping, authoritative, and true.
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[A] tremendously appealing new book ...Becker is a perfect choice to make sense of it all (or at least whatever sense is possible). He smoothly, easily dramatizes the great debates and the outsized personalities of quantum physics and fits it all into an enthusiastic, readable narrative, and along the way he digresses wonderfully on a wide variety of scientific phenomena.
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Adam Becker sets out to explore why the physics community is still arguing today about quantum mechanics''s true meaning...A riveting storyteller, Becker brings to life physicists who have too long remained in the shadow of Bohr and Einstein...an engaging and accessible overview of the d