PHIL 80.23 Philosophy and the Quantum World

Many striking claims have been made on the basis of quantum mechanics—that the future is undetermined, that an object can be in two places at once, that consciousness has a special causal role, that the future can affect the past, and so on. Quantum mechanics is an incredibly powerful theory; but it is also a deeply troubled theory, and it is far from obvious what it says. In this course we will study quantum theory, its central difficulty (the measurement problem), and options for avoiding the difficulty. We will also evaluate philosophical claims that have been made on the basis of quantum mechanics. No acquaintance with modern physics will be presupposed.

Prerequisite

Requires the permission of the instructor.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.