Imagining the Tenth Dimension: A New Way of Thinking About Time and Space
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Might be worth an afternoon of your time
  • This is not about dimensions at all
  • It was a great purchase of both the item and the 'sender'!
  • Excellent structured bridge between geometry and metaphysics
  • Imagining the Tenth Dimension
Imagining the Tenth Dimension: A New Way of Thinking About Time and Space
Rob Bryanton
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

New AgeNew Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books | Astrology | Chakras | Channeling | Divination | Dreams | General | Goddesses | Meditation | Mental & Spiritual Healing | Mysticism | New Thought | Reference | Reincarnation | Self-Help | Theosophy | Urantia | Visionary Fiction
GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Nonfiction BooksLook Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Religion & Spirituality BooksLook Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Science BooksLook Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
  2. The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
  3. The God Theory: Universes, Zero-point Fields, And What's Behind It All The God Theory: Universes, Zero-point Fields, And What's Behind It All
  4. Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimens ion Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimens ion
  5. Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos

ASIN: 1425103804
Release Date: 2007-01-05

Product Description

Reality, today's physicists tell us, is created by the vibrations of exquisitely tiny superstrings in ten spatial dimensions. Ten dimensions? Most of us have barely gotten used to the idea that there are four.

Using simple geometry and an easygoing writing style, author Rob Bryanton starts with the lower dimensions that we are all familiar with, then uses those concepts to build one layer upon another, ultimately arriving at a way of imagining the tenth dimension.

Part scientific exploration, part philosophy, this unique book touches upon such diverse topics as dark matter, Feynman's "sum over paths", the quantum observer, and the soul. It is aimed at anyone interested in leading-edge theories about cosmology and the nature of reality, but it is not about mainstream physics. Rather, Imagining the Tenth Dimension is a mind-expanding exercise that could change the way you view this incredible universe in which we live.


Read the book whose companion website (tenthdimension.com) has already achieved worldwide popularity.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Might be worth an afternoon of your time.......2007-06-06

When this book arrived, I could tell by the quality that it was vanity-published. The writing within confirms this -- as other reviewers have put forth, the author hasn't been anywhere near a physics text. That being said, it's still a fairly interesting read. There are a few places in the book where the author's -- how shall I say -- "hippieness" comes out to play. The author's political views somehow insinuate themselves into the book's pages, but the distilled essence is still an interesting thought experiment and likely worth an afternoon to wade through.

Of course, you could also go to the website and watch the video -- the book doesn't really offer too much more over that. If you do purchase it, I suggest purchasing it used from one of these other reviewers that is likely selling it here on Amazon. It's certainly not worth the $14.95.

1 out of 5 stars This is not about dimensions at all.......2007-06-02

This book is not about dimensions at all (based on the definition of the word). If it were a collections of poems, I would have no gripe, but it pretends to be a popular science book. It makes assertions about the way things are, and is bundled with Brian Greene's "The Fabric of Cosmos", so I'm going to treat, and criticize it as such.

I'm going to briefly explain what dimensions are, and then show why statements such as "all possible histories of all possible universes are a point in ten-dimensional space" make no sense.

The a geographical location on earth can be described by two coordinates -- longitude and latitude. So the surface of a sphere is a two-dimensional entity. Most non-mathematical people agree with the first statement, and disagree with the second. They say "why, isn't the earth three-dimensional". That's true, but the *meaning* of the first two statements is exactly the same. When something can be described using two independent coordinates, that something has two dimensions. Our everyday experience simply makes us associate the word "two-dimensional" with the idea "flat", thus the intuition; but in mathematics, such associations don't apply. The word "two-dimensional" has a very explicit meaning, referring to the number of independent directions.

Consider a plumbing pipe. Its surface also has two dimensions, because from any given point you can either go along the pipe, or across. The direction across is very short -- if you crawl along it, you'll quickly come back to where you started. It wraps like the pacman screen. All the additional dimensions that physicists introduced are of this type and have a "pipe circumference" of about 1.6×10^-33 centimeters (that's thirty three zeros after decimal point). When you go along those dimensions, you come back quickly indeed! The result is much closer to zero than to infinity.

Each pixel on your screen is described with five independent variables: x,y,r,g and b (the last three being the color). So your screen shows you a 2D slice of a five-dimensional space. If each pixel could also taste differently, for example, bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami, the underlying space would now be ten-dimensional. So much for "all possible histories of all possible universes".

One conclusion is that the success of this book is due to the fact that some people simply cannot tell the difference between, say Hawking's popularization of black holes and Bryanton's statements like this one: "for us, a point in the seven-dimensional space is Infinity". Both sound vaguely poetical, but underneath, one is sense, while the other is nonsense.

The author not only has no qualifications to write on the subject, he grossly misunderstands the very term he used in the title.

5 out of 5 stars It was a great purchase of both the item and the 'sender'!.......2007-04-01

The item is in great condition and I got it when it was expected. Nothing more to add except that I got exactly what I excepted thus my perfect score.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent structured bridge between geometry and metaphysics.......2007-03-23

It is difficult to imagine more than 4 dimensions when you are seemingly trapped in a 4 dimensional universe. This book, however, breaks the conceptual boundaries that keep us here, and move us logically, and perhaps paradoxically, upward through the 5th, 6th, and up to the 10th dimension.
It's a rockin' book for the physicist, philosopher, or scientist, and for the curious. Read it, it's good for ya.

[...]

4 out of 5 stars Imagining the Tenth Dimension.......2007-03-20

A Layman's View

Laypeople will probably enjoy this book more than those within the scientific community because the author isn't a scientist. Although there is little difference between the processes used by scientists and laypeople, the scientific community has historically opposed ideas originating from outside their community. You can easily see this by reading the opposing reviews on this book.

Debating the author's discovery process or the validity of his findings is counterproductive and doesn't resolve anything. The alternative is to go beyond your comfort zone by examining things freshly and from different perspectives without reaching any conclusion. You can tell when you are doing that because what you are observing disturbs or upsets you, and you are unable to reach a conclusion. That's extremely important because conclusions terminate your investigation.

The author did an excellent job of providing numerous possibilities that caused me to move beyond my comfort zone. I found the book to be freshly imaginative, entertaining and challenging. Aren't these the ingredients that motivate us to participate in an investigation? I often wonder why the scientific community is reluctant to point out the scientific achievements made by laypeople.
Thinking about Consciousness
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great philosophy
Thinking about Consciousness
David Papineau
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Consciousness & ThoughtConsciousness & Thought | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
CognitiveCognitive | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
PhysicsPhysics | Science | Subjects | Books | Acoustics & Sound | Applied | Astrophysics | Biophysics | Chaos & Systems | Chemical Physics | Cosmology | Dynamics | Electromagnetism | Electron Microscopy | Energy | Engineering | Entropy | Fluid Mechanics | Gas Mechanics | General | Geophysics | Gravity | Light | Mathematical Physics | Mechanics | Microscopy | Molecular Physics | Nanostructures | Nuclear Physics | Optics | Quantum Chemistry | Quantum Theory | Relativity | Solid-State Physics | Spectroscopy | Statics | Surface Physics | System Theory | Time | Waves & Wave Mechanics
Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology | Behavioral Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Cognitive ScienceCognitive Science | Behavioral Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Health BooksLook Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Science BooksLook Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Purple Haze: The Puzzle of Consciousness (Philosophy of Mind Series) Purple Haze: The Puzzle of Consciousness (Philosophy of Mind Series)
  2. Consciousness, Color, and Content (Representation and Mind) Consciousness, Color, and Content (Representation and Mind)
  3. Ten Problems of Consciousness: A Representational Theory of the Phenomenal Mind Ten Problems of Consciousness: A Representational Theory of the Phenomenal Mind
  4. From an Ontological Point of View From an Ontological Point of View
  5. Consciousness: New Philosophical Perspectives Consciousness: New Philosophical Perspectives

ASIN: 0199271151

Book Description

Consciousness is widely regarded as an intractable mystery. Many scientists and philosophers view it as an enigma whose solution waits on some unforeseeable theoretical breakthrough. David Papineau argues that this pessimism is quite misplaced. Consciousness seems mysterious, not because of any hidden essence, but only because we humans think about it in a special way. Thinking about Consciousness analyses this special mode of thought in detail, and exposes the ways in which it can lead us into confusions about consciousness. At the heart of the book lies a distinction between two ways of thinking about conscious states. We humans can think about conscious states materially, as normal items inhabiting the material world. But we can also think about them phenomenally, as items that feel a certain way. Dualists hold that this phenomenal mode of thought describes some special non-material reality. But David Papineau argues that it is invalid to move from a distinctive phenomenal mode of thought to a distinct non-material reality. By carefully analysing the structure of phenomenal concepts, he is able to expose the flaws in the standard arguments for dualism, while at the same time explaining why dualism can seem so intuitively compelling. Thinking about Consciousness also casts a new light on contemporary scientific research into consciousness. Much of this research is motivated by the apparently 'hard problem' of identifying the referents of phenomenal concepts. David Papineau argues that such research promises less than it can deliver. Once phenomenal concepts are recognised for what they are, many of the questions posed by consciousness research turn out to be irredeemably vague. This is the first book to provide a detailed analysis of phenomenal concepts from a materialist point of view. By recognising the importance of phenomenal thinking, David Papineau is able to place a materialist account of consciousness on a firm foundation, and to lay many traditional problems of consciousness to rest.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great philosophy.......2004-03-28

It has been a while, but this book has made the wait worthwhile. Finally, a book on the philosophy of consciousness that makes sense, that is clear, direct, uncomplicated, original, profound, and has the potential to stir and resolve many debates.

Papineau argues for materialism. Not many take the time to do that, nowdays. But it is true many people are still dualists, and those who are materialists do not know how to really defend their views. Other materialists are still thinking on dualist ways, and others cannot decide between token or type identities, fuctionalism, representioalist, HOT, materialist theories. Papineau sticks with token identity. This is the simplest and most plausible view. PHENOMENAL PROPERTIES ARE IDENTICAL TO MATERIAL PROPERTIES. end of story. Papineau has here avoided a lot of baggage. The argument? the same anti-epiphenomenalists have been making. All physical causes are caused by physical things. Phenomenal states have causes, and are caused. Therefore, phenomenal states are material things. (This is not exactly how papienau puts it, but its good enough for me).

Papineau does go throught the usual job of demolishing the knowledge argument, the zombie argument, and the explanatory gap argument. NOthing very new here. Mary learns something new not because phenomenal states are nonphysical but because you cannot cause a brain state to appear (which is identical to the phenomenal state) by simply knowing things. You have to experience them. Kripke was wrong, because although identities are necesary, this does not mean that by knowing one side of the identity you will know all there is to know about the property in question. Conceivability does not entail possibility, because there exist counter-examples, in the theory of names. You can conceive of impossible things if your concepts are different. And Papienau argues for conceptual dualism. Phenomenal concepts are different from material concepts, even if they refer to a single material property. Phenomenal concepts, however, refer directly to those properties.

Another novelty is that the book is actually about how we THINK about consciousness, and not consicousness itself. So, Papineau tells us how exactly to understand phenomenal concepts. Here I have some objections. What is the difference between phenomenal concepts and the states they refer to? Papineau first takes conclusions about one thing to argue about the other, but on other occasions seems to claim arguments do not apply to both the concept and the state. It seems strange to say that because concepts are indeterminate, then the states refered to will also be indeterminate. Papienau needs to be careful to distinguish when he is arguing about the concepts ore the states refered to, but other than that, the way he constructed phenomenal concepts seems to me to be a right way to argue for a theory of phenomenal consciousness.

Ppaineau strikes on the central problem in consicousness studies: why does materialism seem to leave something out? why is there a hard problem of consicousness, but not a hard problem of heat, or energy or water? why is matter correlated with feelings at all? Simple, says Papineau. Because intuitions are the greatest barriers that oppose philosophical advance. And people simply have the intuition that matter is simply not all there is to consciousness. Materialism seems to leave somehting out, like the explanatory-gap theorists claim. Ppaineau does not show them wrong, but shows them 2 ways one can get rid of the intuition that mind and brain are separate. First, identities need no explanation. Mind and brain are identical to one another, and it is not necesary to explain why this is so. And second, the intuition is fueled by a fallacy. The fallacy of concluding that mind and brain are separate, just because when you think of consicousness it feels one way, and when you think of matter it feels another way. Thinking of qualia brings the qualia to mind, but thinking of gray neurons does not, so one must conclude they are not identical. But this is a fallacy, the antipathetic-fallacy. Thinking of something does not have to make that thing happen. Just like in the response to the knowledge argument.

Papineau argues also that scientific studies of consicousness are doomed to failure, becuase the properties of phenomenal concepts makes it indeterminate to decide of wether a creature is conscious, or of wether it is the function or the matter composing the system that is identical to the phenomenal state. Here I think Papineau goes too far. His points are that since verbal reports are the primary evidence for consciousness research, and becuase we cannot decide between exactly what level of explanation is right (atoms, molecules, chemicals, neurons, electricity?), and because pehnomenal concepts are vauge, then sicence is in trouble. But this is not a principled matter. All you have to do is find a non-verbal way to reach criterions of consicousness, and indeed researchers are looking for those methodologies. And I believe it is in principle possible to decide between levels of explanation. For example, you could decide, in principle, wether it is the matter a brain is composed of or the way it is organized that is identical to a phenomenal state like this: take a subject, replace all his neurotransmitters for agonists witht he same proportions, and ask him to make a discrimination (between color plates of gradual hue changes, or memory of a color). Next, restore the subjects brain to normallity, and ask him to make another discrimination. If the discriminations are identical, then it is the orgainization, and not the matter itself (for a chemical is not materially identical, but functional identical to its agonist), that is the material property identical to the phenomenal property.

Or why not simply change the phenomenal concepts? Then the empirical research of the material basis of consicousness would continue problem-free. Amazingly thought-provoking book, inspite of my objections. Required reading.
Thinking about Physics (Princeton Paperbacks)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Carry-on concepts in modern physical theories for autodidact
  • the author's personal philosophy
Thinking about Physics (Princeton Paperbacks)
Roger G. Newton
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. What Makes Nature Tick? What Makes Nature Tick?
  2. The Truth of Science: Physical Theories and Reality The Truth of Science: Physical Theories and Reality
  3. Deep Down Things: The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics Deep Down Things: The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics
  4. The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
  5. The Odd Quantum The Odd Quantum

ASIN: 0691095531

Amazon.com

It takes a certain daring to challenge the views of Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman on purely scientific grounds--and great skill to make that challenge accessible to a general audience. Roger Newton does just that in Thinking About Physics, a book suited to readers with undergraduate-level training in the physical sciences and mathematics, which he deems "the only language capable of describing nature unambiguously." In his survey of modern physics, Newton examines some of the assumptions underlying the ways in which we think about the world. He argues, briefly, that the insistence on the primacy of the particle discounts the more important quantum field from which particles issue--and, he adds, understanding that field may one day yield a quantum geometry of space-time. Among other topics, Newton guides his readers through current theories about the directionality of time ("nature without a universal causal arrow of time," he writes, "could not be orderly," inasmuch as causes have to precede effects); examines models of symmetry and "supersymmetry"; and considers how theories are made, emphasizing the role of probabilistic reasoning in shaping hypotheses and explanations. Joining elegant equations and readable prose, Newton's overview is sure to interest students of modern science. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

Physical scientists are problem solvers. They are comfortable "doing" science: they find problems, solve them, and explain their solutions. Roger Newton believes that his fellow physicists might be too comfortable with their roles as solvers of problems. He argues that physicists should spend more time thinking about physics. If they did, he believes, they would become even more skilled at solving problems and "doing" science. As Newton points out in this thought-provoking book, problem solving is always influenced by the theoretical assumptions of the problem solver. Too often, though, he believes, physicists haven't subjected their assumptions to thorough scrutiny. Newton's goal is to provide a framework within which the fundamental theories of modern physics can be explored, interpreted, and understood.

"Surely physics is more than a collection of experimental results, assembled to satisfy the curiosity of appreciative experts," Newton writes. Physics, according to Newton, has moved beyond the describing and naming of curious phenomena, which is the goal of some other branches of science. Physicists have spent a great part of the twentieth century searching for explanations of experimental findings. Newton agrees that experimental facts are vital to the study of physics, but only because they lead to the development of a theory that can explain them. Facts, he argues, should undergird theory.

Newton's explanatory sweep is both broad and deep. He covers such topics as quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, field theory, thermodynamics, the role of mathematics in physics, and the concepts of probability and causality. For Newton the fundamental entity in quantum theory is the field, from which physicists can explain the particle-like and wave-like properties that are observed in experiments. He grounds his explanations in the quantum field.

Although this is not designed as a stand-alone textbook, it is essential reading for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, and researchers. This is a clear, concise, up-to-date book about the concepts and theories that underlie the study of contemporary physics. Readers will find that they will become better-informed physicists and, therefore, better thinkers and problem solvers too.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Carry-on concepts in modern physical theories for autodidact.......2004-03-21

Many 'popular physics' books serve well for expanding the serious layman's autodidact pursuit in understanding physics. Newton offers intellectually satisfying handles for what I like to call 'carry-on concepts' in modern physical theories.

This book is what some would call popular physics but I think is broader and deeper than such a simple categorization. From the outset of 'Thinking about Physics' (TaP), Newton offers that answers to issues in thinking about questions of physics are subject to debate and humbly advises us not to accept his word without question. He doesn't lie out the solutions offered over the years, with all the pros and cons (and yet he ultimately gives his 2 cents), but suggests we use his arguments as starting points for our own thinking.
I found a good overall summary in the beginning of this work: ?This book consists of more or less independent essays on various general topics found in physics, whose common thread appears in the pervasiveness of probabilistic approaches and the central role played by mathematics, with the quantum theory of fields as the most basic description of reality.?
In the Preface Newton admits a '...disagreement with a number of prominent physicists such as Feynman & Heisenberg, who, at the most fundamental level, give primacy to the particle concept.'
As in Philip R. Wallace's Paradox Lost, Newton makes the argument that the supposed paradoxes in interpretations of theoretical conceptions of physical phenomenon have a '...linguistic source, stemming from the use of the concept of particles and waves.' In contrast to Paradox Lost, he regards quantum fields '...as the basic entity, with 'particles'-possessing great intuitive appeal but circumscribed utility-appearing as phenomena produced by the field.'
His Introduction and Chapter 1-Theories can be seen as a condensed version of his book 'The Truth of Science' and, at the same time, an expansion of a great layman's treatment in similar chapters of his title 'What Makes Nature Tick?' (WMNT) The latter book is a less mathematically technical, more popular look at subjects conspicuously similar to TaP. It is in these two chapters where he addresses some challenges to a popular and historical philosophy of science. As an antidote to philosophical general assumptions, loose arguments and possible misinterpretations apparent in other popular publications, Newton places common sense definitions of experiments, theoretical understanding and explanation on solid ontological ground leaving us with a sense of complete logical satisfaction. He also discusses the necessity and great utility of using conceptual analogies in describing certain phenomenon in physical theory but makes the usual warnings of their limits and potential misleading.
The second chapter talks about the state of physical systems and phase correlations in classical & quantum mechanics. The state vector, density operator, and probabilities are nicely brought to light.
Chapter 3 is a sweet treatment of the role, beauty and & power of mathematics. This is an elegant and technical expansion of the chapter in ?What Makes Nature Tick?? (WMNT)
Chapter 4, Quantum Fields and Particles, is fairly technical but accessible with the persistent enthusiasm of this physics layman. I return time and again to this chapter to gain understanding of aspects for which I had ignorance in previous readings.
In Symmetry in Physics (ch5) Newton takes us through Parity, Group Theory in Particle Physics, and Field Theory. I chose to prepare for this chapter by reading the lighter chapter on Symmetry in WMNT. Yet another example of the nice complementary correlation between the two works.
The last three chapters are Causality and Probability, Quantum Mechanics and Reality, and Arrows of Time. These titles are sufficiently self-explanatory for the purposes of this review and exist as final examples of the technical expansion that may be explored in the corresponding chapters of WMNT.

The book concludes with an Epilog where the author asks whether we are able to distinguish relevant characteristics of our perception of physical nature and summarizes the three broad essentials this book was meant to identify: quantum fields and the explanatory machinery which provide the necessarily mathematical language to describe nature unambiguously - causality and probability.
The Further Reading section in the rear of the book is nicely broken down by the corresponding chapters with the suggested reading listed in the usual manner. A great resource! Finally, a complete bibliography and helpful index conclude the book. Last and certainly least, I ran across strange sentence early in my reading of TaP, '...it would take a very large hole in the side of a well-constructed skyscraper to make the building collapse.' The book was written in January 2000. Being serious about physics, I obviously don?t attribute this to conspiracy but do find the coincidence uncanny.

BOTTOM LINE ON THE BOOK ? CHALLENGING, GREAT READ FOR THE HUNGRY AUTODIDACT.
Best regards to the author and the lay reader.
IndiAndy

5 out of 5 stars the author's personal philosophy.......2000-03-31

This is a great book. The author gives his personal philosophy as a practicing physicist and obviously good teacher about the current great issues in physics: the arrow of time, the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics, The EPR debate, entanglement, causality, probability..... There is an extensive discussion of models, theories, and paradigms and how they influence experiments as well as how they are chosen from among other likely candidates. There is even a short appendix on solitons. It is the reflection of a practical man as to how physics advances and its relationship to the "real" world - far from the philosophical musings of Kuhn or Popper. It's the kind of book that would make you want to sit down and have further discussions with the author. He does have a previous publication by Harvard U Press which I haven't read but will surely look at next.
Thinking about Causes: From Greek Philosophy to Modern Physics (Pitt Konstanz Phil Hist Scienc)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Thinking about Causes: From Greek Philosophy to Modern Physics (Pitt Konstanz Phil Hist Scienc)

    Manufacturer: University of Pittsburgh Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    History & SurveysHistory & Surveys | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Greece | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 0822943093

    Book Description

    Emerging as a hot topic in the mid-twentieth century, causality is one of the most frequently discussed issues in contemporary philosophy. Causality has been a central concept in philosophy as well as in the sciences, especially the natural sciences, dating back to its beginning in Greek thought. David Hume famously claimed that causality is the cement of the universe. In general terms, it links eventualities, predicts the consequences of action, and is the cognitive basis for the acquisition and the use of categories and concepts in the child. Indeed, how could one answer why-questions, around which early rational thought begins to revolve, without hitting on the relationships between reason and consequence, cause and effect, or without drawing these distinctions? But a comprehensive definition of causality has been notoriously hard to provide, and virtually every aspect of causation has been subject to much debate and analysis.



    Thinking about Causes brings together top philosophers from the United States and Europe to focus on causality as a major force in philosophical and scientific thought. Topics addressed include: ancient Stoicism and moral philosophy; the case of sacramental causality; traditional causal concepts in Descartes; Kant on transcendental laws; the influence of J. S. Mill's politics on his concept of causation; plurality in causality; causality in modern physics; causality in economics; and the concept of free will.



    Taken together, the essays in this collection provide the best current thinking about causality, especially as it relates to the philosophy of science.

    Thinking about Creation: Eternal Torah and Modern Physics
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • An approach to the relationship between Religion and Science
    • Hocus Pocus
    • A must read!
    • Interesting; a triple, not a home run.
    • A very enjoyable and enlightening book!
    Thinking about Creation: Eternal Torah and Modern Physics
    Andrew Goldfinger
    Manufacturer: Jason Aronson
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | Criticism & Interpretation | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Sacred Writings | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    TorahTorah | Sacred Writings | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    TheologyTheology | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    HistoryHistory | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Evolution | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 0765760428

    Book Description

    Six days or fifteen billion years? At first glance, the biblical and scientific accounts of the creation of the universe seem quite different. How then can there be modern twentieth century people who respect the methods and conclusions of science, yet take the Bible to be literally correct? The answer is given in this book. Dr. Andrew Goldfinger is a physicist by profession and a chasidic Jew by commitment. He takes the reader through the story of creation from both viewpoints.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars An approach to the relationship between Religion and Science.......2006-01-27

    My general view is that Science and Religion are different ways of seeing the world. And that in some sense they relate to different kinds of questions.
    Religion I would want to say relates to questions of life's ultimate meaning , of the human relation to God. And science explores through methods of observation and verification whatever can be addressed by its methods.
    In 'Thinking about Creation 'Andrew Goldfinger tries to tell the story of creation from both points-of -view. His aim is to see the parallels between the two accounts, and in a sense to reconcile the contradictions. He does in a sense the same kind of connecting task that Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder do in their books.
    Goldfinger conducts his inquiry with modesty and sense. In his concluding chapter he gives the following words of caution in regard to what he himself has done.

    "We know that tomorrow the next generation of telescopes may tell us that our ideas of the cosmos need massive reworking. The behavior of a subatomic particle may violate the most deeply held theories of physics , and Nobel Prizes will be awarded to a new generation of young physicists who again will 'work things out'. Doubtlessly some of them will think that they have finally achieved the ultimate understanding, but we know otherwise. We know that 'Hashem 'has created a universe that can be understood only approximately, both in the physical and spiritual dimensions."

    I recommend this book to whoever has an interest in the relation between Torah and Science.

    1 out of 5 stars Hocus Pocus.......2005-03-20

    It's simply a bunch of hocus pocus. Creationism by any other name is not based in science. Kaballah and numerology also have no scientific basis, except the observation that people overall want to make connections and "sense" of things where there are no connections. Meanwhile, there is overwhelming empirical evidence for theories of evolution.

    5 out of 5 stars A must read!.......2002-10-07

    This is one of many good books currently out that shows that Torah true Judaism and science can and do in fact live side by side with no contradiction. Actually, Jews have always been active in science (Rambam, otherwise known as Maimonedies, one of the best minds in Judaism in the Common Era was a doctor and scientist) and Dr. Goldfinger is simply participating in a long and proud tradition.

    He is well able to comment on both Torah and science. He is a practicing Orthodox Jew (Chassidic actually) and lives Judaism every minute of his life (ours is not a religion that allows you to compartmentalize your religious convictions and the rest of your life). He is also an accomplished physicist (he works at Johns Hopkins as a researcher).

    This book is a joy to read. A book that is heavy on physics has the potential to be very dry and boring (at least for me), good bedtime reading, but I find this one to be very interesting. No surprise since I've heard Dr. Goldfinger lecture and I've met him (I sometimes attend the same synagogue as he) and found him to be an extememly warm person. I am looking forward to his next book whenever it comes out.

    4 out of 5 stars Interesting; a triple, not a home run........2000-08-13

    The writing style is light and enjoyable and the author reveals a lot of interesting concepts being generated by contemporary physics. There are also some interestting incites into Torah; but, as far as unifying Torah with modern physics there is still a bit of a way to go at the present time. Dr. Goldfinger does give it a good try though.

    In my opinion the definitive work in this area remains Gerald Schroeder's Genesis and the Big Bang.

    5 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable and enlightening book!.......2000-03-30

    Thinking About Creation : Eternal Torah and Modern Physics is very enjoyable and enlightening book. It explores both the Torah and the intricacies of modern physics, and demonstrates their convergence. While both of these topics potentially can be heavy reading, the author keeps them light without sacrificing a lot of technical content. I recommend the book for people who are interested in the topic and want to have fun at the same time.
    Is physics turning into philosophy?(THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE) : An article from: Skeptical Inquirer
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Is physics turning into philosophy?(THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE) : An article from: Skeptical Inquirer
      Massimo Pigliucci
      Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Digital

      GeneralGeneral | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
      PhilosophyPhilosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Nonfiction | HTML | Formats | e-Docs | Formats | Books
      PhilosophyPhilosophy | Nonfiction | HTML | Formats | e-Docs | Formats | Books
      ASIN: B000FVRW1Y
      Release Date: 2006-05-30

      Book Description

      This digital document is an article from Skeptical Inquirer, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2006. The length of the article is 830 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

      Citation Details
      Title: Is physics turning into philosophy?(THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE)
      Author: Massimo Pigliucci
      Publication: Skeptical Inquirer (Magazine/Journal)
      Date: May 1, 2006
      Publisher: Thomson Gale
      Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Page: 22(1)

      Distributed by Thomson Gale

      Books:

      1. Intermolecular and Surface Forces, Second Edition: With Applications to Colloidal and Biological Systems (Colloid Science)
      2. Introduction to Radiological Physics and Radiation Dosimetry
      3. Introduction to Space Physics (Cambridge Atmospheric & Space Science)
      4. Introduction to Surface and Thin Film Processes
      5. Lecture Notes on Principles of Plasma Processing
      6. Lie Groups: Beyond an Introduction
      7. Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
      8. Liquid Crystal Displays: Addressing Schemes and Electro-Optical Effects (Wiley Series in Display Technology)
      9. Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals, Third Edition
      10. Mirror Symmetry (Clay Mathematics Monographs, V. 1)

      Books Index

      Books Home

      Recommended Books

      1. International Business with Online Learning Center access card
      2. Guide to Owning a Pomeranian: Puppy Care, Grooming, Training, History, Health, Breed Standard
      3. Collective Vision: Creating a Contemporary Art Museum
      4. German Milwaukee: It's History- It's Recipes
      5. Grindhouse: The Sleaze-filled Saga of an Exploitation Double Feature
      6. Dual Language: Teaching and Learning in Two Languages, MyLabSchool Edition
      7. From Here to There and Back Again
      8. Nonlinear Labor Market Dynamics
      9. Cool-Time and the Two-Pound Bucket : Time Management for the 24-Hour Person
      10. Direction of Trade Statistics, Yearbook 2002