Dualism in quantum theory

AUG 01, 1968

Do particles sometimes behave as waves? Can waves be treated as particles? There is still disagreement in the interpretation of the quantum theory.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3035102

Max Born

Walter Biem

IN RECENT YEARS Alfred Landé has tried to give a new foundation for quantum theory, starting with statistical nonquantal principles that have not been taken from classical physics. In his books and articles he attacks the basic concept of quantum theory that is generally taken for granted by most physicists nowadays. He calls this concept “dualistic” and maintains that he can replace it by another more unified one.

References

1. A. Landé, Foundations of Quantum Theory, Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, 1955;
From Dualism to Unity in Quantum Physics, Cambridge Univ. Press, London, 1960;
New Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Cambridge Univ. Press, London, 1965.
2. A. Landé, Dualismus, Wissenschaft und Hypothese, Heisenbergfestschrift, 1961;
Philosophia naturalis, Vienna, 8, 232 (1964);
Brit. J. Phil. Sci., 15, 307 (1965); https://doi.org/BJPIA5
Am. J. Phys., 33, 123 (1965) https://doi.org/AJPIAS
and 34, 1160 (1966); https://doi.org/AJPIAS , Am. J. Phys.
PHYSICS TODAY, 20, no. 2, 55 (1967).https://doi.org/PHTOAD
3. A. Shimony, PHYSICS TODAY, 19, no. 9, 85, 1966.https://doi.org/PHTOAD
4. A. Einstein, Ann. Physik, 17, 132 (1905) https://doi.org/ANPYA2
and A. Einstein, 20, 199 (1906); https://doi.org/ANPYA2 , Ann. Phys.
A. Einstein, Phys. Z., 10, 185 (1909).https://doi.org/PHZTAO
5. A. Einstein, in a letter to Max Born, 3 March 1920. The Einstein–Born correspondence is to be published.

More about the Authors

Max Born. University of Edinburgh (retired).

Walter Biem. Institute for Neutron Physics of the Kernforschungsanlage Jülich.