Comments on a Letter Concerning the Causal Interpretation of the Quantum Theory

A. Loinger

David Böhm

Karl Svozil

A clarification concerning the solution of the initial-value problem for the propagation of light pulses in dispersive media is given. In a proper interpretation, this solution corresponds to two single pulses traveling in opposite directions. Furthermore, a critical review of important research related to Rubin's arguments but not mentioned by him in the preceding Comment [Phys. Rev. A 41, 1727 (1990)] is presented.

Bryce Seligman DeWitt, R. Neill Graham

Prepared at the request of the AAPT Committee on Resource Letters. This is one of a series of Resource Letters on various topics, intended to guide college physicists to literature and other teaching aids that may help them improve course content in specified fields of physics. No Resource Letter is meant to be exhaustive and complete. In time, there may be more than one letter on some of the main subjects of interest. Comments and suggestions concerning the content and arrangement of letters as well as suggestions for future topics will be welcomed and should be addressed to Professor Joel E. Gordon, Chairman, AAPT Committee on Resource Letters, Department of Physics, Amherst College, Amherst, Mass. 01002. Notation: The letterEafter an item indicates elementary level, useful principally for high school and introductory college use; the letter I indicates intermediate (junior, senior) level; and the letter A indicates advanced material, principally suited for senior, graduate level. An asterisk (*) indicates items particularly recommended for introductory study.

F. Čap

David Böhm

Certain of Takabayasi's criticism of a causal re-interpretation of the quantum theory are answered in detail. It is indecated how this interpretation can be extended to the Dirac equation, and the problem of the identity of equivalent particles is discussed, for the case of particles that satisfy the Pauli principle. Possible extensions of theory are indicated. Finally, criticisms at the philosophical level are discussed, especially the question of what it means to call a theory "metaphysical" and the reasons why the concept of causality is indispensable in scientific theories.