(Ebook) The demon and the quantum : from the Pythagorean mystics to Maxwell's demon and quantum mystery by Robert J. Scully, Marlan O. Scully ISBN 9783527409839, 9783527406883, 3527409831, 3527406883

(Ebook) The demon and the quantum : from the Pythagorean mystics to Maxwell's demon and quantum mystery by Robert J. Scully, Marlan O. Scully ISBN 9783527409839, 9783527406883, 3527409831, 3527406883

Eagerly awaited, the new edition of this successful text is now available in paperback. Maxwell's Demon is a character in an 1867 thought experiment by the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell, meant to raise questions about the second law of thermodynamics. This book explains the connection between Maxwell's Demon and the role of the observer and quantum eraser, showing that information science, thermodynamics and quantum physics are closely related. We often hear phrases like quantum weirdness and the strange world of the quantum. A fact that is not so widely appreciated is that quantum mechanics can (and does) shed light on problems such as the Maxwell Demon Paradox of thermodynamics, the seemingly spiritual nature of information, and even, perhaps, new insights into the existence of Mind! The common denominator of all this is the fact that information is a real physical quantity. Information is more than something just in our mind; it is the essence of, and in many ways more general than the concept of entropy. By focusing on entropy, information, and observation, the authors bring a unique perspective to this subject, and offer insight into the strange ways of the quantum which will not only fascinate scientists but lay persons as well. Key features of the new paperback edition: Explains the connection between Maxwell's Demon and the role of the observer Takes a completely new approach to quantum mechanics and quantum information theory which is of interest to students from undergraduate level onwards as well as researchers and lay persons Written by two authors who approach the topic from two different angles and combine both the scholar's and the layperson's perspective in a most interesting and enjoyable fashion Treats central concepts such as entropy, information and intelligence in a comprehensible and entertaining way Includes fresh biographical material on key researchers like Planck, Schrödinger, and others is presented at the beginning of each chapte