Quantum Theory

Eighty years ago quantum theory brought about a profound revolution in our notions about reality, matter, mind, the role of the observer, certainty and uncertainty, freedom and determinism, separability and non-separability. Recent developments have brought this paradigm change into an even sharper focus and re-opened the discussion on this deep conceptual transformation whose philosophical implications have not yet been absorbed into our everyday thinking.

The popular literature on this topic is vast, and there are some excellent books (beside many not so excellent). A real masterpiece is

Greenstein and Zajonc, The Quantum Challenge, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1997 ISBN 0-7637-0216-1

This book is primarily addressed to undergraduates in science, mathematics and engineering. It will be best appreciated with a modicum of mathematical knowledge, but the mathless reader can also profit from the very clear discussions. Unlike most popular science literature, the book truly does “full justice to the difficulties and subtleties involved”, as the introduction says. Its aim is “to equip readers to think about these problems for themselves”. A new edition (much more expensive, unfortunately) has come out recently, with an added chapter on quantum computing.

Another little gem is

Sven Ortoli, Jean-Pierre Pharabod, Le cantique des quantiques, Éditions de la Découverte, 2004