Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Pre-Quantum Theories.- Quantum Examples.- The Measurement Problem.- The Locality Problem.- The Ontology Problem.- The Copenhagen Interpretation.- The Pilot-Wave Theory.- Bell's Theorem.- The Spontaneous Collapse Theory.- The Many-Worlds Theory.

Travis Norsen graduated as a physics-philosophy double-major from Harvey Mudd College in 1997 and then earned his PhD in theoretical nuclear astrophysics from the University of Washington in 2002. Since then he has worked on the foundational issues surveyed in the book and brought his uniquely conceptual, historical, and philosophical approach to physics into the classrooms of Marlboro, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges.

"Travis Norsen's Foundations of Quantum Mechanics could be the spark that ignites a revolution. ... How adequate is Norsen's exposition? The writing is not just so clear and straightforward that a non-expert can understand it; it is so clear and straightforward that an expert cannot manage to misunderstand it." (Tim Maudlin, American Journal of Physics, Vol. 86 (12), December, 2018)

"The present work is indeed a textbook intended to help the students both to appreciate 'the concerns that people like Einstein, Schrödinger, and Bell have had with traditional formulations', and to have a glimpse of 'the several extant formulations of quantum theory which purport to address at least some of the concerns'." (Nicola Cufaro Petroni, zbMATH 1408.81003, 2019)"The book is intended as the main text for an undergraduate course on the foundations of  quantum physics, but it would also serve well as a supplemental text in a regular undergraduate quantum mechanics course. ... Reading this book should be a priority for all physicists who want to deepen their understanding of their most fundamental theory." (Jean Bricmont, Physics Today, April, 2018)
"I do think this is a book worth buying for anyone interested in the foundations of quantum mechanics. ... Foundations of Quantum Mechanics is an excellent addition to the library of physicists and philosophers working on these problems, and makes a very good supplemental text for related advanced undergraduate courses." (Ian Durham, FQXi Community, fqxi.org, January, 2018)
"It covers all the important issues in that field. ... reading this book should be a priority for every physicist who wants to know what the most fundamental physical theory is all about." (Jean Bricmont, International Journal of Quantum Foundations, ijqf.org, December, 2017)