A Personal History in Quantum Foundations: an Oral History Interview

Abstract

This oral history interview provides Yakir Aharonov's personal and conceptual recollections from the 1950s to the 2000s, focusing on his academic trajectory, some of his major contributions to quantum foundations, and his perspective on the development of the field. The interview traces Aharonov's academic career through the Technion, University of Bristol, Brandeis University, Yeshiva University, University of South Carolina, Tel Aviv University, George Mason University, and Chapman University. The interview also traces the development of Aharonov's work and collaborations on the EPR paradox, time-energy uncertainty relations, quantum measurement theory, quantum frames of reference, the two-state vector formalism, weak values, protective measurements, and several other contributions. It includes recollections of meetings and discussions with David Bohm, Niels Bohr, John Clauser, Paul Dirac, Rudolf Peierls, Aage Petersen, and Abner Shimony. Also mentioned: David Albert, Jeeva Anandan, Peter Bergmann, Gideon Carmi, Avshalom Elitzur, Dave Finkelstein, Vladimir Fock, Itzhak Kalugai, Ed Lerner, Joel Lebowitz, Stanley Mandelstam, Yuval Ne'eman, Sandu Popescu, Maurice Pryce, Daniel Rohrlich, Nathan Rosen, Joseph Safko, Paul Singer, Daniele Struppa, Leonard Susskind, Lev Vaidman, Chien-Shiung Wu.