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Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality

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'Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality' by Manjit Kumar is a riveting account of the development of quantum theory and mechanics, highlighting the fundamental opposition between the Copenhagen Interpretation and Einstein's view of the probabilistic nature of the subatomic world. With a focus on the historical path of quantum physics, the author brings to life the characters and rivalries among prominent physicists like Planck, de Broglie, Pauli, Heisenberg, and Schrödinger. Despite some technical aspects, the book provides a detailed exploration of the struggle to understand the complexities of quantum physics, offering a fresh perspective on the historical developments in the field.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is accessible and engaging, making complex topics more relatable, though it might introduce jargon that affects clarity.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on the historical conflicts and developments in quantum mechanics, particularly the rivalry between Bohr and Einstein.

Setting:

The setting spans the early 20th century, highlighting the formative years of quantum physics and the scientific milieu.

Pacing:

The pacing is generally swift, making it engaging, but slows down with more complex subjects towards the end.
‘Princeton is a madhouse’ and ‘Einstein is completely cuckoo’, wrote Robert Oppenheimer. It was January 1935 and America’s leading home-grown theoretical physicist was 31. Twelve years later, after di...

Notes:

Quantum mechanics raises questions about reality and observation.
The book details the lives and debates of key physicists like Einstein and Bohr.
Neils Bohr accepted observation shapes reality; Einstein sought a complete theory.
Einstein's work on quantum theory started in 1905, not just later in his life.
A popular perception is that Einstein rejected quantum mechanics in later years, but he actively engaged with it until the 1920s.
The EPR paper co-authored by Einstein challenged quantum mechanics.
Modern physicists are increasingly sympathetic to Einstein's criticisms of quantum theory.
The narrative includes personal anecdotes and chemistry between scientists, making it engaging.
The book explores how young physicists often made groundbreaking discoveries, sometimes overshadowing older scientists.
Schrodinger's wave mechanics brought significant advancements but were not fully relatable to real probabilities.
Quantum mechanics presents strange ideas like superposition and particles acting as both waves and particles.

From The Publisher:

"A lucid account of quantum theory (and why you should care) combined with a gripping narrative."-San Francisco Chronicle

Quantum theory is weird. As Niels Bohr said, if you weren't shocked by quantum theory, you didn't really understand it. For most people, quantum theory is synonymous with mysterious, impenetrable science. And in fact for many years it was equally baffling for scientists themselves. In this tour de force of science history, Manjit Kumar gives a dramatic and superbly written account of this fundamental scientific revolution, focusing on the central conflict between Einstein and Bohr over the nature of reality and the soul of science. This revelatory book takes a close look at the golden age of physics, the brilliant young minds at its core-and how an idea ignited the greatest intellectual debate of the twentieth century.

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About the Author:

Manjit Kumar has degrees in physics and philosophy and has written for Slate, The Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement, The Independent, and New Scientist. He lives in London.

 
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