Foundations of Quantum Theory
Jens Eisert, Alexander Nietner, Nathan Walk
Zusätzl. Angaben / Voraussetzungen
This course is organized as a 2+1 lecture and tutorial pair. The lecture is meant to introduce you to the topic of the given week followed by a scientific discussion session in the tutorial. There will be a break between the lecture and discussion parts to give everyone the opportunity to digest and recharge.
In the end of the course each student is supposed to write a scientific essay about one (or multiple) of the topics discussed, which will be the basis of grading.
SchließenKommentar
Quantum mechanics is one of the most precise theories we have ever had. However, courses on quantum mechanics rarely dwell upon the interpretation of the theory but instead focus on the mathematical methods for applying the theory to experiments. One can attribute this to the colorful landscape of interpretations of quantum mechanics, which are often counter intuitive and philosophically contentious or even mutually contradictory. This is rooted in the many philosophical questions -- and the diversity of possible answers -- with which we are confronted in a quantum universe. These questions can be tackled by philosophical and mathematical arguments, thought experiments and, more recently, in cutting-edge tests of quantum phenomena in the laboratory.
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Is physics local, and what does locality even mean?
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What is objective reality?
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Does randomness really exist, or does it merely camouflage our incomplete knowledge?
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What, if any, is the role of the observer in quantum mechanics?
Through a combination of lectures and discussions, you will be familiarized with prominent interpretations (e.g. Bohmian, Many-Worlds & operationalist) and their implications as well as foundational gedankenexperimenten (Bell tests, Stern-Gerlach, quantum eraser), both as originally envisaged by philosophers and scientists and also as carried out in present-day quantum laboratories. You will be equipped to synthesise and explain the key arguments and discuss and debate these often subtle topics. Moreover, you will reflect upon and sharpen your implicit interpretation of quantum theory and train the ability to switch between different perspectives, expanding your quantum mechanical reasoning skills. On a higher level, this course offers a rare opportunity for students to collect experience in scientific arguments and writing.
Schließen16 Termine
Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung