Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness
by Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kuttner
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bruce Rosenblum, Fred KuttnerEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-06-16
ISBN: 019534250X
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness
Book Review: Hits the mark for a general audience
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was written for a general audience; presupposing that this audience has little or no background in mathematics or physics, and as a result this book is completely devoid mathematics. The book is an outgrowth of a course that the authors teach to a general non-physics-major audience. Having taught this material as a college course has enabled the authors to "get the kinks out" and provide a very coherent treatment. As noted, this treatment is not oriented towards physicists (although the authors state that many take the course) and therefore the physics is provided in a very general way. As such, I think that some of other reviewer's criticism that the physics treatment was superficial misses the point that it was never meant to be more than superficial.
Like some of the other reviewers I have also read Herbert's Quantum Reality and Gribbin's in search of Schrodinger's Cat, as well as several other similar books. The background material is not as detailed as that provided in Gribbin's book and the alternative approaches to the quantum reality are not as detailed as that provided by Herbert, but I liked Quantum Enigma better than any of the other book of this genre that I have read. I found the discussions of EPR, Bells theorem and the verification of Bell's theorem to be superior in Quantum Enigma. (To be fair, as far as the experimental verification of Bell's theorem goes, the best results were either not yet available when these other books were written or had just been done.) The writing in Quantum Enigma is very clear and the more difficult ideas have been clarified by the use of simplified experiments that preserved the essence of the ideas, while removing many of the complications.
The first half of the book is devoted to a general discussion of background material - it discusses Newtonian, 19th century physics and the development of quantum mechanics. This is a very general treatment; suitable for those who are not generally interested in physics. However, for those who are, it may seem overly basic, but nonetheless I found some of the generalizations to be very informative. However, if you are primarily interested in the development of quantum mechanics I would recommend Gribbin's book, especially if you want a little more detail than that presented in Quantum Enigma, but if you want a stripped down and very simplified version of the development of quantum mechanics I would recommend Quantum Enigma.
The next quarter of the book focuses on the "skeleton in the quantum mechanics closet", namely that a quantum mechanics description of atomic particles and photons requires an observation for them to become "real". This assertion rests firmly on experiments that have been verified numerous times. For instance, individual photons exhibit interference effects, when this should not occur, but do not when the location of the photon is defined by an earlier observation. This observation, in effect, makes the photon real instead of just a manifestation of a wave function that is capable of being in more than one place at the same time and therefore of being able to interfere with itself. When it has been previously observed it acts like a "real" particle, which cannot interfere with itself. The question of observation creating reality is very strange and is the enigma of the title. Einstein objected to this observation required reality and developed thought experiments aimed at showing that this could not be so; that atoms, electron, photons, etc. should be objectively real and not require observation to be so. The final part of this section of the book shows, strange as it seems, how Einstein was shown to be wrong. Describing this is for a general audience is not easy, but I think that the authors have succeeded admirably. Succinctly describing the quantum enigma is very challenging and this book does a much better job than the others that I have read.
The final quarter of the book deals with the subjects of consciousness, free will and the general implications of "the quantum enigma". I was not overly fond of this part of the book, but you may find it interesting. However, if this is what you are primarily interested in, I would recommend Herbert's "Quantum Reality" as it goes into more detail concerning this subject.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the mysterious enigma supporting the foundation of quantum mechanics - an enigma that Richard Feynman cautioned one should never consider too closely lest one get be sucked down a drain from which there is no return. This book seeks to describe the quantum enigma, hopefully without the dire consequences that Feynman warned of.
Summary of Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness
In trying to understand the atom, physicists built quantum mechanics and found, to their embarrassment, that their theory intimately connects consciousness with the physical world. Quantum Enigma explores what that implies and why some founders of the theory became the foremost objectors to it. Authors Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner explain all of this in non-technical terms with help from some fanciful stories and anecdotes about the theory's developers. They present the quantum mystery honestly, with an emphasis on what is and what is not speculation. Quantum Enigma's description of the experimental quantum facts, and the quantum theory explaining them, is undisputed. Interpreting what it all means, however, is controversial. Every interpretation of quantum physics encounters consciousness. Rosenblum and Kuttner therefore turn to exploring consciousness itself--and encounter quantum physics. Free will and anthropic principles become crucial issues, and the connection of consciousness with the cosmos suggested by some leading quantum cosmologists is mind-blowing. Readers are brought to a boundary where the particular expertise of physicists is no longer a sure guide. They will find, instead, the facts and hints provided by quantum mechanics and the ability to speculate for themselves."A remarkable and readable presentation of the basic mysteries of science, our universe, and human life. Critically important problems in our understanding are interestingly discussed with perception, depth, and careful objectivity."
--Charles Townes, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics
"Lively and thought-provoking."
--The Washington Times
"This book is unique. The clearest expositions I have ever seen."
--George Greenstein, Professor of Astronomy, Amherst College
"An immensely important and exciting book."
--Raymond Chester Russ, editor of Journal of Mind and Behavior
"Exposes the hidden skeleton in the physicist's closet."
--Nick Herbert, author of Quantum Reality
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