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Quantum Physics free of Folklore #4
Elements of REALITY: 1925-1935 - The Onset of an UNFINISHED Philosophical Struggle
This is a printed B & W Edition for the 4th book in the series 'Quantum Physics free of Folklore'. Besides lack of consensus among scientists/philosophers, there is passion and contention when it comes to interpreting Quantum Theory vis à vis our notion of REALITY. This book presents a novel interpretation, while clearly distinguishing it from the Copenhagen Interpretation, as well as from the Many-Worlds Interpretation defended by Sean Carroll in his recent book 'Something Deeply Hidden'.
In 2013, the camera in the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft captured Saturn's rings plus our 'pale blue dot' in the same frame (book's cover). At 1.2 million km near Saturn, an inanimate piece of silicon 1.4 billion km afar encoded our planet's existence. Remarkably, we were not the observers but the observed! Without our knowledge or volition, reflected light from Earth 'kicked' Cassini's image sensor. In turn, a digital representation of the image was transmitted back, 'kicking' the antennas on our planet. Whether those numbers reached Earth or not, the REALITY of our "lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark" was already 'etched' into the piece of silicon until its demise in 2017.
This book's objective is to deeply understand what the 100-year philosophical struggle regarding REALITY is all about. In the process, we will learn that:
1) Through sunglasses and a TV set, complex probability amplitude and phase for the state of a single micro-object seems natural to explain the macro-phenomena of intensity and interference. Born's probability rule is thereby justified. The Principle of Uncertainty is unrelated to measurement, uncertainty, and knowledge. The probability distribution for a physical attribute is far more fundamental than the values the attribute can adopt.
2) The notion of quantum spin is related to the Zeeman Effect and the Stern-Gerlach Experiment. Considering a physical interaction as an ordinary measurement is one of the main reasons behind the hogwash surrounding the so-called 'measurement problem'. The real spin property is the probability distribution of its two values, not the values themselves.
3) Schrödinger's Wave Mechanics and its Born's probabilistic interpretation have profound philosophical implications: locality in the configuration space implies nonlocality in our physical space. The miscalled 'interference of probabilities' is related to decoherence, to the reduction of the wavefunction, and to REALITY.
4) The Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality in complex vector spaces leads directly to the 'Principle of Uncertainty', proving it is not a Principle but a theorem and has nothing to do with the micro-object being disturbed, with measurement errors, or how much knowledge is attainable upon observation.
5) The real property of a qubit is the probability distribution of its values. When a 2-qubit system is in the singlet state, an event involving one qubit does influence the state of the entangled qubit at a distant location -- even if the two events are space-like. Quantum computers promise a novel kind of parallelism, with computational speed exponentially increasing with the number of qubits. A novel approach to safeguard confidential information was critically needed, and the solution turned out to be Quantum Cryptography.
6) A deep understanding of the EPR paper is crucial to grasp the century-long dispute about REALITY. Preconceptions regarding what a physical property is, the Principle of Locality, and the meaning of the 'Uncertainty Principle' populate the EPR paper. EPR conflates the joint reality of two noncommutative physical properties with 'predictability' and 'measurability' of their values. EPR believed the wavefunction did not provide a complete description of REALITY. They believed that such a theory was possible. Einstein was right: such a theory is in fact possible... at the immense cost of his being proven wrong on other front: any such theory must entail his worst nightmare (nonlocality)!
In 2013, the camera in the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft captured Saturn's rings plus our 'pale blue dot' in the same frame (book's cover). At 1.2 million km near Saturn, an inanimate piece of silicon 1.4 billion km afar encoded our planet's existence. Remarkably, we were not the observers but the observed! Without our knowledge or volition, reflected light from Earth 'kicked' Cassini's image sensor. In turn, a digital representation of the image was transmitted back, 'kicking' the antennas on our planet. Whether those numbers reached Earth or not, the REALITY of our "lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark" was already 'etched' into the piece of silicon until its demise in 2017.
This book's objective is to deeply understand what the 100-year philosophical struggle regarding REALITY is all about. In the process, we will learn that:
1) Through sunglasses and a TV set, complex probability amplitude and phase for the state of a single micro-object seems natural to explain the macro-phenomena of intensity and interference. Born's probability rule is thereby justified. The Principle of Uncertainty is unrelated to measurement, uncertainty, and knowledge. The probability distribution for a physical attribute is far more fundamental than the values the attribute can adopt.
2) The notion of quantum spin is related to the Zeeman Effect and the Stern-Gerlach Experiment. Considering a physical interaction as an ordinary measurement is one of the main reasons behind the hogwash surrounding the so-called 'measurement problem'. The real spin property is the probability distribution of its two values, not the values themselves.
3) Schrödinger's Wave Mechanics and its Born's probabilistic interpretation have profound philosophical implications: locality in the configuration space implies nonlocality in our physical space. The miscalled 'interference of probabilities' is related to decoherence, to the reduction of the wavefunction, and to REALITY.
4) The Cauchy-Schwarz Inequality in complex vector spaces leads directly to the 'Principle of Uncertainty', proving it is not a Principle but a theorem and has nothing to do with the micro-object being disturbed, with measurement errors, or how much knowledge is attainable upon observation.
5) The real property of a qubit is the probability distribution of its values. When a 2-qubit system is in the singlet state, an event involving one qubit does influence the state of the entangled qubit at a distant location -- even if the two events are space-like. Quantum computers promise a novel kind of parallelism, with computational speed exponentially increasing with the number of qubits. A novel approach to safeguard confidential information was critically needed, and the solution turned out to be Quantum Cryptography.
6) A deep understanding of the EPR paper is crucial to grasp the century-long dispute about REALITY. Preconceptions regarding what a physical property is, the Principle of Locality, and the meaning of the 'Uncertainty Principle' populate the EPR paper. EPR conflates the joint reality of two noncommutative physical properties with 'predictability' and 'measurability' of their values. EPR believed the wavefunction did not provide a complete description of REALITY. They believed that such a theory was possible. Einstein was right: such a theory is in fact possible... at the immense cost of his being proven wrong on other front: any such theory must entail his worst nightmare (nonlocality)!
324 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2019
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17 people want to read
About the author
Felix Alba-Juez
13 books32 followersFelix was born in Burgos (Spain) in 1948. In 1949, his parents settled in Necochea (Argentina) where he completed his elementary and high school education. In 1966 he moved to Bahía Blanca (Argentina) where he graduated in Electrical Engineering at the 'Universidad Nacional del Sur' (UNS). In 1971, he started his academic life as Teaching Assistant of Mathematics at the UNS and, from 1974 until to 1983, he was Adjunct, Associate, and Full Professor at the 'Universidad Nacional de San Juan' in San Juan, Argentina.
In 1983, he moved to Salt Lake City, USA as Postdoctoral Fellow and soon after Research Associate for the Department of Metallurgy at the University of Utah, conducting basic Research and Development on Optimal Control of Mineral Grinding Operations.
In 1987, he left Academia and founded his own consulting company working over the years with private companies and governmental entities as DuPont, ALCOA, US Department of Transportation, NASA, and Dow Chemical. His first patent was granted in 1992 in USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan, protecting a technology based on ultrasonic spectroscopy for measuring particle size in industrial suspensions and emulsions.
In the period 1997-2001, Felix developed a fundamental theory for the generic mathematical modeling of multiple scattering of optical and acoustical waves interacting with highly-concentrated suspensions and emulsions.
During 2001-2007, he developed a particle size analyzer based on optical spectroscopy, and commercialized a generic simulation software tool connectable to acoustic and optical spectrometers, so as to convert them into particle size analyzers. The patent for this generic technology was granted in 2007.
In 2008, Felix sold all his intellectual property to Agilent Technologies, Inc, and currently is a scientific consultant, and writes Popular Science books on Epistemology and Philosophy of Science in English and Spanish. His first book in Spanish on the Theory of Relativity was published in 2009 by the 'Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, S.A.' in Valencia (Spain).
Since October 2013, Felix is back to Academia as a Research Professor for the Department of Metallurgical Engineering of the University of Utah. He is also working on the e-series 'Quantum Physics free of Folklore' of which 'Records of the Future' is its first volume published in January 2013.
Félix Alba-Juez Nació en Burgos (España) en 1948. En 1949, sus padres se establecieron en Necochea (Argentina) donde completó su educación primaria y secundaria. En 1966 se trasladó a Bahía Blanca donde se graduó en Ingeniería Eléctrica en la Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) en 1974. Mientras fue estudiante, se desempeñó como Asistente de Docencia en el Departamento de Matemática de la UNS. Durante los años 1974 hasta 1983, fue Profesor Adjunto, Asociado, y Titular en la Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina.
En 1983, se trasladó a USA donde se desempeñó como 'Post-Doctoral Fellow' y luego 'Research Associate' en el Departamento de Metalurgia de la Universidad de Utah, conduciendo investigación básica en teoría del control óptimo, y asesorando a estudiantes de doctorado en el control óptimo de la molienda de minerales.
En 1987, se estableció como consultor independiente trabajando para entidades como DuPont, ALCOA, Dow Chemical, 'US Department of Transportation', y NASA. Su primera patente fue otorgada en 1992 en USA, Inglaterra, Francia, Alemania y Japón, protegiendo una tecnología de medición de tamaño de partícula basada en espectroscopia de ultrasonido.
Durante 1997-2001, desarrolló una nueva teoría física para modelar genéricamente la reflexión, refracción, difracción, y absorción múltiple de ondas ópticas y ultrasónicas interactuando con suspensiones altamente concentradas.
En el período 2001-2007, desarrolló un analizador de tamaño de partícula basado en espectroscopia óptica, y comercializó una herramienta de simulación genérica para conectar a espectrómetros
In 1983, he moved to Salt Lake City, USA as Postdoctoral Fellow and soon after Research Associate for the Department of Metallurgy at the University of Utah, conducting basic Research and Development on Optimal Control of Mineral Grinding Operations.
In 1987, he left Academia and founded his own consulting company working over the years with private companies and governmental entities as DuPont, ALCOA, US Department of Transportation, NASA, and Dow Chemical. His first patent was granted in 1992 in USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan, protecting a technology based on ultrasonic spectroscopy for measuring particle size in industrial suspensions and emulsions.
In the period 1997-2001, Felix developed a fundamental theory for the generic mathematical modeling of multiple scattering of optical and acoustical waves interacting with highly-concentrated suspensions and emulsions.
During 2001-2007, he developed a particle size analyzer based on optical spectroscopy, and commercialized a generic simulation software tool connectable to acoustic and optical spectrometers, so as to convert them into particle size analyzers. The patent for this generic technology was granted in 2007.
In 2008, Felix sold all his intellectual property to Agilent Technologies, Inc, and currently is a scientific consultant, and writes Popular Science books on Epistemology and Philosophy of Science in English and Spanish. His first book in Spanish on the Theory of Relativity was published in 2009 by the 'Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, S.A.' in Valencia (Spain).
Since October 2013, Felix is back to Academia as a Research Professor for the Department of Metallurgical Engineering of the University of Utah. He is also working on the e-series 'Quantum Physics free of Folklore' of which 'Records of the Future' is its first volume published in January 2013.
Félix Alba-Juez Nació en Burgos (España) en 1948. En 1949, sus padres se establecieron en Necochea (Argentina) donde completó su educación primaria y secundaria. En 1966 se trasladó a Bahía Blanca donde se graduó en Ingeniería Eléctrica en la Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) en 1974. Mientras fue estudiante, se desempeñó como Asistente de Docencia en el Departamento de Matemática de la UNS. Durante los años 1974 hasta 1983, fue Profesor Adjunto, Asociado, y Titular en la Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina.
En 1983, se trasladó a USA donde se desempeñó como 'Post-Doctoral Fellow' y luego 'Research Associate' en el Departamento de Metalurgia de la Universidad de Utah, conduciendo investigación básica en teoría del control óptimo, y asesorando a estudiantes de doctorado en el control óptimo de la molienda de minerales.
En 1987, se estableció como consultor independiente trabajando para entidades como DuPont, ALCOA, Dow Chemical, 'US Department of Transportation', y NASA. Su primera patente fue otorgada en 1992 en USA, Inglaterra, Francia, Alemania y Japón, protegiendo una tecnología de medición de tamaño de partícula basada en espectroscopia de ultrasonido.
Durante 1997-2001, desarrolló una nueva teoría física para modelar genéricamente la reflexión, refracción, difracción, y absorción múltiple de ondas ópticas y ultrasónicas interactuando con suspensiones altamente concentradas.
En el período 2001-2007, desarrolló un analizador de tamaño de partícula basado en espectroscopia óptica, y comercializó una herramienta de simulación genérica para conectar a espectrómetros
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 3, 2019
Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended.
The latest issue of a brilliant series of works by a gifted author, this volume represents a rare example of a serious, highly informative popular science publication that manages to deliver precise and mathematically accurate contents, all of this within the framework of an attractive, scientifically grounded, lucid philosophical standpoint.
Please note that basic prior exposure to the physics of quantum mechanics is recommended, as well as some familiarity with the themes previously treated by the author in his series.
In any case, if you are after a meaningful, accurate, accessible and philosophically coherent approach to some of the most important items of contention related to the interpretative issues of quantum physics, this book is a must-read: you might find yourself in only partial agreement with the author's position, but the coherence and cogency of the author's approach are unquestionable.
The latest issue of a brilliant series of works by a gifted author, this volume represents a rare example of a serious, highly informative popular science publication that manages to deliver precise and mathematically accurate contents, all of this within the framework of an attractive, scientifically grounded, lucid philosophical standpoint.
Please note that basic prior exposure to the physics of quantum mechanics is recommended, as well as some familiarity with the themes previously treated by the author in his series.
In any case, if you are after a meaningful, accurate, accessible and philosophically coherent approach to some of the most important items of contention related to the interpretative issues of quantum physics, this book is a must-read: you might find yourself in only partial agreement with the author's position, but the coherence and cogency of the author's approach are unquestionable.
Displaying 1 of 1 review