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Class Detail:

WN 2011
Philosophy
PHIL 424 - Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
Section 001

Credits: 3
Requirements & Distribution: BS
Waitlist Capacity: 99
Advisory Prerequisites: One course is Philosophy and one in Mathematics or Physics.
BS: This course counts toward the 60 credits of math/science required for a Bachelor of Science degree.
Repeatability: May not be repeated for credit.
Primary Instructor: Belot,Gordon

 

(real time availability for all sections)

Quantum theories of matter are astonishingly successful — and deeply mysterious.

Niels Bohr is said to have remarked that

"those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum theory cannot possibly have understood it."

Richard Feynman said

"I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics."

Some quantum weirdness is unavoidable — it appears, for instance, that wholes really are more than the sum of their parts and that nature is non-local in a surprising way. Other weirdnesses are features of some ways of understanding quantum mechanics but not others: indeterminism, randomness, branching worlds, surprising connections between the physical and the mental. We will look at some currently popular approaches: Bohm's deterministic theory, spontaneous collapse theories, many-worlds and many-minds theories. Prior familiarity with quantum mechanics is not required (but comfort with algebra would be an asset).


Course Syllabi
Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.

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Textbooks/Other Materials (data maintained by department in Wolverine Access)

ISBN: 9780631232216 Quantum non-locality and relativity : metaphysical intimations of modern physics, Author: Tim Maudlin., Publisher: Blackwell Publishers 2nd ed. 2002
Required

ISBN: 9780674741133 Quantum mechanics and experience, Author: David Z Albert., Publisher: Harvard University Press 1st Harvar 1994
Required

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