Einstein's dice and Schrödinger's cat: how two great minds battled quantum randomness to create a unified theory of physics
Description
When the fuzzy indeterminacy of quantum mechanics overthrew the orderly world of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Erwin Schrödinger were at the forefront of the revolution. Neither man was ever satisfied with the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics, however, and both rebelled against what they considered the most preposterous aspect of quantum mechanics: its randomness. Einstein famously quipped that God does not play dice with the universe, and Schrödinger constructed his famous fable of a cat that was neither alive nor dead not to explain quantum mechanics but to highlight the apparent absurdity of a theory gone wrong. But these two giants did more than just criticize: they fought back, seeking a Theory of Everything that would make the universe seem sensible again. In Einstein's Dice and Schrödinger's Cat, physicist Paul Halpern tells the little-known story of how Einstein and Schrödinger searched, first as collaborators and then as competitors, for a theory that transcended quantum weirdness. This story of their quest-which ultimately failed-provides readers with new insights into the history of physics and the lives and work of two scientists whose obsessions drove its progress. Today, much of modern physics remains focused on the search for a Theory of Everything. As Halpern explains, the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson makes the Standard Model-the closest thing we have to a unified theory- nearly complete. And while Einstein and Schrödinger failed in their attempt to explain everything in the cosmos through pure geometry, the development of string theory has, in its own quantum way, brought this idea back into vogue. As in so many things, even when they were wrong, Einstein and Schrödinger couldn't help but get a great deal right.
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ISBN:
9780465075713
9780465040650
9780465040650
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Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | 6a734097-ac10-93b7-cbfc-1bf8f3c4c6c3 |
---|---|
Grouping Title | einsteins dice and schrodingers cat how two great minds battled quantum randomness to create a unified theory of physics |
Grouping Author | paul halpern |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2024-04-18 18:33:17PM |
Last Indexed | 2024-05-01 23:13:41PM |
Solr Fields
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author
Halpern, Paul, 1961-
author2-role
hoopla digital
author_display
Halpern, Paul
display_description
When the fuzzy indeterminacy of quantum mechanics overthrew the orderly world of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Erwin Schrödinger were at the forefront of the revolution. Neither man was ever satisfied with the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics, however, and both rebelled against what they considered the most preposterous aspect of quantum mechanics: its randomness. Einstein famously quipped that God does not play dice with the universe, and Schrödinger constructed his famous fable of a cat that was neither alive nor dead not to explain quantum mechanics but to highlight the apparent absurdity of a theory gone wrong. But these two giants did more than just criticize: they fought back, seeking a Theory of Everything that would make the universe seem sensible again. In Einstein's Dice and Schrödinger's Cat, physicist Paul Halpern tells the little-known story of how Einstein and Schrödinger searched, first as collaborators and then as competitors, for a theory that transcended quantum weirdness. This story of their quest-which ultimately failed-provides readers with new insights into the history of physics and the lives and work of two scientists whose obsessions drove its progress. Today, much of modern physics remains focused on the search for a Theory of Everything. As Halpern explains, the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson makes the Standard Model-the closest thing we have to a unified theory- nearly complete. And while Einstein and Schrödinger failed in their attempt to explain everything in the cosmos through pure geometry, the development of string theory has, in its own quantum way, brought this idea back into vogue. As in so many things, even when they were wrong, Einstein and Schrödinger couldn't help but get a great deal right.
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Books
eBook
eBook
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Book
eBook
eBook
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6a734097-ac10-93b7-cbfc-1bf8f3c4c6c3
isbn
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9780465075713
9780465075713
itype_eh
ADULT BOOK
last_indexed
2024-05-02T05:13:41.962Z
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literary_form
Non Fiction
literary_form_full
Non Fiction
primary_isbn
9780465075713
publishDate
2015
publisher
Basic Books
recordtype
grouped_work
subject_facet
Einstein, Albert, -- 1879-1955
Electronic books
Physics -- Philosophy
Quantum chaos
Quantum theory -- Philosophy
Schrödinger, Erwin, -- 1887-1961
Unified field theories
Electronic books
Physics -- Philosophy
Quantum chaos
Quantum theory -- Philosophy
Schrödinger, Erwin, -- 1887-1961
Unified field theories
title_display
Einstein's dice and Schrödinger's cat : how two great minds battled quantum randomness to create a unified theory of physics
title_full
Einstein's Dice and Schrödinger's Cat : How Two Great Minds Battled Quantum Randomness to Create a Unified Theory of Physics [electronic resource] / Paul Halpern
Einstein's dice and Schrödinger's cat : how two great minds battled quantum randomness to create a unified theory of physics / Paul Halpern, PhD
Einstein's dice and Schrödinger's cat : how two great minds battled quantum randomness to create a unified theory of physics / Paul Halpern, PhD
title_short
Einstein's dice and Schrödinger's cat
title_sub
how two great minds battled quantum randomness to create a unified theory of physics
topic_facet
Einstein, Albert
Electronic books
Philosophy
Physics
Quantum chaos
Quantum theory
Schrödinger, Erwin
Unified field theories
Electronic books
Philosophy
Physics
Quantum chaos
Quantum theory
Schrödinger, Erwin
Unified field theories
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hoopla:MWT15984338 | eBook | eBook | English | Basic Books | 2015 | 1 online resource (288 pages) |
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