Customer Reviews

Philosophic Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (Dover Books on Physics)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Reichenbach's book is a classic text, the first (I think) to focus on the philosophical aspects of quantum mechanics. Since it was written around the time that quantum mechanics was born, it does not deal with modern discussion on the subject. Reichenbach does solid work, however, and this is a valuable resource for anyone interested in these issues.

The book has three sections. The first is an overview of his conclusions and the implications of quantum mechanics. This section is lucid and relatively non-technical, it should be intelligible to anyone. The second section is an in-depth technical introduction to the formalism of quantum mechanics. Anyone, if determined enough, could get through this part, though it's pretty hairy going for those without a formal background in physics or mathematics. In the last section, he reaches his conclusions and introduces a system of logic to deal with the truth value of propositions about quantum mechanics.