The Myth of the Copenhagen School: Bohr, Heisenber and the interpretation of Quantum Theory

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:2837518 499 Read counter

Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Ιστορία και Φιλοσοφία των Επιστημών και της Τεχνολογίας
Library of the School of Science
Deposit date:
2018-12-12
Year:
2018
Author:
Gkouvas Dimitrios
Supervisors info:
Θεόδωρος Αραμπατζής, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Φιλοσοφίας της Επιστήμης, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (επιβλέπων).
Βασίλειος Καρακώστας, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Φιλοσοφίας της Επιστήμης, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών.
Εμμανουήλ Πατηνιώτης, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Φιλοσοφίας της Επιστήμης, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών.
Original Title:
Ο Μύθος της Σχολής της Κοπεγχάγης: Bohr, Heisenberg και η ερμηνεία της Κβαντικής Θεωρίας
Languages:
Greek
Translated title:
The Myth of the Copenhagen School: Bohr, Heisenber and the interpretation of Quantum Theory
Summary:
The aim of this work is to present the philosophical differences between Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg on the interpretation of quantum theory, based on the writings of the two scientists and the pertinent secondary literature. The first field of detection of their different views is the question of the wave-particle duality of matter and the ontology of waves and particles. Then the divergent views of the two scientists on the content and use of concepts in quantum physics will reveal the hidden disagreements among them. After various transformations in his thought, we will see that Heisenberg agreed with Bohr's view of the indispensability of classical concepts in modern physics and the inability to replace them with new ones. Heisenberg's understanding of Bohr's early view of the complementarity of space-time and causal descriptions will highlight the different way in which the young German physicist understood the meaning of this principle, as expressed by his mentor in the Como lecture. Given the divergent views of Bohr and Heisenberg, I will then discuss the "Myth of the Copenhagen School", that is, the existence or not of a unified and homogeneous group, formed around Bohr's leading feature, which shaped the "orthodox" or "established" interpretation of quantum mechanics. Finally, I will try to identify the role of Heisenberg in the construction of that myth and the purpose served, in the given period, by its creation.
Main subject category:
Science
Keywords:
Copenhagen School, wave-particle duality, indeterminacy principle, indispensability of classical concepts, complementarity, space-time description, causal description, interpretation of quantum theory
Index:
No
Number of index pages:
0
Contains images:
No
Number of references:
55
Number of pages:
117
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