Einstein's Dice and Schrödinger's Cat: How Two Great Minds Battled Quantum Randomness to Create a Unified Theory of Physics

by Paul Halpern

Overview

"A fascinating and thought-provoking story, one that sheds light on the origins of . . . the current challenging situation in physics." -- Wall Street Journal

When the fuzzy indeterminacy of quantum mechanics overthrew the orderly world of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Erwin Schröger were at the forefront of the revolution. Neither man was ever satisfied with the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics, however, and both rebelled against what they considered the most preposterous aspect of quantum mechanics: its randomness. Einstein famously quipped that God does not play dice with the universe, and Schröger constructed his famous fable of a cat that was neither alive nor dead not to explain quantum mechanics but to highlight the apparent absurdity of a theory gone wrong. But these two giants did more than just criticize: they fought back, seeking a Theory of Everything that would make the universe seem sensible again.

In Einstein's Dice and Schröger's Cat, physicist Paul Halpern tells the little-known story of how Einstein and Schröger searched, first as collaborators and then as competitors, for a theory that transcended quantum weirdness. This story of their quest-which ultimately failed-provides readers with new insights into the history of physics and the lives and work of two scientists whose obsessions drove its progress.

Today, much of modern physics remains focused on the search for a Theory of Everything. As Halpern explains, the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson makes the Standard Model-the closest thing we have to a unified theory- nearly complete. And while Einstein and Schröger failed in their attempt to explain everything in the cosmos through pure geometry, the development of string theory has, in its own quantum way, brought this idea back into vogue. As in so many things, even when they were wrong, Einstein and Schröger couldn't help but get a great deal right.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465040650
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	04/14/2015
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Paul Halpern is a professor of physics at the Saint Joseph’s University and the author of eighteen popular science books, including Flashes of Creation, The Quantum Labyrinth, Einstein's Dice and Schrodinger's Cat, and Synchronicity. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Table of Contents

Introduction: Allies and Adversaries

Chapter One. The Clockwork Universe

Chapter Two. The Crucible of Gravity

Chapter Three. Matter Waves and Quantum Jumps

Chapter Four. The Quest for Unification

Chapter Five. Spooky Connections and Zombie Cats

Chapter Six. Luck of the Irish

Chapter Seven. Physics by Public Relations

Chapter Eight. The Last Waltz: Einstein’s and Schrödinger’s Final Years

Conclusion: Beyond Einstein and Schrödinger: The Ongoing Search for Unity

Editorial Reviews

A New Scientist Best Read of 2015

"Entertaining and evocative."—New Scientist

"[Told] with humor and concision."—Nature

"This book can be put on the reading list of those who have enjoyed The Theory of Everything and want to know more."—Physics World

"A highly approachable book that will appeal to readers...who are interested in physics, the history of science, and the human and political aspects of scientists and their work."—Library Journal

"That's a lot to cover in a single book, and the author masters this challenge most thoroughly."—MAA Reviews

"As a fan of popular science books and someone who has used phrases such as 'God does not play dice' and 'Schrodinger's Cat' in my songs, I found Paul Halpern's book illuminating and entertaining."—Roland Orzabal, co-founding member of Tears for Fears

From the Publisher

09/01/2015
Halpern (physics, Univ. of the Sciences, Philadelphia; Collider; Brave New Universe) describes a clash between Einstein and fellow Nobel Prize-winning physicist Erwin Schrödinger. The two men, who previously corresponded and were supportive of each other's work, differed when it came to their ideas for a theory unifying gravity and electromagnetism. The ensuing media firestorm is related by Halpern and intertwined with events from the men's lives and events in the wider world. (LJ 2/15/15)

Library Journal

Sean Runnette is an excellent narrator for this double biography of two great physicists, which focuses on their brief period of conflict in the late 1940s. In illuminating these two extraordinary personalities, Einstein and Schrodinger, Halpern shows an entire generation’s contribution to theoretical physics. The author has a knack for explaining scientific concepts in comprehensible terms, no easy thing, and Runnette is up to the task, too. His command of technical terms and place names in English and German is almost flawless. While his soft, warm baritone can be slightly soporific in the book's slower sections, he manages the almost impossible by consistently distinguishing the names of Max Born and Niels Bohr. (Halpern uses only last names.) This work is a significant addition to the intellectual history of twentieth-century physics. F.C. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2015 - AudioFile