Skip to main content
Log in

Schrödinger and the interpretation of quantum mechanics

  • Part II. Invited Papers Commemorating The Centenary Of The Birth Of Erwin Schrödinger
  • Published:
Foundations of Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

On the occasion of the centennial of his birth, Schrödinger's life and views are sketched and his critique of the interpretation of quantum mechanics accepted at his time is examined. His own interpretation, which he had to abandon after a short time, provides a prime example of the way in which the tentative meaning of central theoretical terms in a new and revolutionary theory often fails. Schrödinger's strong philosophical convictions have played a key role in his refusal to break with many of the notions of classical physics. At the same time, they made him into a keen and incisive critic of the Copenhagen interpretation. His criticism is compared with present views on quantum mechanics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. E. Schrödinger,Nature and the Greeks (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1954).

    Google Scholar 

  2. From Schrödinger's speech at the occasion of his inauguration to membership in the Prussian Academy of Science, 1929, as quoted by M. Jammer,The Conceptual Development of Quantum Mechanics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1966), p. 255.

    Google Scholar 

  3. E. Schrödinger,Nuovo Cimento 9, 162–170 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  4. E. Schrödinger,My View of the World (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1964).

    Google Scholar 

  5. L. Boltzmann,Theoretical Physics and Philosophical Problems (D. Reidel, Dordrecht, 1974), pp. 33 and 65.

    Google Scholar 

  6. B. Bertotti, “The later work of E. Schrödinger,”Stud. Hist. Philos. Sci. 16, 83–100 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  7. L. A. Wessels,Schrödinger's Interpretation of Wave Mechanics, Ph.D. Dissertation, Indiana University, 1975.

  8. E. Schrödinger,Naturwissenschaften 17, 486–489 (1929).

    Google Scholar 

  9. E. Schrödinger, “Are there quantum jumps?”Br. J. Philos. Sci. 3, Part I: 109–123, Part II: 233–242 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  10. E. Schrödinger, “Energieaustausch nach der Wellenmechanik,”Ann. Phys. (Leipzig) 83, 956–968 (1927).

    Google Scholar 

  11. E. Schrödinger,Was ist ein Naturgesetz? (R. Oldenburg, Muenchen, 1962), p. 102 (my translation).

    Google Scholar 

  12. K. Przibram,Briefe zur Wellenmechanik (Springer-Verlag, Wien, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  13. V. V. Raman and P. Forman, “Why was it Schrödinger who developed de Broglie's ideas?”,Hist. Stud. Phys. Sci. 1, 291–314 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  14. L. Wessels, “Schrödinger's route to wave mechanics,”Stud. Hist. Philos. Sci. 10, 311–340 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  15. E. Schrödinger,Collected Papers on Wave Mechanics (Chelsea, New York, 1982); contains a translation of his four original papers as well as later papers and four lectures.

    Google Scholar 

  16. M. Jammer,The Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  17. M. Born, “Zur Quantenmechanik der Stossvorgaenge,”Z. Phys. 37, 863–867 (1926). It is to be noted that this first of several publications about the probabilistic interpretation by Born contains the crucial point (that ψψ* rather than |ψ| is to be interpreted as a probability) only as a footnote.

    Google Scholar 

  18. W. Heisenberg, “Ueber den anschaulichen Inhalt der quantentheoretischen Kinematik und Mechanik,”Z. Phys. 43, 172–198 (1927).

    Google Scholar 

  19. E. Schrödinger, “Neue Wege in der Physik,”Elektrotech. Z. 50, 15–16 (1929).

    Google Scholar 

  20. E. Schrödinger, “Ueber das Verhaeltnis der Heisenberg-Born-Jordanschen Quantenmechanik zu der meinen,”Ann. Phys. (Leipzig) 79, 734–756 (1926).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Quoted by A. Pais,Inward Bound (Clarendeon Press, Oxford, 1986), p. 255.

  22. A. Einstein, B. Podolsky, and N. Rosen, “Can quantum-mechanical description of physical reality be considered complete?”Phys. Rev. 47, 777–780 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  23. E. Schrödinger, “Discussion of probability relations between separated systems,”Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 31, 555–563 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  24. E. Schrödinger, “Probability relations between separated systems,”Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 32, 446–452 (1936).

    Google Scholar 

  25. E. Schrödinger, “Die gegenwaertige Situation in der Quantenmechanik,”Naturwissenschaften 23, 807–812, 823–828, 844–849 (1935). A translation can be found in J. A. Wheeler and W. H. Zurek,Quantum Theory and Measurement (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  26. A. Aspect, P. Grangier, and G. Roger,Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 91 (1982); A. Aspect, J. Delibart, and G. Roger,Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1804 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  27. F. Rohrlich, “Schrödinger's criticism of quantum mechanics—fifty years later,” pp. 555–572, in P. Lahti and P. Mittelstaedt, eds.,Symposium on the Foundations of Modern Physics, Fifty Years of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Gedankenexperiment (World Scientific, Singapore, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  28. N. D. Mermin, “The EPR experiment—thoughts about the loophole,” pp. 422–427, in D. M. Greenberger,New Techniques and Ideas in the Quantum Measurement Theory (New York Academy of Science, New York, 1987);Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 480, 422–427 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  29. A. Shimony, “Metaphysical Problems in the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics,”Int. Philos. Quarterly 18, 2–17 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  30. A. Shimony, “Reflections on the Philosophy of Bohr, Heisenberg, and Schrödinger,” pp. 305–317, in R. S. Cohen and M. W. Wartofsky,A Portrait of Twenty Five Years, Boston Colloquium for the Philosophy of Science 1960–1985 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  31. F. Rohrlich, “Reality and Quantum Mechanics,” pp. 373–381 in Ref. 28. in

    Google Scholar 

  32. W. Heisenberg,Philosophy and Physics (Harper, New York, 1958), especially p. 185.

    Google Scholar 

  33. M. L. G. Redhead, “Relativity and quantum mechanics—conflict or peaceful coexistence?” pp. 14–20 in Ref. 28. in

    Google Scholar 

  34. E. Schrödinger,Statistical Mechanics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1948).

    Google Scholar 

  35. E. Schrödinger,Space-time Structure (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  36. E. Schrödinger,What is Life? (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1944).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rohrlich, F. Schrödinger and the interpretation of quantum mechanics. Found Phys 17, 1205–1220 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01889594

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01889594

Keywords

Navigation