Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Week one: Chapters 1 and 2 of Peter Godfrey-Smith, Theory and reality: An introduction to the philosophy of science, (University of Chicago Press, 2009). This is a school of scientific and philosophical thought that was current in the 1920s, around when quantum mechanics was being formulated. Logistical positivism strongly influenced Bohr, among others, and is closely linked with the Copenhagen interpretation, the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics. Discussion goals:
1. Get a good sense of logical positivism. What are its key assumptions or propositions?
2. Grapple with logical positivism. Do what extent do you think the ideas of logical positivism are still with us? What aspects of it do you find interesting or appealing? What aspects give you pause?
3. Discuss other questions that arise in the course of doing the reading, including thinking about different definitions of science. (I don't want to start with this, since this is less important for the course and we might end up spending a lot of time talking around in circles.)
Week two:
Week three:

introduction to quantum mechanics