Amazon.com
As a scientist, Albert Einstein is undoubtedly the most epic among 20th-century thinkers. Albert Einstein as a man, however, has been a much harder portrait to paint, and what we know of him as a husband, father, and friend is fragmentary at best. With Einstein: His Life and Universe, Walter Isaacson (author of the bestselling biographies Benjamin Franklin and Kissinger) brings Einstein's experience of life, love, and intellectual discovery into brilliant focus. The book is the first biography to tackle Einstein's enormous volume of personal correspondence that heretofore had been sealed from the public, and it's hard to imagine another book that could do such a richly textured and complicated life as Einstein's the same thoughtful justice. Isaacson is a master of the form and this latest opus is at once arresting and wonderfully revelatory. --Anne Bartholomew
Read "The Light-Beam Rider," the first chapter of Walter Isaacson's Einstein: His Life and Universe.
Five Questions for Walter Isaacson
Amazon.com: What kind of scientific education did you have to give yourself to be able to understand and explain Einstein's ideas?
Isaacson: I've always loved science, and I had a group of great physicists--such as Brian Greene, Lawrence Krauss, and Murray Gell-Mann--who tutored me, helped me learn the physics, and checked various versions of my book. I also learned the tensor calculus underlying general relativity, but tried to avoid spending too much time on it in the book. I wanted to capture the imaginative beauty of Einstein's scientific leaps, but I hope folks who want to delve more deeply into the science will read Einstein books by such scientists as Abraham Pais, Jeremy Bernstein, Brian Greene, and others.
Amazon.com: That Einstein was a clerk in the Swiss Patent Office when he revolutionized our understanding of the physical world has often been treated as ironic or even absurd. But you argue that in many ways his time there fostered his discoveries. Could you explain?
Isaacson: I think he was lucky to be at the patent office rather than serving as an acolyte in the academy trying to please senior professors and teach the conventional wisdom. As a patent examiner, he got to visualize the physical realities underlying scientific concepts. He had a boss who told him to question every premise and assumption. And as Peter Galison shows in Einstein's Clocks, Poincare's Maps, many of the patent applications involved synchronizing clocks using signals that traveled at the speed of light. So with his office-mate Michele Besso as a sounding board, he was primed to make the leap to special relativity.
Amazon.com: That time in the patent office makes him sound far more like a practical scientist and tinkerer than the usual image of the wild-haired professor, and more like your previous biographical subject, the multitalented but eminently earthly Benjamin Franklin. Did you see connections between them?
Isaacson: I like writing about creativity, and that's what Franklin and Einstein shared. They also had great curiosity and imagination. But Franklin was a more practical man who was not very theoretical, and Einstein was the opposite in that regard.
Amazon.com: Of the many legends that have accumulated around Einstein, what did you find to be least true? Most true?
Isaacson: The least true legend is that he failed math as a schoolboy. He was actually great in math, because he could visualize equations. He knew they were nature's brushstrokes for painting her wonders. For example, he could look at Maxwell's equations and marvel at what it would be like to ride alongside a light wave, and he could look at Max Planck's equations about radiation and realize that Planck's constant meant that light was a particle as well as a wave. The most true legend is how rebellious and defiant of authority he was. You see it in his politics, his personal life, and his science.
Amazon.com: At Time and CNN and the Aspen Institute, you've worked with many of the leading thinkers and leaders of the day. Now that you've had the chance to get to know Einstein so well, did he remind you of anyone from our day who shares at least some of his remarkable qualities?
Isaacson: There are many creative scientists, most notably Stephen Hawking, who wrote the essay on Einstein as "Person of the Century" when I was editor of Time. In the world of technology, Steve Jobs has the same creative imagination and ability to think differently that distinguished Einstein, and Bill Gates has the same intellectual intensity. I wish I knew politicians who had the creativity and human instincts of Einstein, or for that matter the wise feel for our common values of Benjamin Franklin.
More to Explore
Book Description
By the author of the acclaimed bestseller Benjamin Franklin, this is the first full biography of Albert Einstein since all of his papers have become available.
How did his mind work? What made him a genius? Isaacson's biography shows how his scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his personality. His fascinating story is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom.
Based on newly released personal letters of Einstein, this book explores how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk -- a struggling father in a difficult marriage who couldn't get a teaching job or a doctorate -- became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos, the locksmith of the mysteries of the atom and the universe. His success came from questioning conventional wisdom and marveling at mysteries that struck others as mundane. This led him to embrace a morality and politics based on respect for free minds, free spirits, and free individuals.
These traits are just as vital for this new century of globalization, in which our success will depend on our creativity, as they were for the beginning of the last century, when Einstein helped usher in the modern age.
Customer Reviews:
A well orchestrated mix of personal history and revolutionary scientific discovery.......2007-10-09
A story of amazing power of reason in Einstein's early years but in the later years a sad story of his reason being foiled by of all things, scientific observations ("spooky" ones to be sure). When he died Einstein was still struggling with the idea that..."The reasonable thing just doesn't work.".
Excellent!.......2007-10-09
Excellently written and researched book. Very fascinating and engaging.
Even the scientific discussions were easy to understand.
I highly recommend this book.
A Must Read.......2007-10-07
A wonderful book which gives full and equal weight to both the man and the ideas which made him great, as well as the lasting place of those ideas in the history of scientific thought, if not of human thought itself. And on that latter point, the reader's debt to Isaacson is undoubtedly primarily for his continuing emphasis on Einstein's modus operandi: thought experiments, by which through the exercise merely of pure thought and a perspective unhampered by received wisdoms, a man was able to change millennia-old views of how we viewed the universe, and by extension, changed the universe itself. Whose thinking could remain uninfluenced by such a display of the power of thought?
Absolutely Fantastic.......2007-10-03
This biography reads like a story, creating suspense and other emotions that you experince while reading fiction. Einstein provides great insight into Einstein's mind and life. Highly recommended.
Greatest Book Ever on Einstein.......2007-10-03
I am 75 years old and have read over a dozen books on Einstein and his work, including his own. This is the best book ever on the personal life and tribulations of a great scientist as he trys to get his work done. With all the flaws and worts of a human the scientist struggles on.
Average customer rating:
- Ancient and Obsolete
- Unique,Idiosyncratic Approach
- A great book by a great physicist
- Superlative
- Old book that is hostile to the spirt of G.R.
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Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity
Steven Weinberg
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ASIN: 0471925675 |
Customer Reviews:
Ancient and Obsolete.......2007-04-23
The beauty of general relativity (GR) lies in the connection it provides between geometry and physics. Weinberg's algebraic approach completely obscures this connection. Instead Weinberg teaches how to crank through complex calculations without any insight or geometric intuition. It is a fairly good book when compared to Misner-Thorne-Wheeler (another ancient text). However, by modern standards, Weinberg's book leaves much to be desired. Having been published in 1972, the book lacks modern examples in cosmology and quantum gravity. It also lacks a proper introduction to differential geometry and makes no mention of topology or other mathematical ideas prevalent in current GR research. In the 35 years since its publication, it has been surpassed by many much better books. For an excellent introduction to GR, read Carroll's book. For a more rigorous study of GR read Wald's book. For an easy introduction to GR, read Schutz's book.
Unique,Idiosyncratic Approach.......2006-09-15
Flashback to 1979.I Purchased Weinberg's Gravitation book and
Misner,Thorne, Wheeler's Gravitation book, simultaneously. Back then it took four weeks to get hold of a book by mail. The waiting made it all the more special when the books finally arrived. I still have those same two worn copies. Still re-read each. Sure, they are different viewpoints of General Relativity.
But, how greatly they both enrich the world. Together, those two
books started a pedagogic revolution. Weinberg has no
equal,cherish this book. Cherish MTW, also.
A great book by a great physicist.......2006-04-09
This is the best book written on general relativity, and I have read or at least looked at nearly every one of them. It is better than Wald's book because Steven Weinberg is a better physicist than Robert Wald. The only people who will not be pleased with it are those mathematicians who are looking to physics for elegant mathematics and not for physical insight.
A virtue of this book is that so far as I can see Weinberg has thought through general relativity for himself, and he has worked through all of the derivations himself - certainly the ones that I have checked - rather than quoting others.
This is not always the case for books in physics. Weinberg is careful, and I have yet to find an error in the book.
Superlative.......2004-12-14
Weinberg's writing is fantastic--direct, precise, and inspiring. His minimalist yet comprehensive approach, basing GR on nothing but the absolute necessities is beautiful. Virtually every word in the book is necessary and sufficient.
For GR, Weinberg's book is first among equals. Other reviews have critiqued his mathematics as old (Einstein's methods)--so what? It's easier and centerpieces the physics. Weinberg does well at making the complex as simple as can be reasonably made, a mark of a great expositor.
Old book that is hostile to the spirt of G.R........2004-12-08
There was a time when this book was probably very authoritative and useful (though I can't see myself preferring it over Hawking and Ellis, even then). Put it out of your mind: that time is gone. There are a slew of much better, much more modern books out there. Furthermore, this book is written from a perspective that attempts to filter a huge chunk of the geometry out of G.R., sullying a lot of the beauty of Einstein's central idea. If you are interested in cosmology, you can do a lot better looking at Hawking and Ellis, or one of the more recent books that will, due to their newness, emphasize the numerous advances in cosmology since the 70s. If you are interested in Relativity, PLEASE look at Schutze (beginner) or at Wald (graduate). Don't waste time and energy on this book.
That being said, there are some interesting advanced topics here, and a few things that I haven't seen elsewhere. This can be a useful reference for a researching relativist.
Amazon.com
A baffling array of science books claim to reveal how the mysteries of the universe have been discovered, but Simon Singh's Big Bang actually delivers on that promise. General readers will find it to be among the very best books dealing with cosmology, because Singh follows the same plan he used in his brilliant Code Book: he puts people--not equations--first in the story. By linking the progression of the Big Bang theory with the scientists who built it up bit by bit, Singh also uncovers an important truth about how such ideas grow.
Death is an essential element in the progress of science, since it takes care of conservative scientists of a previous generation reluctant to let go of an old, fallacious theory and embrace a new and accurate one.
As harsh as this statement seems, even Einstein defended an outmoded idea about the universe when an unknown interloper published equations challenging the great man. Einstein didn't have to die for cosmology to move forward (he reluctantly apologized for being wrong), but stories like this one show how difficult it can sometimes be for new theories to take root. Fred Hoyle, who coined the term "big bang" as a way to ridicule the idea of a universe expanding from some tiny origin point, strongly believed that the cosmos was in a steady state. But Singh shows how Hoyle's research, meant to prove the contrary, added evidence to the expansion model. Big Bang is also a history of astronomical observation, describing the development of new telescopes that were crucial to the development of cosmology. Handwritten summary notes at the end of each long chapter add a charming, classroom feel to this revealing and very readable book. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
A half century ago, a shocking Washington Post headline claimed that the world began in five cataclysmic minutes rather than having existed for all time; a skeptical scientist dubbed the maverick theory the Big Bang. In this amazingly comprehensible history of the universe,
Simon Singh decodes the mystery behind the Big Bang theory, lading us through the development of one of the most extraordinary, important, and awe-inspiring theories in science.
Customer Reviews:
Phenomenally Interesting, Engaging, Stimulating and, Readable.......2007-10-01
For this reader with a lot formal education, but very little of it in the physical sciences, Simon Singh's `Big Bang' was phenomenally interesting, engaging, intellectually stimulating, readable, and educational. Others with more background in cosmology may find it too basic. Singh takes the reader through the history of cosmology as he builds toward an explanation of the Big Bang theory. The opening chapter explains the ancient's earth-centered (and common sensical) view of the universe and its downfall at the hands of Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler and Galileo. Later chapters follow the disproof of ether, Einstein's special and general theories of relativity, and the `great debate' between the supporters of a static universe and Lemaitre and others who supported the idea of an expanding (Big Bang) universe.
A large portion of the book follows the scientific efforts to gather evidence to support one view or the other. The renowned Edwin Hubble and the less so Henrietta Leavitt played key roles in finally providing enough evidence supporting the Big Bang theory to at least make it a credible argument. The remainder of the book follows the debate between the solid state theorists led by Fred Hoyle and the Big Bang backers led first by Gamow and Alpher, but later by others who resolved some of the nagging doubts about the theory, for example, the crucial 1992 proof of tiny variations in cosmic microwave background radiation.
Each chapter (at least in the P.S. version) has handy summary notes. Singh provides a useful glossary as well as recommended further readings for each chapter.
I generally read 50-75 books a year and rate The Big Bang as one of my top five books of the year. Five measly stars don't do it justice. I will resist the temptation to rate as a supernova, but this book greatly enhanced my understanding of the world around us and was a joy to read.
Absolutely the highest recommendation.
Big Bang! Good Book!.......2007-09-28
While I am fascinated by the process of science and how science arrives at theories based on observation, I am also leery about reading books written by scientists. Their knowledge of the area is usually so great that they are unable to reduce the complexity of the subject to that suitable for mere mortals. But Simon Singh with a PhD in particle physics is not one of them. I noted that he had been a producer for the BBC so I felt that there was a chance that he could tell an understandable story. And I was right. This was one of the best science non-fiction books I've read in a long time. Singh walks us through the chronology of the development of the theory, starting with the earliest physicist/astronomers. He gives examples of objections to the Big Bang theory and then shows how the data supports the theory. One of the objections to the theory was that if the theory were true, then there should be background microwave radiation. And he proceeds to tell the story of how this radiation was finally found. Singh also discusses some of the personalities involved in the development from or fight against the theory. All-in-all this was a very worthwhile read, far superior in interest and anecdotes than books like The Elegant Universe or the Physics of the Buffyverse.
Reasonably good cosmology.......2007-08-07
Not much here I haven't seen before, but nicely put together. Certainly a good introduction to the subject, written at a reasonably adult level and very understandable.
The history of Big Bang theory explained.......2007-08-05
Simon Singh is one of my favourite authors when it comes to popular science. I've enjoyed his books a lot, his style is both entertaining and educational at the same time. Big Bang is no different. By focusing his story on the colourful characters instead of equations, Singh makes the book easy to approach.
There's one thing to notice: the book is less about the Big Bang itself and more about the theory of Big Bang. Singh starts from the ancient Greek, describing how the whole concept of science was born and developed. Much of the book is devoted to the argument between Big Bang and steady-state universe theories. After reading this book, the reader will be familiar with the scientific process and the evolution of scientific paradigms.
Another success for Singh, and I'm definitely looking forward to whatever he's doing next. (Review based on the Finnish translation.)
An extremely enjoyable read.......2007-07-21
"Big Bang" is a very informative book which not only elucidates the history of the Big Bang theory, but begins by documenting the history of cosmology in general from many different civilizations, from Pythagoras to Hubble.
Every aspect of the Big Bang theory is discussed from redshift to elemental synthesis, and it is all explained is simple English (well as simple as nuclear physics can get anyway!). The history of modern cosmology is also well documented, discussing Hubble, Hoyle and Lemaitre, to mention just a few. An immense amount of research has been done by Singh for this book, and for this reason I regard it as a vital source for anyone who has a love for science and/or the history of science and cosmology.
An extremely enjoyable read! Highly recommended!
Book Description
The two towering achievements of modern physics are quantum theory and Einstein's general theory of relativity. Together, they explain virtually everything about the world we live in. But, almost a century after their advent, most people haven't the slightest clue what either is about. Did you know that there's so much empty space inside matter that the entire human race could be squeezed into the volume of a sugar cube? Or that you grow old more quickly on the top floor of a building than on the ground floor? And did you realize that 1% of the static on a TV tuned between stations is the relic of the Big Bang? These and many other remarkable facts about the world are direct consequences of quantum physics and relativity. Quantum theory has literally made the modern world possible. Not only has it given us lasers, computers and nuclear reactors but it has provided an explanation of why the sun shines and why the ground beneath our feet is solid. Despite this, however, quantum theory and relativity remain a patchwork of fragmented ideas, vaguely understood at best and often utterly mysterious. They have even gained a reputation of being beyond the understanding of the average person. Author Marcus Chown emphatically disagrees. As Einstein himself said, "Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone."
If you think that the marvels of modern physics have passed you by, it is not too late. In Chown's capable hands, quantum physics and relativity are not only painless but downright fun. So sit back, relax, and get comfortable as an adept and experienced science communicator brings you quickly up to speed on some of the greatest ideas in the history of human thought.
Customer Reviews:
Not a well-thought-out story.......2007-05-11
In the "real" world, the one we can see and feel, things are generally predictable. Rain doesn't fall from a cloudless sky, and the sun rises at the eastern horizon. Down in the invisible world of atoms and their components, things are less organised. The story doesn't flow like a good novel, it skips around, chapters are out of sequence, and the conclusions aren't just illogical, they're impossible. At least compared to what we're accustomed to. In this excellent - and much-needed work, Marcus Chown is able to make some sense of a rather poorly conceived tale.
As Chown is at pains to point out, understanding the universe's basic mechanisms doesn't come easily. He ought to know - he's been in the trade. Yet his close knowledge provides a solid foundation for explaining it. More important here, he enjoys a fine talent for turning complex issues into understandable and readable accounts. He shows us how these things work, succeeding admirably at the task. Predictability, he explains, isn't part of how the universe works. Thus, the reader must shed a few misconceptions about reality derived over the years and let Chown guide you through an unknown world. He's a talented writer and provides a wealth of tips to aid in the tour of the fascinating atomic realm. He's able to make sense of the seemingly chaotic story underlying the world we live in.
"What is light?" seems a straightforward question, but Chown describes how much effort has gone into making that definition. For centuries light was thought to be a wave. After all, it exhibits various frequencies [according to colour], can be "bent" by obstacles and so on. Yet, as the author reminds us, light's speed is finite - a critical point. Einstein demonstrated the flaws in thinking of light as a wave and, in Chown's words, you can "Say Good-bye to Certainty". To help bridge the gap between what is happening in the atomic realm and our world, he opens each chapter with a thought experiment exercise. Can you imagine a river flowing uphill? Chown challenges your thinking with that and similar scenarios, then goes on to demonstrate how such a phenomenon can occur.
As Chown goes on to explain, what we've learned about light can be applied to conditions within the atom. Light doesn't come from torches or burning embers in a simple, continuous manner. It emerges from jumping electrons which are prodded and poked by other forces and "microscopic" elements within atoms [Chown's use of "microscopic" throughout this book is slightly misleading - none of what he writes can be seen by a microscope. But continuous use of "sub-microscopic" would be boring.] The "jumping" is the hint of what quantum mechanics means - there is very little smooth, undisturbed and continuous action in the atomic world. Things may occur with seeming regularity, then quickly shift to another condition. This state of affairs, as Chown notes, applies across the cosmos. Predictability is abandoned and any semblance of a coherent narrative is lost. Read this and find out why you should learn something of quantum physics. It's a finer tale than Shakespeare. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
My thoughts on reading the book.......2006-11-05
I learned alot about the subject.The book cannot be read like a novel.It
requires a page by page examination, but the results are worth the effort.
I think that rereading this book a second time is well worthwile.
Einstein's Relativity Theory, Quantum Physics and Marilyn Monroe...and How They Interconnect.......2006-09-20
Truth be told, I never really had a burning desire to understand Einstein's theory of relativity, but author Marcus Chown, a cosmology consultant for New Scientist magazine, brings the subject within the mental grasp of laymen like myself with his new, compact primer. Addressing his thesis in conjunction with quantum theory, Chown smartly uses popular culture references and everyday objects as examples of the theories in action, for instance, stating that every breath I take has an atom once breathed out of Marilyn Monroe, or that one percent of the static experienced between channels of a television is radiation coming form the Big Bang. These are grand, fun statements, though I still find myself scratching my head on what they really mean, especially when he attempts to brings his level of discussion down to the microscopic world.
It helps that the author has divided the book into two major parts - quantum theory in "Small Things" and the broader scale of relativity and how it affects the entire universe in "Big Things". We are all aware of atomic structures from our high school science classes, but translating these images exponentially shows how difficult it is to explain the malleability of atomic particles no matter how creative the analogies. To be fair, the baffling subject of quantum mechanics would likely unhinge any science writer, and to Chown's immense credit, he comes closest in bringing it all to life.
He explains, for example, how tables, no matter how solid they look, contain lots of empty space between the atoms that make up their matter. In fact, his most helpful image is that if the empty space were squeezed out of all the atoms in our bodies, all of humanity would fit in the space occupied by a single sugar cube. Using a variety of sources from Einstein to physicist Richard Feynman to even "Star Trek", the author is able to show such mind-curdling concepts as how you age faster the higher up you are, and the faster you travel, the slimmer you get. Chown has put together a clever book which doesn't hit a physics home run but does make the previously untouchable topics of quantum mechanics and relativity just a little more tangible for the rest of us.
Brilliant introduction to what we do and don't know.......2006-08-23
This book is a gem. In less than 200 pages, Chown presents and explains the basics of relativity, quantum physics, and cosmology just about as clearly and understandably as possible. If you want to understand Schrodinger's wave function, uncertainty, why atoms don't collapse, how the sun really works, why quantum rules sort out bosons and fermions, and what we do and don't know about dark matter and dark energy, you coulnd't find a better source. Chown consistently amazes me with his brilliant analogies. For example, in explaining how relativity's spacetime replaced Newtonian absolute space and time, Chown writes, "Like shipwrecked mariners clinging to rocks in a wild sea, to make sense of the world we search desperately for things that are unchanging. . . . When we see the world from a high-speed vantage point, we see neither space nor time but the seamless enity of spacetime." Science writing doesn't get better than this.
Robert Adler, author of _Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation, Wiley & Sons 2002.
Secret of the universe in 200 pages.......2006-07-03
The best popular science book I have ever read is Marcus Chown's THE MAGIC FURNACE (read it - it's brilliant). That focused on people and ideas and was written with a novelist's eye for detail and anecdote. THE QUANTUM ZOO is principally about ideas. And what ideas! Quantum theory and relativity. I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. Chown has done it again. THE QUANTUM ZOO is quirky, clear, fun and - best of all - short. Normally, when I read a book on these kind of topics it's like swimming through syrup and I give up on page 497! Chown has given us the secret of the universe in 200-odd pages and made a more succesful stab at it than virtually anyone else I have read.
Book Description
General relativity is a cornerstone of modern physics, and is of major importance in its applications to cosmology. Plebanski and Krasinski are experts in the field and provide a thorough introduction to general relativity, guiding the reader through complete derivations of the most important results. Providing coverage from a unique viewpoint, geometrical, physical and astrophysical properties of inhomogeneous cosmological models are all systematically and clearly presented, allowing the reader to follow and verify all derivations. Many topics are included that are not found in other textbooks.
Book Description
The Final Theory presents the first truly comprehensive and viable alternative to mainstream scientific beliefs, showing how a simple overlooked principle in nature finally explains and resolves many of the mysteries and paradoxes in today's science. Expand and liberate your mind with simple, sensible explanations for the most perplexing problems in physics today - without having to be a science scholar. What actually is gravity and how does it operate - is it a force, warped space-time, or something else entirely? Is anti-gravity possible? Is the speed of light truly a limit? Is faster-than-light communication possible? Does light truly have a dual wave-particle nature or has it simply been misunderstood? What does Einstein's E = mc2 equation actually mean? What is the true nature of energy? Are the new additions of "dark matter" and "dark energy" to our science really proper, and do they solve anything or just deepen the mysteries? The new scientific perspective in this easy-to-read book takes the reader through a wealth of compelling answers to the many unresolved questions that still plague mainstream science today.
Customer Reviews:
A Revolutionary and Unifying Theory of Matter!.......2007-08-31
I am astounded that I did not discover this remarkable book sooner. Though I am not really a zealous follower of theoretical science, I have always been fascinated by the possibility that a "theory of everything" might resolve some of the fundamental mysteries of our universe.
For example, although our current theory of gravity is that it is simply one of the four fundamental forces in nature, it is clear that we have little understanding of the physical foundations of gravity; that is why we have all the divergent hypotheses being put forward: gravity waves, gravity particles, warping of space-time, etc. Plus, there is a good argument that the earth's gravity, as is is modeled in Newtonian terms, does in fact do real work in "pulling" objects (though this is rarely openly acknowledged), including the moon, from an otherwise straight-line motion and into a circular orbit; doing this for millions of years with no known energy source to power this work. That concern is often obscured by what seems to me a bogus use of the "work function." Where does the energy come from to divert the moon, or any orbiting object, from its straight-line momentum? And if we go with relativity theory, why do objects in space create a warping of "space-time"? Isn't that just an ad hoc theoretical position to hide the gaps of knowledge without offering any real explanatory value?
This book addresses these and so many other stubborn gaps and contradictions in current theory.
There is much to recommend this book. It provides a unique alternative to today's inadequate jumble of theories. It provides a theory that might well completely unify our understanding of basic physical phenomena. Although it might be argued that to call this theory the "final theory" is premature, and I agree that that is so, the claim is (to my surprise) actually plausible once you reflect carefully the ideas presented.
Of course skepticism is always in order in any aspect of theory construction. But skepticism is a two edged sword. It is just as foolish to "will to believe" the status quo as it is to be a naive true believer of a new theory. Open mindedness does not mean that everything that comes along is plausible. But it does mean that new ideas are considered with sincerity and not dismissed or ridiculed simply because they are startling or because they completely overturn our current understanding. The ideas in The Final Theory are quite revolutionary and startling. But it is not surprising that an idea to make sense of what is now so mysterious would indeed to be revolutionary and startling.
As with any revolutionary new theory this theory will likely be fiercely resisted by many who have invested their careers and reputations in the current array of theoretical approaches. But I believe that there will inevitably be serious consideration of this theory by very qualified scientists. It will take time before we will see much evidence of it, however. Scientists must be very cautious. They have families to support, just as the rest of us. To prematurely voice support for a theory this revolutionary will be a great risk to both aspiring and established scientists. This theory is far more fundamentally revolutionary than the new theories we see every few years in cosmology.
The book is extremely well written. The concepts are carefully explained, often with the aid of helpful diagrams, so that the reader can easily grasp the concepts. I often have trouble with advanced mathematical treatments, but in this book the mathematics is tightly argued but easily comprehended even by the mathematically impaired. The author has put in a considerable effort to help the reader understand every step of the reasoning process and the evidence marshalled to support the theory.
I have commuicated with the author and I am convinced of his complete sincerity and his deep thirst for understanding. He seems to be the kind of person who I most admire for his curiosity, his integrity, and his courgage.
If you are open-minded, yet healthily skeptical, and have a taste for the intrepid and relentless pursuit of truth, I think you will not be disappointed with this book. It is one of the most intriguing books I have ever read.
A Fresh Look At Physics.......2007-08-18
This book offers some stimulating non-mainstream ideas on many subjects in physics that are fun to read and thought provoking. The author also does a great job itemizing the fundamental inadequacies, failures and physical law violations of the standard model of physics. That alone is worth the price of the book.
It is clear a great deal of thought and effort went into writing this book. The author really seems to have put his heart and soul into this work. He goes to great pains trying to explain his ideas in a clear logical fashion.
It is a shame the author did not spend more time working out the details of his core theory of gravity before trying to use it as a jumping off point to try and explain most of the rest of physics. The heart of "The Final Theory" of gravitation contains a logical contradiction that invalidates everything that logically follows. The theory claims that the gravity of a planet or object is directly proportional to its size, not its mass. On page 93, the theory also claims that all objects in our universe double in size every 19 minutes due to universal atomic expansion. Assuming both these claims are true, the earths gravity would have to double every 19 minutes. While we may not be able to percieve the doubling in size due to universal atomic expansion, we could certainly percieve a doubling in gravitational force every 19 minutes.
Instead of relying solely on thought experiments and logic the author could have done a simple physics experiment to validate his theory. One could prove or disprove The Final Theory simply by placing a moderately sensitive (say 0.1 gram) scale measuring a small fixed mass of about 1 Kg in a transparent sealed container. Measure the weight at the base of a tall skyscraper. Then take the elevator to the top floor and measure the weight again. If "The Final Theory" is correct the weight would increase (by about 0.5 gram assuming the skyscraper was 1200 feet tall) due to the increase in distance from the earths center of mass. If Newtons Law of Gravity is correct the weight should decrease by about 1.2 grams over the same height difference due to the inverse square law decrease in gravitational force with increasing distance from the center of the earth.
While this may not be "The Final Theory" of everything, it does offer some fresh and thought provoking ideas. Its refreshing to read fresh ideas from a young mind not overly constrained by better established theories of physics. At least the author tried to explain how and why things work the way they do. He may not have succeeded in the particulars, but I applaud and appreciate his sincere efforts. With a little more formal training in physics he may make a great physicist some day.
A must read.......2007-07-24
There seems to be a lot of debate about whether or not this book provides any sound science. Our science is based upon mental models of the world; if our mental models are incorrect then how sound is our "sound science"? Instead, I would encourage you to not even bother with such a debate. Regardless of whether or not this book provides a truthful view of the world is actually irrelevant. The beauty of this book -- and why it is a must read -- is that it will take you on a mental journey (and challenge your current mental models) like none other. From this perspective, even if you take this book merely as a mental exercise you will thoroughly enjoy it. And, if perhaps, you stick with his arguments and persist to understand them (email the author if necessary; it really helped me) you may find more than what you bargained for. What more could you ask for in a book?
Final Theory - ALMOST final.......2007-07-24
An excellent book - quite articulate and well worth the price for the fresh look at physics.
It gave great solutions to supposed mysteries and weirdness of both Einstein's Relativity and Quantum Mechanics - blew them both out of the water. The answers given made you kind of slap yourself upside the head and say, why couldn't I think of that?
The one caveat: the author left things incomplete in the section of how the universe began AND that of the nature of time itself. It isn't to say that his theory of matter expansion is wrong. I don't believe he thought things through carefully enough with regards especially to the time dimension.
Other than that, it was quite excellent - and I hope Mr McCutcheon does reconsider and re-evaluate the time dimensional concept in his theory.
Theory is worth further review!!!.......2007-07-02
I am not a physicist or a scientist, but I loved this book!!!
I am an educated healthcare professional who seeks a deeper meaning and an understanding of our world and universe. McCutcheon's theory deserves at the very least, some detailed mathmatical investigations (which I would have liked to see in the text of his book!!!) He raises some profound insights into electromagnetism that seem very plausible.
I have been looking for more information about this theory and have instead found mostly blogs bashing him and this theory. Why can't we read some real discussion and analysis of the Geometry and math (particularly with regard to orbital dynamics)?
Read ALL of the book. Form an opinion. Open a dialog about the theory and work some proofs for people to check.
Mark McCutcheon....please rewrite this book and co-write it with a mathematician and something more substantial with which the scientists out there can wrestle.
Customer Reviews:
At last someone who makes sense of it all........2005-01-12
This book breaks the ice for readers who don't want to be buried in quantum mechanics, but want to know how parallel universes actually do exist. You've felt it. You know they're out there. If you really want to know what is on the other side, and how that has affected earth and will affect its future, you need to read The Ark of Millions of Years. Picks up where Dr. Wolf left off.
The Reality of Parallel Universes.......2004-04-13
Did you ever wonder HOW you receive warnings about events in the "future" that turn around and actually happen? Did you ever receive information in your dreams where the answers to a problem you were trying to figure out are given to you in complete detail? Such is the reality of parallel lives, and parallel universes.
We do not inhabit the ONLY Universe in our cosmos. Fred Alan Wolfe brings great insight into parallel universes, and parallel lives, spacetime, black holes, and, clashing waves of time, as well as the parallel "you" that does communicate with you in the life you live here and now.
All is simultaneous in the universal realm, where it is always "now." This book will bring you much insight, answers, and can help you ask questions so you can gain a greater understanding of your life that currently exists in another dimension while simultaneously existing in this one on Earth.
Highly recommended to gain greater wisdom.
Barbara Rose, author of, `Individual Power' and `If God Was Like Man'
Paradox of Parallel Universes.......2004-01-06
This is a difficult subject to comprehend and the author does not help the reader to make it any easier: He not only confuses the reader but also makes it boring by repetition, innumerable references to; fiction, TV shows and other literature that is not directly related to physics. Although the book is free of physics and mathematics, the author could have spent few chapters to concentrate on the physics of parallel universes in layman's language to make the reader understand the physical principles on which physicists want us to believe in parallel universes. The book is described in six parts related to quantum physics, relativity, cosmology, time and parallel universe, understanding of our universe (with parallel universes) and psychology. The idea of parallel universe was first conceived by Hugh Everett III in 1957; his accounting of the famous double-slit experiment and wave particle duality is that since wave is not real but it is probability wave or quantum wave function that may be associated with two particles (in two universes) and not one particle (in one universe).
The author could have hammered on topics such as Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle (UP), the Observer Effect (Schrödinger's Cat, Wigner's Friend, EPR Paradox) on split and collapse of quantum wave function, antimatter, blackholes (Einstein-Rosen Bridge), invisibility of time, and better explanation of quantum mechanics and theory of relativity (both support the existence of parallel universes) in few short chapters and stay focused on the topic without wandering to fiction or other narratives. This would have helped a reader in understanding the concepts better. It is clear from this observation that the reader is not deprived of anything if he/she chooses not to own this book.
Can you say "D-U-M-B-E-D D-O-W-N"?.......2002-04-29
I'm not surprised people are complaining there are no illustrations here. Perhaps it should come with pictures you can color in yourself and a complementary box of crayons. If we assume, however, for the sake of argument, that this is intended as a children's book, it is nevertheless a very poor children's book. (Very many authors, among them Lewis Carroll, E. B. White, and C. S. Lewis, have shown that it is possible to write for children and still write supremely well.)
Definitely worth a read!.......2002-04-28
I did find that this book somewhat repetitive, as Mr. Wolf tended to "over-explain" aspects of the theories presented in "Parallel Universes: The Search for Other Worlds". However, I strongly suspect that this quandary had more to do with the Touchstone/Simon & Schuster editor's own lack in grasping of the subject matter, resulting in virtually a word-for-word transcription of the entire original manuscript into the final book form.
Considering this likelihood, this book is a true gem! For anyone interested in science and all possibilities, it is well worth a read by both the novice and the well educated. Many books are available on quantum physics, space, time as the fourth dimension, etc. To date, though, this is the only book I have been able to find that puts all of these theories into a veritable nutshell. It delves not only into possibilities, but also probabilities, which include aspects of every major discovery in physics, astronomy, and mathematics since the time of Pythagoras.
It is not a book for the faint of heart, who are secure in their understanding of their every day "reality". It is, instead, for those who intuitively know that there's something more to what we perceive as reality, more than the eye can see. Sorry, there aren't any illustrations for those needing visual aids. Mr. Wolf mentions in here that one needs an imagination to be a good scientist and I happen to agree (I am not scientifically inclined, nor mathematically for that matter, but I have always had a good imagination). The problem with attempting to provide diagrams and illustrations for the topic being covered in "Parallel Universes" is that you can't draw a fourth dimension on a piece of paper.
I regard Fred Alan Wolf's book as a wonderful work of science and poetry; the observer and the observed being one and the same; the fourth dimension of time broadening our understanding of the world around us, including the one most of us can't "see". Read it and find out just how close we are to solving the eternal question, "Is this all that there is?"
Book Description
From H.G. Wells to Star Trek, audiences have been captivated by the notions of time travel, time warps, space warps, and wornholes. But science fiction is not the only realm where these concepts thrive. An active group of general relativists and quantum field theorists has produced a considerable body of serious (thought admittedly speculative) mathematical and physical analyses of the wormhole system. Now, with this fascinating book, readers can explore in depth the science behind the science fiction. Drawing on pivotal work by Einstein, Wheeler, Morris, Thorne, Hawking, and others, Matt Visser charts the development and current state of Lorentzian wormhole physics. Dr. Visser shows that by pushing established physical theories to their limits, it is possible to deduce the physical properties of such exotica as wormholes and time travel. The physical framework he uses is derived from one of the major research frontiers of modern theoretical physics: quantum gravity-the intersection of classical Einstein gravity and quantum field theory. Physicists, students of general relativity, cosmology, quantum physics, or any interested reader with a background in physics wil find this a provocative introduction to an exciting and active topic of ongoing research.
Customer Reviews:
Buy a used copy.......2002-01-22
Some of the words in this book have appeared in movies and science fiction stories, but in this book they take on a mathematical/scientific meaning, thanks to the efforts of the author. Although the concepts in the book are still far-removed from experimental verification, one must credit the author with writing of a book that may be standard reading in centuries to come. When reading the book, one can only hope that its ideas, or some similar to them, will eventually allow humans to traverse time and space routinely. The reader will need a strong background in general relativity and quantum field theory to really appreciate the book, but after reading it will obtain a solid understanding of what might be calle, in the words of the author, "non-boring" physics.
After a brief overview of general relativity and quantum field theory, the author devotes the first part of the book to the history of wormhole physics. I was surprised to learn that the study of wormholes goes as far back as 1916 in paper by the physicist L.Flamm. But it was the desire of A. Einstein and N. Rosen to build a geometrical model of an elementary particle that is finite and singularity-free that set the tone for the research that continues to this day. Their ideas are reviewed in detail, and the author shows that viewing elementary particles as they did predicts they have internal structure, contrary to experiment. The contributions of J.A. Wheeler, namely his interest in topological issues in general relativity, and his geon/spacetime foam ideas are discussed also. The role of wormhole physics in developing a quantum theory of gravity, via the quantization of weak field gravity and the subsequent appearance of gravitons is treated also. The author lists the things that be done with quantized linearized gravity and gives references for research that counters the idea of spacetime foam. "Back-of-the-envelope" calculations are given for the importance of quantum fluctuations in the gravitational field at Planckian scales. A very interesting, and critical discussion is given of topology changes of spacetime via quantum fluctuations. The author states (but does not prove) various theorems regarding the topology of spacetime if a Lorentz metric is put on it. These results are pretty restrictive in limiting the existence of certain topology changes, but as the author remarks, one can abandon the idea of spacetime being everywhere-Lorentzian if one gives up the strong equivalence principle, an idea he clearly is not comfortable with. Given his remarks, it is interesting to ask whether quantum fluctuations could force a violation of the strong equivalence principle. The author does consider the role of quantum tunneling in changing spacetime topology, but concludes that it is not a meaningful question. However, he does devote a brief paragraph to the consideration of an energy-dependent effective topology which is the one of relevance to physics. Based on the "quantum claustrophobia" effect arising from the tendency of a particle to avoid small regions (i.e Heisenberg uncertainty), some regions of spacetime may thus not be visible from a quantum point of view. The author gives one example of this, but this idea has far-reaching consequences: not just for physics but for mathematics. If viewed from a quantum perspective, many of the usual mathematical structures in topology and other areas of mathematics are changed considerably. One can then perform a kind of interpolation between "quantum" and "classical" mathematical constructions.
The author switches to more modern developments in part 3, with the idea of a traversable wormhole due to M. S. Morris and K.S. Thorne leading off the discussion. These wormholes are shown to violate the weak, strong, and dominant energy conditions, implying the existence of negative energy density near the throat of the wormhole. The existence of this energy will remind the reader of the Casimir effect, and the author does discuss this effect in detail. In addition, the thin shell formalism is discussed as a tool to analyze traversable wormholes without spherical geometry. Global techniques and the topological censorship are used to give a mathematically precise definition of a traversable wormhole, although the censorship theorem is not proven.
Part 4 attempts to remove the idea of time travel from pure fantasy science fiction and give it more of a scientific foundation. The author is convincing in his efforts, via his thorough analysis of causality conditions in spacetime, and the explicit constructions of simple time machines, which in the author's words are a consequence of general relativity being "infested" with geometries that produce them. The van Stockum, Godel, Kerr, and Gott tiem machines are discussed in detail, and the author shows explicitly how to construct time machines via wormholes. He also addresses the problems that arise in the actual construction of these time machines, such as the possibility of a non-Hausdorff topology, the problem of unique histories (Novikov conjecture), the breakdown of unitarity in the quantum realm, and the Hawking chronology protection conjecture.
Section 5 is an overview of the quantum field theory needed for a study of wormhole physics. The author shows that time- and space-orientable spacetimes are incompatible with the Standard model. He discusses in detail the result that the ANEC condition can be violated by scale anomalies. Readers will have to have a very detailed knowledge of quantum field theory in curved spacetime to follow the discussion. The calculation of van Vleck determinants, familiar as Green function techniques, are done also. The stress-energy tensor is calculated explictly for traversable wormhole spacetimes. The Wheeler-DeWitt minisuperspace formalism is used to shed light on the quantum aspects of Lorentzian wormholes, and the Wheeler-DeWitt equation for Einstein gravity on minisuperspace is solved exactly.
The last part of the book is more of a send off to the reader and an encouragement for further reading on the issues in the book A list of research problems in given for the ambitious and curious reader.
Average customer rating:
- makes a good mousepad
- A fantastic book for those who can understand it.
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The Geometric Universe: Science, Geometry, and the Work of Roger Penrose
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The Large, the Small and the Human Mind
ASIN: 0198500599 |
Book Description
This collection has been inspired by the work of Roger Penrose. It gives an overview of current work on the interaction between geometry and physics, from which many important developments in research have emerged. This volume collects together the contributions of many important researchers, including Sir Roger himself, and gives an overview of the many applications of geometrical ideas and techniques across mathematics and the physical sciences. From the area of pure mathematics papers are included on the topics of classical differential geometry and non-commutative geometry, knot invariants, and the applications of gauge theory. Contributions from applied mathematics cover the topics of integrable systems and general relativity. Current research in experimental and theoretical physics inspired chapters on string theory, quantum gravity, the foundations of quantum mechanics, quasi-crystals and astrophysics. The collection also includes articles on quantum computation, quantum cryptography and the possible role of micro-tubules in a theory of consciousness.
Customer Reviews:
makes a good mousepad.......2002-02-08
This book makes the greatest mousepad I've ever had. Good book.
A fantastic book for those who can understand it........2000-05-27
A great book, about some of the coolest and most cutting edge theories out there. Certainly not for the layman though. Most of the chapters are filled with equation after equation however those with advanced math and a good math program will have lots of fun. This book is the real deal! Read it all and you just might fry your brain! It would get five stars if it was better organized. The best use of this book is for quick reference if you have a specific idea or question about the topics contained and don't or can't get to the internet. Not a must buy but worth the money.
Book Description
In 1905, Albert Einstein published five scientific articles that fundamentally changed the world-view of physics: The Special Theory of Reativity revolutionized our concept of space and time, E=mc² became the best-known equation in physics.
On the occasion of the 100th aniversary of Einstein's "annus mirabilis" 1905, the UNESCO declared the year 2005 the "World Year of Physics", in order to draw attention to the impact of physics. The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science dedicates an exhibition to the easily most important scientist of the 20th century.
The exhibition is accompanied by a two-volume catalogue . The elaborate, four-colour first volume (Albert Einstein - Chief Engineer of the Universe: Einstein's Life and Work in Context) mirrors the structure of the exhibition, containing detailed, easy-to-understand information on the three large exhibition areas
- World-view and discovery
- Einstein - his life
- Einstein's world today.
On the basis of Einstein's innovative theoretical work, the text explains changing historical world-views as well as the conditions under which science develops, shedding light on the bumpy path of Einstein's life and the political and social revolutions which formed its background. This bridge between scientific and cultural history opens up a perspective on Einstein's biography which goes far beyond the traditional picture of this exceptional science genius.
The book concludes with a depiction of the effects of Einstein's work on today's science and culture. A DVD with animations and film sequences from the exhibition is enclosed.
The second volume is a bilingual collection of source material (Documents of a Life's Pathway/Dokumente eines Lebensweges). Letters and manuscripts by Einstein as well as photographs of people and objects are reproduced in high quality and invite the reader to study the exhibition's sources more intensively.
Books:
- Einstein: His Life and Universe
- Encyclopedia of Physics
- Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium Statistical Thermodynamics
- Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium Statistical Thermodynamics
- Essentials of Physics
- Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance
- Exploring Black Holes: Introduction to General Relativity
- Fearful Symmetry: The Development and Treatment of Sadomasochism (Critical Issues in Psychoanalysis)
- Field and Wave Electromagnetics (2nd Edition)
- Fracture Mechanics of Piezoelectric Materials (Advances in Damage Mechanics)
Books Index
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