Preface

Summary

There is a kind of science of everyday phenomena at which we are all experts. We can all predict what will happen when gasoline is thrown on the fire, or when a rock is thrown at the window. None of us is surprised when heated water boils, or when cooled water freezes. These everyday scientific facts come easily.

This everyday science is readily extended to the laboratory, where we learn, for example, that sodium burns yellow, or that liquid helium is very cold. With work, we can learn more complicated facts, involving delicate equipment, and complicated procedures. The result is a kind of science of laboratory phenomena, not different in kind from the science of everyday phenomena.

But what about quantum mechanics? It is, purportedly at least, not about phenomena of the sort mentioned thus far. It is, purportedly at least, not about bunsen burners and cathode ray tubes and laboratory procedures, but about much smaller things – protons, electrons, photons, and so on. What is the relation between the science of quantum mechanics and the science of everyday phenomena, or even the science of laboratory phenomena?

It is no part of my aim to answer this question. However, it will be helpful to note some possibilities.