Jeremy Butterfield
Published 2002-10-19, updated 2003-05-21Version 2
This paper gives a technically elementary treatment of some aspects of Hamilton-Jacobi theory, especially in relation to the calculus of variations. The second half of the paper describes the application to geometric optics, the optico-mechanical analogy and the transition to quantum mechanics. Finally, I report recent work of Holland providing a Hamiltonian formulation of the pilot-wave theory.
Comments: 31 pages, no figures. Minor corrections and changes made since previous version. This version is forthcoming in Elitzur, A.C., Dolev, S., and Kolenda, N. (editors), `Quo Vadis Quantum Mechanics? Possible Developments in Quantum Theory in the 21st Century', New York: Springer, 2004
Ambiguity appearing on the Hamiltonian formulation of Quantum Mechanics
Hamiltonian Formulation of the Pilot-Wave Theory
Bohmian Mechanics
