A Fruitful Lifework**See Introduction to Part II, p. [128].

Peter Millington

Franco Strocchi

Peter Millington

Laura Ruetsche

Abstract This is the first of a two‐part introduction to some interpretive questions that arise in connection with quantum field theories (QFTs). Some of these questions are continuous with those familiar from the discussion of ordinary non‐relativistic quantum mechanics (QM). For example, questions about locality can be rigorously posed and fruitfully pursued within the framework of QFT. A stark disanalogy between QFTs and ordinary QM – the former, but not the latter, typically admit infinitely many putatively physically inequivalent realizations – prompts relatively novel questions, questions about how to understand and adjudicate different strategies for equipping quantum theories with content. Part I sketches the fate of locality and related notions in QFT, then documents the non‐uniqueness unprecedented in ordinary QM but rampant in QFT. Part II presents foundations issues raised by non‐uniqueness.

Tai Kai Ng

PART I 1. Introduction 2. Lagrangian Formulation of Classical Mechanics and Field Theory 3. Quantization of Classical Field Theory I 4. Quantization of Classical Field Theory II 5. Berry Phase and Gauge Theory 6. Introduction to Perturbation Theory PART II 7. Concept of Effective Field Theory, Phases, and Phase Transition 8. Non-Linear Effects and Topology in Quantum Field Theory 9. Simple Bose Liquids - Introduction to Superfluidity 10. Simple Fermi Liquids - Introduction to Fermi Liquid Theory 11. Introduction to BCS Theory (S-Wave Superconductors) 12. Introduction to Quantum Magnetism

Marco Giliberti, Luisa Lovisetti