Quantum mechanics is a subject that has captured the imagination of a
surprisingly broad range of thinkers, including many philosophers of
science. Quantum field theory, however, is a subject that has been
discussed mostly by physicists. This is the first book to present
quantum field theory in a manner that makes it accessible to
philosophers. Because it presents a lucid view of the theory and debates
that surround the theory, An Interpretive Introduction to Quantum Field
Theory will interest students of physics as well as students of
philosophy. Paul Teller presents the basic ideas of quantum field theory
in a way that is understandable to readers who are familiar with
non-relativistic quantum mechanics. He provides information about the
physics of the theory without calculational detail, and he enlightens
readers on how to think about the theory physically. Along the way, he
dismantles some popular myths and clarifies the novel ways in which
quantum field theory is both a theory about fields and about particles.
His goal is to raise questions about the philosophical implications of
the theory and to offer some tentative interpretive views of his own.
This provocative and thoughtful book challenges philosophers to extend
their thinking beyond the realm of quantum mechanics and it challenges
physicists to consider the philosophical issues that their explorations
have encouraged.
