Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Cuts through the hype.......2007-10-13
This is an excellently written book, very easy to read,and with only one typo that I noticed. It starts with an excellent overview of physics from a technical point of view, without getting too technical,but a good basic understanding of physics is really needed to grasp what he is writing about, and shows the authors grasp of the technical issues, and then gets into a philosophical view of the state of physics and science generally. As an interested observer of science I have certainly noticed the lack of really big discoveries in the last twenty years or so, and this book confirms my view. Also being more of a creative thinker,rather than a conformist, a 'seer' as the author describes it,I can totally relate to the problems faced by people seeking a career in science, and the need to conform to currently popular programs and research where economic imperitives take precedence over original thinking,or even fundamental work, and where universities operate to build an image to attract students based on hype over substance. Its what put me off a career in science, and a university education, as I'm not interested in doing what others want in return for money,career,etc. The authors comment about some of the best scientists of the past being wealthy enough to support themselves in doing as they pleased is a very important point in showing that creative people are wasted if forced to do the work others want done in order to survive. Which basically leaves only those who want to conform and have an easy life and easy career path, who want to be technical experts rather than big thinkers or explorers of new concepts. It excludes most risk takers and entrepreneurs from a career in science,as you would end up bitter and unsatisfied. This book really just confirmed alot of what I thought, what should be common sense. And it makes an important point that only a few people think creatively,so it would not cost alot to employ these people and take a risk on them, in the hope that long term they will produce big things, while delivering very little of measurable worth in the short term. The book also goes into the sociology of science and scientists. Something I realised along time ago to my suprise was that scientists suffer from all the normal human flaws of bias and blindness, tribalism,etc that average people do,and often end up in religious type devoutness to their beliefs or tribe. I would have thought science would not attract such people, but it does,as the authors experience shows in confirming what I beleived just from watching science shows on TV,etc. Science would be an excellent career if not for the fact it suffers from the same B.S. that afflicts most human organisations and puts people like myself right off getting involved at all. The author is smart enough to realise that science must attract talent and compete with others for it,and his criticisms are done out of love for science and physics,not hate. It is interesting to see how carefully he treads in crisicising others, which just goes to show how religion-like science had become, and how risky it is to be a heretic, which so goes against what science should stand for,like open debate, constant questioning of all beleifs,etc, when ego's start getting in the way you might as well do something else, as its no better than any other politics or belief system. If you care about science this book raises many important points ,although I suspect it will find an audience with those that sympathise with its views and have no effect on those that need to learn from it most,as they will have closed minds and take all criticism as an attack to be defended against.A very enjoyable read.
A superb overview of the state of theoretical physics........2007-10-12
What a superb book. Lee Smolin starts by sketching our progress towards a unified theory, and then critically examines the claims of string theory to be the best contender for that throne. Having demolished our fuzzy belief that string theory has been somehow "proven," he then weighs in on the other candidates for a unified theory, namely quantum gravity and its cousins. These turn out to be little better supported by experimental evidence. The technical concepts are clearly presented, sans equations, as developments in a story peopled with fascinating characters: the great theoretical physicists of the last 50 years. As a non-math person, I found this narrative a positive pleasure to read. In comparison to other authors of books on physics for the lay public, Smolin really knows how to tell a story, without skimping the science.
The real depth of "The Trouble With Physics" becomes apparent when Smolin pulls back to focus on physics itself. Facing the fact that the academy is a human enterprise like any other, he subjects it to the same bold criticism that he applies to scientific concepts. Here are eyeopening revelations about the culture of conferences, recommendations, networks, and above all, the economic pressures that subtly favor "craftspeople" at the expense of "seers." It's a sorry indictment of our universities, the triumph of self-interest over vision, and Smolin explicitly includes himself in the great mass of insincere careerists who choose a safe research program over a risky one, to the detriment of scientific progress. One gets the sense that this book is, for the author, an atonement for having shortchanged his own creativity as a younger man.
But we the readers are the beneficiaries of Smolin's decision to lay all bare. I have read literally dozens of books on physics and cosmology, and this is the first one that has presented the human side of the story as a CONTEXT, rather than in a series of postage-stamp portraits. Smolin shows that tribalism and rent-seeking do as much to shape science as any ideas. It is a lesson that will lend an extra savor, and a much-needed depth of perspective, to every science book I read in the future.
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
Book Description
About the Art & Imagination Series: Explore a range of interests, philosophies, religions, and cultures—from Kabbalah to Freemasonry, Buddhism to Hinduism, myth to magic. The distinguished authors bring a wealth of knowledge, visionary thinking, and accessible writing to each intriguing subject in these lavishly illustrated, large-format paperback books.
Customer Reviews:
Beautifully Done.......2007-06-16
Robert Lawlor's book presents itself in a "workbook" type form. It takes you through the process of understanding Sacred Geometry and how to look at, and understand these abstract principles in a very methodical process, by building and developing upon the simplest concept of One. Lawlor has written a classic.
I have not seen many other books that take this approach as he does.
He guides the reader to a deeper understanding of how the "unseen" universe works and helps one develop a better perception of that reality.
The diagrams are easy to follow and the text is well written. It is presented in a simple format that anyone with a true desire to learn this subject will enjoy and understand, this is a great "starter" book and a wonderful reference book as well.
A Book of Wisdom to Be Read Slowly.......2007-04-17
Very, very insightful intro to sacred geometry. If not familiar with this topic, I would suggest one first read the book to get your feet wet in a new way of perceiving what's around you. Then go back, re-read it slowly, and carefully do the math (which isn't difficult, really) and make the geometric constructs on graph paper like the author suggests. You have to do the exercises for it all to fully sink in, and achieve greater comprehension. This book is quietly profound. I only wish it was longer and for this talented author to get into the deeper end of the pool. Lawlor's commentary is often provocative and compelling.
A Rare Resource.......2007-03-05
If you have been looking for the secrets of the Pythagorian Brotherhood, then look no futher - this is the book. Robert Lawlor takes you step by step into the realm of Hermetic Knowledge and connects it all together.
Not for the meek........2005-10-09
Great source for a workbook; not an elementary book for the true beginner.
An excellent presentation. Glad I bought it.......2004-07-08
Reading Robert Lawlors book took me out of a classroom and into a discussion of the origins of mathematics. Just enough details to all the material covered, making it a breath of fresh air to others stodgy presentations.
Book Description
This remarkable book has endured as a true masterpiece of mathematical exposition. There are few mathematics books that are still so widely read and continue to have so much to offer--after more than half a century! The book is overflowing with mathematical ideas, which are always explained clearly and elegantly, and above all, with penetrating insight. It is a joy to read, both for beginners and experienced mathematicians.
"Hilbert and Cohn-Vossen" is full of interesting facts, many of which you wish you had known before, or had wondered where they could be found. The book begins with examples of the simplest curves and surfaces, including thread constructions of certain quadrics and other surfaces. The chapter on regular systems of points leads to the crystallographic groups and the regular polyhedra in $\mathbb{R}^3$. In this chapter, they also discuss plane lattices. By considering unit lattices, and throwing in a small amount of number theory when necessary, they effortlessly derive Leibniz's series: $\pi/4 = 1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + - \ldots$. In the section on lattices in three and more dimensions, the authors consider sphere-packing problems, including the famous Kepler problem.
One of the most remarkable chapters is "Projective Configurations". In a short introductory section, Hilbert and Cohn-Vossen give perhaps the most concise and lucid description of why a general geometer would care about projective geometry and why such an ostensibly plain setup is truly rich in structure and ideas. Here, we see regular polyhedra again, from a different perspective. One of the high points of the chapter is the discussion of Schlafli's Double-Six, which leads to the description of the 27 lines on the general smooth cubic surface. As is true throughout the book, the magnificent drawings in this chapter immeasurably help the reader.
A particularly intriguing section in the chapter on differential geometry is Eleven Properties of the Sphere. Which eleven properties of such a ubiquitous mathematical object caught their discerning eye and why? Many mathematicians are familiar with the plaster models of surfaces found in many mathematics departments. The book includes pictures of some of the models that are found in the Göttingen collection. Furthermore, the mysterious lines that mark these surfaces are finally explained!
The chapter on kinematics includes a nice discussion of linkages and the geometry of configurations of points and rods that are connected and, perhaps, constrained in some way. This topic in geometry has become increasingly important in recent times, especially in applications to robotics. This is another example of a simple situation that leads to a rich geometry.
It would be hard to overestimate the continuing influence Hilbert-Cohn-Vossen's book has had on mathematicians of this century. It surely belongs in the "pantheon" of great mathematics books.
Customer Reviews:
Many beautiful things.......2007-01-12
This is a marvellous book. I will illustrate by one sample from each chapter (except chapter 1 on "the simplest curves and surfaces" which is the least exciting chapter). Chapter 2 on "regular system of points" contains a beautiful derivation of Leibnitz' series pi/4=1-1/3+1/5-1/7+... If we draw a large circle centred at the origin then of course a good measure of its area is the number of integer points it contains. Now, for any such point, x^2+y^2 is an integer less than r^2. So the number of such points can be obtained by going through all integers less than r^2 and counting how many times it can be written as the sum of two squares. But this is a classical problem in number theory and the solution is known. So this number theoretic result essentially tells us the area of a large circle, so it implies an expression for pi, namely Leibnitz' series. Chapter 3 is on projective geometry. We go through many projective configurations that are not seen very often today, but still the classics are the best, such as Desargues' theorem. If we have a triangular pyramid and cut it with two planes to get two triangles then the three points of intersection of the extensions of corresponding sides will or course be on a line (the intersection of the two planes), which is the three-dimensional Desargues' theorem. But by projecting the triangles onto one of the walls of the pyramid we get two projectively related plane triangles and the theorem holds for them also. All we have to do to prove the plane Desargues' theorem is to prove that all such configurations can be obtained in his way (i.e. that one can always erect an appropriate pyramid based on two projectively related plane triangles) which is practically obvious. Chapter 4 is on differential geometry. The fundamental concept of differential geometry is curvature, which is a number that indicates how curved a surface is at a given point. It may be defined as follows. We draw a little circle around the point on the surface and consider all the normals to the surface at these points. Take these normals and put them with their origin at the center of a sphere; then they will sweep out a section of the surface of the sphere. The curvature is the ratio of the area enclosed on the surface and that on the sphere as the circle is taken infinitesimally small. This quantity is seen to be invariant under bending by triangulating the surface; then the the circles are polygons with fixed angles and the theorem follows from the fact that the area of a spherical triangle is determined by its angles (proof omitted here; see any Stillwell geometry book for Harriot's beautiful proof (a.k.a. "Euler's proof")). Now, there are two fundamentally different types of points. Either the surface bends in the same direction in every direction, as on a sphere, or it bends in different directions like a saddle. In the first case the boundary on the sphere traced out by the normals has the same orientation as the boundary on the surface; in the second case the orientation is reversed. So, using signed area, the second type of points have negative curvature. A typical surface will have areas of positive curvature and areas of negative curvature and in between there will be lines of zero curvature. An absolutely wonderful, although perhaps not entirely successful, application of this concept is Klein's Apollo Belvidere hypothesis that the curves of zero curvature on a human face determine beauty. Chapter 5 on kinematics contains a determination of the curve that "we may observe ... every day in cups and tin cans when the light shines on them", i.e. the coffee cup caustic. With the sun at x=-infinity, the radius that makes an angle theta with the x-axis will point to a point where the angle of reflection is also theta. Consider a concentric circle of half the radius, and another circle with the other half of the radius as its diameter. The arc cut out of the inner circle by the radius and the x-axis is equal to the arc cut out of the outer circle by the radius and the reflected ray (arc with central angle theta in the big circle = arc with central angle 2*theta in the small cirlce). The shape of the caustic follows by rolling the outer circle on the inner. The reflected light rays are tangent to this curve since they are perpendicular to the line connecting the generating point with the center of motion (intersection of the two circles). From chapter 6 on topology one nice result is that any continuous mapping of a disc onto itself has a fixed point. For suppose it did not. Then any point in the circle can be connected with its image by an arrow. Now consider the point on the boundary. The arrow direction varies continuously as we walk once around the circle, and it end up where it started so it must have made an integer number of revolutions. But there is also a tangent at each point, and the tangent of course make one revolution as we walk once around. The arrows always point to some point in the disc so they could never point in a direction parallel to the tangent so the arrows in fact have to make one revolution also (they would have to be parallel to the tangent for a moment to overtake it, and if they stood still they would be parallel to the tangent "at six o'clock" so to speak). But if we consider the same situation for a concentric circle inside the disc then it too must have arrows making one revolution because the number of revolutions can not make jumps since the new circle is obtained by continuous shrinking of the circumference circle. But as we shrink this circle to infinitesimal radius then all its arrows point in the same direction, so they don't make one revolution, so we have a contradiction. One sees similarly that a continuous mapping of the sphere onto itself also has a fixed point. Since the projective plane is the sphere with diametrically opposite points identified this proves that any projective transformation has a fixed point.
Don't expect to find it "easy.".......2006-12-24
I agree that this book, co-authored by the co-greatest mathematician of the first quarter of the twentieth century, is a masterpiece to be treasured and kept in print, as other reviewers have stated.
However: The Preface states: "This book was written to bring about a greater enjoyment of mathematics, by making it easier for the reader to penetrate to the essence of mathematics without having to weight himself down under a laborious course of studies."
All I can say is that if you read this and find it "easy," then you have terrific mathematical talent! Yes, the drawings and the intuitive descriptions are helpful, but much of the book is so obscure that I have been told that one of the world's leading geometers is working on an annotated edition explaining what the authors were talking about. On topics which I had already studied elsewhere, I found the presentation illuminating.
I still recommend this book.
Beautiful, Rewarding, and Deep........2003-07-21
I have some 47 books in the geometry section of my shelves. If I had to discard 40 of these, Geometry and the Imagination would be among the 7 remaining.
Geometry is the study of relationships between shapes, and this book helps you see how shapes fit together. Ultimately, you must make the connections in your mind using your mind's eye. The illustrations and text help you make these connections. This is a book that requires effort and delivers rewards.
A glimpse of mathematics as Hilbert saw it.......2001-11-09
The leading mathematician of the 20th century, David Hilbert liked to quote "an old French mathematician" saying "A mathematical theory should not be considered complete until you have made it so clear that you can explain it to the first man you meet on the street". By that standard, this book by Hilbert was the first to complete several branches of geometry: for example, plane projective geometry and projective duality, regular polyhedra in 4 dimensions, elliptic and hyperbolic non-Euclidean geometries, topology of surfaces, curves in space, Gaussian curvature of surfaces (esp. that fact that you cannot bend a sphere without stretching some part of it, but you can if there is just one hole however small), and how lattices in the plane relate to number theory.
It is beautiful geometry, beautifully described. Besides the relatively recent topics he handles classics like conic sections, ruled surfaces, crystal groups, and 3 dimensional polyhedra. In line with Hilbert's thinking, the results and the descriptions are beautiful because they are so clear.
More than that, this book is an accessible look at how Hilbert saw mathematics. In the preface he denounces "the superstition that mathematics is but a continuation ... of juggling with numbers". Ironically, some people today will tell you Hilbert thought math was precisely juggling with formal symbols. That is a misunderstanding of Hilbert's logical strategy of "formalism" which he created to avoid various criticisms of set theory. This book is the only written work where Hilbert actually applied that strategy by dividing proofs up into intuitive and infinitary/set-theoretic parts. Alongside many thoroughly intuitive proofs, Hilbert gives several extensively intuitive proofs which also require detailed calculation with the infinite sets of real of complex numbers. In those cases Hilbert says "we would use analysis to show ..." and then he wraps up the proof without actually giving the analytic part.
If you find it terribly easy to absorb Hilbert's THEORY OF ALGEBRAIC NUMBER FIELDS and also Hilbert and Courant METHODS OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS, then of course you'll get a fuller idea of his math by reading them--but only if you find it very easy. Hilbert did. And that ease is a part of how he saw the subject. I do not mean he found the results easily but he easily grasped them once found. And you'll have to read both, and a lot more, to see the sweep of his view. For Hilbert the lectures in GEOMETRY AND THE IMAGINATION were among the crowns of his career. He showed the wide scope of geometry and finally completed the proofs of recent, advanced results from all around it. He made them so clear he could explain them to you or me.
A Book to Put under Your Pillow.......2000-10-20
There might be less than 10 mathematics books in the world that I am glad to put under my pillow when I go to sleep. And this book is one of the top three.
Book Description
Explains the methods that rocket scientists use—expressed in a way that could be applied in everyday life. The book illustrates the methods (the 7 secrets) with anecdotes, quotations and biographical sketches of famous scientists, ideas from sci-fi, personal stories and insights, and occasionally a bit of space history. The author reveals that rocket science is just common sense applied to the extraordinarily uncommon environment of outer space and that rocket scientists are people, too.
PRAISE FOR BOOK
It’s really great!—Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Lunar Module Pilot, First Manned Landing on the Moon
"People of Earth…Attention!" Jim Longuski's book takes you on a journey of exploration to that nearly infinite space between the ears and behind the brows of that most mysterious of all creatures—the rocket scientist! Going well beyond the oft-used aphorisms, where no writer has gone before, he shows you how these gifted individuals think, feel, work, play, fantasize, rationalize, laugh and cry. From the glories of their epoch-making achievements to the tragedies of their magnificent failures, it is all here, told with insight, humor, objectivity and personal perspective. Without being preachy, lessons are offered that apply to anyone seeking to make professional or personal life just a little bit more successful and fun. I just couldn't set this book down!—Robert Cesarone, Rocket Scientist, Voyager Navigator, Space Communications Architect
This book is a must read for everyone—not just those who think they want to know how Rocket Scientists think. Do not be scared off by the title; it’s a delightful and wonderfully useful easy read.—Dr. William J. O’Neil, Galileo Project Manager, 1990-1998, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Customer Reviews:
Inappropriate Personal Space Shuttle Vendetta.......2007-06-04
As a "rocket scientist" (or rather, "rocket engineer") myself, I find Longuski's basic pointers about how to think like a rocket scientist very accurate. In fact, I'd give this book 5 stars if it was only full of these pointers.
However, I am extremely disappointed by Longuski's use of this book to embark on a personal vendetta against the Space Shuttle. While I agree with some of Longuski's points, they are frequently made with sarcastic language and by presenting incomplete information (certainly not the objectivity one would expect from a rocket scientist).
The book's subtitle should be "or How I Learned To Continue Worrying and Hate the Space Shuttle." At least if that were the subtitle, Longuski's Shuttle discussions would be a little more appropriate.
Give yourself a Rocket Scientist makeover.......2007-05-16
This book isn't about how to make a thruster fire, or how to launch a spaceship into interstellar space. It's about the process of making the orderly, logical decisions that could get you there.
Most of us don't make decisions about million-dollar rocket designs. But anybody can make a bad decision based on faulty logic, incomplete data or simple boneheadedness. Wrong thinking can cause aspects of our careers and personal lives to veer dangerously off-course, like a fueled-up rocket with its thrusters firing sideways.
Dr. Longuski's book is full of common-sense, high-functioning rationality. It gets my enthusiastic endorsement!
Not for rocket scientists.......2007-04-05
If you are a rocket scientist (and I sort of am), you will find this book shallow and disappointing. In fact, if you are of a scientific turn of mind in any way, this book will contribute nothing to your approach to problems. And, even if you are not scientificaslly oriented, I fail to see how this book will help you. I know it is not expensive, which is why I was thinking of getting this book for my 16 year old grandson, but I never passed it along because he would just laugh at the trivial and banal examples. It isn't even amusing.
A book for all thinkers and dreamers.......2007-02-17
If you have ever wondered about the universe, been entertained by science-fiction or faced a challenging problem, then this book is for you. I found it to be both fun and informative. Most importantly, it made me smile!
Secrets of a Rocket Scientist.......2007-01-22
This is fun reading, and since I am a rocket scientist, I found the advice to be "right-on."
Book Description
Contemporary critical studies have recently experienced a significant spatial turn. In what may eventually be seen as one of the most important intellectual and political developments in the late twentieth century, scholars have begun to interpret space and the embracing spatiality of human life with the same critical insight and emphasis that has traditionally been given to time and history on the one hand, and social relations and society on the other. Thirdspace is both an enquiry into the origins and impact of the spatial turn and an attempt to expand the scope and practical relevance of how we think about space and such related concepts as place, location, landscape, architecture, environment, home, city, region, territory, and geography.The book's central argument is that spatial thinking, or what has been called the geographical or spatial imagination, has tended to be bicameral, or confined to two approaches. Spatiality is either seen as concrete material forms to be mapped, analyzed, and explained; or as mental constructs, ideas about and representations of space and its social significance. Edward Soja critically re-evaluates this dualism to create an alternative approach, one that comprehends both the material and mental dimensions of spatiality but also extends beyond them to new and different modes of spatial thinking.Thirdspace is composed as a sequence of intellectual and empirical journeys, beginning with a spatial biography of Henri Lefebvre and his adventurous conceptualization of social space as simultaneously perceived, conceived, and lived. The author draws on Lefebvre to describe a trialectics of spatiality that threads though all subsequent journeys, reappearing in many new forms in bell hooks evocative exploration of the margins as a space of radical openness; in post-modern spatial feminist interpretations of the interplay of race, class, and gender; in the postcolonial critique and the new cultural politics of difference and identity; in Michel Foucault's heterotopologies and trialectics of space, knowledge, and power; and in interpretative tours of the Citadel of downtown Los Angeles, the Exopolis of Orange County, and the Centrum of Amsterdam.
Customer Reviews:
Applied Lefebvre.......2001-08-07
This book is not a bad book. It is an overly unoriginal one. An understanding of Henri Lefebvre's work on space (particularly _The Production of Space_) is required to understand what Soja is saying. Yet, if you have read Lefebvre, you probably do not need to read this book. About 1/3 of _Thirdspace_ consists of quotes from Lefebvre with a few conclusionary remarks made by Soja.
Soja's pastiche of Lefebvre quotes claims to explain two trialectical relationships. The first is the trialectics of being (p. 71), consisting of historicality, sociality, and spatiality. The second is the trialectics of spatiality (p. 74): perceived, conceived, and lived. Thank goodness for the helpful diagrams on these pages. They are the only parts of the theory sections that aren't based on long quotes from Lefebvre, White, Foucault, hooks, and any other person that Soja has read in the last 20 years. If you need original arguments about how space is performed, constructed, and lived, read one Soja's sources (especially "Production_).
The original arguments come when Soja leaves the realm of theory construction and turns to application. His reading of space and place in postmodern Los Angeles makes an important leap in spatial theory... it applies theory to something people can understand. If you have visited a large city, Soja's reading of L.A. will make sense, and make Lefebvre clearer. This is the most useful function of _Thirdspace_.
Although this book is not theoretically new or interesting, it gets some extra stars for having practical relevance... something that most theoreticians could use more of.
Book Description
"Funkenstein's powerful essay belongs to that genre of intellectual history which has addressed itself to... the metaphysical foundations of modern science. As such, it is almost exclusively concerned with affinities and tensions between ideas. And traced they are with consummate skill... Liberation from naive conceptions of historical continuity gives Funkenstein leave to concentrate on a finely nuanced exegesis of those philosophers who fall within his purview. The result is a work of discernment and distinction."--J. H. Brooke, The Times Higher Education Supplement
Book Description
Anyone who gambles, plays cards, loves puzzles, or simply seeks an intellectual challenge will love this amusing and thought-provoking book. With wit and clarity, the authors deftly progress from simple arithmetic to calculus and non-Euclidean geometry. "Charming and exciting." — Saturday Review of Literature. 169 figures.
Customer Reviews:
Math Puzzles That Challenges the Brain.......2006-11-10
I am thoroughly enjoying the challenges to my brain that I am finding in this book. it was well worth the price I paid
Enjoyable.......2006-11-06
If you like mathematics and how numbers and formulas work, it's worth having a look.
Great for high schoolers with interest.......2003-12-06
My only complaint is its lack of rigor and the fact that it is getting rather out-of-date; besides that, this is the sort of book that everyone interested in math should read while they're in high school.
Indulge your enjoyment of mathematics and expand your mind.......2001-11-05
My school teacher gave me this book to read when I was 13 years old, based on the interest I showed in Mathematics that went beyond the curriculum at school. In many ways it was way beyond my comprehension at the time, but little did I know that it would have such a lasting effect on me. Reading about concepts of infinity, that you could only describe to a fellow teenager as "different sizes of infinity", I realized that there really is a philosophy of mathematics that transcends all other subjects and that there is also an art to working with the subject. I can't recommend this book enough, and I never did give it back to my teacher!
Somewhat dated but still well worth reading.......2001-06-13
Originally published in 1940, the material in this book is beginning to show a little age. However, the quality of the writing renders those defects to near irrelevancy. Popular descriptions of mathematics are differentiated by the quality of the writing rather than the distinctiveness of the mathematics, and this one shines.
I like this book, starting with the title. It takes an enormous amount of imagination to do mathematics, something unappreciated by the public. It is easy to understand the use of linear segments to approximate the length of a curve. However, it requires an enormous leap of abstraction to believe that if they are made of zero length and then summed up, the result is the true length. Calculus students dutifully record and apply this, but in most cases don't appreciate the significance of the idea. In nearly all cases of major mathematical advancement, a fundamental change in thought processes was necessary. Those changes require imagination and the advances explained in this book are well documented and described.
Mathematicians are containers of some of the greatest concentrations of imagination that humans possess. Their leaps of abstraction often include descriptions of objects that cannot be visualized. Kasner and Newman capture this essential ingredient, serving it up in palatable portions.
Book Description
Stimulating and often startling discussions between three friends, all highly original thinkers: Rupert Sheldrake, controversial biologist, Terence McKenna , psychedelic visionary, and Ralph Abraham , chaos mathematician. Their passion is to break out of paradigms that retard our evolution and to explore new possibilities. Through challenge and synergy they venture where few have gone before, leading their readers on an exciting journey of discovery. Their discussions focus on the evolution of the mind, the role of psychedelics, skepticism, the psychic powers of animals, the structure of time, the life of the heavens, the nature of God, and transformations of consciousness.
"Three fine thinkers take us plunging into the universe of chaos, mind, and spirit. Instead of leaving us lost, they bring us back with startling insights and more wonder than we knew we had." -Matthew Fox, Original Blessing and Sheer Joy
"A jam-session of the mind, an intellectual movable feast, an on-going conversation that began over twenty years ago and remains as lively and relevant today as it ever was. Sadly, Terence had to leave the conversation a little earlier than planned. But the appearance of this book of trialogues at this critical, historical juncture is a reaffirmation of the potency of the optimistic vision that the trialogues express." -Dennis McKenna, brother of the late Terence McKenna
Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of many books including The Sense of Being Stared At, And Other Aspects of the Extended Mind. Ralph Abraham is a mathematician, one of the pioneers of chaos theory and the author of several books including Chaos, Gaia, Eros: A Chaos Pioneer Uncovers the Three Great Streams of History. The late Terence McKenna was a scholar of shamanism, ethno-botanist, psychedelic researcher and author of many books including Food of the Gods and True Hallucinations.
Customer Reviews:
Evolutionary Mind - Profound! - Thank You.......2006-01-18
I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've ever read, truly mind-expanding, profoundly important in every way. The breadth of knowledge brought to the subjects through the trialogues was awesome. I was first attracted to the book by Terence McKenna, who I love; this was my first exposure to Rupert and Ralph (the combo is great!). For any McKenna fan this book is essential to your collection, full of new material not found in his other works.
Not To Worry..........2005-08-19
I had been waiting for someone to come along and put a note up about this recently released book and comment on whether it was essentially just "Chaos, Creativity and Cosmic Consciousness" repackaged.
Finally, I took the plunge and ordered it and I am happy to say that no, it is not the same book as "C, C and C." The chapters in this book feature further talks by the three thinkers at Esalen.
However, I'm pretty sure that the content in both this book and "C, C and C" were included in the original publication "Trialogues at the Edge of the West" - but since that book has been out of print for years, it's unlikely that many would have it.
if you liked 'what the bleep' you'll love this book.......2005-07-11
What a great read! like a rollorcoaster through a cosmos of meanting, these three great minds explore the dimensions of trancendental attractors, end-time apocalyptic visions, the psychic powers of animals, the nature of time, God and a letter from the Christian mystic Father Bede Griffiths who was Sheldrake's spritual guide. These famous 'trialogues' recorded at Esalen also reveal a touching portraint of an intellectual friendship grown ripe over the years of testing each others mettle. Also, recommended is Chaos, Creativity and Consciouness by the same authors.
Book Description
Just saying the words Star Wars evokes images of whooshing light sabers, Luke Skywalker's landspeeder racing above the sand, and epic battles between the forces of good and evil that take place in the farthest reaches of space. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination explores how George Lucas's incredible use of science and technology may have presaged-and at times directly influenced-the future of life on Earth and beyond.
From commercial space flight and super-speed trains that levitate by magnetism to robot servants and microscopic nanorobots that perform surgery internally, scientists inspired by Star Wars are taking fictional ideas and turning them into reality. In the next twenty years, human soldiers will be outfitted like stormtroopers, impervious to chemical weapons and equipped with superhuman endurance. Such advances, while monumental, also raise huge ethical questions. The book gives voice to the scientists and creators of the technologies whose stories describe the complexities and consequences of such advances.
Perfectly timed to coincide with the DVD release of the final film in the prequal series and to take full advantage of the 9-city exhibition as well as Star Wars's cross-generational appeal, Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination will delight both fans of the films and the technologically savvy.
Books:
- The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Three-Dimensional Geometry and Topology
- Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health
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- Using Antibodies : A Laboratory Manual : Portable Protocol NO. I
- Using Multivariate Statistics
- When Time Began: Book V of the Earth Chronicles
- A Room of One's Own
- Algebra and Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry (11th Edition with CD-ROM)
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
Books Index
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20th Century
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Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law
The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe
Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design
Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes
