The Uses of Paradox: Randy and Jim talk about Quantum Paradoxes, Chapter 1

What good do paradoxes do?

Randy and Jim discuss paradoxes, their use in physics, quantum mechanics, and the twin paradox, all as an introduction to Quantum Paradoxes by Yakir Aharonov and Daniel Rohrlich. This is the first of 18 planned podcasts on this book, one per chapter.

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Books (probably) mentioned in this episode (Amazon links):

Quantum Paradoxes: Quantum Theory for the Perplexed, Yakir Aharonov and Daniel Rohrlich -- The book we're discussing.

Paradoxes in Probability Theory, William Eckhardt. A fun little book that helps guide you to a better understanding of probabilistic concepts using paradoxes. What I was reading just before recording the first episode.

Paradoxes, R.M. Sainsbury -- A very interesting book on paradoxes in general. It's had many editions, so I assume it's used in classes somewhere.

Zeno's Paradoxes, Wesley C. Salmon, Ed. -- A collection of articles on the meaning of Zeno's Paradoxes.

Potential Theory, Oliver D. Kellogg -- Classic book on potential theory (discussion deleted, but you should know about it, anyway.)

Quantum Mechanics and the Particles of Nature: An Outline for Mathematicians, Anthony Sudbury -- Absolutely awesome book on quantum mechanics; at least I thought so when I first read it twenty years ago. Very readable textbook.

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, John S. Townsend -- The current edition of the book I used as an undergraduate. I find the approach taken here to be well grounded and intuitive.

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, David J. Griffiths -- A more commonly used quantum mechanics textbook; we use it at Xavier (but I don't teach QM).