Amazon.com
If Albert Einstein were alive, he would have a copy of The Road to Reality on his bookshelf. So would Isaac Newton. This may be the most complete mathematical explanation of the universe yet published, and Roger Penrose richly deserves the accolades he will receive for it. That said, let us be perfectly clear: this is not an easy book to read. The number of people in the world who can understand everything in it could probably take a taxi together to Penrose's next lecture. Still, math-friendly readers looking for a substantial and possibly even thrillingly difficult intellectual experience should pick up a copy (carefully--it's over a thousand pages long and weighs nearly 4 pounds) and start at the beginning, where Penrose sets out his purpose: to describe "the search for the underlying principles that govern the behavior of our universe." Beginning with the deceptively simple geometry of Pythagoras and the Greeks, Penrose guides readers through the fundamentals--the incontrovertible bricks that hold up the fanciful mathematical structures of later chapters. From such theoretical delights as complex-number calculus, Riemann surfaces, and Clifford bundles, the tour takes us quickly on to the nature of spacetime. The bulk of the book is then devoted to quantum physics, cosmological theories (including Penrose's favored ideas about string theory and universal inflation), and what we know about how the universe is held together. For physicists, mathematicians, and advanced students, The Road to Reality is an essential field guide to the universe. For enthusiastic amateurs, the book is a project to tackle a bit at a time, one with unimaginable intellectual rewards. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Roger Penrose, one of the most accomplished scientists of our time, presents the only comprehensive and comprehensible account of the physics of the universe. From the very first attempts by the Greeks to grapple with the complexities of our known world to the latest application of infinity in physics, The Road to Reality carefully explores the movement of the smallest atomic particles and reaches into the vastness of intergalactic space. Here, Penrose examines the mathematical foundations of the physical universe, exposing the underlying beauty of physics and giving us one the most important works in modern science writing.
Customer Reviews:
Really good!.......2007-09-19
If you are mad about science that a book you MUST have. I am an electrical engineer and at least 60% of the book had new contents for me so.... READ IT!
The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe.......2007-09-04
This is a book over one 1000 pages! My daughter asked me: Is the road to reality indeed so long? We both laught...and after a while I braged about it: With Roger Penrose help, the 1000 pages road to reality may be the shortest! However, I found out later on, that it may indeed be the shortest, but only if you have your own five stars shining above you...
Great to read, recommended to re-read.......2007-08-26
This is an excellent book, if you take the time to understand the material. In my opinion it is well worth the time reading every page.
Sir Roger is as Confused as the Rest of Us.......2007-08-15
Roger Penrose feels comfortable in his Platonic mathematical world and he recognizes how useful complex analysis is to quantum theory. But, like everyone else, he is at a loss to explain things just when they become interesting.
He cannot explain to his own satisfaction how that the universe came to be so specially ordered at the moment of the big bang. He cannot explain in a mathematically elegant way how or why that the wave function collapses upon an observation being made, with a new wave function being thus created. He seems mystified by complex numbers in a way that is reminds one of Pythagoras. He speaks in a gushy way about how "magical" they are. Nevertheless, he cannot even be sure that perfect circles or pi or straight lines exist in reality. He is Platonic, despite modern philosophy's rejection of Plato's theory of forms. He gingerly avoids any metaphysics and/or religion. And, he feels that one can learn about our universe by studying pristine mathematical models, despite the fact that R. Feynman and others have said that the only road to truth (the real road to reality) is through experimentation. Feynman wisely stated that he could calculate things very precisely, but he could not explain things in common sense, everyday terms. Are we really going to do better than him?
Perhaps things are as one physicist said " ..not only strange, but stranger than we can contemplate". We are physically not equipped to explain things.
A book with a message.......2007-07-11
Other reviews focus on whether the book is easy to understand or not, or wheter it is too big or not. And it would seem that
the only purpose of the book is to put all togheter the physical laws mankind knows.
But this is a book with a message. A message that takes very long to transmit and Penrose chose to start from the very begining.
A significant part of the physics as it is known today is exposed in a long (900 pages) preamble, but Penrose wants to tell
us that he believes that the road to the Theory of Everything that is standard in today's physics leads nowhere.
If you have read "The Emperor's new mind" you know that Penrose's ideas are not mainstream in today's physics. But if you are
interested in cutting edge physics you'll also know that there is a growing number of physicists that believe that the field is on crisis. Let me sumarize Penrose views:
- The standard interpretations of quantum mechanics are wrong. Even the decoherence approach.
- Infactionary cosmology cannot be right.
- Superstring theory is just a beautiful mathematical construction with no connection to the physical world. His point of view is similar to Smolin's ("The trouble with physics").
I'm not at all an expert on the field, although I studied quantum mechanics in the University, and I'd say that at least Penrose has a very strong point. He is not able to provide but hints of alternative theories but this does not lower the merit of the book.
He also explains standard areas of mathematics and physics such as complex number calculus, Maxwell fields or group theory in a non-conventional but brilliant way. For example, it includes a beautiful demonstration of Pythagoream theorem. The chapter about the standard model of particle physics is particularly helpful; nowhere else can be found a concise and understable explanation of it.
And yes, the book is difficult, but if you don't understand the mathematics, just keep reading.
Book Description
Itrsquo;s not too lateHave you gotten sidetracked from your first love Jesus Do you hunger to be His faithful disciple but often find yourself distracted by a lifestyle that subtly lures you away Itrsquo;s not too late to get back on course. Just follow Jesus along The Road to Reality and find your way back to the heart of Christianity.In this prophetic and practical book K.P. Yohannan offers refreshing freedom from the enticements of contemporary culture and gives an uncompromising call to live a life of simplicitymdash;with purpose. You will come away better equipped to practically apply biblical principles to your own life and you will gain a new understanding of the heart of God.
Customer Reviews:
Examine your priorities, Christian!.......2006-08-17
Oh my, what an incredibly thought-provoking and personally challenging book! I recently read this volume and its companion, "Revolution in World Missions". Both books issue a loving admonition to Western Christians to reevaluate their personal priorities, especially in the area of materialism. Why? Because there's a world to be won for Christ, that's why.
The other volume focuses specifically on how the American church has been overwhelmingly blessed, and should be redirecting some of those blessings to support the native evangelism movement in other countries. This book takes that fundamental message even farther, by challenging believers to examine not just their financial priorities, but their entire Christian life. What is our true measure of devotion to Christ? How much are we willing to sacrifice and risk for His sake? Are we ready to live for God's kingdom rather than our own?
Both books, but especially this one, are filled with specific principles that are ready for personal application. K.P. Yohannan, the founder of Gospel For Asia ministries, has lived what he preaches, and continues to do so. Therefore he is able to speak into our lives with godly authority. If you want to break away from a temporal mindset, develop an eternal perspective on life, and find tangible ways to be involved in growing God's kingdom among the nations, either one of these books is a great place to catch a vision.
Writing that Puts Fire Into Your Heart.......2005-11-16
There are few books that I would say really bring strong convition into my heart to the point that I simply put the book down in utter repentance as I see myself in the light of what the author is showing me from Scripture. This is one of those books.
Along with the likes of giants such as A.W. Tozer, Leonard Ravenhill, Samuel Chadwick, John Wesley, and others, K.P. Yohannan is a solid biblical exhorter calling the Church to her knees. Yohannan is not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16) and he boldly proclaims the truth no matter what may happen to him.
This book will open your heart to your own self-centeredness, your wastefulness, and your pride. The book is aimed at Western Christians (particularly Americans since Yohannan now lives in the United States). The book takes aim at our focus on things that do not matter in the Church such as buildings, salaries, cars, expensive food, shelter, and clothing. Yohannan believes that the Church in the West needs to see the urgent call to world evangelism (Matt. 28:19). His writing is not for the weak or feeble minded "Christian" but for the true disciple ready for the Lord to cut his heart with His Word (Hebrews 4:12).
Overall this is an excellent work on world missions and on holy living (2 Peter 3:10-14).
A Wake-up call to Chrisitans...........2003-12-01
I found that "The Road To Reality" is a wake-up call for Christians. Listening to Christian music, reading Christian books is OK, but we must be focused on winning souls for Jesus Christ. One thing I've learned is that I do not need to read Christian books, listen to Contemporary Christian music, etc. just because I'm a Christian. Through this book, K.P. Yohannan has taught me that I can live the life I want (as long as it goes with the Holy Bible), and win people to Christ at the same time. I am finally free from the religious books, music, etc. that once held me in confusion. I recommend this book highly.
A Word of Warning.......2001-02-20
K.P. Yohannan is a threat to hypocritical Christianity, but be warned before you read this book: you will not escape unscathed. With a focus on saving the lost that is both singleminded and pure of heart, K.P. rips through every pretense of the American Christian experience. He also rips through the wheat to reveal the tares. This book is a wonderful witness to a specific calling within the Christian body. I am fully convinced that he is right to expect us to aid him in his calling, but if God is using you, for His will, in any other area than missions to the lost of Asia, do not expect K.P. to acknowledge your vision or encourage you in it. Read the book; let it change your life; follow K.P.'s every footstep if that is your calling; let God shake you out of compromise and shallow Christianity. Just remember, ask God for His wisdom, that you will follow His will and not man's, not ANY man's: not yours, not mine, not K.P.'s. If you've never heard of K.P.'s Gospel For Asia, by the way, for $30 dollars a month you can support a missionary in Asia. All funds go directly to missionary support. There is no percentage taken away for administration work! You can contact them at 1-800-WIN-ASIA or www.gfa.org. Even if you don't buy the book, decide today to support one or more missionaries and make a change for God in the lives of people who have never heard the name of Christ.
K.P. sends a real challenge to N. American Christians.......2000-04-26
K.P. Yohannan doesn't mince words in this powerfully annointed book. He challenges our comfortable Christian lives as we have separated what we do from what we know. Christians in America *say* they believe the Bible, but somehow manage to ignore the call to sacrificial living. Jesus said "sell your possesions and give to the poor." The author shares a convicting message that is scripturally sound.
Product Description
History: Fiction or Science? is the most explosive tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by solid scientific data. The book is well-illustrated, contains over 446 graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays, which never cease to amaze the reader. Eminent mathematician proves that: Jesus Christ was born in 1153 and crucified in 1186 The Old Testament refers to mediaeval events. Apocalypse was written after 1486. Does this sound uncanny? This version of events is substantiated by hard facts and logic - validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources - to a greater extent than everything you may have read and heard about history before. The dominating historical discourse in its current state was essentially crafted in the XVI century from a rather contradictory jumble of sources such as innumerable copies of ancient Latin and Greek manuscripts whose originals had vanished in the Dark Ages and the allegedly irrefutable proof offered by late mediaeval astronomers, resting upon the power of ecclesial authorities. Nearly all of its components are blatantly untrue! For some of us, it shall possibly be quite disturbing to see the magnificent edifice of classical history to turn into an ominous simulacrum brooding over the snake pit of mediaeval politics. Twice so, in fact: the first seeing the legendary millenarian dust on the ancient marble turn into a mere layer of dirt - one that meticulous unprejudiced research can eventually remove. The second, and greater, attack of unease comes with the awareness of just how many areas of human knowledge still trust the three elephants of the consensual chronology to support them. Nothing can remedy that except for an individual chronological revolution happening in the minds of a large enough number of people.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
In a single work of colossal scope one of the world’s greatest scientists has given us a complete and unrivalled guide to the glories of the universe.
The Road to Reality is the most important and ambitious work of science for a generation. It provides nothing less than a comprehensive account of the physical universe and the essentials of its underlying mathematical theory. It assumes no particular specialist knowledge on the part of the reader — for example, the early chapters give us the vital mathematical background to the physical theories explored later in the book.
Roger Penrose’s purpose is to describe as clearly as possible our present understanding of the universe and to convey a feeling for its deep beauty and philosophical implications, as well as its intricate logical interconnections. Rarely less than challenging, the book is leavened by vivid descriptive passages, as well as hundreds of hand-drawn diagrams.
The Road to Reality was a Sunday Times top-ten bestseller in the hardcover edition, with over 40,000 copies sold.
Customer Reviews:
A book with a message.......2007-07-13
Other reviews focus on whether the book is easy to understand or not, or wheter it is too big or not. And it would seem that
the only purpose of the book is to put all togheter the physical laws mankind knows.
But this is a book with a message. A message that takes very long to transmit and Penrose chose to start from the very begining.
A significant part of the physics as it is known today is exposed in a long (900 pages) preamble, but Penrose wants to tell
us that he believes that the road to the Theory of Everything that is standard in today's physics leads nowhere.
If you have read "The Emperor's new mind" you know that Penrose's ideas are not mainstream in today's physics. But if you are
interested in cutting edge physics you'll also know that there is a growing number of physicists that believe that the field is on crisis. Let me sumarize Penrose views:
- The standard interpretations of quantum mechanics are wrong. Even the decoherence approach.
- Infactionary cosmology cannot be right.
- Superstring theory is just a beautiful mathematical construction with no connection to the physical world. His point of view is similar to Smolin's ("The trouble with physics").
I'm not at all an expert on the field, although I studied quantum mechanics in the University, and I'd say that at least Penrose has a very strong point. He is not able to provide but hints of alternative theories but this does not lower the merit of the book.
He also explains standard areas of mathematics and physics such as complex number calculus, Maxwell fields or group theory in a non-conventional but brilliant way. For example, it includes a beautiful demonstration of Pythagoream theorem. The chapter about the standard model of particle physics is particularly helpful; nowhere else can be found a concise and understable explanation of it.
And yes, the book is difficult, but if you don't understand the mathematics, just keep reading.
Overhelming and not so easy.......2006-10-19
This book looks like a bestseller buy it is not as easy to grasp by the average read as it might seem at first sight. It is extermelly long, the number of topics treated is overhelming and it is full of formulas. The author claims you can skip these formulas and you will still benfit from the insights of its pages. However I am not so sure about this statement. Without the formulas you miss much of the value of the book and it becomes increasingly difficult to understand.
It will require you a special mental predisposition to finish the book and in its desire to cover everything, the author makes what in my opinion are unnecesary incursions into complex mathematics to explaian even simple concepts.
Nevertheles, I like Penrose's sometimes revolutionary proposals and it is refresheing to find sombody who dares to oppose the mainstream ideas from time to time. This reason alone makes the book worthwhile.
Brilliant.......2005-06-29
While this book is essentially an elaboration of Penrose's earlier books and theories, it appears it was worth the effort (both his and the readers). I agree with reviewer Lee Carlson's comment that "The chapter on the Big Bang and its 'thermodynamic legacy' is the best in the book", though experts in other fields may enjoy (or be challenged) by other chapters.
In his chapter 27 on thermodynamics, Penrose seems to finally 'bury' dissenters who believe there is nothing unique or improbable about the universe. For instance in Vic Stenger's attack in his book Timeless Reality he says:
"The initial entropy of the universe was also as large as it could have been, since it was also the entropy of a black hole. Thus, the universe has maximum entropy at the two extremes on the time axis. In each case, the universe is in equilibrium. At each time, the univserse is in a static state of total chaos. This is a point that has been missed by almost everyone, including Penrose." [Referring to his earlier book The Emperor's New Mind.]
In his recent book Penrose counters:
"Now let us return to the extraordinary 'specialness' of the Big Bang. The fact that it must have had as absurdly low entropy is already evident from the mere existence of the Second Law of thermodynamics. But low entropy can take many different forms. We want to understand the particular way in which our universe was initially special...
It seems to me that this apparent thermal equilibrium in the early universe has grossly misled some cosmologists into thinking that the Big Bang was somehow high entropy 'random' (i.e. thermal) state, despite the fact that, because of the second law, it must have actually been a very organized (i.e. low entropy) state. A prevalent view seems to have been that the resolution of this paradox must lie in the fact that, soon after the Big Bang, the universe was 'small' so that comparatively few degrees of freedom were available to it, giving a low 'ceiling' to possible entropies. This point of view is fallacious, however, as was pointed out [earlier]. The correct resolution of the apparent paradox lies in the fact that the gravitational degrees of freedom have not been thermalized along with all of those matter and electromagnetic degrees of freedom...In fact, these gravitational degrees of freedom -providing a huge reservoir of entropy -are frequently not take into account at all...Rather than sharing in the thermalization that, in the early universe, applies to all other fields, gravity remains aloof, its degrees of freedom lying in wait, so that the second law would come into play as these degrees of freedom begin to become taken up. Not only does this give us a Second Law, but it gives us one in the particular form that we observe in nature. Gravity just seems to have been different!...physicists have tried to come to terms with this puzzle and related ones, concerning the origin of the universe. In my opinion, none of these attempts comes at all close to dealing with the puzzle..."
Encyclopedic survey of modern physics.......2004-10-27
A complete and encyclopedic view of modern physics. Not for casual reading as it is full of mathematical equations; but as the author says in the preface the maths can be safetly ignored while still making the book understandable with some efforts. Covers everything from Relativity, Quantum Physics to String Theory. Penrose also explains the maths required to understand the various concepts. In all a great book from the master who gave us 'The Emperors New Mind' and 'Shadows of the Mind'.
A wonderful book.......2004-10-05
This is a terrific book. It can take a bright reader who has no more than an undergraduate college degree in a technical field and bring that person to a point where they can read and understand technical papers about fundamental physics and cosmology. It discusses these topics in a way not open to many books for the layman, since it has brought the reader up to speed on the necessary mathematics. Some of the math can be skipped, of course, but it is there to bring the material to life.
Of course, that means starting the book with over 350 pages of math, taught in impressive style by the author, including Euclidean and hyperbolic geometry, number theory, complex numbers, logarithms, complex powers, real and complex calculus, Riemann surfaces, Fourier series, Vector fields, Quaternions, Manifolds, Symmetry groups, and Fibre bundles! That allows him to proceed to discuss quantum mechanics and the rest of fundamental physics.
It is true that Penrose does mention his views about inflation and string theory. But the fact that he has views about these theories does not in any way stop him from being a great teacher. He covers the field of fundamental physics very well indeed.
Penrose does impart a very important viewpoint that I think is valuable for us all. Most scientists are basically positivists: that is, they search for theories that will correspond to measurements (pass experimental tests and provide accurate predictions). It is secondary to them what reality happens to be. But there is something to be said for asking what the reality behind the physics actually is.
If you are a very bright high school graduate about to go to some top notch university to try to become a theoretical physicist, read this book now!
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Plotinus: Road to Reality
Rist
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Plotinus or the Simplicity of Vision
ASIN: 0521292026 |
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Roads to reality: Deeper life experiences from famous Christian women
Manufacturer: REVELL
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Book Description
Backed by a decade of research, At the Creation documents for the first time the early and critical years of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle in its birthplace of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Herbert Wagner brings to life the human side of Harley-Davidson’s quest to motorize the bicycle and then promote it as a powerful, fast, reliable, and thrilling means of personal transportation. This book examines the origins of two-wheeled transportation at a time when combining the gasoline engine with the bicycle was the province of dreamers and con men. This is the definitive account of the beginnings of the only American motorcycle brand to ultimately succeed and survive.
Distributed for the Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Customer Reviews:
From the Antique Motorcycle Club Forum.......2004-01-14
Koanes wrote:
Mr. Wagner obviously spent a great deal of time searching libraries for newspaper and magazine accounts of the period, as well as interviews with a few surviving old timers, to sort through the B.S and get to the facts about what was really going on in Milwaukee in 1903-1909. I can only imagine what it was like to see a motorcycle flying down the street with no brakes, dodging pedestrians, horses, carts, and wagons.
An excellent and fascinating survey for motorcycle buffs.......2003-10-07
Knowledgeably written by Herbert Wagner (a recognized authority on Harley-Davidson motorcycles), At The Creation: Myth, Reality, And The Origin Of The Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, 1901-1909 is the meticulously researched history of this popular favorite two-wheeled motorized vehicle and the Milwaukee, Wisconsin company that made them. Black-and-white photographs (some of them vintage) wonderfully embellish the straightforward, factual recounting of the history of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including its first race, first dealer, the first customer, as well as the many myths concerning its creation that would later go on to become full fledged urban legends. At The Creation is an excellent and fascinating survey for motorcycle buffs in general, and Harley-Davidson fans in particular!
The real Story.......2003-09-07
Herb Wagner has written a book that will become a classic. What
a good story. And his conclusions will amaze you. The pioneer days of motorcycling in America are brought to life with exquisite detail. Never seen before photgraphs. A must read for
any motorcycle enthusiast.
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Beyond Reality (British Bus Heritage)
A.D. Jack
Manufacturer: Venture Publications Ltd
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ASIN: 1898432023 |
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Business of Sustainable Mobility: From Vision to Reality
Manufacturer: Greenleaf Publishing (UK)
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1874719802 |
Book Description
In many parts of the world, there is a crisis of mobility. The choices we have made over the past 200 years on modes and technologies of transport have brought us unprecedented global interaction and in many respects increased personal freedom. However, all this mobility has come at a cost to society, to the economy and to the environment. Mobility is in crisis, but few seem aware of the full extent of it. Though most people will be aware of congestion, accidents (although this aspect is often overlooked), parking restrictions or fuel prices, few will have considered the effects of the dramatic increase in mobility expected in China, India and elsewhere. Nor do many people in their daily lives consider the impact of climate change on our environment and the contribution our cars make to it. It is often thought that technology alone can solve this problem. For some observers, salvation could be achieved by means of hydrogen fuel cells, by hybrid cars, or by increased fuel efficiency, or even by telematics to reduce congestion. This book shows that Â`technologyÂ' may well not be enough in itself and that for a genuinely sustainable transport future far more radical change — affecting many aspects of society — is needed. It is likely, for example, that new business models are needed, as well as users and consumers adopting new forms of behaviour. Disruptive technological innovation may well contribute, but needs to be induced by a combination of market forces and government regulation.
Many studies touch on transport and mobility issues and more mainstream books aimed at challenging the dominance of automobility are common, yet works dealing with the longer-term strategic, theoretical and broader conceptual issues needed to inform the move towards more sustainable transport are rare. Yet policy-makers, practitioners, as well as many sections of academia, acknowledge a need for guidance on new thinking on sustainable mobility. This book brings together a range of views representing both leading-edge thinking and best practice in the mobility sector. The individual expert contributions form the basis for framing a broader vision of future mobility and proposed transition trajectories towards that future.
Much of the effort reflected in the chapters in this book is concerned with going beyond the Â`technofixÂ' of new cars, to confront the more difficult challenges of institutional, cultural and social change within and beyond the industry that have to be resolved in the transition towards sustainability. It therefore seeks to break through the conventional boundary between engineering and the social sciences, and the contributors come from both sides of this traditional but unnecessary divide, combining economists, engineers, geographers, designers and others.
The work is based on the sustainable mobility stream in the 2003 International Greening of Industry Network conference in San Francisco. This event brought together experts from industry and government, and the book combines some of the papers presented there, developed and updated into full chapters, with a number of additional chapters to capture some of the themes that emerged from the conference.
The central problem addressed in this book is the private car: how to power it, how to build it and how to deliver it to customers in a more sustainable future. It starts with ideas of radical innovation in the propulsion system of the car, notably the hydrogen fuel cell. In one section, the book examines business models that could be used to deliver automobility in a more sustainable manner. This section looks at how the car is made and used, and looks beyond it by examining how we could change those aspects in our quest for sustainable mobility. The book then considers a number of recently introduced vehicles and alternative vehicle concepts within the context of a dominant existing paradigm. These vary from a minimalist single-seat commuter to a powertrain exchange concept that could breathe new life into the electric vehicle. A number of chapters then report on current practice and experience in the initial moves toward more sustainable automobility. Finally, more visionary views are presented to look at what conclusions we can draw from the strands discussed and suggest possible future scenarios: where do we go from here?
When thinking about the car, it is often not appreciated to what extent our modern culture is integrated with the car and its systems: we have literally built our world around the car in its current form, and this inevitably shapes the scope for constructing sustainable mobility. We therefore need to tackle any change to the current automobility paradigm on a very broad front and we need to be prepared for the possibly dramatic social and economic changes we may bring about by changing just some elements.
The Business of Sustainable Mobility will be essential reading for academics, practitioners, policy-makers and others interested in the latest thinking on sustainable mobility.
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