Quantum Leaps

by Jeremy Bernstein

In 1953, reflecting on early ventures in quantum theory, J. Robert Oppenheimer spoke of terror and exaltation, of history happening in a realm so remote from common experience that it was “unlikely to be known to any poet or historian.” Yet now, anyone can Google “quantum theory” and find more than 34 million entries—from poets and historians, certainly, as well as film critics and Buddhist monks. How—and how pervasively—quantum mechanics has entered the general culture is the subject of this book, an engaging, eclectic, and thought-provoking look at the curious, boundlessly fertile intersection of scientific thought and everyday life. Including recollections of encounters with the theory and the people responsible for it, Jeremy Bernstein’s account ranges from the cross-pollination of quantum mechanics with Marxist ideology and Christian and Buddhist mysticism to its influence on theater, film, and fiction. Along the way, Bernstein focuses on those—such as Niels Bohr, the Dalai Lama, W. H. Auden, and Tom Stoppard—who have made quantum physics; who have argued over it, pondered it, or taken literary inspiration from it, and who have misunderstood, misconstrued, or misapplied it. One person in particular supplies a narrative John Bell, a notable yet underappreciated physicist who did groundbreaking research in quantum physics. In Bell’s story, Bernstein provides a uniquely readable account of what physicists call the “measurement problem.” Quantum Leaps is a lively, erudite book on a subject that Bernstein has lived with for most of its history. His experience and deep understanding are apparent on every page.

Genres: Science, Physics

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the most boring book I've read in a long time, although, to be fair, I don't think I'm the target audience.

I am a reader who is very curious about physics, but never studied it because my high school experiences with math and chemistry suggested it would be a painful course for me. As an adult, I like to read books about science to try to gain some kind of understanding of how things work, and I tend to favor books like Bill Bryson's "A Brief History of Everything," or just about anything by Robert Jastrow--books that are light on math and heavy on humor and creativity. Because, frankly, that's about all I can handle.

I thought "Quantum Leaps" had potential to teach me something about quantum physics because it deals with the subject of how the topic of quantum physics has wormed its way into popular culture. My hope was that this would turn out to be a book aimed at people with an interest in pop culture and who have only an average familiarity with physical principals.

Unfortunately, the author's idea of popular culture is the poetry of W.H. Auden, the musings of the Dali Lama, 20th-century Marxist tracts, and novels by English people I've never heard of. I didn't expect to be taught physics using episodes of "Friends," but this was tough going.

Worse, the subject matter really requires a higher level understanding of physics than I have. This is, of course, my own fault, and it's probably impossible to understand much of anything about quantum physics if you can't even handle an introduction to classical physics, but I was still disappointed. It's not that the math or formulae were so forbidding; it's more that the author assumed that everyone in intimately acquainted with the work and classic experiments of scientists like Schrodinger. Sure, I have heard of his cat, but what exactly was going on in the box, again? You have to have this kind of knowledge at your fingertips to get the most out of this book.

And that brings me to another problem. For a book on such a futuristic topic, it really bogged down a lot in the minutae of 19th-century academia. The book is full of endless anecdotes delving into who did their thesis under what scientist, who famously wrote letters to whom, who quarreled with whom in what scientific journal...and good Lord, this isn't the author's fault, but did there really have to be two famous physicists named Bohm and Bohr? It just gets impossible to follow the thread after a while.

In short, I was very disappointed in this book. I had really hoped that if I worked hard enough, I would learn something about quantum physics. Instead, I just ended up feeling like I'm even less educated than I realized.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book sounded so great when I first picked it up. Not quite I'm afraid. Here's the idea: To show how some famous people have incorporated quantum theory. He includes the Dalai Lama, W. H. Auden, Tom Stoppard, and Lawrence Durrell. He does a lot of name dropping, as in so and so is "my friend" or how he spent dinner with someone. I mean he does that a lot.

The Dalai Lam and Karl Popper talked about Popper's theory of falsifiability. No number of confirmations suffices to prove a theory, but it takes only one failed prediction to disprove it. The problem with such a belief is that it gives the ignorant a chance to discount any and every thing.

The famous double slit experiments with electrons lead to much misinformation. Some popular books show that electrons can be in two spots at once. This is a misunderstanding of a remark by Kerner: "An electron can be here or there at the same moment." The key word is "or". The electron cannot be in both places at the same time. Try telling that to the New Age weirdos who have taken that up as their mantra.

Many non-physicists, especially those with a penchant for Eastern mysticism, jump to the conclusion that all is one and that quantum mechanics implies consciousness in the universe. That is not an accepted conclusion.

Here's a joke about it: Man to psychiatrist: "Doc, my brother needs help. He thinks he's a chicken." Doc to man: "Why don't you show that he isn't?" Man to Doc: "I would, but I need the eggs."

John Stewart Bell became disillusioned with philosophy because he thought all philosophers did was disagree with each other. No disagreement from me on that one. So he pursued physics.

The New Agers have twisted Bell's theorems. Here is an example: A website called "Shamanic Healing: Why It Works. In it a Shaman tries to "take this cancer out of this boy."

I love that the author blasts the movie What the Bleep Do We Know? Typically, it takes quantum theory and mixes in nonsense. For example, it talks about "freedom being interwoven into human nature."

Finally, there is a story about the great four books of The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. The first stories are from three different points of view to match up with the three dimensions. The fourth book represents the fourth dimension. Weird, but cool. Now that was a great work of literature.

[Karson Chrispens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but more of a personal memoir than I expected.

[Chris Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a lot of problems with this book that I'm not going to discuss and instead just remark upon how funny it is to me that something published by Harvard University Press can have this many typos. Walk your talk, my dudes

[Chunyang Ding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good exploration of physics and philosophy, especially of the measurement theorem. Some chapters are too meandering and seem to get lost.

[Jon Mercer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really interesting topic written with all of the aplomb of a stuffed-shirt telling awkward jokes during a speech that has already gone on for waaaaay too long.

[J.D. Steens · Rating 1 out of 5]

The purpose of this book is not so clear. It seems to be somewhat a history of 20th century quantum physics interwoven in a less than evident and interesting way with various cultural phenomena (e.g., W.H.Auden, the Dalai Lama, theater productions; communist ideology), combined in an autobiographical way with the author's personal connection to much of this. While there are a few interesting pieces of information here and there (for instance, we learn that Oppenheimer wrote that "'Einstein is completely cuckoo.'"), much of the description of quantum physics the author does discuss is not readily understandable, despite what the book cover says.

The author is critical of the attempt of Zukav and Capra to tie quantum theory to Eastern religious thought. The quote he uses from Zukav draws a parallel between the perpetual motion at the subatomic level and the perpetual change ("the dance of annihilation and creation") that is highlighted in some Eastern religious thought, which stands in contrast to other religious notions that would characterize ultimate reality as some form of eternal stasis. The author, who notes that he "cannot make much sense out of Zukav's book," comments of Zukav that he "is not a physicist" and he was known more "for teaching New Age mysticism", thereby hinting that Zukav has no business writing about the possible parallels here. Bernstein notes Capra's doctorate in physics, but then writes that his material was dated and, referencing Pauli's famous put down, suggests that Capra's ideas were "not even wrong - they were not coherent enough for anyone to assign truth or falsity to them." Here too he adds a long Capra quote and takes issue with Capra who noted that "perhaps" the ultimate realities in Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism might be seen as tied to physics. While Bernstein is dismissive ("I especially like the 'perhaps,'" he writes), that word seems to be what is necessary here as it suggests that Capra is still speculating and not asserting any kind of certainty.

In his recent book review of "The Quantum Story," Bernstein says "The Dalai Lama himself denied the connection" between quantum theory and Eastern religions." Whether that makes it so is, perhaps, an open question. Resisting fad and loose writing and thinking is one thing, but attempting to look at religious thought from the perspective of science, at least in its broadest outlines, is not inherently wrongheaded.

[Fernando del Alamo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como todos los libros del autor, es un tanto diferente. Un libro con este título daría para hablar de física cuántica de forma amena, pero este autor, como comento, siempre hace que sus libros sean diferentes.

En este caso, diría que de lo que trata es de cómo diferentes personas, relevantes según su criterio, han reaccionado ante la física cuántica. Y da la casualidad que el autor conoció de forma personal a personajes como Niels Bohr, David Bohm, Bell, Einstein, el Dalai Lama, etc. Y por ello digo, que aunque sus libros suelen tener un punto esotérico, tienen algunos detalles que valen la pena.

Le pongo 3 estrellas de puntucación y lo recomendaría a apasionados de la historia de la física cuántica y a los que les gusta hablar de ella en los bares.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fell asleep in the middle of chapter three....which was half-way through this little collection of rambling recollections of Professor Bernstein's life and times, particularly (but not exclusively) in the context of quantum mechanics. The totality reminded me of politely listening to an elderly uncle (Prof B is now in his 80's) whose jumbled musings revisiting his life are partly interesting and partly stupifyingly boreing.
At least it is very short - a couple of hours at best to complete.

[Phil Overeem]

Bernstein doesn't explain quantum physics in this book; rather, he shows how quantum physics has mattered to, for example, great clergymen, poets, Buddhists, and Marxists of the 20th century. After the first 30 pages, it's not quite as interesting as I want it to be, but I am patient.

[Brendan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting things ( John Bell talked to the Dalai Lama , Duchamp gave up art to play chess ... ) But, he never actually explains Bell's inequality ...