The Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics

149 Pages·1968·2.735 MB·English

by  D.I. Blokhintsev

D.I. Blokhintsev
The Philosophy
of
Quantum
Mechanics

THE PHILOSOPHY OF QUANTUM MECHANICS

D. I. BLOKHINTSEV
THE PHILOSOPHY OF
QUANTUM MECHANICS
D.REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY / DORDRECHT-HOLLAND
THE HUMANITIES PRESS / NEW YORK
nPHHIJHnAJIbHblE BOnPOCbl KBAHTOBOH MEXAHHKH
First published in 1965 by the Joint Institute of
Nuclear Research, Laboratory of Theoretical Physics
Translated from the Russian by Express Translation Service
SOLE DISTRIBUTORS FOR U.S.A. AND CANADA
THE HUMANITIES PRESS / NEW YORK
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 68-22439
© 1968 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint,
microfilm, or any other means, without permission from the publisher
Printed in The Netherlands by D. Reidel, Dordrecht
PREFACE
The present monograph is devoted to the principal problems of quantum
mechanics and is based on the conception first stated in my course on
‘Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics’. The scope and purpose of the
above course did not allow some principal questions to be brought out
as fully as they deserved, and besides, some important points were only
very recently developed to a sufficient extent. This refers especially to the
analysis of the action of the measuring instrument, whose dual role as
an analyser of a quantum ensemble and as a detector of individual events
was insufficiently elucidated.
The reader will find that the present monograph is concerned more
with theoretical physics than with philosophy. However, I have never
separated Weltanschauung from science (and particularly theoretical
physics) so that the philosophical implications are also discussed, justi­
fying publication in the philosophical series.
In conclusion, 1 should like to thank the publisher and the translator,
whose initiative and effort have made it possible for the book to reach
the English-speaking reader.
D. I. BLOKHINTSEV
V