Quantum Chance: Nonlocality, Teleportation and Other Quantum Marvels

I recently became interested in understanding quantum mechanics as I find the subject fascinating. One article, which I believe was published online by the Atlantic, dedicated a significant amount of words to Nicolas Gisin and his promotion of intuitionist mathematics. From there, I quickly discovered "Quantum Chance: Nonlocality, Teleportation and Other Quantum Marvels." I assumed it would be far beyond my ability to comprehend, but I ordered it anyways. To my surprise, Nicholas goes out of his way to simplify advanced concepts such as the Bell Inequality using simplified stories, analogies, and then basic mathematical proofs. I am a patent attorney by trade, and I consider myself particularly adept at breaking down and explaining complex topics in written word and basic figures. Nicholas Gisin is simply on another level, and I am in awe and inspired by the genius of his writing and approach. This book is absolutely perfect for someone like myself with a solid background in computer science, basic logic, and zero understanding of quantum mechanics. If you are on the fence and intimidated at the thought of attempting to understand quantum mechanics, buy this book. Read the preface and introduction as they serve as a foreshadowing and a roadmap for both the concepts of the book but the approach one should take in digesting the material. The information density of this book is outstanding, and I very much appreciated guidance from the author early on regarding when to keep reading beyond portions that escape my immediate understanding, as later words can bring clarity and that 'aha' moment.

Thank you very much prof. Gisin, for insightful description of quantum phenomena and questions posed about it and their relationship to overall human understanding of nature! I take away valuable insights on important scientific discoveries and new questions that are at the frontiers of new breakthroughs!

If you love physics, but do not have a scientific background, you can get through this short work with some effort. It revolves largely around Bell's Game (now referred to as Bell's Theorem to give it some dignity). Bell's Game demonstrates that things can happen at faster than light speeds, a strong contradiction to Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity. But, and this saves the discrepancy, no information can be carried at such speeds. This is the quantum physics concept of entanglement. You do not have to have a mathematical background to grasp the main ideas of this work. But if you do not have some experience with math you will probably get lost and give up. It took me about four hours over the course of a few days to grasp the math because of all the possibilities, probabilities, and "rules" of the game. During the past decade or so many books on quantum physics have been published that are aimed at the laymen. Most attempt to deal with the problem of uncertainty, which is at the root of quantum physics, and, for lack of a better term, certainty (or determinism if you like), which is the foundation of classical physics. This clash has been described as physics in crisis. Humankind has always felt a need to understand the world/universe. When something happens that cannot be explained (e.g. lightning), then some paranormal explanation is called into play...the gods. Later, when lightning is understood scientifically, the gods are released as the creators. But the paranormal is still very much with us worldwide. So the mystics have jumped on uncertainty to declare that it is obvious science does not, and cannot, have all the answers; but we do. This has been a great thorn in the side of scientists as they struggle to deal with uncertainty. Thankfully, this work does not delve into that debate directly. You will learn something about the uncertainty principle and the clash with classical physics. And the author does point out that what we know now will almost certainly not be the same a thousand years from now (assuming the unlikely scenario where mankind does not destroy itself). So the reader is urged to try to understand science as best we know it now. Perhaps when the LHC (CERN) starts up again this year we may make new discoveries in physics that may some day lead to "The Theory of Everything." Until then, pay your money and take your choice. Or maybe figure out how to reconcile physics and metaphysics. Footnote: This reviewer, while holding an advanced degree, does not have a formal background in math or physics; they are just great hobbies. So pundits may take exception to some of the definitions included above.

i sometimes think i'm a 'gifted amateur' in physics until i read the books for gifted amateurs. sob. but this book.....!!!! it is a bit strange.... it starts out going down a path that is different than i've encountered before. Then, i realize that it is going down the path of actual teaching in the way that teaching should have always been done. This is just brilliant teaching (and i'm not saying it's brilliant writing or brilliant science because who knows what is truly real in the quantum realm). It has explained things, once you understand how Gisin is presenting his thoughts, in a way that no one else has ever done, for me, love it love it love it. if you are trying to figure out life, quantum mechanics, spooky science, this is just a mandatory!! the ungifted amateur (tm)

Often in books popularizing theoretical physics we find history and mathematics mixed in a rather 'uncomfortable' way. Too often authors fail to put sufficient emphasis on interpretation and/or meaning of the material presented. This is particularly true of popularizers of Quantum mechanics. This is a not-unexpected consequence of there being at least four interpretations of quantum mechanics. The appropriate conclusion must be that at least three of the interpretations (and probably four) are wrong. The non-locality of our universe, once an astonishing conjecture is now a proven fact. In his book, "Quantum Chance", Nicolas Gisin brings an astonishing clarity to this difficult topic. He begins by modeling non-locality as "Bell's game". This model presents the nature of quantum correlations in a remarkably clear and accurate way. Mathematical demands on the reader are minimal but the extraordinary implications of John Bell's theorem are presented with remarkable lucidity. Dr. Gisin explains in a fundamental way the meaning of chance and its relation to 'reducible' and 'irreducible' randomness. He then gives the profound implications of non-local correlations. He explains that such correlations represent particles (or events) that cannot be predetermined nor can they have a 'history' i.e.-they are "new" things in the universe. It is this 'newness' that is the basis of creativity, free will and I would guess. complexity. If this seems like "a bit of a stretch" then I can only recommend that you read this remarkable book. Dr. Gisin is very persuasive. Dr. William Driscoll

A brillliant exposition of the existence and mechanics of the quantum, well written and elegantly conceived, with the good reader in mind. Unlike a great poem, however, it will not leave you breathless. In fact, most of my attempts to explain what I have read left me intellectually numb and physically cross-eyed -- the Ben Turpin of the classroom. A wisp of my former self. But that's what the quantum's all about, and Gisin has humor and distance and impulsiveness in his disquisition - and all at the same time!

This is a marvelous book covers basic but important topics of quantum teleportation. I am very surprised that I could not find any "braket" at all in the book (correct me if I am wrong!). How is it possible in a book about "Q" without any braket! But Prof. Gisin did!

The author is both a theorist, and he does experiments, the best way to do science. He shows the human free will is essential to make sense of nonlocal Bell's quantum mechanics. Yet he shies away from declaring himself a dualist. There are two fundamental entities, affecting each other, matter and mind (not clear in detail yet). It's not a "gap" in our knowledge, it's an antinomy. There is a difference between "gaps" and Kant's antinomies. Antinomies are infinities (both in time and space), and the (quantum) Chance, on which quantum mechanics is based, and the free will. They appear more and more beyond our understanding. Mankind will eventually fill the gaps, like between apes and humans etc. - yet, why are we so different from the animals that we want to understand the universe? There is no evolutionary advantage in that. I wish Gisin acknowledge all that... Yet, I loved this book.

I consider this book to be the best popular book on quantum physics I've read so far. If you like to feel the taste of modern quantum physics this book is for you.

I came at this book as a philosopher who is very interested in what the cutting edge of physics has to say about the way the universe works. When reading books about Quantum anything, you always have to be careful about the level of maths required to fully understand the theories. My own level is not great, but I found the basic principles graspable, although I did smile when the writer said, "normally 1+1=2...". Essentially, this book sets out to show why Quantum Theory predicts that two remotely separated particles must come up with identical random values when examined, without breaking the prohibition on faster-than-light communication. This would be mind-bending enough, but the author then sets out, rather modestly given his role, the experimental proof which demonstrates this. Apart from the clear and lucid explanations of this phenomenon, the author won me over with some of his comments about the way that non-locality was received - and is still received - by other physicists. He does not attempt to offer an explanation of *why* the universe works like this, but he rightly raises his eyebrows at scientists who follow the "Shut up and calculate" mantra. The fundamental issues he covers in this book are crucial to future discoveries about free will, consciousness and other key philosophical issues; I am much better informed as a result of reading it.

Approfondimento molto interessante sul tema della non località della fisica quantistica. Mi permetterei di suggerire, e questo vale in generale per ogni pubblicazione a carattere scientifico, che l'autore indichi dove e come contattarlo per chiedere delucidazioni e chiarimenti. Desidero aggiungere che, volendo chiedere un chiarimento al Prof Gisin, ho trovato le sue coordinate all'Università di Ginevra su Internet, gli ho scritto una mail ieri sera attorno alle 18.00 e stamattina 8 maggio 2020 poco dopo le 9.00 mi è arrivata la risposta! Formidabile! Grazie, Professore.

very good book and very good analysis of the non-locality and the implicate order,and the entanglement.Congratulations to Nicolas Gisin for all the exposuret and Alain Aspect for the forward. A tribute to John Stewart Bell. and his inequality.

Personalmente mi aspettavo un po' di più di profondità sui concetti difficili (apparato matematico) e un po' più concretezza su quelli generali...l'ho letto piuttosto volentieri, ma non lo consiglierei.