History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

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.

Nonplussed!: Mathematical Proof of Implausible Ideas

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Mathematically Impeccable--Real World Flawed
A real brain teaser

Nonplussed!: Mathematical Proof of Implausible Ideas
Julian Havil
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691120560

Book Description

Math--the application of reasonable logic to reasonable assumptions--usually produces reasonable results. But sometimes math generates astonishing paradoxes--conclusions that seem completely unreasonable or just plain impossible but that are nevertheless demonstrably true: Conclusions that, for example, tell us that a losing sports team can become a winning one by adding worse players than its opponents. Or that the thirteenth of the month is more likely to be a Friday than any other day. Or that cones can roll unaided uphill. In Nonplussed!--a delightfully eclectic collection of paradoxes from many different areas of math--popular-math writer Julian Havil reveals the math that shows the truth of these and many other unbelievable ideas.

Nonplussed! pays special attention to problems from probability and statistics, areas where intuition can easily be wrong. These problems include the vagaries of tennis scoring, what can be deduced from tossing a needle, and disadvantageous games that form winning combinations. Other chapters address everything from the historically important Torricelli's Trumpet to the mind-warping implications of objects that live on high dimensions. Readers learn about the colorful history and people associated with many of these problems in addition to their mathematical proofs.

Nonplussed! will appeal to anyone with a calculus background who enjoys popular math books or puzzles.

Customer Reviews:

Mathematically Impeccable--Real World Flawed.......2007-07-08

This book is a valuable addition to a math-puzzler's library, but contains some flaws on real-world data.

For example, Havil shows, with impeccable mathematics, that if a given player has over 91.9643...% probability of winning any given point on his or her serve, that he or she has a higher likelihood of winning at the start of the game than when the score is 30-15 or 40-30. He uses this fact to back up a claim that "a high quality tennis player serving at 40-30 or 30-15 to an equal opponent has less chance of winning the game than at its start." Again, this is predicated on that 92% or better percentage of winning any given point. But in real life, high quality tennis players, even when serving, against an equal opponent does not have this high a percentage of the points gained. Take 92% as the percentage. That would mean that over 70% of the time, the non-server would not even get one point (score of 15) during a given game. If anyone watches Wimbledon or the U.S. Open, one sees that such occurrences are rare, not common. As even Havil points out, it also implies that the server will win at least 99.9% of the games. But in high-level play, set scores of 6-3, 6-4, etc. are common. With 99.9% of the games being won by the server, 99.4% of sets would go into tie-break. That's clearly not the case in the real world. But this discrepancy is needed in order to make the "paradox" that creates the "nonplussed" reaction.

In the chapter on the calendar, Havil explains why the Christian feast commemorating Jesus' ascension into Heaven never falls on a Sunday by claiming that that feast is also called Holy Thursday. It's not. It's Ascension Thursday. Holy Thursday, 42 days (six weeks) before Ascension Thursday, is the day before Good Friday, and commemorates the Last Supper.

A real brain teaser.......2007-05-16

The book of Julian Havil is certainly not easy reading. Perhaps I am a dummy, but at several pages I had to read over a paragraph several times before understanding its real meaning, but the result was always worth the trouble. The calculations itself are explained thoroughly and his way of highlighting different sidesteps are often eye-openers.
People loving Martin Gardner's articles in Scientific American, will certainly appreciate this book.

Dr. Quantum's Little Book Of Big Ideas: Where Science Meets Spirit

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A fun recommendation for any interested in science
Explore The You-niverse
Fred Alan Wolf did it again!

Dr. Quantum's Little Book Of Big Ideas: Where Science Meets Spirit
Fred Alan Wolf
Manufacturer: Moment Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1930491085

Book Description

Respected among scientists and spiritual leaders alike for his pioneering work combining scientific and spiritual thought, Fred Alan Wolf (aka Dr. Quantum) is, as Deepak Chopra states, "one of the most important pioneers in the field of consciousness." Featured in the word-of-mouth indie hit, What the Bleep Do We Know?!, Dr. Wolf is a physicist who knows how to put complex science-based ideas into terms that even science-phobes can understand. With clarity and a sense of humor, Dr. Quantum presents Big Ideas in the form of both short quotes and longer excerpts and covers topics ranging from the construction of our everyday reality to our relationship to one another. Dr. Quantum's Little Book of Big Ideas is a perfect gift for anyone interested in the realm where science meets spirit.

Customer Reviews:

A fun recommendation for any interested in science.......2006-05-23

Physicist Fred Alan wolf (a.k.a. Dr. Quantum) is respected among scientists and spiritual leaders alike for his ability to bridge spiritual with science concerns and insights, and his latest DR. QUANTUM'S LITTLE BOOK OF BIG IDEAS: WHERE SCIENCE MEETS SPIRIT is no exception, drawing important links between physics discoveries and theories and their meaning to and impact upon religious thought. A 'little book' format pairs vignettes and short reflections with longer essays on concepts of sources of inspiration and new ideas, charged particle 'dancers', and more. A fun recommendation for any interested in science.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Explore The You-niverse.......2005-11-16

"We are merely reflections of a single mind in a multiple-reflection looking glass." - From the book

Featured in the popular indie movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?, Dr. Fred Alan Wolf is the author of such books as Mind Into Matter, The Spiritual Universe, and Matter into Feeling. In 1982, his book Taking the Quantum Leap was a recipient of the prestigious National Book Award for Science.

Known for simplification of the new physics and bridging scientific and spiritual thought, Dr. Wolf has carefully chosen and arranged excerpts from his books and interviews for the book Dr. Quantum's Little Book of Big Ideas. According to the author, the bite size nuggets aren't intended to "teach" anything (although he hopes readers learn a bit about themselves and the universe) but rather to help loosen tight bonds wrapped around beliefs held as the "only" reality.

Some of the nuggets of wisdom are quite short-just a sentence-while others span two pages. These tidbits cover Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, consciousness, how observation changes reality, parallel universes, One Mind, the nature of time and more.

Here are few bite-sized gems from Dr. Quantum's Little Book of Big Ideas:

"The world is malleable, infinitely changeable. Not only are we capable of changing the present, but also the past."

"Mere observation is enough to alter the history of anything or anyone, even a whole country."

""Physicists Albert Einstein and Richard Tolman showed that if quantum mechanics describes events, then even the past is as uncertain as the future. So how do we have any past at all? The answer is that we create them! Yes. What we call the past only exists in the windmills of our mind. We in the present are responsible for our pasts, not the other way around. We are the creators of history."

"When you aren't looking, it's like a wave. When you are looking, it's like a particle."

"Do you think when a new idea comes out everybody's really excited and ready to get it? No! That ain't how it works! When a new idea comes out people are very reluctant to change the way they've always thought-even when they know it's wrong. They don't want to change."

A soft cover book of 143 pages, Dr. Quantum's Little book of Big Ideas offers easily digestible pieces of quantum wisdom. Although most are easy to understand, several ideas are mind blowing in their implication. If you're interested in quantum physics, the mind/matter connection, the power of the observer and creating reality, this is a great book inviting you to ponder the nature of life and workings of the you-niverse.

Fred Alan Wolf did it again!.......2005-11-11

Fred Alan Wolf is one of the only authors who understands how to bring quantum physics down to earth. Especially his interest in consciousness and his experience in this field sets him apart from other scientists and makes this book a great gift for everybody.

I have posted some other reviews about his audio books on my website:
Quantum Biocommunication Technology

Six Ideas That Shaped Physics: Unit R - Laws of Physics are Frame-Independent

Average customer rating:

Very Good Book
Key to a solid understanding of relativity

Six Ideas That Shaped Physics: Unit R - Laws of Physics are Frame-Independent
Thomas A Moore
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0072397144

Book Description

SIX IDEAS THAT SHAPED PHYSICS is the 21st century's alternative to traditional, encyclopedic textbooks. Thomas Moore designed SIX IDEAS to teach students: --to apply basic physical principles to realistic situations --to solve realistic problems --to resolve contradictions between their preconceptions and the laws of physics --to organize the ideas of physics into an integrated hierarchy

Customer Reviews:

Very Good Book.......2004-05-20

This is a very good intro to special relativity. The author uses spacetime diagrams very skillfuly and explains even confusing topics very clearly. Overall, a very good book.

Key to a solid understanding of relativity.......2004-01-01

After finishing the first half of an advanced first year physics class, I was hopelessly confused with the subject of relativity as it had been presented by my teacher and by my text book. A few months later, I borrowed this book from my father and read it in about a week. When I was done with the book, I was amazed that I had ever been confused with such a simple and beautiful subject as relativity.
The author skillfully anticipates many possible misconceptions and clearly explains the correct principles. The book at times can be tedious, but only when reinforcement of fundamental ideas is necessary.
I've never read a physics book as good as this one.

Catching the Light: The Entwined History of Light and Mind

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EXCELLENT
What is Light?
Let there be light! Read this masterpiece.

Catching the Light: The Entwined History of Light and Mind
Arthur Zajonc
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195095758

Book Description

In 1910, the surgeons Moreau and LePrince wrote about their successful operation on an eight-year-old boy who had been blind since birth because of cataracts. When the boy's eyes were healed they removed the bandages and, waving a hand in front of the child's physically perfect eyes, asked him what he saw. "I don't know," was his only reply. What he saw was only a varying brightness in front of him. However, when allowed to touch the hand as it began to move, he cried out in a voice of triumph, "It's moving!" He could feel it move, but he still needed laboriously to learn to see it move. Light and eyes were not enough to grant him sight. How, then, do we see? What's the difference between seeing and perception? What is light? From ancient times to the present, from philosophers to quantum physicists, nothing has so perplexed, so fascinated, so captivated the mind as the elusive definition of light. In Catching the Light, Arthur Zajonc takes us on an epic journey into history, tracing how humans have endeavored to understand the phenomenon of light. Blending mythology, religion, science, literature, and painting, Zajonc reveals in poetic detail the human struggle to identify the vital connection between the outer light of nature and the inner light of the human spirit. He explains the curiousness of the Greeks' blue and green "color blindness": Odysseus gazing longingly at the "wine-dark sea"; the use of chloros (green) as the color of honey in Homer's Odessey; and Euripides' use of the color green to describe the hue of tears and blood. He demonstrates the complexity of perception through the work of Paul Cezanne--the artist standing on the bank of a river, painting the same scene over and over again, the motifs multiplying before his eyes. And Zajonc goes on to show how our quest for an understanding of light, as well as the conclusions we draw, reveals as much about the nature of our own psyche as it does about the nature of light itself. For the ancient Egyptians the nature of light was clear--it simply was the gaze of God. In the hands of the ancient Greeks, light had become the luminous inner fire whose ethereal effluence brought sight. In our contemporary world of modern quantum physics, science plays the greatest part in our theories of light's origin--from scientific perspectives such as Sir Isaac Newton's "corpuscular theory of light" and Michael Faraday's "lines of force" to such revolutionary ideas as Max Planck's "discrete motion of a pendulum" (the basis of quantum mechanics), Albert Einstein's "particles of light" and "theory of relativity," and Niels Bohr's "quantum jumps." Yet the metaphysical aspects of the scientific search, Zajonc shows, still loom large. For the physicist Richard Feynman, a quantum particle travels all paths, eventually distilling to one path whose action is least--the most beautiful path of all. Whatever light is, here is where we will find it. With rare clarity and unmatched lyricism, Zajonc illuminates the profound implications of the relationships between the multifaceted strands of human experience and scientific endeavor. A fascinating search into our deepest scientific mystery, Catching the Light is a brilliant synthesis that will both entertain and inform.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT.......2004-07-21

This book not only provide a full review of the history of the light (or better, of the conception of light in the human mind) but it is exceptionally well written. English is not my first language and I was delighted with learning to read English through this book.

What is Light?.......2000-06-10

This book is a powerful expose' revealing some of the true qualities of Light. What is Light? True, it is bright, it shines, it energizes all life on Earth, yet what, exactly, is it? Humans not only need the qualities of light from the Sun, but we breathe Light, we absorb Light. We need the Energy produced by the Light in order to live. Readers interested in delving beneath the surface of the visible world will be enthralled by this book. You will finally understand who you are, where you've come from, where you're going. Your soul will revel in this insightful book.

Let there be light! Read this masterpiece........1998-07-19

On the cover of this book, James Gleick (of Chaos fame) calls it a "small gem". Indeed. It shines.

Arthur Zajonc has written a contrapuntal study of light and mind. He plays mankind's understanding of one against the other and shows how insights of mind, by mind, illume our notion of light. Zajonc tells how these, in turn, relect back onto our idea of mind. Brilliant.

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The Cambridge Companion to Newton (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Cambridge Companion to Galileo (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)

Never at Rest: A Biography of Isaac Newton (Cambridge Paperback Library)

Isaac Newton: Philosophical Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy)

Newton: Texts Backgrounds Commentaries (Norton Critical Editions)

The Principia : Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

ASIN: 0521656966

Book Description

Sir Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientists of all time, a thinker of extraordinary range and creativity who has left enduring legacies in mathematics and the natural sciences. In this volume a team of distinguished contributors examines the principal aspects of Newton's thought. They include not only his approach to space, time, mechanics, and universal gravity in Principia and his research in optics and mathematics, but also his lesser known clandestine investigations into alchemy, theology, and prophecy.

Download Description

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) was one of the greatest scientists of all time, a thinker of extraordinary range and creativity who has left enduring legacies in mathematics and the natural sciences. In this volume a team of distinguished contributors examine all the main aspects of Newton's thought, including not only his approach to space, time, mechanics, and universal gravity in his Principia, his research in optics, and his contributions to mathematics, but also his more clandestine investigations into alchemy, theology, and prophecy, which have sometimes been overshadowed by his mathematical and scientific interests.

Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe, 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

a little MAGNUM OPUS..the condensed essentials of science: a SUMMA SCIENTIFICA
7 Ideas That Shook the Universe by Spielberg
This is an excellent layman account of physical development.

Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe, 2nd Edition
Nathan Spielberg , and Bryon D. Anderson
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471306061

Book Description

A fascinating look at seven of the most important and revolutionary ideas of physics. The authors have updated the material in view of recent developments and expanded their discussion of the impact of developments in physics on philosophy, literature and the arts. Mathematical explanations of concepts are provided as well as the addition of more questions and several algebra-based problems.

Customer Reviews:

a little MAGNUM OPUS..the condensed essentials of science: a SUMMA SCIENTIFICA.......2006-09-04

"Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe" by Nathan Spielberg and Byron D. Anderson.

**** YOU GOTTA GET THIS BOOK!!!***

This wonderful book by two Kent University Physicists is a marvel. It is unheralded, but stunning. I found it while browsing a book store. Did you ever scan a book's pages, and find a single page that contained something so profoundly interesting that you decided you had to buy the book? This book had a page that said, "Bruce, Buy ME!" So I did.

Look, I'm not a college graduate or anything, but lately I've been very curious about reading about Physics and Science. This 263 page little beauty was written as an introduction to science for university students pursuing a liberal education; but the authors took out the collegiate questions at the end of the chapters...you know, all that stupid crap they ask, like you were actually supposed to care? Then the authors did some more writing and editing and made a book that rivets my attention to every page.

***** IT IS NON-MATHEMATICAL *******

Okay, so I don't know calculus either,.....well, okay, what I know about algebra wouldn't impress a 6th grader, but, Hey, no problem, these guys write about PHYSICS in a "descriptive" style, so that all us NON-MATHEMATICIANS can follow the intelligent discussion of concepts. In fact, even "Scientific American" minimizes the use of mathematics so that the general public can follow it's articles. Authors SPIELBERG & ANDERSON point out that Graphs can replace mathematics for readers like me; It is only when the scientist "applies" the laws in technology that the complex math becomes necessary. So this book uses graphs and analogies to avoid mathematical formulas. ALLRIGHT! Fast Food Physics and I'll have a #3 with extra lettuce & tomato!

You've got to thumb through these pages to see the excellent, yet simple diagrams used to illustrate the "Seven Ideas".

**** SCOPE & BOUNDARY...or MY BOYS DID THEIR HOMEWORK , or....WHY PAGE 11 MADE ME BUY THIS BOOK****

I've reviewed several books written by "scientists" who publish entire books on "theological" [God] matters in the name of Science. Such books blur the boundary between Science & Theology, or even philosophy and create much confusion as to the nature of Science itself. In this book, SPIELBERG & ANDERSON clear up the confusion on page 11:

"...science cannot serve as a guide to human behavior, morality, and will, other than to specify what physical actions are rationally possible. In addition, science cannot logically address the question of the ultimate reason for the existence of the universe at all.....". top of p.11, INTRODUCTION

Then my boys go on (on p. 11) to clarify the relationship between philosophy, metaphysics, and science, and also the distinction between Science and Technology. We really need more books like this. The same ideas were established by the Greeks over 2,000 years ago when they made the distinctions between LOGOS & MYTHOS, or PHYSICS & METAPHYSICS and so forth; but many modern scientists seem to have disregarded all former knowledge as a GNOMON. Tsk, tsk! What a pity; but Spielberg & Anderson are very lucid concerning the scope & boundary of science. Because of that clarity, I can read them with confidence that there will not be wrongful conclusions or misleading statements...you know....like....some science books titled: 'Science finds God'. That's metaphysics, not physics.

Metaphysics are okay, by the way, but one of the entanglements in modern writings are the popularization of science by writers to blur all knowledge and start to MIX physics and metaphysics. Then everything they write becomes a 'hodge-podge' of blurry and confusing ideas. They frequently invoke Quantum Mechanics to justify all kinds of fantastical BELIEF SYSTEMS. Belief is beautiful, and so is Faith in a Higher Power, but those are Metaphysical and philosophical activities. Science must restrict itself to things that can be measured. [Science uses the term, "quantified". ]

**** The DOMINANT THEMES IN PHYSICS ***

I. Copernican Astronomy: the Earth is not the center of the universe

II. Newtonian Physics: The Universe is a mechanism that operates according to well-established rules

III. Energy Concept: Envergy drives the mechanism

IV. Entropy & Probability: The mechanism runs in a specific direction

V. Relativity: The facts are relative, but the law is absolute

VI. Quantum Theory and the Limits of Causality: You cannot predict or know everything

VII. Conservation Principles & Symmetries: fundamentally, things never change

****** LOOK AT ALL THE PRETTY PICTURES ****

It was the illustrations that showed me that this was a book of scientific ideas that I could understand. I get a quiver in my solar plexus when I find a book that makes complicated things understandable; that removes the Fear Factor which is such a discouragement in the typical textbook.

**** EXPLAINING THE MENTAL TOOLKIT ***

Page 65 discusses the nature of Logic, and makes a good clear distinction between Induction and Deduction.

***** How I review a book *****

When I review a book, if it deserves a low rating, I don't mess around, but plaster a 1-star rating on it immediately. There are books utterly deserving of 10-Stars, but we can only offer five. When I find authors who write with clarity, who operate within a well delineated scope & boundary of a topic, who illuminate something that intimidates most people, I cannot but offer a gushingly profuse and utterly exuberant recommendation. SPIELBERG & ANDERSON write about Physics the way Jack Hamm writes about Figure Drawing.

7 Ideas That Shook the Universe by Spielberg.......2005-08-28

The author discusses some very complex scientific concepts in simple English. These concepts are the following:
- Earth is not the center of the Universe
- Newton's laws of motion
- Energy and entropy
- the relativity of space and time
- quantum theory and causality limits
- symmetry

The author discusses the notion that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. In addition, there is a fine distinction
between kinetic energy and momentum. Kinetic energy is a scalar concept ; whereas, momentum is a vectorial concept because of
the element of direction.

The Copernican theory is that planets travel in circular paths. Kepler explained that planetary orbits are in an
elliptical path in relation to the Sun.

The work attempts to unite all of science into a simple model
based upon the considerable work of Copernicus, Kepler,
Newton, Einstein and others over the past millenia.

The book is a goldmine for students of science everywhere. It is
well worth the cost for the considerable value of the information content.

This is an excellent layman account of physical development........1999-05-20

The book "Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe" covers the developement in the field of physics in a very comprehensive way. The authors have divided these developements into seven periods which are termed as the seven ideas. The author have employed a descriptive aproach rather than mathematical expressions. The first idea is the "Copernician Astronomy" which covers the early developements of classical physics especially astrophysics. The second idea is the "Newtonian Physics" which covers the contributions made by Sir Isaac Newton and other scientists of his time in classical physics. Next comes "the concept of heat" which covers early developements in Thermodynamics. "Entropy" is the next topic which also covers the thermodynamics. Next is the "quantum mechanics" which was our fist approach towards modern physics. The sixth idea is the "theory of relativity" which covers the special and general theories of relativity as presented by Albert Einstein. This theory revolutionized the field of physics and laid foudation stones of modern physics. The seventh and the last topic is the "Symmetry and other Modern concepts" which covers the recent advancements in modern physics including field theory, conservation laws, symmetry, virtual quantas, fundemental atomic particles and Quark Model. The authors of the book give a very comprehensive review of the developements in physics in a story like manner.

Principles of Mathematical Modelling: Ideas, Methods, Examples (Numerical Insights)

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Principles of Mathematical Modelling: Ideas, Methods, Examples (Numerical Insights)
Alexander A. Samarskii
Manufacturer: CRC
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ASIN: 0415272807

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Mathematical modeling is becoming increasingly versatile and multi-disciplinary. This text demonstrates the broadness of this field as the authors consider the principles of model construction and use common approaches to build models from a range of subject areas. The book reflects the interests and experiences of the authors, but it explores mathematical modeling across a wide range of applications, from mechanics to social science. A general approach is adopted, where ideas and examples are favored over rigorous mathematical procedures. This insightful book will be of interest to specialists, teachers, and students across a wide range of disciplines..

Einstein and Religion: Physics and Theology

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what did he think?
Eintein and Religion: Physics and Theology
Criticisms
A fascinating book (with some criticisms of my own)
Excellent discussion of an impersonal God

Einstein and Religion: Physics and Theology
Max Jammer
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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ASIN: 069110297X

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The philosophy of religion and the quest for spiritual truth preoccupied Albert Einstein--so much that it has been said "one might suspect he was a disguised theologian." Nevertheless, the literature on the life and work of Einstein, extensive as it is, does not provide an adequate account of his religious conception and sentiments. Only fragmentarily known, Einstein's ideas about religion have been often distorted both by atheists and by religious groups eager to claim him as one of their own. But what exactly was Einstein's religious credo? In this fascinating book, the distinguished physicist and philosopher Max Jammer offers an unbiased and well-documented answer to this question.

The book begins with a discussion of Einstein's childhood religious education and the religious atmosphere--or its absence--among his family and friends. It then reconstructs, step by step, the intellectual development that led Einstein to the conceptions of a cosmic religion and an impersonal God, akin to "the God of Spinoza." Jammer explores Einstein's writings and lectures on religion and its role in society, and how far they have been accepted by the general public and by professional theologians like Paul Tillich or Frederick Ferré. He also analyzes the precise meaning of Einstein's famous dictum "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind," and why this statement can serve as an epitome of Einstein's philosophy of religion.

The last chapter deals with the controversial question of whether Einstein's scientific work, and in particular his theory of relativity, has theologically significant implications, a problem important for those who are interested in the relation between science and religion. Both thought-provoking and engaging, this book aims to introduce readers, without proselytizing, to Einstein's religion.

Customer Reviews:

what did he think?.......2007-01-18

By some accounts Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was the greatest theoretical physicist of the twentieth century, if not of all time. Max Jammer, Professor of Physics Emeritus and former Rector at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, has written an eminently readable account of Einstein's thoughts on religion, a subject that he insists has been ignored by the over 400 books on Einstein published in the last several decades. Einstein renounced accusations that he was an atheist, and railed against the intolerance of those whom he called "the fanatical atheists." In his three long chapters Jammer portrays Einstein as "undogmatic and yet profoundly religious."

In his first chapter Jammer treats the role of religion in Einstein's private life. Born to what he described as "entirely irreligious Jewish parents," Einstein attended a Catholic primary school where like all students he received religious instruction. From the influences of nature and music he developed pronounced religious feelings quite early, although by age twelve he became estranged from institutional religion (although not from religion as he would define it) through reading some popular scientific books. His first wife, Mileva Maric, was Greek Orthodox, and his last wishes were to be cremated rather than to be buried in any religious tradition. Einstein was decidedly irreligious in the sense that he rejected any and all institutional affiliations, never attended worship services or prayed, rejected all dogmatic theology (eg, miracles, the afterlife or prayer), did not believe that God was in any sense personal, and was a strict determinist. But he found it impossible not to think of himself as religious in the sense of humility and awe at the mystery, rationality and complexity of nature: "the eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility." Behind the mystery of nature there seemed to be some superior intelligence: "I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings."

Chapter two explores what Einstein wrote about religion (he studiously avoided using the word "theology"). As a convinced determinist Einstein did not believe in human free will. He viewed science and religion as complementary rather than as antagonistic, seen in his famous aphorism that "science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." Science cannot determine ethics or inform us of ultimate purpose or meaning, thought Einstein, for "knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be." Science could never, then, displace or supercede religion. In his final and longest chapter, Jammer examines the possible ramifications of Einstein's theory of relativity and rejection of quantum mechanics ("God," wrote Einstein in 1926, "does not play dice.") for theological ideas like time, eternity, creation ex nihilo, and the Big Bang. Einstein himself rather disingenuously denied that there was any relationship between his physics and theology.

Well-known for his aversion to social convention and defiance of authority, Einstein used a paradox to summarize his personal beliefs and professional thoughts about religion. About a year before he died Einstein wrote in a letter that he understood himself to be a "deeply religious unbeliever." He rejected any and all notions of traditional, institutional religion, but he just as vociferously repudiated atheists who tried to claim him for their cause. Rather, he embraced something like grateful and humble Cosmic Awe at the beauty and complexity of the world he strove so mightily to understand.

Eintein and Religion: Physics and Theology.......2005-08-28

Do not be deceived by the welcoming jacket on this book. This is primarily an academic text.

The subtitle is "physics and theology" and not the other way around. This may be deliberate, because although the book actually starts with an emphasis on theology it evolves (or devolves, depending on your perspective) into a treatise on advanced physics.

Despite Jammer's sometimes ackward English and despite the fact that portions read like a master's thesis in philosophy - the book is most accessible on the theological side. The reader gets insight into the spiritual side of Einstein. Jammer shows conclusively that Einstein did believe in God and does a reasonably good job presenting the philisophical underpinnings of Einstein's beliefs.

Unless you have studied advanced quantum physics the second part of this book is very tough going.

Criticisms.......2005-04-21

I think Jammer has not done a thorough enough job on Einstein's denial of free will. I have many books on and about Einstein and I know of many instances in which he made his strict determinism clear. Here is room for improvement.

Jammer is wrong to imply that Einstein's initial belief in a static universe was the result of reading Spinoza. The fact is, many scientists at the time believed in a static universe, and probably most of them had never read Spinoza. Indeed, when Hubble showed that our universe was (and still is) expanding, the scientifc community was taken by surprise. I don't think Spinoza had anything to do with this.

Jammer has said little about the importance of Hume and Schopenhauer to Einstein's philosophical and scientific views. This is a mistake. Hume and Schopenhauer were at least as important to Einstein as Spinoza. The neglect of Schopenhauer may have something to do with the philosopher's antisemitism. But Schopenhauer remained Einstein's favorite philosopher. In his study Einstein had pictures of Newton, Maxwell, Faraday, and Schopenhauer - the sole philosopher of the lot. Einstein quoted from him often on a wide range of subjects. If Schopenhauer was an antisemite, that's because he was such a misanthrope. In fact, he disliked Germans even more (and he was one of them).

I agree that locality and determinism were two of Einstein's fundamental beliefs. Jammer reports with glee that locality has been proven wrong. So therefore determinism may also be wrong, he seems to imply. But according to John Bell, nonlocality may actually prove strict determinism to be right! (I don't believe Einstein was wrong about determinism as an objective fact, even though his interpretation of quantum mechanics may be wrong. The fact is, Heisenberg uncertainty shows up only during measurements; isolated systems are strictly deterministic. Of course, no one knows where this uncertainty comes from - hence the mystery.)

I think that on the whole this book is good. But Jammer places far too much emphasis on Einstein's "Religion without science is blind; science without religion is lame" as though this remark, probably made tongue in cheek, summarized Einstein's religious views. I doubt it. Even if it does, this by no means imply this is an unassailable truth. Steven Weinberg believes that science and religion are antagonistic, one representing knowledge, the other representing ignorance. I agree with Weinberg.

A fascinating book (with some criticisms of my own).......2005-03-24

I think Jammer does us a fine service by writing a book about a subject that is too often neglected. Not that Einstein's religious views were ever unknown, but it is surprising that this seems to be the first book devoted to this subject.

The exchanges between Einstein and Rabbi Geller are for me an important new piece of information (see pp. 85-86), as is Einstein's denial of free will in his letter to Besso (p. 87). But interestingly, Jammer neglects to mention Einstein's letter to Otto Juliusburger, who in 1946 tried to assess Hitler's responsibility for the Holocaust. Einstein's reply would not now be considered politically correct (at least in Jammer's Israel): "You take a definite stance on Hitler's responsibility... Objectively, there is after all no free will. What need is there for a criterion for responsibility?" Einstein was of course a sworn enemy of Hitler (and so should he be). But this statement is so amazing that I think Jammer was wrong to omit it. He should have quoted this statement, while emphasizing that Einstein blamed Hitler and the Germans for their evil deeds and he never forgave them. (Most of these quotes, especially if from private letters, are kept in the multi-volume "Collected Papers of Albert Einstein" published by Princeton UP and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.)

In one of the more interesting quotes in this book, Einstein believed quantum mechanics has no practically relevant impact on his deterministic view of life-events. But in this connection Jammer fails to mention how Bohr's complementarity could be applied to Einstein's determinism with satisfactory results - even though Jammer has a third of the book devoted to speculation about how science now affects philosophical and religious matters. (Despite this, there are some important Einstein quotes in this chapter as well.)

It is obvious that Einstein rejected the notion that quantum uncertainty undermines his denial of free will because he rejected quantum mechanics itself. Jammer points out that Einstein was wrong about locality, which was one of his main objections to quantum mechanics. Jammer cites Bell's theorem (p. 226) and the Aspect experiments as proving nonlocality, and claims that Einstein's belief in locality and his determinism are two basic tenets of his philosophy, as they indeed appear to be. But Jammer's implication seems to be that if Einstein got locality wrong, perhaps he was completely wrong about quantum mechanics, hence about quantum uncertainty, thus about determinism, thus about...his denial of free will? In other words, if Einstein was wrong about locality, he might have been wrong about determinism too. If Einstein was mistaken about one basic tenet of his philosophy, what makes us think he was right about the other? What Jammer fails to realize is that it was John Bell himself who said that strict determinism could well be the only way to make nonlocality compatible with all those horrible paradoxes like faster-than-light signals which contradict Special Relativity. In Bell's opinion, Einstein might have been wrong about nature being local, but strict determinism of which Einstein was always convinced might not be wrong after all. This is such an important point that I think Jammer should have discussed it, especially in Chapter 3, where he discusses his (Jammer's) own views on Einstein's philosophy.

On a more trivial note, Jammer is wrong that Einstein picked up his denial of the freedom of the will from Spinoza. The fact is, Einstein got this idea first from Schopenhauer, then from Hume, and only later from Spinoza. I was disappointed how Jammer has throughout this book neglected the importance of Schopenhauer and Hume in Einstein's philosophical and religious development. I would agree though that Einstein's "cosmic religion" came from Spinoza.

Jammer is at pains to emphasize that he doesn't proselytize or paddle any religious or sectarian viewpoints. He succeeds in this regard, in my opinion. What he does clearly try to convey, though, is the impression that religion in general and science are not in conflict, and he quotes Einstein's facetiously ambiguous statement "Science without religion is blind; religion with science is lame" (or something to this effect) to prove this point, almost ad nauseum. I'm not sure Jammer has convinced me. But Einstein's statements about religion are often ambiguous and confusing enough to provide plenty of material for someone with a secret ax to grind to quote from. On the other hand, Einstein was quite adamant and clear in (1) his determinism, (2) his denial of the immortality of the soul (which Einstein did not believe exist apart from the brain), and (3) his denial of a personal God. Jammer does a good job of faithfully reporting these views. This is not as easy a task as it seems, because (1) clearly conflicts with the deeply held beliefs of most people and the basic dogmas of Christian, Catholic, and Jewish religions; because (3) conflicts with all major religions excepting Buddhism; and because (2) conflicts with ALL religions, past and present. So I think Jammer has shown his competence here.

A "B-" effort. I hope someday someone will come up with an even better one. Right now this is the best we have.

Excellent discussion of an impersonal God.......2003-02-10

Three chapters: two for the everyman and one for the brave physicist/mathematician. The first two chapters are an excellent discourse on a Universal and Logical but impersonal God, the creator of the Universe. Well worth reading for those confused by the inconsistencies in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Places forgiveness, ethics and morality squarely on the shoulders of the individual. And chapter three really nails it down even though it required six reads for this mathematician.

Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity, 1894-1912

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An extremely challenging book
All you wanted to know about q.m. but were afraid to ask
How the Quantum came to be

Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity, 1894-1912
Thomas S. Kuhn
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
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ASIN: 0226458008

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"A masterly assessment of the way the idea of quanta of radiation became part of 20th-century physics. . . . The book not only deals with a topic of importance and interest to all scientists, but is also a polished literary work, described (accurately) by one of its original reviewers as a scientific detective story."—John Gribbin, New Scientist

"Every scientist should have this book."—Paul Davies, New Scientist

Customer Reviews:

An extremely challenging book.......2005-08-24

Anyone who has learned quantum mechanics has been told, in a general way, what Planck did and how it fits into the history of quantum physics. Kuhn shows that Planck thought about his goals and his results very differently than do textbook writers today.

Warning! This is a very tough read:
- You will not get much out of this book unless you are able and willing to follow detailed arguments in thermodynamics and statistical physics, in fairly gory mathematical detail. Quantum history-lite this isn't!
- You will also not get much out of this book unless you are willing to relax about the "right" way of thinking about thermodynamics and quantum theory. However YOU may think about it, Planck thought about it differently -- and Kuhn attempts to follow his thought, zigging & zagging as he did. If you're not willing to follow along closely and attentively for the ride, you will miss the story.

The payoff from reading this book is a more vivid understanding and appreciation for how very very differently we think about physics than the way it physicists saw it 100 years ago.

All you wanted to know about q.m. but were afraid to ask.......2001-10-01

The solution to the blackbody radiation problem is often quoted in Physics books as the formal bridge between the classic and quantum world viewpoints. However, as Kuhn points out, the full solution and not just the answer is nowhere else to be found.
Well beyond the satisfaction that reading this book should present to any serious Quantum Physics related student it is an absoulte requirement in the History of Physics.
Yes, the mathematical arguments get quite dense and most are not trivial. However, little is needed beyond basic calculus, statiscal mechanics and thermodynamics. View this as an excellent excuse to get going in those areas.
If every time you hear something about the beginnings of q.m. something stirs in your guts telling you that something is not quite right about the story you're being fed, that the full story isn't being told, then who could be better than Kuhn to show you that you were after right, after all?

How the Quantum came to be.......2000-06-29

Excellent book, as Kuhn's usually are, on the origin of quantum theory. "Everyone" knows Planck arrived at the quantum by studying black-body radiation, but what you are never told is *why* he was doing that! Kuhn reaches back as to why Planck was, and has an interesting story to tell for it (the question of thermodynamic irreversability vs reversability in classical mechanics). Another major part of Kuhn's tale is that even after he arrived at his quantum hypothesis, Planck still saw it as a direct extension of classical physics. It was others, mainly Einstein, who realized the revolutionary nature of the quantum (and who ran with the idea), and physicists like Planck had to conceptually play catch up in the quantum revolution in the first decade of the 20th century. One serious WARNING: while interesting and well written, the book has some very technical parts, requiring at least intermediate college physics. While not flooded with equations, Kuhn freely gets into thermodynamics and statistical mechanics (entropy, free energy, H-theorem,...) in explaining the core of Planck's early work. The reader should be prepared for some technical physics on the journey!

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