Trying to learn more about quantum theory but I'm struggling

>>8117332
Shankar - Principles of QM

>>8117332
>>8117332
>and frankly half of it seems to be speculative bullshit.
No, the standard model is the most accurate theory of physics to date. Anything beyond that is speculative, but pretty much all quantum physics that doesn't involve gravity has been confirmed experimentally.

Basdevant- lectures on quantum mechanics(not sure about the title tho, but this is the author)
This is top shit bro

>>8117332
>but I'm struggling to find a starting point

There are no short cuts in the road of learning physics.

Learn
1 Pre-calculus
2 Calculus
2-3 Freshman Physics (Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Modern Physics)
3 Vector Calculus
3 Matrix/Linear Algebra
3 Ordinary Differential Equations
4 Theoretical Mechanics (Lagrangian Mechanics, Hamiltonian Mechanics)
4 Electrodynamics
4 Partial Differential Equations
4 Linear Algebra Theory
4 Probability and Combinatorics
4 Calculus of Variations
4-5 Analysis and Modern Algebra
5 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
5 Quantum Mechanics
5 Functional Analysis
6 Mathematical Physics
6 Particle Physics
6 Nuclear Physics
6 Solid State Physics
7 Quantum Field Theory

>>8117607

Fourier Analysis should be in there too

>>8117607

And Complex Variables

>>8117681
>Fourier analysis
arguably part of PDE, if OP knows what he's doing.

>>8117607
>no differential geometry
>no relativity
And how the fuck is "mathematical physics" a point on its own?

>>8117352
I didn't know Shakira wrote a textbook.

>>8117332
>frankly half of it seems to be speculative bullshit
This is purely a consequence of
>I don't have a conclusive organized grasp of the theories and how they interact with each other as a whole mostly just random tidbits of information over the entire field

The random tidbits that get presented in popular treatments of modern physics are all the stuff that looks "weird" and "cool" and counterintuitive out of context; they don't explain the general frameworks that make all of it fit together.

As an introduction to the ideas behind actual quantum theory, I recommend checking out Feynman's QED: The Strange Theory Of Light And Matter; it's a good, basic layman introduction to the actual concepts involved and how they work.

After that, you're going to need actual math. Be familiar with complex numbers, vector calculus, differential equations, and matrices. You should know what Hamiltonians and Lagrangians are and how to use them, what a path integral is and how to do it, and be vaguely familiar with the concept of operators and generators.

>>8117913
Oh, and https://profmattstrassler.com 's blog contains a lot of really useful introductory information, that mostly avoids advanced math while not being math-free..