Book Description
This best-selling classical mechanics text, written for the advanced undergraduate one- or two-semester course, provides a complete account of the classical mechanics of particles, systems of particles, and rigid bodies. Vector calculus is used extensively to explore topics.The Lagrangian formulation of mechanics is introduced early to show its powerful problem solving ability.. Modern notation and terminology are used throughout in support of the text's objective: to facilitate students' transition to advanced physics and the mathematical formalism needed for the quantum theory of physics. CLASSICAL DYNAMICS OF PARTICLES AND SYSTEMS can easily be used for a one- or two-semester course, depending on the instructor's choice of topics.
Customer Reviews:
I doubt students using this text can tackle dynamics.......2007-04-28
I doubt students using this text will be as capable in tackling dynamics problems as one would assume. Give the Physics student fed on a regular diet of this book one of those swirling, mechanical-arm problems and they'll probably be dead in the waters. This is probably one of those books that create the illusion of mastery rather than develop real skills.
Springer has a real good series on classical mechanics nowadays. That's my tip.
Disclaimer: gave up on this book and never really used it, because I think it sucks and life is too short.
worst textbook I ever had.......2007-02-03
This book is one of the reasons why I am now a math phd student, rather than a physics phd student. Unfortunately, physics departments stick to the same awful books, when they really ought to know better. It doesn't matter how much math you know--I was a senior math major. You can follow everything that is written in this book and still not learn much because the book hardly contains any real knowledge. Very little physical insight will be found here, unless you think about it for yourself and come up with your own explanations. The idea of actually understanding anything seems to be completely missing. The problems are often tedious, involving excessive computations (not that some of that isn't appropriate), with a few exceptions. Not a good textbook or reference. If you don't at least question this book, you will miss out, big time--I promise.
If you have the misfortune of having this as a text, please, at least try reading something else. Feynman's lectures cover some of the material at an elementary level. V. I. Arnold's Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics might be worth taking a look at, although it requires some mathematical sophistication for a full appreciation.
This book is a real dissaster!!!.......2007-01-29
I used this book for Classical Mechanics and Classical Dynamics, and was a complete waste of time and money, the explanation of the topics is very superficial, and the mathematics are very poorly. However, the book is well organized, because clearly it develop a line of thought that an undergraduated student can follow, nonetheless the develop of this line of thought is a real dissaster. In conclusion, please look for another book, don't buy this piece of sh... Sorry, but I'm really dissapointed with this book. I had to buy another five books to complete what at last is the real classical dynamics.
P.S.: Beg your pardon if there is any grammar error, I'm not a native English Speaker.
Know's its place.......2006-09-02
This semester is my first in grad school and we're starting into Goldstein and I'm using Marion for review and backfill. The really negative opinions on this page are over done. AND so are the really positive reviews.
Overall the book is just great for an undergrad who won't be going on to the PhD or masters. But once you're in one of these programs you may find yourself reaching for it to make sure you've got your basics covered.
Hopefully Thornton will upgrade the book and not dumb it down as time goes on. A layered approach usually works.
A shame..........2006-04-29
People who read this book carefully will find that many of the examples in the book contain flawed reasoning. The sloppy logic often leads one to understand certain concepts in a wrong way. The book does have lots of long-winded mathematical derivations, but they don't really add to the reader's physical insight. (eg. in chapter 11, some simple linear algebra that can be done in three lines are instead derived in pages of summations and index swap)
This book is a disgrace to the teaching of physics. Its tedious, sometimes illegitimate algebra spoils the elegance of classical mechanics. Compare it with Landau, and you will see the point.
Amazon.com
Explore new worlds without booking a flight! In Adventures Beyond the Body, William Buhlman recounts his fascinating experiences with astral travel, connects this phenomenon with current cosmological theories, and suggests that we all have the capability to travel to parallel universes. Don't worry about getting lost--Adventures is filled with well mapped methods for finding your way out of your body and into other worlds. Control is Buhlman's mantra, specifically control over our fear of the unknown. He precisely addresses the common events that can occur during an out-of-body experience, taking the fear out of the journey, and allowing you to focus on living the adventure. --Brian Patterson
Book Description
Explore new worlds . . .
If you ever wondered what might lie beyond the reality we experience every day, if you've ever thrilled to accounts of out-of-body travel and longer to go alone for the ride, this fascinating, practical guide is for you. America's leading expert on out-of-body travel tells the riveting story of his travels to other realms and offers easy-to-use techniques to guide you on your journey of a lifetime'and beyond.
Travel into parallel realities . . .
William Buhlman has trained out-of-body travelers in his workshop for more than a decade, teaching people how to project their consciousness outside the limits of their physical bodies and to explore dimensions and worlds beyond everyday life. Now he vividly recounts how own adventures in the parallel universe described in the new-physics theories of Stephen Hawkins, Paul Davies, and Fred Alan Wolf and presents his step-by-step guide to astral travel'including exercises, tips, techniques, and answers to your every question about out-of-body experiences.
And discover surprising truths about reality, past lives, the soul, and life after death.
Astral travel, Buhlman reveals, not only can expand your conscious'it can help verify the existence of the soul, teach you about past lives, and enhance your daily life. Find out in this compelling handbook for everyone who wants to venture beyond the body and take the ultimate trip.
Customer Reviews:
Wow what a book.......2007-08-15
this has to be one of the most facinating books I've ever read, William Buhlman really knows this subject well, thank you Mr. Buhlman for a
fantistic book, I can't wait to start my own journey, hope to see you out there!!!
Repetitive But Highly Recommended.......2007-08-01
The bad: (1) very repetitive. (2) puts journal entries in there that are NO WAY actual entries... it's as if he just needed a way to mix up the otherwise rather dull text. (3) states things as fact a bit much... no discussion about, say, maybe these experiences are just lucid dreams with excellent recall? (That's what I view them as until such time as I can experience it all for myself).
The good: if you want to have an OBE or lucid dream, he gives a zillion different things to try: more suggestions of techniques than I've seen in any other single book... (not that I've read them all, mind you). For this reason, it's highly recommended: let's face it: you're probably looking for a book that will help you have an OBE... I think this book will help you in that pursuit more than probably just about any other single book out there.
The Best "How To" Book for Your Traveling Experience.......2007-07-08
William Buhlman has not only written a book that captivates you from the start with his own fantastic experiences of out-of-body travel, he has taken great care to give end of chapter points that help the reader remember the important stuff.
Buhlman approaches his subject with a positive thrust, not with any of the scary warnings that some other writers use. He clearly knows "who he is" and helps the reader come to understand that we are ALL powerful Beings that can do what he has done. He says right off that we do create our own experiences, so we must think positive to create a positive experience.
Chocked full of interesting and mind stretching experiences, this little book is devoid of extra padding that is useless to a reader. Buhlman sums up his final chapters with guided How To information, but also encourages the reader to explore even beyond the writer's experiences. He firmly believes that "the world is your oyster" and you can create a wonderful, exciting life beyond the veil of flesh that we live here in the 3D world.
One of my library treasures, this book is a goldmine of information.
the ultimate secret! no f---ing way! hahaha woooow!.......2007-06-19
dude!!!!!!! how in the f--k is it possible for us to be able to do this?!! i dont think we are "just human beings"! my god, what exactly in the hell are we?! the main thing i cant stop thinking about is how does the entire world not know? I dont care how intellectual one may think they are; after this experience you will feel like you were an ape. hey, but this sh-t does get very scary tho, i must admit. there's a section in this book that aims on helping to conquer your fears.
un-be-f---ing-lievable!
woked for me.......2007-05-16
I baught this book several years ago and did have some results with lucid dreaming and out of body. Hope it works for you.
Book Description
This book first teaches learners how to do quantum mechanics, and then provides them with a more insightful discussion of what it means. Fundamental principles are covered, quantum theory presented, and special techniques developed for attacking realistic problems.
The book's two-part coverage organizes topics under basic theory, and assembles an arsenal of approximation schemes with illustrative applications.
For physicists and engineers.
Customer Reviews:
Emphasis on problems.......2007-09-04
How does Griffiths manage to cram such a comprehensive exploration of non-relativistic QM into such a small textbook? Nearly half of the material is explained only through doing the chapter problems. If you are a self-learner or looking for a reference, take a look at other texts such as Liboff before this one. If you are using this as part of an undergraduate class, get ready for some serious problem sets.
Fantastic First Book.......2007-07-27
The best introduction to quantum mechanics around, without doubt. Griffiths knows how to drive home the key concepts. Insufficient for a graduate student, but a highly desirable supplement to Shankar/Cohen-Tannoudji because Griffiths reminds you what is and what is not important concisely. There is no question that this book is brilliantly written. The smartest people are those who understand how to say things concisely and to the point, not pretentious people who hide behind equations and jargon because they cannot communicate ideas. Griffiths is obviously a very smart man.
This is written as a graduate physicist.
People who say that this book is insufficiently rigorous tend to be (but not necessarily) intellectual snobs who want to impress themselves and others by saying "Oh, Griffiths is too low level for me, I'm so great..." This is an INTRODUCTION, and that's what it serves to do...science was created by men based on intuition and logical clues, not by the gods of math (and I'd argue most of what is key in math came from mathematical clues and intuition before the proofs and notation...before derivatives and integrals were well defined, people were using them to solve physical problems).
Lots of subjects.......2007-05-15
A good book with lots of subjects but you need to listen to the instructor carefully and some theorems are just coming from somewhere that you dont understand...
Good choice as a first step.......2007-05-07
This is really a nice book to get a feeling about Quantum Mechanics. In just 450 pages, it covers most of the subject. Of course, with so few pages, you can't expect to see everything in depth.
The biggest quality Griffiths has, both in Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Introduction to Electrodynamics, is developing a kind of physical intuition about the subject. The biggest flaw is a lack of mathematical rigour. Conserning this book, for example, I missed an axiomatic structure-like treatment of the theory. I would really recommend Cohen's book to anyone who wish to learn more.
Doesn't stand on its own........2007-04-28
I find example problems the most useful part of a science text book, and the ones in this book were very unhelpful. They did not prepare me at all for the problems in the book. It is not very clearly written and interspersed with jokes that do not make it easier to read. They're fairly extraneous. It's not detailed enough to be clear. I dont get a very good idea of the material from reading. Find a longer book.
Book Description
This didactically unrivalled textbook and timeless reference by Nobel Prize Laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji separates essential underlying principles of quantum mechanics from specific applications and practical examples and deals with each of them in a different section. Chapters emphasize principles; complementary sections supply applications. The book provides a qualitative introduction to quantum mechanical ideas; a systematic, complete and elaborate presentation of all the mathematical tools and postulates needed, including a discussion of their physical content and applications.
The book is recommended on a regular basis by lecturers of undergraduate courses.
Customer Reviews:
The solar-system-wide reference for Quantum Mechanics.......2007-05-26
Almost no words needs to be said about this masterwork.
And rare are serious students of quantum mechanics who could really afford to ignore it.
Several important techniques and recent developments are omitted, but having grasped the material presented in these two volumes, learning further about quantum mechanics will prove astonishingly straightforward.
A caution remark is in order, though : these books don't really suit to self-study, due to their sometimes rather lengthy, verbose exposition, which could well quickly fade away an initially strong motivation for studying quantum mechanics, if not bolstered by a teacher's or fellow student's incentives.
GOOD BOOK.......2007-03-09
Very good book for undergraduate or even graduate quantum mechanics. The book is very well organized and gives detailed explanations and examples of key quantum mechanical concepts. I would suggest that all undergraduates give it a try. It balances out importance of detail while maintaining clarity to give students a good understanding of the subject. Though it is a little hard to digest at first, that is just the nature of the subject. Once you become familiar with the basics of quantum mechanics, postulates, bra-ket etc this is a perfect book to learn from, or to go back as reference
Comprehensive.......2006-12-09
I'll keep this review short, unlike the 2-volume set on QM that I am reviewing here.
I used this text book for a two-semester graduate course in QM. Although lengthy, practically everything is in here. In that respect, it makes it difficult to pick out the key concepts. It is sort of the same problem when you try to learn relativity using Misner Thorne & Wheeler's book. Although I'd say that Cohen-Tannoudji's textbook is better organized. It may help if you read this book alongside a more concise book on the subject. A concise book will pick out the most important concepts for you, as well as help you with the homework problems. A good accompanyment I have in mind is Bransden & Jochain's textbook. Speaking of homework, I do not like how it is arranged in Cohen-Tannoudji. Say a professor decides to give you problems 1, 2 and 3 for a particular homework assignment, from some chapter. You think, "great, only three problems, no sweat, I'll do those a day or two before the due date." Trouble is, every problem has sections a, b, c, etc. and subsections i, ii, iii, etc. and within those sometimes sub-subsections alpha, beta, etc,--very frustrating! But if you sweat it out (managing your time well of course) with this textbook, and do the homework problems yourself instead of relying on the solutions older graduate students might be kind enough to hand down to you, you will get alot out of it.
Very good.......2006-11-02
I used this two volume set for a one year first course in quantum mechanics. These are from where I learn the subject for the first time. These are very good books intendent for the undergraduate level and very complete. It consists of a total of 14 chapters: 1-Waves and particles, 2-The mathematical tools of quantum mechanics,3-The postulates of Q.M., 4-Application of postulates to simple cases,5-The one dimensional harmonic oscillator,6-General properties of angular momentum in Q.M.,7-Particle in a central potential, the hydrogen atom, 8-An elementary approach to the quantum theory of scattering by a potential, 9-Electron spin, 10-Addition of angular momenta, 11-Stationary perturbation theory, 12-An application of perturbation theory, the fine and hyperfine structure of the hydrogen atom, 13-Approximation methods for time-dependent problems, 14-Systems of identical particles. In addition every chapter is followed by a set of complementary topics that help strengthen and deepen the material treated in the chapter, as you can see these books cover all essential material that should be covered in a first quantum mechanics course and when read, the reader can sense all the mastery of the authors explainig the topics.
The binding, in spite of being paperback, is very good also. I recommend these books to any one who wants to adquire a complete understanding of quantum mechanics at the undergraduate level, all in all, a superb book!
Love this book.......2006-01-09
A good, "deep" and complete presentation of quantum mechanics. The first chapter is great for basic ideas of QM. This is followed by a chapter on the mathematical tools of quantum mechanics and a very good chapter that lays out the postulates of quantum mechanics. Then it covers spin, the harmonic oscillator, angular momentum, and the hydrogen atom. It seems to me the book is the best around for teaching Dirac notation and matrix mechanics. Each chapter is accompanied by appendices that develop further detail or provide examples of various concepts. For help with problem solving, I recommend Quantum Mechanics Demystified and the Schaum's Outline of Quantum Mechanics. For a good reading companion, I recommend the Griffiths Quantum Mechanics book.
Book Description
Real people, real transformations!
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"I'd had a lot of success in the corporate arena, made a ridiculous amount of money and lost a ridiculous amount of money. But I was caught in a cycle of making it, losing it. I needed to break that cycle-for myself and my family-and this gave me the keys to do that. Busting Loose from The Money Game opened a window I had no clue even existed. This is very cutting-edge, a revolutionary approach to unwrapping yourself from limitations. If you're not satisfied with where you are financially and you're concerned about your future, get this book!"
—Ben Coleman, Texas
Customer Reviews:
not worth your time.......2007-10-06
I am what my friends call money and self help obsessed...so reading this book was no stretch for me. I can honestly say that I have read a lot of books on money, and a lot of books about freeing you mind...and this is the WORST book written on both subjects. I totally wasted my time, please take my advice and don't waste yours. Every chapter left me thinking...WHAT? no seriously what is he talking about? It was worthless and I would never recommend it to anyone.
This book has NOTHING to do with money. Don't waste your time or money.......2007-09-30
This book has nothing to do with money. It is a book full of vain philosophies, none of which are backed with any proof whatsoever. If you are looking for good books on managing money, getting out of debt, or building wealth I would recommend books such as: The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey; Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kyosaki; Multiple Streams of Income by Robert Allen; and Money, What Financial "Experts" Will Never Tell You by Alan Williams, Peter Jeppson, and Sanford Botkins. Also check out the website and resources found at [...].
Is Comfort Important To You?.......2007-09-28
Like others have said, the idea is the world, including the human experience is holographic. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not. I'd save a lot then expect to lose it over the course of a year or more it would take you to cross the mental point where you 'bust loose' and really convince yourself that life and money aren't real. At the very least, do not owe anyone money. I just could not vibe with this book for long. I'd rather save, invest and get stuff I want.
Try the library. I never read it now.
An Amazing Book.......2007-09-20
This is an amazing book that really helps the reader to eliminate the sources of dissatisfaction in his/her life if one is willing to commit to The Process. After just a few short days of using The Process I have had some incredible personal breakthroughs and I eagerly look forward to what else I create within my life experience.
My inspiration to buy this book came largely from the few really negative reviews written on this site. Thank you to all those who shared their fears in the form of attacks against the book and its author. I have been clearly shown again that there is tremendous value in that which stirs up so much emotion as people keep their death grip on obsolete views of the nature of life. The world never was flat just because people believed that to be true, acted as if it were true, and invested their lives in protecting those beliefs.
In the pages of this book you will not find strategies on how to earn more money or to protect what you already think that you have, however you will find a strategy to recover all of the energy and power that you have given to your life situations. As you recover this power you will have the capacity to act more boldly to pursue the unique authentic life that you came here to live.
If you have any inclination to buy the book, just go for it. Then give yourself the gifts of reading it with an open mind and applying its wisdom to your life.
Whether you liked the book or not - HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!
Author FAILS to prove his thesis, to put his money where his mouth is. .......2007-08-19
The author proposes that money is an illusion (agreed)and that you can create all the money you want by fully transcending the illusion. He gives a primitive method to eliminate negative beliefs and emotional charges about money --(Psycanics offers a more precise, faster, less painful and more powerful technique.) The book is well written and interesting, even plausible. The reason I fail the book with 1 star is that, at the end, the author states that it is possible to have an infinite abundance of money (one way is writing "magic" checks that are always good). However, the author apparently has never done this. He says he still has multiple streams of normal income from books and businesses and speaking engagements. Until the author proves his thesis by eliminating all human income sources and actually lives wealthy by the means he proposes, this book is just a FANTASY.
Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04
I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.
String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?
Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22
I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.
I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.
I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!
Average customer rating:
- Still the Best Overview on Quantum Computing
- Complete, but sloppy
- Complete and didactical
- Good book
- An essential text
|
Quantum Computation and Quantum Information
Michael A. Nielsen , and
Isaac L. Chuang
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Classical and Quantum Computation (Graduate Studies in Mathematics)
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Quest for the Quantum Computer
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The Physics of Quantum Information: Quantum Cryptography, Quantum Teleportation, Quantum Computation
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Problems And Solutions in Quantum Computing And Quantum Information
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An Introduction to Quantum Computing
ASIN: 0521635039 |
Book Description
In this first comprehensive introduction to the main ideas and techniques of quantum computation and information, Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang ask the question: What are the ultimate physical limits to computation and communication? They detail such remarkable effects as fast quantum algorithms, quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography and quantum error correction. A wealth of accompanying figures and exercises illustrate and develop the material in more depth. They describe what a quantum computer is, how it can be used to solve problems faster than familiar "classical" computers, and the real-world implementation of quantum computers. Their book concludes with an explanation of how quantum states can be used to perform remarkable feats of communication, and of how it is possible to protect quantum states against the effects of noise.
Customer Reviews:
Still the Best Overview on Quantum Computing.......2007-03-02
This is an excellent book about a topic which becomes more important
with each passing month. It is written at a graduate level, such that
you really need to have had a college-level quantum mechanics course,
or equivalent. Most of the book uses bracket notation.
Complete, but sloppy.......2007-02-08
This is absolutely the standard introductory text to quantum information and quantum computation. Nielsen and Chuang certainly covered all the basis, and tried to give a self contained book including many reviews of related topics in the appendices. The main complain about the book is that some times it is sloppy, making hard to grasp the concepts. In some parts of the book there are even grammatical errors. My advice, get it, read it, but be very careful.
Complete and didactical.......2007-01-03
It is a book for specialists. In order to fully appreciate the contents you should have a physics, maths or computation science diploma. It contains a good introduction on Quantum mechanics, but for people that have already assited an introductory course on the field. Concerning the main subject: quantum computation, this book is the most complete review of the field and also suitable for a course on QC.
Good book.......2006-03-25
The book is good and gives you a general view of quantum information and computation. However, the size of the book disencourages beginners to read it.
An essential text.......2005-06-17
Despite its age, I keep coming back to this text for the careful prose and knowledgeable authors; so much so that I am ordering the hardback edition, having worn out the binding of the paperback edition. It is both a book to learn from and one to refer to later. It will eventually be outdated, but I don't see this as having happened yet. Although a large book, it is not bulked out like some, containing a lot of useful and relevant material. Perhaps not the text for those setting out from a 'cold start', but then a great follow up to 'The Quest for Quantum Computing" by Julian Brown. Not overtly rigorous, which is to its credit, as the concepts remain clear as a result. Certainly an essential text, where the prose does not get in the way. A very readable book about a very exciting subject, that is sure to deliver to the determined reader.
Average customer rating:
- Perfect.
- Wow, does this suck . . . get a different book!
- This book is a very very very bad book which you never buy.
- Don't make the same fault I did!
- It is sad that we don't have a better book out there...
|
An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (Frontiers in Physics)
Michael E. Peskin , and
Dan V. Schroeder
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
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ASIN: 0201503972 |
Customer Reviews:
Perfect........2007-08-10
I received the book as it should be: knew. And it cames before the estimated time.
Wow, does this suck . . . get a different book!.......2007-06-13
Ok--I just need to help lower the overall rating for this book. I think the people who love it are professors and students who already are familiar with QFT--because it glosses over everything, does pertinent examples, etc. But that's just it, it GLOSSES over everything. Note that nearly all the higher reviews say things like: "oh, you wouldn't want to start with this book." or "Everyone knows that you're going to need more books than this one to understand it . . ." I couldn't even figure out how to create a Feynmann diagram from this book, let alone what one MEANT. FYI, my favorite QFT book so far is Weinberg's Quantum Theory of Fields.
This book is a very very very bad book which you never buy........2007-01-20
Absolutely no logic.
Perfectly nonclear.
No subject.
Mathematically poor.(very poor.)
Nonneccessary words.
No depth.
Not for self-study.
Just arrangement.
No physical insight.
No process.
No thinking.
This is indeed not a book.
This is a stuff for a vanity.
I wonder whether Peskin and Schroeder are genuine physicists.
Don't make the same fault I did!.......2006-12-16
Hi there!
The important information first: I'm a graduate student, mainly interested in theoretical physics. At the moment, I'm trying to get a deeper understanding of QFT.
Peskin's QFT book is NOT the one you should buy if you want to UNDERSTAND renormalization.
I learned the basics of QFT (\phi^4 and QED up to a first contact with renormalization - "trivial" subtraction of infinities) in a lecture and I finally felt like: "What does renormalization mean? What is it good for? Is there a deeper truth in it?" Well, the answer to the last question is definitely yes. It's about the Beta function. This function tells you how the coupling constants of a QFT behave at different momenta. E.g., we can learn from it why perturbation theory works for QED at low energies and for QCD at high energies (I think, this is amazing).
What I just said I learned from Huang's book. Peskin "deals" with it in chapters 10 to 12. In the middle of chapter 12 I finally said to myself: "Hey, don't feel stupid. This book is just completely incomprehensible here."
In my opinion, if you want to see behind renormalization (and therefore behind any QFT(!!)), don't buy Peskin's book. Any other book is better regarding this issue.
It is sad that we don't have a better book out there..........2006-05-28
The main problem of this book: what exactly is it supposed to be?
If it is an introduction, then the opening chapters are written at a level too sophisticated that an average first-time student can't handle.
If it aims to be a "bible" of the subject, then the later chapters are far too technical, loaded with only Feynman diagram calculations for standard model. Not being a phenomenologist, I personally have very little interest in all the technical detail, and apparently several other reviewers share my view here.
Now let me gives some examples to support my claim.
First, C, P and T symmetries are introduced very early on (right after Dirac spinor), and in a very formal way. Yes, they logically belong there, but in an "introduction" of the subject you don't throw out an isolated topic like this which you don't make use of in the following few hundred pages.
The part on cannonical quantization is written at a very fast pace. A complex scalar field is probably the first model you can construct with charged particles. And guess what kind of treatment it receives in this book? Not a single word in the main text. The problem 2 of that chapter essentially asks you to work out the content of this model with few hints given. If you have troble working it out, which is not uncommon for a first-timer, then you won't see the logic behind the decomposition of a complex Dirac field either. This is done in the following chapter, with no explaination.
Like the charged scalar field example, some important pieces of knowledge are hidden only in the exercises. So if you treat these high-power opening chapters as your bible-type reference, you will often end up in the frustrating situation that the book tells you to work out by yourself what you are seeking in the first place.
Now get to the later parts of the book. As I mentioned above, the second half of the book is almost conceptually too simple, overloaded with technical details.
This downfall begins around the renormalization group. On the back of this book, this Prof. Micheal Dine is qouted: "it is the only field theory text with a thoroughly modern, Wilsonian treatment of renormalization". The connection between the Wilsonian idea and dimensional regularization/renormalization scale is shaky at best. You read the text, and are left puzzled at the magic: how does a cut-off scale become some (much lower) arbitrary momentum scale? No explaination. The Wilsonian theory is completely isolated and have little connection with the rest of the renormalization section.
Furthermore, the book does not do a very good job on Lie algebra and non-abilien Lie groups. I mean, come on, if this is an "introduction" type of book, make it more readable. If this is a "bible" type of book, make it more comprehensive.
Having voiced all my bad opinions, I have to admit that the book has its merit. Bottom line is, this is a book written by phenomenologists for phenomenologists. If you view it from such an angle, it is not too badly written after all, and does cover most of the important topics a phnomenologist would want to know. But you may want to start from a more accessible text such as Ryder.
If you are a theorist, but not a phenomenologist, then, well, let's say the ability of getting through the first part perfectly is the minimum requirement for your research.
If you are an experimentalist, don't bother.
Book Description
Learn to utilize the Law of Attraction to attain anything you want! Learn the science behind this remarkable ability, and eliminate all blocks that stand between you and extreme wealth
Customer Reviews:
A Three Timer.......2007-09-06
This was indeed a good read and uplifting to one's basic inner instincts just what we need in todays madding world! Bob is kind of a turn on as well.
Excellent Read........2007-08-24
Straight forward, honest, hard hitting style of writing for people who want more information and instructions on The Law of Attraction. This author obviously lives "The Secret" on a daily basis!!
Wealth beyond Reason.......2007-07-27
Just the perfect follow up ( or precurser) to The Secret. Both books pretty much support the thinking of the other and in many instances they clarify some points in boh books. An excellent read for those interested in improving their personal growth and emotional wealth as well as tangible wealth.
Understanding That You Are Deserving!.......2007-04-11
This is truly an amazing book. Bob brings about easy to understand strategies, principles, practices, advice, and so much more. Again, I say easy to understand, meaning not so deep it becomes meaningless to the general public. Bob is truly a mentor I intend to keep on my radar. I loved this book.
Very enlightening!!.......2007-03-30
I have read many books on the Law of Attraction over the last six months and although I kept learning new techniques and the foundations about why this law is absolutely true, I must admit that Wealth Beyond Reason has had a huge impact. The book is straight to the point about what you need to do to purposely and intentionally activate the law and why it simply does not work for most people (and how to avoid those mistakes). I can go on and on about how great of a book this is and since reading it, I have started to have some great results in my life.
In the past I might have seen these circumstances as "coincidence" but after reading the book I have learned how to leverage these experiences into acquiring more of what I want out of life. I highly recommend the book to anyone that is currently a student of Law of Attration.
Average customer rating:
- DO NOT BUY
- Not a Stand-Alone book.
- a review of Modern Physics by Hans C. OHanian
- PAPERBACK!!!
- Good intro to serious modern physics
|
Modern Physics, Second Edition
Hans C. Ohanian
Manufacturer: Benjamin Cummings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences
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ASIN: 0131244396 |
Customer Reviews:
DO NOT BUY.......2007-03-19
This is a horrible book. I am currently using it and the number of typos are not funny. At first you think, that's not right (it isn't)... weird one would have thought they would have caught something that important, oh well. But after 100 pages of wondering why the answers are wrong and the formulas keep changing, you're ready to throw the damned thing out. If you're in a class using this book, buy another one and don't use this one. I have read other books by this guy and their not this bad, someone just let something slip.
Not a Stand-Alone book........2001-09-18
This book introduces all the proper facets of Modern Physics. It only falls short on problem solving concepts. I found the material brought up during the chapters did not prepare me for the problems at the end of the chapters. In addition to that, a fair amount of the answers in the back of the book are wrong. I found I could only manage the course by getting a Schaum's Outline of Modern Physics. The Schaum's Outline gave all the worked out examples that the Ohanian book lacks. So get Ohanian for the concepts, and Schaum's for problem-solving.
a review of Modern Physics by Hans C. OHanian.......2001-07-06
This book is certainly not one that simply assumes a knowledge of classical physics. The text assumes (at the very least) an introductory knowledge of modern physics, as it quite liberally employs terms and concepts unbeknownst to most classical-physics entrepreneurs. As i consider myself to be one of these, this book, prior to my professor's lectures, was utterly useless. While the material contained in any modern physics text may be somewhat convoluded, this one in particular does the amateur classical physicist no service. However, a previously-accredited modern physicist can almost certainly gain a thorough review of many generalized modern physics concepts via this book.
PAPERBACK!!!.......2001-05-24
I recently purchased this book for my modern physics course and it is a well written book. However, for some reason the publisher has sent out very poor copies of the book that are paperback and have the same ISBN number. Normally the paperback and hardcover have different ISBN's along with different prices. The copy that I purchased, along with the ones in the school bookstore and various other resellers are paperback and were printed on poor quality printers (the text is fuzzy and has many ink spots throughout the text). Just a warning to any stuents or professors who may be using this book in a course, please make certain that you are getting what you pay for.
Good intro to serious modern physics.......2000-11-27
This textbook assumes a knowledge in classical physics, and then proceeds to excellently cover topics in modern physics, including, relativity, quantum mechanics, solid state physics, nuclear physics and particle physics. It is a good choice for trying to acquire a knowledge of modern physics for the reader who has a good knowledge of classical physics (advanced high school program or first year University) but wants to move on.
Books:
- Computational Physics (2nd Edition)
- Conceptual Physics
- Conformal Field Theory (Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics)
- Contemporary College Physics, Third Edition, 2001 Update w/ updated CD-ROM
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 87th Edition (Crc Handbook of Chemistry and Physics)
- Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes
- Differential Equations, Dynamical Systems, and an Introduction to Chaos (Pure and Applied Mathematics (Academic Press), 60.)
- Einstein: His Life and Universe
- Einstein: His Life and Universe
- Elementary Solid State Physics: Principles and Applications
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