PSI 2018/2019 - Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (Leifer)

Introduction.  Basic Phenomenology of quantum theory with interferometers (interference, Elitzur-Vaidman bomb).  Postulates of quantum theory.

No cloning, the von Neumann measurement model, Orthodoxy and the measurement problem, EPR-Bohm

Generalized formalism for quantum theory (density operators, POVMs, CPT maps)

Generalized formalism continued

The realism vs. anti-realism debate in the philosophy of physics

Epistricted Theories (Spekkens' toy model)

Introduction to Ontological Models and Hardy's Excess Baggage Theorem

Contextuality (Spekkens' contextuality, Kochen-Specker contextuality)

 The reality of the quantum state (PBR theorem and overlap bounds)

Bell's Theorem and the Colbeck-Renner theorem

The Classical Limit of Quantum Theory

Everett/Many Worlds 1