Comment on "Einstein on Particles, Fields, and the Quantum Theory"

A. Pais

Iwo Białynicki‐Birula, Marek Cieplak, Jerzy Zdzisław Kamiński +1 more

1: The Birth of Quantum Theory. 1.1: The radiation of an ideal black body. 1.2: Line spectra and Bohr's model of the atom. 1.3: The quantum conditions of Bohr-Sommerfield. 1.4: Waves of matters. Comments. Problems. 2: Classical Physics - Quantum Physics. 2.1: The difficulties of classical theory. 2.2: The successes of quantum theory. 2.3: Problems with interpretation of quantum theory. 2.4: Quantum theory (1930. Problems. II: Schrodinger's Equation and the Interpretation of its Solutions. 3: Schrodinger's Equation. 3.1: The Schrodinger equation with time. 3.2: The time-dependent Schrodinger equation. Comments. Problems. 4: The Probabilistic Interpretation of the Wavefunction. Comments. Problems. 5: The Motion of a Free Particle in Wave Mechanics. 5.1: The spreading of wave packets. 5.2: The initial problem for Schrodinger's free particle equation. 5.3: The Gaussian wave packet. Comments. Problems. 6: The Momentum of a Particle and the Fourier Transformation of the Wavefunction. Comments. Problems. 7: Description of Experiments in Wave Mechanics and the Heinsberg Uncertainty Principle. 7.1: Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. 7.2: The entropic uncertainty principle. Comments. Problems. 8: A Charged Particle in an Electromagnetic Field. Comments. Problems. 9: The Hydrodynamic Formulation of Wave Mechanics. 9.1: The motion of the probability fluid in an electromagnetic field. Comments. Problems. 10: The Spin of the Elctron and Pauli's Equation. 10.1: The magnetic moment vector. 10.2: Pauli's equation. 10.3: The Stern-Gerlach experiments. Comments. Problems. 11: The Hydrodynamic Picture of Wave Mechanics of a Particle with Spin. Comments. Problems. 12: Ehrenfest's Equations. 12.1: A particle with spin in the electromagnetic field. Problems. 13: Descriptiopn of Particle Motion in Phase Space -- Wigner's Function. Comments. Problems. 14: Mixed States. 14.1: An unpolarized beam as a mixed state. Comments. Problems. III: Solutions of Schrodinger's Equation. 15: Classification of Solutions to Schrodinger's Equation. 15.1: Scattering states. 15.2: The completeness of the set of bound and scattering state wavefunctions. 15.3: Orthogonality of the wavefunctions. 15.4: Development of the system in time. 15.5: Bound and scattered states. Problems. 16: Bound States and Energy. 16.1: The three-dimensional spherically symmetric potential well. Comments. Problems. 17: Scattering States and Collision Cross-sections. 17.1: One-dimensional scattering. 17.2: The method of integral equations. 17.3: Three-dimensional scattering. 17.4: The scattering amplitude. 17.5: The S matrix. 17.6: Collision cross-section. 17.7: The optical theorem. Comments. Problems. 18: Partial Waves and Wave Effects in Scattering. 18.1: Phase shifts. 18.2: The spherical potential hump. 18.3: The Ramsauer-Townsend effect. 18.4: The extinction paradox. Comments. Problems. 19: Resonance States. Problems. 20: The Coulomb Potential. 20.1: Bound states. 20.2: Scattering states. Comments. Problems. 21

Tian Yu Cao

Introduction: Conceptual issues in quantum field theory Part I. Philosophers' Interests in Quantum Field Theory: 1. Why are we philosophers interested in quantum field theory 2. Quantum field theory and the philosopher Part II. Three Approaches to the Foundations of Quantum Field Theory: 3. The usefulness of a general theory of quantized fields 4. Effective field theory in condensed matter physics 5. The triumph and limitations of quantum field theory 6. Comments Discussions Part III. Does Quantum Field Theory Need a Foundation: 7. Does quantum field theory need a foundation? Part IV. Mathematics, Statistical Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory: 8. Renormalization group theory: its basis and formulation in statistical physics 9. Where does quantum field theory fit into the big picture? 10. The unreasonable effectiveness of quantum field theory 11. Comment: the quantum field theory of physics and of mathematics Part V. Quantum Field Theory and Spacetime: Introduction 12. Quantum field theory and spacetime: formalism and reality 13. Quantum field theory of geometry 14. 'Localization' in quantum field theory: how much of QFT is compatible with what we know about spacetime 15. Comments VI. 16. What is quantum field theory and what did we think it was? 17. Comments Discussions Part VII.Renormalization Group: 18. What is fundamental physics? A renormalization group perspective 19. Renormalization group: an interesting yet puzzling idea Part VIII. Non-Abelian Gauge Theory: 20. Gauge fields, gravity and Bohm's theory 21. Is the Aharonov-Bohm effect local? Discussions Part IX. The Ontology of Particles or Fields: 22. The ineliminable classical face of quantum field theory 23. The logic of quanta 24. Do Feynman diagrams endorse a particle ontology? 25. On the ontology of QFT Part X. Panel Discussion.

P. Kamenov, Asparuch Petrakiev

Meinard Kuhlmann, Holger Lyre, Andrew Wayne

Approaches to Ontology: Candidate General Ontologies for Situating Quantum Field (P Simons) 'Quanta', Tropes, or Processes: Ontologies for QFT Beyond the Myth of Substance (J Seibt) Analytical Ontologists in Action: A Comment on Seibt and Simons (M Kuhlmann) How Do Field Theories Refer to Entities in a Field? (S Y Auyang) Field Ontologies for QFT: A Naive View of the Quantum Field (A Wayne) Comments on Paul Teller's Book, An Interpretive Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (G Fleming) So What Is the Quantum Field? (P Teller) Relativity, Measurement and Renormalization: On the Nature of Measurement Records in Relativistic Quantum Field (J A Barrett) No Place for Particles in Relativistic Quantum Theories? (H Halvorson & R Clifton) Events and Covariance in the Interpretation of Quantum Field (D Dieks) Measurement and Ontology: What Kind of Evidence Can We Have for Quantum Fields? (B Falkenburg) Renormalization and the Disunity of Science (N Huggett) Gauge Symmetries and the Vacuum: The Interpretation of Gauge Symmetry (M Redhead) Comment on Redhead: The Interpretation of Gauge Symmetry (M Drieschner et al.) Is the Zero-Point Energy Real? (S Saunders) Two Comments on the Vacuum in Algebraic Quantum Field (M Redei).