As probably the most successful scientific theory ever created, quantum theory has profoundly changed our view of the world and extended the limits of our knowledge, impacting both the theoretical interpretation of a tremendous range of phenomena and the practical development of a host of technological breakthroughs. Yet for all its success, quantum theory remains utterly baffling.
Quantum Reality: Theory and Philosophy, Second Edition cuts through much of the confusion to provide readers with an exploration of quantum theory that is as authoritatively comprehensive as it is intriguingly comprehensible. The book has been fully updated throughout to include the latest results in quantum entanglement, the theory and practical applications of quantum computing, quantum cosmology and quantum gravity. Needing little more than a school level physics and mathematics background, this volume requires only an interest in understanding how quantum theory came to be and the myriad ways it both explains how our universe functions and extends the reach of human knowledge.
Written by well-known physics author and teacher Dr. Jonathan Allday, this highly engaging work:
- Presents a thorough grounding in the theoretical machinery of quantum physics
- Offers a whistle-stop tour through the early part of the 20th century when the founding fathers of quantum theory forever altered the frontiers of human thought
- Provides an example-filled interpretation of the theory, its applications, and its pinnacle in quantum field theory (QFT), so crucial in shaping ideas about the nature of reality
- Separates fact from speculation regarding quantum physics' ability to provide a starting point for philosophical queries into ultimate understanding and the limits of science
The world beneath the one that we experience with our senses is profoundly mysterious, and while we may never completely unravel that mystery, quantum theory allows us to come closer than ever to understanding where the science leaves off and the mystery begins. Quantum Reality: Theory and Philosophy, Second Edition makes that understanding accessible to anyone possessing a quest for knowledge and a sense of awe.
Jonathan Allday took his first degree in physics at Cambridge, then moved to Liverpool University where he gained a PhD in particle physics in 1989. While carrying out his research, he joined with a group of academics and teachers working on an optional syllabus to be incorporated into A-level Physics. This new option was designed to bring students up to date on advances in particle physics and cosmology. An examining board accepted the syllabus in 1993 and now similar components appear on many advanced courses and some aimed at GCSE level. Shortly after this, Jonathan started work on Quarks, Leptons and the Big Bang, published by CRC Press and now in its 3rd edition, which was intended as a rigorous but accessible introduction to these topics. Since then, he has also written Apollo in Perspective, Second edition; Quantum Reality; and Space-time: An Introduction to Einstein's Theory of Gravity also published by CRC, as well as co-authoring various textbooks for 16+ levels. He is also active writing articles for Physics Review which is a journal intended for 16+ physicists. After more than 30 years in teaching and school management, Jonathan has now retired and lives with his family in Worcestershire.
