Abstract
Here, “to understand” does not mean just the mastery of the mathematical formalism, but rather an understanding within the framework of our conceptual ideas acquired on the basis of classical and nonrelativistic phenomena. Indeed, one can understand (in this sense of the word) such consequences of special relativity as the Lorentz contraction or time dilation as soon as one has a clear notion of the relativity of simultaneity in coordinate systems which are in motion with respect to one another. Although the Newtonian equations are indeed modified in relativity theory, so that the resulting equations are covariant with respect to Lorentz transformations, the concept of a state — specification of position and velocity — is not altered.
“There was a time when newspapers said that only twelve men understood the theory of relativity. I do not believe that there ever was such a time. ... On the other hand, I think it is safe to say that no one understands quantum mechanics.”
R.P Feynman
The Character of Physical Law (1967) p. 1291
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Schwabl, F. (1995). State and Measurement in Quantum Mechanics. In: Quantum Mechanics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03170-4_20
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