''In Search of Schrödinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality'' is a 1984 book on quantum theory by the physicist

John Gribbin John R. Gribbin (born 19 March 1946) is a British science writer, an astrophysicist, and a visiting fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. His writings include quantum physics, human evolution, climate change, global warming, the orig ...

, discussing in layman's terms its logic and many interpretations.

Summary

Gribbin explains the body of evidence leading up to the development of quantum physics and summarises the historical context in which it occurred. He explores in detail the mysteries surrounding

quantum physics Quantum mechanics is the fundamental physical Scientific theory, theory that describes the behavior of matter and of light; its unusual characteristics typically occur at and below the scale of atoms. Reprinted, Addison-Wesley, 1989, It is ...

and the implications of the theory. Throughout the book, Gribbin refers to a body of experimental evidence to support the theory and to aid the reader's understanding. He also uses

thought experiment A thought experiment is an imaginary scenario that is meant to elucidate or test an argument or theory. It is often an experiment that would be hard, impossible, or unethical to actually perform. It can also be an abstract hypothetical that is ...

s to help the reader understand the crucial concepts and interpretations of quantum physics, including of course

Schrödinger's cat In quantum mechanics, Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment concerning quantum superposition. In the thought experiment, a hypothetical cat in a closed box may be considered to be simultaneously both alive and dead while it is unobserved, ...

. Finally, Gribbin explores the philosophical implications of the theory, and leaves the reader with loose ends.

Sequel

In the sequel to this book, ''

Schrödinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality ''Schrödinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality'' is a 1995 book by John Gribbin, in which the author attempts to explain the mysteries of modern quantum mechanics in a popular-scientific way. It is a sequel to his earlier book, '' In Search ...

'' (1995), Gribbin tries to tie these loose ends together with his interpretation of

string theory In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. String theory describes how these strings propagate through space and intera ...

References

1984 non-fiction books American non-fiction books Books by John Gribbin English-language non-fiction books Popular physics books Random House books Schrödinger's cat {{physics-book-stub