BOOK REVIEW Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory

This collection Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory gives us the broadest perspective yet on this important realist alternative to standard quantum theory. The book treats the history, philosophical rami"cations and consistency of theories arising from Bohm's original model and their relations to other alternative theories. Signi"cantly, it also contains applications of these theories to practical situations, such as scattering theory*a sign of the subject's increasing maturity. Most importantly among its contributions to physics and the philosophy of physics, Bohmian mechanics provides an existence proof in support of the hidden-variable approach to explaining quantum phenomena: it is a causal mechanics observationally equivalent to standard non-relativistic quantum theory. As with the study of the foundations of quantum theory generally, Bohmian mechanics is undergoing a renaissance. During those long years of neglect between the appearance of the EPR argument in 1935 and the emergence of various theories of microphysics, Bohmian mechanics and Everett's relative state theory emerged as little-regarded testimonies that alternatives to standard quantum theory were indeed conceivable. In these later times, we have this exciting volume of contemporary work on Bohmian mechanics. Though the editors have included among the contributors several contemporary advocates of the approach, su$cient sceptical analysis is also provided to put optimistic claims in proper perspective.