Philosophy of Quantum Theory

PHIL 151 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

This course is officially cross-listed with the Department of Physics.

Quantum theory is our most empirically successful scientific framework. The theory reliably accounts for the measurement results of atomic clocks and particle accelerators to many decimal places, and much of our modern technology relies on it. However, the theory’s axiomatic foundations are arguably either inconsistent or incomplete, and there is still no consensus over what the theory entails about the world. This course will cover the century-long effort to resolve these mysteries and others, a story that features fantastical notions like parallel universes, pilot waves, quasi-probabilities, alive-and-dead cats, and spooky action at a distance. Throughout the course, we will engage with many relevant questions in philosophy, from determinism and causation to epistemology and the meaning of probability.

Course Notes

This course is cross-listed as Philosophy 151 and Physics 137. When taken as Philosophy 151, this course satisfies a divisional distribution in Arts and Humanities. When taken as Physics 137, this course satisfies a divisional distribution in Science & Engineering & Applied Science. Either way, this course counts toward the concentration requirements for the physics concentration.

Recommended Prep

Students should be comfortable with algebra at a level covered in most high schools. A prior experience with single-variable calculus may also be helpful.