Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I A Nonmathematical Exposition of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory
- 1 It’s All Fields and Waves
- 2 How Fields Generate Particles
- 3 Jumpy Detectors
- 4 Nonlocality
- 5 Alternative Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
- 6 Decoherence and Collapse
- 7 Quantum Mechanics and Our View of Reality
- 8 Quantum Mechanics and Technology
- Key Points
- Part II Basic Results of Quantum Mechanics
- Part III A Short Course in Quantum Field Theory
- Part IV Mathematical Considerations of Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
- Part V Decoherence, Spontaneous Coherence, and Spontaneous Collapse
- Appendix A Summary of quantum interpretations
- Index
6 - Decoherence and Collapse
from Part I - A Nonmathematical Exposition of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 May 2024
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I A Nonmathematical Exposition of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory
- 1 It’s All Fields and Waves
- 2 How Fields Generate Particles
- 3 Jumpy Detectors
- 4 Nonlocality
- 5 Alternative Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
- 6 Decoherence and Collapse
- 7 Quantum Mechanics and Our View of Reality
- 8 Quantum Mechanics and Technology
- Key Points
- Part II Basic Results of Quantum Mechanics
- Part III A Short Course in Quantum Field Theory
- Part IV Mathematical Considerations of Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
- Part V Decoherence, Spontaneous Coherence, and Spontaneous Collapse
- Appendix A Summary of quantum interpretations
- Index
Summary
This chapter surveys modern progress in physics on the topic of “decoherence,” the physical process by which irreversible behavior can occur in wave systems. A substantial part of the chapter discusses a proposal by the author of this book for a spontaneous collapse theory that is connected to decoherence.
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- Interpreting Quantum MechanicsModern Foundations, pp. 75 - 92Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024