Part I. Perspectives on the 1927 Solvay Conference: 1. Historical introduction; 2. De Broglie's pilot-wave theory; 3. From matrix mechanics to quantum mechanics; 4. Schrödinger's wave mechanics; Part II. Quantum Foundations and the 1927 Solvay Conference: 5. Quantum theory and the measurement problem; 6. Interference, superposition, and wave packet collapse; 7. Locality and incompleteness; 8. Time, determinism, and the spacetime framework; 9. Guiding fields in 3-space; 10. Scattering and measurement in de Broglie's pilot-wave theory; 11. Pilot-wave theory in retrospect; 12. Beyond the Bohr-Einstein debate; Part III. The Proceedings of the 1927 Solvay Conference: The intensity of X-ray reflection; Disagreements between experiment and the electromagnetic theory of radiation; The new dynamics of quanta; Quantum mechanics; Wave mechanics; General discussion; Appendix; References; Index.
Translation of the Fifth Solvay Congress proceedings, for graduate students and researchers in physics and quantum theory.
Guido Bacciagaluppi is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Time, University of Sydney. His research interests lie mainly in the philosophy of physics. He has contributed significantly to the development and critique of modal interpretations of quantum mechanics, and he has since worked widely in various approaches to the foundations of quantum theory, as well as in the philosophy of probability and time and in the history of quantum mechanics. Antony Valentini is a Research Associate in the Theoretical Physics Group, Imperial College London. He proposed that the universe began with a non-quantum distribution of hidden variables, which later relaxed to the quantum equilibrium state we see today. He has pioneered the development of new physics of quantum nonequilibrium, de Broglie-Bohm theory, and hidden-variables theories generally, and has explored its possible role in cosmology, black holes, and information theory. He also works in the history and philosophy of modern physics.
'Considering the development of quantum mechanics, Quantum Theory
at the Crossroads offers a very stimulating viewpoint as its
authors take a rather polarizing stance. Overall, it provides an
important and inspiring history of quantum mechanics, being most
valuable for its translation of the conference proceedings and its
account of de Broglie's often neglected pilot-wave theory.' Martin
Jähnert, Metascience
'… a most useful volume for historians and philosophers of physics
alike. The excellent introduction and the important sources make
[it] a most valuable contribution to the philosophy and history of
quantum mechanics. It should be included in the reading list of
every class on that subject, and it should be read by anyone who is
concerned with the conceptual problems of quantum mechanics. I also
recommend it to physicists who are looking for a good place to
start reading about the historical emergence of interpretational
problems of modern quantum theory.' Isis
'… this book could play a role in guiding readers to the original
works of de Broglie and Bohm, and … promote a more open-minded
appreciation of their contributions than is customary even now.'
Contemporary Physics
'… the book is already a very important contribution to our
understanding of the Fifth Solvay Conference. The translation of
the proceedings will make the various voices of the various
participants much more accessible to a wide audience, and the
historical account of how the conference came to be, how the
various participants thought about and prepared their own
contributions, and how the proceedings themselves were prepared
will be an eye-opener for many readers. The truth about the
conference is far more interesting than the fictions that are
usually promulgated, and the authors do an excellent job debunking
those fictions. Perhaps the lesson to learn here is that
contemplating the Fifth Solvay Conference is a bit like taking a
Rorschach inkblot test. The authors' own contemplation is
ambitious, thought provoking, delightfully detailed, and itself
deserving of further contemplation.' Michael Dickson, Philosophy of
Science
'On the whole, the authors' arguments are well thought through and
balanced. But in my opinion the most vital aspect of the book is
that it highlights de Broglie's historical position and tries to
understand why his achievements were neglected, and for this reason
alone I would recommend this book.' Jan Faye, Centaurus
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