Book Description
The Feynman Lectures on Gravitation are based on notes prepared during a course on gravitational physics that Richard Feynman taught at Caltech during the 1962-63 academic year. For several years prior to these lectures, Feynman thought long and hard about the fundamental problems in gravitational physics, yet he published very little. These lectures represent a useful record of his viewpoints and some of his insights into gravity and its application to cosmology, superstars, wormholes, and gravitational waves at that particular time. The lectures also contain a number of fascinating digressions and asides on the foundations of physics and other issues. Characteristically, Feynman took an untraditional non-geometric approach to gravitation and general relativity based on the underlying quantum aspects of gravity. Hence, these lectures contain a unique pedagogical account of the development of Einstein's general theory of relativity as the inevitable result of the demand for a self-consistent theory of a massless spin-2 field (the graviton) coupled to the energy-momentum tensor of matter. This approach also demonstrates the intimate and fundamental connection between gauge invariance and the principle of equivalence.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating.......2000-04-14
This is a wonderful book which shows how a classical field theory like General Relativity can be derived from a quantum field theory. It also points out the extreme difficulty of accomplishing this in the case of gravity and ending up with a consistent, anomaly free theory.
Readers of this book will benefit from familiarity with both quantum field theory and relativity as well as a certain amount of mathematical sophistication. Don't be fooled by the similarity of title to other "Feynman Lectures on..." because this book is based on an upper level graduate physics course and assumes the background of a typical PhD student in physics.
Deep, complex and difficult going but well worth the effort to see the elegance of the connection between General Relativity and QFT.
General relativity as a quantum gauge field theory........1999-02-06
Feynman gave a series of lectures on gravitation at a graduate seminar at Caltech in 1962. The lectures were recorded and transcribed by Morinigo and Wagner. A very readable introduction on quantum gravity was added by the editor, Brian Hatfield (whose book on quantum field theory and strings, I also recommend.) This is the only book I've seen which develops GR from a quantum field theory point of view. Feynman's lectures show that the GR field equations result from the requirement of gauge invariance under Lorentz transformations for a massless spin-2 field (i.e graviton). This is a more fundamental approach than the usual differential geometric framework and shows what the equivalence principle really means in terms of fundamental symmetries. Highly recommended for a modern field theory viewpoint of GR.
Book Description
The greatest challenge in fundamental physics attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity in a theory of "quantum gravity." The project suggests a profound revision of the notions of space, time and matter. It has become a key topic of debate and collaboration between physicists and philosophers. This volume collects classic and original contributions from leading experts in both fields for a provocative discussion of the issues. It contains accessible introductions to the main and less-well-known known approaches to quantum gravity. It includes exciting topics such as the fate of spacetime in various theories, the so-called "problem of time" in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and the relationship between the interpretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics.
Download Description
The greatest challenge in fundamental physics is how quantum mechanics and general relativity can be reconciled in a theory of 'quantum gravity'. The project suggests a profound revision of our notions of space, time and matter, and so has become a key topic of debate and collaboration between physicists and philosophers. This timely volume collects classic and original contributions from leading experts in both fields for a provocative discussion of all the issues. This volume contains accessible introductions to the main and less well known approaches to quantum gravity. It includes exciting topics such as the fate of spacetime in various theories, the so-called 'problem of time' in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and the relationship between the interpretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics.
Customer Reviews:
Good Variety of Approaches and Accessibility.......2005-05-11
I am one who had trouble with college physics, but continued to keep up with it, first through "Scientific American" and then through the various popularizations of the 1990s. I would not consider this volume to be a "popularization" by any means... it may be introductory but sophisticated. Nonetheless, by reading and rereading the contributions of the many authors, I learned a great deal about general covariance and the quantum gravity formulation problem (perhaps just enough to be considered ignorant). I found Rovelli's contribution (walking through the history of fields, relationism and quanta) to be especially valuable to someone at my (college-casual) level, and I also enjoyed Joy Christian's essay. I cannot pretend to follow all the math, and so for me the "philosophy" half of the title was the more important. I will say that prior understanding of the "Hole Argument" would have been useful, considering its importance in general covariance... this volume touches upon it in several places but none in a way that I considered accessible to a generally educated reader. Perhaps I will just have to try harder.
Excellent book!.......2003-12-08
Excellent book on variety of topics and approaches to reconciling Quantum Mechanics and General Relitivity. This book is very unique. Even though there are not that many formulas in the book, this book is definitely for the serious and advanced. This book is very thought-provoking. All the contributors to different chapters are experts and there are many references to further readings for the topics discussed.
Canonical Quantization can work........2003-02-18
Never quite understood the barrier to quantizing gravity
when one realizes that R^infinity gravity quantizes without
any of the usual barriers (it is renormalizable on the grounds
that all required counter terms are available).
After which it is just a matter of following Einstein's
route to classical gravity, by setting to zero all
renormalized coupling constants, except that associated
with R.
End result, gravity quantized.
Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale.......2002-12-21
Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary theories in quantum gravity edited by Craig Callender and Nick Huggett is a book the gives the reader accessible introductions to the main and sometimes lesser known insight to quantum gravity.
This book was a challenge to read, yes, I must admit. But, that being said, I must say that it helped explain one of the greatest challenges in fundamental physics. How to come up with a plausible theory of quantum gravity out of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Yes, that all encompassing theory of everything aka quantum gravity. Space, time and matter all rolled into one grand theory. The so called problem of time in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics and the relationship between the intrepretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity.
This book is divided into five parts, each of these parts has abstracts written to coorespond to the question at hand in these parts as chapters. These parts are as follows:
Part I: Theories of Quantum Garavity and their Philosophical Dimensions
Part II: Strings
Part III: Topological Quantum Field Theory
Part IV: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of General Relativity
Part V: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
This book not only looks at the physics to these, but also, looks at the philosophy that is concerned with fundamental questions regarding the nature of space, time, and matter. Seventeen authors give this book its body and soul for explaination as to how these fit together. What I particularly liked was the three chapters in "Strings" with "Reflections of the fate of spacetime by Edward Witten, A philosopher looks at string theory by Robert Weingard, and Black holes, dumb holes, and entropy by william G.Unruh.
This book isn't for everyone, but should be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics. And that's the large and the small of it in a nutshell. But there is also a more positive reason for the connection between quantum gravity and the philosophy: many of these issues arising in quantum gravity are genuinely philosophical in nature.
How should we understand general relativity's general covariance... is it a significant physical principle,or is it merely a question about language with which one writes an equation? What is the nature of time and change? Canthere be a theory of the universe's boundry conditions? These are but a few of the questions asked and the explainations of the answers are trying to be resolved.
All, in all, this is a very good read and it will definately tax your brain.
Missing Table of Contents.......2001-09-07
The book looks interesting and the editors are leading experts in the field of quantum gravity. However, I could not make a purchasing decision since the table of contents is not listed in the ad. This is crucial, since the book apparently contains reprints of previously published material and, for all I know, I already possess this material. Thus, I suggest a table of contents be added to the ad for this book.
In order to post this review, I need to "rate" it. I give it 4 stars, since I know the editors are experts in the field, but not 5 stars since the ad is missing the table of contents.
Customer Reviews:
Mach's Principle Conference.......2007-02-11
I'm hopeful that we will be hearing more about Mach's Principle in the future. Modern Physics may provide the theoretical underpinings that eluded Mach and his contemporaries. It was fascinating to learn just how sketchy Mach's contribution's were- and that the development of a theory of inertia were instead made by Mach's colleges. My only regrets were that the work of Dennis Sciama and Roger Penrose were not included. This book illuminates a topic in physics that is controversial, problematic, and very interesting.
Informative and Entertaining.......2001-12-16
If you are interested in Mach's Principle, you will like this book . Experts discuss what Mach really intended when he formulated his principle. The book provides english translations of some classic articles on Mach's Principle, and it discusses some of the lastest research and thinking on the topic. I recommend it very highly.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting mix of topics
|
Conceptual Problems of Quantum Gravity (Einstein Studies)
Manufacturer: Birkhauser
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Customer Reviews:
Interesting mix of topics.......2006-04-22
This book is a collection of lectures based on talks given at the second Osgood Hill Conference. Although this occurred in 1988 and many advances have been made in quantum gravity (particularly in the two leading candidates, string theory and loop quantum gravity), much of the material in this book is still very relevant. Of course a lot of things aren't covered, like the possible resolutions of black hole information paradox. The book is true to the title, the material is mostly very conceptual, but it is also fairly advanced.
The book opens with an excellent introduction to general issues in quantum gravity, this is the most basic chapter in the book the rest of it is considerably more advanced. Following this there are five major sections: quantum mechanics and measurements, the issue of time, strings, other approaches to quantum gravity and topology and black holes.
At a high level the talks cover issues in quantum mechanics, quantum cosmology and quantum gravity. By and large the discussions don't revolve around specific approaches to quantum gravity, but rather they focus on more general issues such as topology change or decoherence. Two topics stand out as receiving exceptional coverage, quantum cosmology and the problem of time. There is definitely a lot of material that isn't frequently covered.
I found most of the talks to be quite interesting. One of the really nice features of the book is that it often contains the question and answer sessions that followed the talks. Although I liked this book, given the nature of the contents and the price I can't really recommend it for purchase.
Book Description
The debate between Bohr and Einstein, which raged in the 1920s and 1930s, is still highly relevant today. It involved the two greatest physicists of the twentieth century and played a large part in Einstein's going into an effective scientific exile. The debate concerned the quantum theory, probably the most successful physical theory of all time. This book explores the details of the conflict, as well as its significance for contemporary views on the foundations of quantum theory. The author gives sympathetic accounts of the views of both Bohr and Einstein, and a thorough study of the argument between them. The book also includes nontechnical and nonmathematical accounts of the development of quantum theory and relativity, as well as the work of David Bohm and John Bell in the 1950s and 1960s that restored interest in Einstein's views. The author also includes a full account of the many current experimental and theoretical developments in quantum theory.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent overview.......2006-08-17
For students of physics, professional physicists and interested lay persons this is undoubtedly the most complete and objective overview of the many 'interpretations' of quantum mechanics as of today. For those interested in looking "behind the mathematical formalism of QM" an absolute must read.
One minor point of critique though: this book explicitly addresses lay persons (which is supposedly why you won't find many equations in the book). Although in chapters 2 - 4 prof Whitaker splendidly epitomizes the evolution of classical (with a glance at relativity) and quantum mechanics, I fear those readers not already familiar with physics may find this a little too terse (a lot of ground is covered in very few pages). Chapters 5 - 7 explaining the Bohr-Einstein debate and Bell's theorem are simply splendid reading for everyone. Chapter 8, rounding up recent developments, is very comprehensive, but again, the average lay person may find the summaries of quite a number of recent articles a bit tedious in the end (but ideal for students or physicists). Chapter 9 introduces quantum information theory, again a very good overview, but in my opinion a bit out of place and surely a subject that is worthy of a book on its own.
All in all, there are many good popular science books out there explaining one or two QM interpretations, but this one covers them all, and it's absolutely the best explaining the Bohr-Einstein debate and the impact of Bell's theorem on this debate.
Superb history and introduction.......2006-05-20
This is not a textbook; it is a combined history and introduction to modern physics. It is clear, well written and a good starting point for anyone interested in Relativity or Quantum Theory.
A truly excellent book.......2001-04-27
I have found this to be an extremely helpful book due to my interests in physics. It is an interesting philosophical taint on a subject matter which is mostly fought in obscure mathematics. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in quantum physics philosophies.
Dillema is spelt "dilemma".......2000-07-11
This book is an excellent introduction, summary of and history of the debate on interpretation of quantum theory, a subject which demands careful reading. As such, it may be read to profit by those interested in some of the twists and turns of "received opinion". It is not for those who might like their pages covered in equations (- the text discusses J S Bell's elucidation of Von Neumann's errors on the subject of hidden variable theories - a clear case where the mathematics concealed rather than revealed). The book is widely referenced which should have enough range of material to satisfy and extend readers at all levels. In my top ten on the subject area.
Dillema is spelt "dilemma".......2000-07-11
This book is an excellent introduction, summary of and history of the debate on interpretation of quantum theory, a subject which demands careful reading. As such, it may be read to profit by those interested in some of the twists and turns of "received opinion". It is not for those who might like their pages covered in equations (- the text discusses J S Bell's elucidation of Von Neumann's errors on the subject of hidden variable theories - a clear case where the mathematics concealed rather than revealed). The book is widely referenced which should have enough range of material to satisfy and extend readers at all levels. In my top ten on the subject area.
Average customer rating:
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Quantum Reflections
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 0521630088 |
Book Description
This volume introduces the basic philosophical and conceptual questions underlying the formulation of quantum mechanics, one of the most baffling and far-reaching aspects of modern physics. Chapters by leading thinkers in this field, inspired by the profound work of the late John Bell, debate some of the deepest issues concerning the nature of physical reality, including the theory of physical measurements, how to test quantum mechanics, and how classical and quantum physics are related. This book will engage students with a background in quantum physics who wish to explore in more detail its philosophical aspects; practicing scientists not content with blindly applying the rules of quantum mechanics; and other readers interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the philosophy of physics.
Amazon.com
It's difficult, writes Lee Smolin in this lucid overview of modern physics, to talk meaningfully about the big questions of space and time, given the limitations of our technology and perceptions.
It's more difficult still given some of the contradictions and inconsistencies that obtain between quantum theory, which "was invented to explain why atoms are stable and do not instantly fall apart" but has little to say about space and time, and general relatively theory, which has everything to say about the big picture but tends to collapse when describing the behavior of atoms and their even smaller constituents. Whence the hero of Smolin's tale, the as-yet-incomplete quantum theory of gravity, which seeks to unify relativity and quantum theory--and, in the bargain, to move toward a "grand theory of everything." Smolin ably explains concepts that underlie quantum gravity, such as background independence, the superposition principle, and the notion of causal structure, and he traces the development of allied theories that have shaped modern physics and led to this new view of the universe.
Although he allows that "it has not been possible to test any of our new theories of quantum gravity experimentally," Smolin predicts that a solid framework will be established by 2015 at the outside. If he's correct, the years in between promise to be an exciting time for students of the physical sciences, and Smolin's book makes an engaging introduction to some of the big questions they'll be asking. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
From one of the World's most distinguished scientsits, an elegant and concise presentation of the controversial ideas behind quantum gravity.
The Holy Grail of modern physics is the search for a theory of "quantum gravity." It is a search for a view of the universe that unites two seemingly opposing pillars of modern science: Einstein's theory of general relativity, which deals with large-scale phenomena (planets, solar systems and galaxies), and quantum theory, which deals with the world of the very small (molecules, atoms, electrons). In Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, cosmologist and science writer Lee Smolin provides the first concise and accessible overview of current attempts to reconcile these two theories in a final "theory of everything." Other books and articles have painted an incomplete picture by exposing only one of the different approaches, including string theory and loop quantum gravity. Here is the closest anyone has ever come to devising a completely new theory of space, time, and the universe to replace the Newtonian ideas that were the foundation of all science until the beginning of the twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
Quantum Gravity Review.......2007-09-24
Lee Smolin has again created an excellent non-mathematical book that has his distinctive style and clearly that explains his view point on how we get to a theory of everything. Lee presents a partial history of the different approaches used by the Physics community to solve solve the problems of creating a theory of everything. His approach is heavly vested in the Quantun Gravity history and development. This is only natural in that his life has been spent primarly in this area of development. However, he does a very adaquite job of explaining the history and issues with string theory. Lee does a excellent job in this book to present a possible direction for the science community to persue. I only hope that our science community will take Lee's approaces seriously.
" The Diggidy Dog of Physics Books".......2007-06-30
Wow, I'm not going to go into any details or dicussions about this book, or any other matter, but i have to say this. This book is beyond GOOD, it will rock your mind so hard that you will be hooked on Physics for the rest of your life. Lee Smolin is the Man.
A theory of quantum gravity by 2015!.......2007-06-24
Lee Smolin's promise of a full theory of quantum gravity by 2015 concludes this book.
Along the way to that conclusion Smolin takes the reader on a comprehensible and lucid tour the current state of the search for a unified theory of quantum gravity. In this way, Smolin introduces the reader to his "three roads to quantum gravity" being:
1) The road from relativity or those classical principles originally established by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity back in 1916;
2) The road from quantum mechanics or that standard model developed within twenty years of Einstein's relativity dealing with the forces that operate at the subatomic level and finally;
3) The road from both and the various ways in which researchers from both areas have tried to the meld the two approaches.
Though admittedly (and particularly at the time this book was written) the theory favored by most theorists is so called string theory, Smolin also discusses other contenders like loop gravity (which Smolin worked with) as well as Oxford's Roger Penrose's twistor theory and others.
Long story short, the three roads are still being travelled. However, Smolin's salutory comments about a solution being in the offing by 2015 are optimistic.
Hopefully, they're also right!
Good book, good background, highly recommended.
A must read for science lovers.......2007-05-20
This book is divided into three sections,namely 1) Points of departure:deals with new conceptions like a)there is nothing outside the universe,b)in the future we will learn more,c)many observers,not many worlds and d)the universe is made of processes,not things.Next section is 2)What we have learned: deals with black holes,hidden regions,accelations and heat,"knots,links and kinks"(appears quite taugh for me)and strings. but still these two sections are mind blowing. The last sectionis is 3)The present frontiers: divided into a)the holographic universe,B)how to weave a string and c)what chooses the laws of nature? This section ends by summing up future possibilities for a complete QG theory with a hope to be achieved by 2010-2015.I also refer to the readers of this book to read Lee Smolin's highly readable article "Atoms of Space and Time"(Scientific American,January 2004).It will serve as a good starting point .
George Sagi on Lee Smolin's Quantum Gravity.......2007-02-25
Smolin gives a thorough review of the attempts for the integration of Einstein's Theory of Gravity with Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Electro Dynamics. This is not a textbook, but there are many references to original publications. The greatest value for me was Smilin's departure from the notion of continuum into quantum geometry, particularly in the Planck scale. His outline of Roger Penrose's Spin Networks was the most interesting part of the book, besides dozens of other descriptions of the great efforts of theoretical physicists trying to integrate these two baranches of physics. I don't believe in the validity of string theories in the sub-microscopic realm of matter. (I wrote about it in my booklet, Quantum Geometry, offered to Dr. Smolin, but he did not respond so far.) Quantum Gravity is filled with many pages of personal anecdotal references that I only browse through to concentrate on the many factual explanations.
Average customer rating:
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Quantum Fluctuations of Spacetime (World Scientific Series in Contemporary Chemical Physics) (World Scientific Series in Contemporary Chemical Physics) Vol.25
Lawrence B. Crowell
Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9812565159 |
Book Description
Three key aspects of quantum gravity are considered in this book: phenomenology, potential experimental aspects and foundational theory. The phenomenology is the treatment of metric quantum fluctuations as torsional curves that deviate from classical expectations. This leads to possible experimental configurations that may detect such fluctuations. Most of these proposed experiments are quantum optical measurements of subtle quantum gravity effects in the interaction of photons and atoms. The foundational discussions attempt to find an substratum to string theories, which are motivated by the phenomenological treatment. Quantum gravity is not the quantization of general relativity, but is instead the embedding of quantum theory and gravitation into a more fundamental field theoretic framework.
Average customer rating:
- Fantastic Text
- My favourite text of all time (so far)
- An excellent book !
- Perfect
- Worth its weight in gold!
|
Gauge Fields, Knots, and Gravity (Series on Knots and Everything, Vol. 4)
John C. Baez , and
Javier P. Muniain
Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
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Quantum Gravity (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)
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Loops, Knots, Gauge Theories and Quantum Gravity
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The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
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ASIN: 9810220340 |
Book Description
This is an introduction to the basic tools of mathematics needed to understand the relation between knot theory and quantum gravity. The book begins with a rapid course on manifolds and differential forms, emphasizing how these provide a proper language for formulating Maxwell's equations on arbitrary spacetimes. The authors then introduce vector bundles, connections and curvature in order to generalize Maxwell theory to the Yang-Mills equations. The relation of gauge theory to the newly discovered knot invariants such as the Jones polynomial is sketched. Riemannian geometry is then introduced in order to describe Einstein's equations of general relativity and show how an attempt to quantize gravity leads to interesting applications of knot theory.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Text.......2005-07-18
I really enjoyed reading this book! A must have if you are interested in mathematical physics. Every page is a pedagogical masterpiece.
My favourite text of all time (so far).......2003-09-14
This book should be at the top of anyone's reading list who is planning to get into serious mathematical physics. It deals with a good deal of complex material, but the presentation is easy to follow, and shouldn't be beyond most advanced undergraduates. There are a lot of good exercises which fill in most of the gaps. (If you want a book heavy on detail, this book may not be for you. If you want a book that gives you all the tools you're going to need to get start understanding quantum gravity and other areas in a short time, get this book immediately!) It's a shame the paperback edition doesn't seem to be available anymore; it's half the price, and checking with the publisher reveals that the paperback edition is still in print.
An excellent book !.......2002-12-21
Covers many topics in Mathematical Physics with great clarity. Highly recommended for those who are interested in a modern approach to Mathematical Physics.
Perfect.......2000-07-29
A beautifully written book which should be entitled "quantum gravity primer for the practical man". Clear and self-contained, this book will serve aa a small survey of mathematical physics, giving the reader tools in particle physics and gravity. Excellently motivated topics. Compact enough to bring with you anywhere. The only thing it fails at is dicing a proper tomato.
Worth its weight in gold!.......1999-06-24
I think the review above by J. Pullin puts it very well. This is a great book, and a good place to get started (it also provides suggestions for further reading). The authors have done a fantastic job, and I highly recommend the book!
Book Description
The search for a quantum theory of the gravitational field is one of the great open problems in theoretical physics. This book presents a self-contained discussion of the concepts, methods and applications that can be expected in such a theory. The two main approaches to its construction -- the direct quantisation of Einstein's general theory of relativity and string theory -- are covered. Whereas the first attempts to construct a viable theory for the gravitational field alone, string theory assumes that a quantum theory of gravity will be achieved only through a unification of all the interactions. However, both employ the general method of quantization of constrained systems, which is described together with illustrative examples relevant for quantum gravity. There is a detailed presentation of the main approaches employed in quantum general relativity: path-integral quantization, the background-field method and canonical quantum gravity in the metric, connection and loop formulations. The discussion of string theory centres around its quantum-gravitational aspects and the comparison with quantum general relativity. Physical applications discussed at length include the quantization of black holes, quantum cosmology, the indications of a discrete structure of spacetime, and the origin of irreversibility. The second edition will add some sections on topical issues. These include loop quantum cosmology, dynamical triangulation, renormalization-group approach, primordial black holes, and information-loss problem for black holes. The second edition will also contain some pedagogical extensions. This book will be of interest to researchers and students working in relativity and gravitation, cosmology, quantum field theory and related topics. It will also be of interest to mathematicians and philosophers of science.
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Feynman's Thesis: A New Approach to Quantum Theory
Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics: The 1986 Dirac Memorial Lectures
Feynman Lectures on Computation
Feynman's Lost Lecture: The Motion of Planets Around the Sun
Feynman's Tips on Physics: A Problem-Solving Supplement to the Feynman Lectures on Physics
