An Interpretive Introduction to Quantum Field Theory

By Paul Teller

Book Overview

Quantum mechanics is a subject that has captured the imagination of a surprisingly broad range of thinkers, including many philosophers of science. Quantum field theory, however, is a subject that has been discussed mostly by physicists. This is the first book to present quantum field theory in a manner that makes it accessible to philosophers. Because it presents a lucid view of the theory and debates that surround the theory, An Interpretive Introduction to Quantum Field Theory will interest students of physics as well as students of philosophy. Paul Teller presents the basic ideas of quantum field theory in a way that is understandable to readers who are familiar with non-relativistic quantum mechanics. He provides information about the physics of the theory without calculational detail, and he enlightens readers on how to think about the theory physically. Along the way, he dismantles some popular myths and clarifies the novel ways in which quantum field theory is both a theory about fields and about particles. His goal is to raise questions about the philosophical implications of the theory and to offer some tentative interpretive views of his own. This provocative and thoughtful book challenges philosophers to extend their thinking beyond the realm of quantum mechanics and it challenges physicists to consider the philosophical issues that their explorations have encouraged.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691074089
• ISBN13: 9780691074085
• Release Date: November 1994
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.8" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Paperbound edition recommended for those new to the subject

I should say first that I write as a mathematician who is not a physicist, but who is interested in the subject. For readers with some knowledge of nonrelativistic, single particle quantum mechanics, this is a good place to get an idea of what quantum field theory is about. The opening chapters are more philosophical than the later ones, which are more mathematical, but one should be willing to consider the topic from both these angles in order to get the most from this book. The development of the occupation-number formalism and Fock space is very clear and enjoyable, but matters get more difficult later on. The occasional excursions into relativistic field theory frankly lost me a couple of times. The last chapter, on renormalization, however, is again very lucid and accessible to someone with even a modest background. It seems to me that much of the interpretive work Teller undertakes is to understand the relationship and possible differences between quantum field-theory -- i.e., QFT as quantization of classical fields -- and quantum-field theory -- i.e., a field theory of 'quanta' which lack radical individuation, or as Teller says, "primitive thisness." Along these lines he gives some very good cautions against interpreting Feynman diagrams literally. Since the work is highly introductory in nature, being much less technical and extensive than books of similar titles by Sterman, Kaku, et al., it seems a little expensive at its full $35 hardcover price, but is certainly worth the $16.95 asked for paperbound