Do not be critical unless one finishes reading an article or a book

One needs to grasp the concept of particle-wave duality of light to have a basic understanding of quantum physics.  Wave function is calculated with Schrodinger wave equation, it deals with possibilities.  Square the amplitude of the wave we got probability function, it deals with probabilities.

When I read the above scanned paragraph (page 81 of The Dancing Wu Li Masters—by Gary Zukav) I thought I spotted an inexcusable neglect or oversight.  It explains things very well, but it may lead readers to believe that the probability function (squaring of amplitude) is part of Schrodinger wave equation that comes from Schrodinger himself.

In fact, probability function came from German physicist Max Born.  He is one of the quantum mechanic pioneers working in 1920s.  His Nobel Glory came very late (in 1954, 28 years later after his work.  Schrodinger got his in 1933), it was cited “for his fundamental research in quantum mechanics, especially for his statistical interpretation of the wave function.” So Born’s contribution is worthy of a Nobel prize on his own merit.

Being Jewish, Max Born fled to Cambridge, England in 1933.  Olivia Newton-John (of Greese fame) is his granddaughter. She was born in Cambridge.

When I reached page 117 and 118, I realized I was wrong, the author not only does he give proper credit to Max Born, but also talks about statistical analysis and “probability” as well as particle-wave duality of light, the themes he revisits again and again throughout the book.

Einstein said, “Every element of the physical reality must have a counterpart in the physical theory.”  This is not the case in quantum theory, in which one cannot find the one-to-one correspondence.  Thus it cannot predict individual event, only the probability.

This is why Einstein never fully embraced quantum theories, even though he helped creating it with his photoelectric effect in 1904.   In his letter to Max Born, Einstein wrote, “quantum mechanics is very impressive, but I am very convinced that God [in NY Times Max Born obituary, it says ‘good lord’] does not play dice.”

In his 1954 Nobel Lecture, Max Born said Planck, Einstein, De Broglie and Schrodinger “have unceasingly stressed the unsatisfactory features of quantum mechanics and called for a return to the concepts of classical, Newtonian physics,” he also said, “Planck belonged to the sceptics until he died.”