24.111: Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, Fall 2008

Instructor: Brad Skow (follow link for contact information).

Teaching Assistant: Nina Emery, nemery [at] mit.edu.

Lectures: TuTh 11-12:30, room 56-167.

Course Description: This course is divided into three parts. In Part 1 we will cover enough of the mathematics and physics needed to understand the philosophical questions quantum mechanics raises. Part 2 will be devoted to the EPR argument for the incompleteness of the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics, and to Bell's argument that quantum mechanics is non-local. Part 3 will be devoted to the measurement problem and its proposed solutions. See the schedule below for more details.

Readings: The required textbook for this course is Quantum Mechanics and Experience by David Albert. I have ordered copies at the MIT COOP. Other course materials, including other course readings, will be available on the stellar site.

Course Requirements: Although we will cover some mathematics in this course, the bulk of your grade will be based on your ability to evaluate arguments for and against answers to the philosophical questions quantum mechanics raises.

There will be seven problem sets, each worth 15 points; and a final paper, worth 30 points.

You may discuss assignment questions with other students, but the write-up of your answers must be your own.

Information on submitting assignments: assignments must be submitted in hard copy in class on the day they are due. The only part of your assignment that may be handwritten is mathematical notation that cannot be easily produced on a word processor.

Late work will not be accepted without a legitimate excuse. Legitimate excuses include (but are not limited to) illnesses and family emergencies; please bring me a note from either a dean or a doctor.

Links and Handouts:

• The Stellar Site for this course.

• Handout 1, on the Orthodox Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics.

• Comments on problem set 1.

• Comments on problem set 2.

• Instructions for the Final Paper.

• Handout on GRW.

• Jim Pryor's Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper.

Schedule.

This schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Readings marked with * are optional.
Unless otherwise noted, do the reading before the lecture for which it is assigned.

9/4 Introductory Lecture.

Part 1: Mathematical and Physical Background.

9/9 Overview of some odd phenomena.

9/11 The mathematical formalism and its orthodox interpretation.

Albert, ch. 1, ch. 2.
Hughes, The Structure and Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, introduction.
*Hughes, chapter 1.1-1.4; 1.9-1.14.
*Maudlin, "An Overview of Quantum Mechanics."

9/16 Continued.

9/18 Tensor Product Spaces, Many-Particle Systems. (Problem Set 1 due.)

Part 2: Non-locality.

9/23 The EPR argument.

Albert, 61-66.
*EPR, "Can Quantum Mechanical Description of Physical Reality be Considered Complete?"
Bohr, "Can Quantum Mechanical Description of Physical Reality be Considered Complete?"

9/25 The EPR argument, continued; Bohr's reply.

9/30 Bohr's reply, continued; Bell's Theorem, I. (Problem Set 2 due.)

Albert, 66-72.
*Mermin, "Quantum Mysteries for Anyone."

10/2 Bell's Theorem I, continued; Bell's Theorem, II.

Bell, "Bertlmann's socks and the nature of reality."

10/7 Continued.

10/9 Does Bell's Theorem establish that there is non-local causation? (Problem Set 3 due.)

10/14 Holism and non-Separability.

Maudlin, "Part and Whole in Quantum Mechanics."

10/16 Monism!

Schaffer, "Monism: The Priority of the Whole," section 1; section 2.2

10/21 The Efficiency Loophole.

Part 3: The Measurement Problem.

10/23 Introduction to the Measurement Problem. Collapse Theories. (Problem Set 4 due.)

Albert, ch. 4, ch. 5 to p.92.
Maudlin, "Three Measurement Problems."

10/28 Can We Experimentally Determine When Collapse Occurs?

10/30 Decoherence, continued; GRW.

Albert, ch 5, 92-end.
Albert and Loewer, "Tails of Schrodinger's Cat."

11/4 GRW, continued. (Problem Set 5 due.)

11/6 GRW, continued.

Lewis, "Quantum Mechanics, Orthogonality, and Counting."

11/13 "No Hidden Variables" Theorems. (Problme Set 6 due.)

The Kochen-Specker Theorem.

11/18 Bohmian Mechanics.

Albert, ch. 7.
Goldstein et. al., "Bohmian Mechanics as the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics."
*Tumulka, "Understanding Bohmian Mechanics: A Dialogue."
*"Lost Causes in Physics: Bohmian Mechanics."

11/20 Continued.

11/25 Continued; The Many Worlds Interpretations. (Problem Set 7 due.)

Everett, "'Relative State' formulation of Quantum Mechanics."

12/2 Continued.

DeWitt, "Quantum Mechanics and Reality."

12/4 Continued.

Ismael, "How to Combine Chance and Determinism."

12/9 The Many Minds Interpretation. (Final Paper Due.)

Albert, 126-133.