Path Integrals For Pedestrians - Softcover

For the first time in an introductory text, the book includes a discussion of the path integral for classical mechanics which was pioneered by the first of its authors. This path integral establishes a close connection between many different fields like, for example, between Hamiltonian mechanics and the differential geometry of the phase-space manifold. It can also serve as a good pedagogical introduction to this last topic. --Dr Martin Reuter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

This short book provides a clear, pedagogical and insightful presentation of the subject. An interesting innovation in this book is that the authors provide a clear presentation of the path integral formulation of the Wigner functions, which are fundamental in the study of quantum statistical mechanics; and, for the first time in an elementary book, the work of Koopman and von Neumann on classical and statistical mechanics. It will be difficult to find a better and more compact introduction to this fundamental subject. --CERN Courier

This book aims to provide a quick pedagogical introduction to path integrals. It contains original material that never before has appeared in a book, for example the path integrals for the Wigner functions and for Classical Mechanics. This application to Classical Mechanics connects different fields like Hamiltonian mechanics and differential geometry, so the book is suitable for students and researchers from various disciplines.