Book Description

Bachelard uses his extensive knowledge of poetry of Poe, Blake, Shelley, and Nietzsche to amplify the image of the airy elements. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Learn to fly
If you've never been taught to fly, this is a great place to learn.Bachelard will show you how to discover your buoyancy, remove your reliance on the intellectual feathered wings of angels, and make a pure leap into thin air, supported only by dreams.It's one hell of voyage to take with this wonderful man.It's frequently bewildering, and oftentimes leaves one longing for the solid ground of a more traditional discourse.But if you can find your way through the poetic fog to meet Bachelard on his own terms, you may be lucky enough to rediscover the boundless terrain that is poesis, to unleash your imagination from intellect's grasp, and then discover verticality as you take flight in the metaphor that is subtle air, as I did.Warning: This is no book for the literal minded. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Utterly fascinating, The Modern Creation Trilogy is the definitive work on the subject, and a must for anyone interested in the study or origins. Read about the easy capitulation by theologians confronted with Charles Darwin‘s evolutionary theories, or the mysterious Babylonian creation story, Enuma Elish. Find out what the Bible says about dinosaurs, Noah’s flood, and Christ’s firm acknowledgement of the importance of Genesis. This project covers all the bases, and as a beautifully bound set, makes the perfect gift for believers and even unbelievers.

• Volume One: Scripture & Creation - 232 pages - Evidences found throughout the Bible for special creation.

• Volume Two: Science & Creation - 343 pages - Examines only the scientific facts.

• Volume Three: Society & Creation - 208 pages - The effects on society of a pervasive evolutionary philosophy. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is a good book.
This is a good book. It is well-written and easy to read. The author offers a well-founded world-view. He reveals the falsehood of evolutionism using scientific facts. Reading this book will be interesting and challenging. I'm a graduate student majoring in applied mathematics.

Pseudo Science
This is a great book if you have zero understanding of science and are willing to accept anything to build up a story to support unfounded beliefs. It is probably acceptable to discredit science entirely and then adhere to a literal interpretation of genesis 1 and 2. However, it is absolutely sinful to call it "science" and thereby make Christians look like fools. The authors of this book clearly understood the science they were converting into voodoo. (See the section on thermodynamics and entropy.) Shame on them!

A must have for any critical thinker
This is a fantastic set for anyone who doesn't wish to be whitewashed by the the education and "science" establishments regarding the origins of mankind. Piece by piece, these three books dismember the straw man that is evolutionary "theory."

Where other books, such as Phillip Johnson's "Defeating Darwinism," lightly touch the tangle of evolutionary theory, these delve into it in depth. Nevertheless, the uninitiated will have little trouble understanding that the evidence (as presented by evolutionists, mind you) really favors the creation model. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Overview of Cognitive Science
This book was recommended to me by a cognitive scientist researcher at my university as the single best thing I could read to obtain an up-to-date overview of what's going on in cognitive science. The book lived up to this promise. I found it an excellent, scientifically and philosophically informed, treatment of this topic. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Gripping, fascinating expose of fraud by a courageous scient
How many books on human fossils begin with a dangerous high speed chase through the streets of Paris, complete with mysterious pursuers in sports cars? (If you don't believe me, read chapter one.) What are gripping descriptions of a drive-by shooting and a bizarre murder of an innocent scientist doing in a book on the dull topic of ancient fossil remains? What is this, Indiana Jones Meets James Bond?

I had read several of Dr. Cuozzo's technical and popular papers on the subject of human origins, and had high expectations for this book. It exceeds them. What I was not expecting was the ferocity and tactics of evolutionists seeking to suppress the evidence Dr. Cuozzo presents.

This is more than a dry book of science. It reveals the all too human side of paleoanthropology. When the famous British scientist, Lord Zuckerman, doubted whether there was much science to be found in the field of human fossil research he was hinting at the degree to which evolutionism, philosophic beliefs and assumptions distort what the public is taught about the evidence.

This book is the stuff of which Kuhnian scientific revolutions are made. A poorer explanation of the place of Neanderthal in the human family tree has been replaced by a superior one. Moreover, Cuozzo's findings of degeneration from Neanderthal to modern man mesh well with everything we know from empirical evolutionary biology. (C.f. Dr. Lee Spetner's book, Not by Chance) We are not evolving up from a primordial soup, but rather down from the Garden of Eden.

May change the way you look at the world
This is a fantastic scientific book. Other reviewers have said "The author never explains how he knows that Neanderthals are the equivalent of 600 year old humans". This reviewer must not have read the book because Cuozzo goes in depth into his reasoning using such evidence as jaw bone angles, tooth decay, skull growth rates, etc. He has clearly laid out the science, it is NOT unsupported.
Another reviewer says "If the author's speculations were correct he would be recognized and supported by open mind public and by the majority of experts". Is that right? The public is all open minded and the consensus of scientists is infallible? Check the history books!
Don't let these reviewers discourage you from reading this fantastic book. Cuozzo has done a great amount of research on these fossils, and gives a great amount of documentation in the book. This book may change the way you look at the world and humanity.

A new look at an old man
Recent first-hand examination of the Neanderthal skulls by orthodontist Jack Cuozzo has provided convincing evidence for a new theory. By using x-ray photography and precise measurements on the original skulls (both of adult and children's specimens), and by interpreting this with over 30 years of practical experience in the field of orthodonics, Cuosso has determined that the distincitive features of Neanderthals were indicitive of slow maturity over an extended lifespan.

In other words, the Neanderthals were very old - not in terms of their place in history - but in lifespan: the adults were hundreds of years old at the time of death. It is a little-known fact that the human skull continues to grow, albeit slowly, in adults today. Since both the Earth's environment and the human race have degenerated considerably since Creation, aging brings adaptations and deformities in tissue growth, including that of the facial bones. The distinctive features of the Neanderthals were caused by bone growth subject to the stresses of living hundreds of years in this environment.

Although the book is written in a rather rambling style, the research is solid, and the author presents convincing arguments for his case.

Someone get a shovel...
...because after you read this book you are going to want to throw yourself or this book into the first hole you find. This *could* have been a good book. Had he actually stuck to the 'facts' he might have managed to sway a few people on the fence to the Creationist side. However, since he didn't just stick to the 'facts' (and I use the term loosely), what you end up with is a book that is a cross between Austin Powers, Conspiracy Theory, and Forensic Odentology 401. If you are one of the 'persecuted Christians' who has been diagnosed with a martyr complex: this is the perfect book for you! If you are a normal Christian who wants to read up - stick with 'Bones of Contention' (Yes, its all been refuted - but at least 'Bones' doesn't read like Frederick Forsythe on drugs). Jack baby, if someone really wants you out of the way, especially an entity like the government (of whatever country you choose), they ARENT just going to chase you around in sports cars, mix up phone numbers to 'get you where they want you' or attempt a measley break-in.

I'm just glad I found this book used. I was curious about it when I read a few of the reviews, and I attempted to keep an open mind but it is incredibly hard to take someone so paranoid seriously. Its sad actually - the author of this book sounds like quite a competent man, and well learned in his field. It's a real shame he seems to have fallen victim to the whole persecution/conspiracy thing...the whole victim mindset made it hard to actually focus on his 'facts'.

Evolutionists, Anthropologists, etc - if you want a good laugh, check it out.

(...).

(...)

Difficult Reading
As a Christian homeschooler who teaches advanced theories of origin I would not recommend this book. There is good science here, particularly in the original theory on Neanderthal Man, but the overall presentation of the book is technical, disjointed, and sometimes pedantic. The author makes an interesting case that there is a scattered evolution Establishment that suppresses important data, but the attempt to make his professional work a personal drama is overblown. He also makes the mistake of falling into sarcasm and ridicule when discussing his detractors. This book would be better if the theory and its supporting data were more organized and crisply presented and the dramatics left to the margins. ... Read more

Book Description

Gerald Schroeder, an MIT-trained scientist who has worked in both physics and biology, has emerged in recent years as one of the most popular and accessible apostles for the melding of science and religion. He first reconciled science and faith as different perspectives on a single whole in The Science of God. Now, in The Hidden Face of God, Schroeder takes a bold step forward, to show that science, properly understood, provides positive reasons for faith. Recent research in biology, chemistry, physics, and neuroscience contains unmistakable hints about the ultimate nature of reality. Simply put, we now know not only that behind matter lies energy, but also that behind energy lies wisdom. Scientists have touched on this wisdom in the laboratory, and its implications are awesome.

From the wisdom encoded in DNA and analyzed by information science, to the wisdom unveiled in the fantastic complexity of cellular life, to the wisdom inherent in human consciousness, The Hidden Face of God offers a tour of the best of modern science. Schroeder makes no attempt to "prove" the existence of God. Yet his interpretations of the work of his fellow scientists touch on life's ultimate mysteries. His wise observations on the organization of organic life, on the power of humans to make sense of their sensory inputs, and on the complexities of the code of DNA all show that life has a direction and purpose that cannot be explained in purely physical terms. Throughout, he addresses three great themes: the question of first causes (i.e., where do the laws of nature come from?); the inseparability of mind and matter; and the philosophical problem of design. To believe that a designer must have been involved, he reminds us, we need not insist on perfection or on our view of perfection in the design.

The Hidden Face of God will open a world of science to religious believers, and it will cause skeptics to rethink some of their deepest beliefs. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Science Meets Theology
Gerald Schroeder, with his unusual background (expertise in biology and physics, and a very broad knowledge of world religions)is one of those rare people with the qualifications to write a book such as this. And it's a good thing, too, in an age where the empiricism of many scientists minimizes or eliminates the role of God in our universe. His main thesis--that science helps us uncover the hidden code in creation which clearly reveals that God is more than just a Creator--is demonstrated by his own experience and that of other scientists as well as by illustrations of God's plan inherent in the world around us.
I've read this book twice and I will probably read it yet again. Along with Paul Davies's book The Mind of God, this book is a must for anyone wishing to explore the ways science can prove God's existence and plan.

The link that ties science and religion to the bewildered.
I thought Maimonides "Guide to the Perplexed" would come close to letting me understand God... but it didn't.. only opened up even more perplexing problems with my observations of the universe and the religious view of "what it all means". Schroeder's book tied together many thoughts and concepts that have bothered me for many years and suddenly made it seem, as it should, that these are indications of the work of this universal "higher order". Schroeder's insight was the key to me understanding the relationships I knew where there in thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and classical physics in trying to understand of God. The "conciousness" of a bunch of chemicals in the biological world had to be imbued by an influence, and that influence certainly couldn't have come from within the universe! Maybe after reading this book, it makes sense to reread some Kabalist works...

Worth the Groundwork
As is hinted at by other reviews, the first 70% of the non-appendix material in this book is groundwork. I had to persevere in reading that groundwork because it is thick with details, many of which I was already familiar with. Perhaps I am over-stressing formality, but his constant and eventually predictable exclamations (essentially: "Isn't that amazing! Such wisdom!") following many explanations of complex natural phenomena were distracting. But it is important to note (despite the opinions of a reviewer below) that this is not his argument.

Despite these detractions, the book makes some excellent connections.

His argument carries a depth that recognizes the physical difficulties that lay to rest popular superstition about the nature of reality. It is grounded in reason with a silent recognition of realities that many of religious tenure are reluctant to adopt: the big bang, some form of evolution, the grounding of "self" in the physical brain, and the lack of Biblical commentary on the existance of an afterlife.

As in The Science of God, he still battles the Neo-Darwinian view of gradual evolution; his perspective on the issue (shared by other commendable researchers) offers important questions that gradualists have yet to answer: where are the transitional life forms in the fossil record and how can the mathematical improbability of random evolution be explained? The complexity in life that Schroeder highlights in his groundwork illustrates the difficult case for random evolution.

But an examination of the complexity and "wisdom" of the universe alone is not sufficient proof for God. So comes the final 30% of Schroeder's examination and he makes an interesting case.

According to the informed opinion based in empirical observation of the scientific community at large, the physical universe is based in the metaphysical. The basis for matter is energy and the basis for energy is what appears to be information. Schroeder argues that this information is the wisdom that pervades and unites the universe, you and I included. To come in touch with that unity is to come in touch with heaven.

His definition of (or attempt at understanding if you prefer) God is not simplistic (physicists are often accused having simplistic understandings of what they mean by God). Schroeder places God's metaphysical existance in both the non-thing that preceded this universe from which the physical was born and the wisdom that is inherent in nature.

While reading the first half of this book, I was, as a reviewer below warns against, psychologically precommitted. I was once vehemently on the side of existance but changed sides for the sake of objectivity. What I found was that I wasn't giving Schroeders arguments full consideration. To say "I am an atheist" or "I am a christian" or "I am a skeptic" and enter this argument with the intent to stagnantly keep his line of thought at arm's length, waiting to be convinced, rather than actively internalizing the argument, giving it the strongest defence, and THEN weighing its value (as anyone with intent for objectivity should do), is to discard this argument, likely unconvinced, without even understanding it. Don't ignore parts you don't understand because you don't think they have bearing on the question. If you have not internalized the scientific detail, how can you know whether it is relevant?

He is not looking for rabbits in spider holes: he is making an argument about the nature of reality and from an understanding of reality (the best scientific understanding we can have of it at present), he is making the inference that underlying wisdom is an inherent quality of reality. And he makes a strong case for it.

A First Rate Teacher
Schroeder is a wonderful teacher. He sees the sublime in science and his prose is at times beautifully poetic. He delves in both the macrocosm as well as microcosm using both to show that there is an inherent design to the universe and the life within it. This is a book that is well suited to those who would run from the usual creationist palaver yet feel that all of the wonder we see in this universe has to be more than an accident.

Reductionism and teleology.
Noted Israeli physicist Gerald Schroeder presents a compelling case that our universe is readily reducible to simply this -- an immaterial wisdom. "The solidity of iron is actually 99.9999999999999 percent startlingly vacuous space made to feel solid by ethereal fields of force having no material reality at all." And what is that tiny portion of an "atom" of matter that we describe as supposedly being "matter", that is, the quarks and electrons? They are incredibly precise (i.e., specified) packets of 'frozen' energy, highly tuned to interact with these highly tuned "ethereal fields." It seems that such objects are essentially intellectual constructs, as are all the "objects" of the so-called particle zoo. We call "something" a quark (or a photon, electron, etc) only because we can assign a certain behavior to "it". But what is "it"? Apart from saying that "it" is specified information, nobody knows. Within the quantum mechanical framework, these "objects" are essentially mathematical objects. As Einstein told us, what we call matter is merely condensed ("frozen") energy. And it turns out that energy is merely information. But what incredibly elegant information it is! (If it were not, neither people nor stars nor any "material" thing could exist). The materialist paradigm of our age is decidedly uneasy with the revelation that "matter" is but an elegant creation of a nonmaterial and extra cosmic entity. Why should we have an "Elegant Universe"? Philosophical pre-commitments seek a "blind" non-thing as an explanation, actually demanding a clumsy series of explanations other than the theist's Creator. (Interestingly, this approach is mislabeled "reductionism" and/or "positivism"!) "Consider the 'coincidences'" of nature's wisdom, asks Schroeder, and explanations other than a wise Creator "must seem a bit forced," even to the atheist.
The only detraction that I will offer is that the author subscribes to a kind of 'process theology'. Overall, this may be a minor problem. Schroeder's central thesis is itself elegant (and modestly eloquent, and yes, obvious to anyone who isn't psychologically pre-committed to rejecting it out of hand). ... Read more

Book Description

Recent years have seen the rise to prominence of ever more sophisticated philosophical and scientific critiques of the ideas marketed under the name of Darwinism. In Uncommon Dissent, mathematician and philosopher William A. Dembski brings together essays by leading intellectuals who find one or more aspects of Darwinism unpersuasive. As Dembski explains, Darwinism has gathered around itself an aura of invincibility that is inhospitable to rational discussion—to say the least: "Darwinism, its proponents assure us, has been overwhelmingly vindicated. Any resistance to it is futile and indicates bad faith or worse." Indeed, those who question the Darwinian synthesis are supposed, in the famous formulation of Richard Dawkins, to be ignorant, stupid, insane, or wicked.

The hostility of dogmatic Darwinians like Dawkins has not, however, prevented the advent of a growing cadre of scholarly critics of metaphysical Darwinism. The measured, thought-provoking essays in Uncommon Dissent make it increasingly obvious that these critics are not the brainwashed fundamentalist buffoons that Darwinism’s defenders suggest they are, but rather serious, skeptical, open-minded inquirers whose challenges pose serious questions about the viability of Darwinist ideology. The intellectual power of their contributions to Uncommon Dissent is bracing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Depth, Breadth and Clarity
In any field marked by an endless proliferation of droning monographs and marred by polemical debates, a collection of honest and well-thought essays written by various authors is always refreshing. Each contributor has a unique perspective, and because the essay format allows each one only limited space in which to express his or her views, the writing tends to be clear and punchy. And if the collection is skilfully compiled, it can reveal a broad spectrum of viewpoints while baring the cutting edge of the field in full gleam. Uncommon Dissent realizes all of these advantages.

Uncommon Dissent is divided into four sections: (1) A Crisis of Confidence, (2) Darwinism's Cultural Inroads, (3) Leaving the Darwinian Fold, and (4) Auditing the Books. The oddly-numbered sections contain three essays each; the even ones contain four each. Section 1 deals with the question of why an increasing number of people question Darwinian premises and conclusions. Section 2 deals with the effect that these premises and conclusions have had and are having on society and culture, largely through the offices of public and higher education. Section 3 deals with the intellectual transformations of three contributors (Behe, Denton and Barham) who have embraced and rejected Darwinism at different times in their lives. Finally, Section 4 - in my opinion, the section of greatest scientific and philosophical interest - deals with the internal and external consistency of Darwinism, offering more detailed analyses of the profoundly circular relationship between Darwinian premises, models, and conclusions.

The highlights of the book will be different for everyone. For me, they are too numerous to list here. A few of my favorites: an interview with world-class mathematician Marcel-Paul Schutzenberger, whose intelligence positively glitters off the page as he succinctly explains the mathematical failings of Darwinism vis-a-vis the critical dependence of biological science on various branches of applied mathematics (Section 1); an eye-opening expose on the failings and inequities of peer review by physicist Frank Tipler (Section 2); the wars fought between religious faith and scientific orthodoxy in the minds and careers of Michael "irreducible complexity" Behe and Michael Denton (Section 3); and every one of the essays in Section 4. Of particular interest to me in Section 4 were Roland Hirsch's evaluation of findings from the Human Genome Project, and an uncommonly penetrating discussion in Chapter 13 (Christopher Langan) of problems and potential solutions in the modeling of causal processes.

Finally, I think it appropriate to caution potential readers against overly pejorative, polemical or dismissive reviews. The kind of person who could write that kind of review regarding this kind of book is the kind least likely to have given it a fair reading, or having read it, to have fairly evaluated its contents. Accordingly, the complaints and motives of anyone impugning the contributors' intellectual honesty or denying the scientific relevance of their analyses should be viewed with suspicion. Not only do some of its authors write eloquently and with stunning honesty regarding their personal intellectual journeys, but the book also contains original and deeply-thought analyses of the models, methods and reasoning processes commonly employed by Darwinian scientists. Such analyses are both original and scientifically relevant; if they are not classified as "science" in the most restrictive sense of the word, then the word should be rethought, and in fact this point is one of many that the book convincingly makes.

As those familiar with the evolution controversy are already well aware, the Darwinism-versus-ID debate is politically supercharged. As in all politically-charged debates, those with the heaviest axes to grind are often the first to leap onto their own side of the balance in hopes of flinging the other side right off the beam. Obviously, this is not how scientific or public opinion should be shaped; meaningful opinions are formed not through the preemptive closing of minds by those whose minds are already closed, but only after close attention has been paid by all concerned to all sides of the debate. It would be well to remember this before giving much weight to the opinions of people who are plainly attempting to discourage a fair hearing for the opposition, especially when some of "the opposition" do not so clearly fit that description.

This book is worth every one of the five stars I'm giving it. If I had to choose one book from the entire library of books written on the "anti-Darwinian" side of the evolutionary debate - and after reading chapter 13, for example, I'm not so sure that "trans-Darwinian" wouldn't be a better descriptor - this would be it. It offers the clearest writing, the greatest variety of perspectives, some of the deepest insight, and holds the reader's attention like few others in the genre. Very highly recommended.

Uncommonly Excellent . . .
"Uncommon Dissent" is a great read. The contributors to the volume provide critiques of the neo-Darwinian synthesis from a variety of angles. Accordingly, the best way to read the book is to look at the table of contents, flip to the back to read about the contributors, and then choose the chapter that seems the most compelling. This is the way I've read it and have found it entertaining and rewarding.

Besides the great look, feel, and organization of this volume from ISI, readers will get a bracing charge from the sheer controversy inside. Challenges to Darwin have long been stock material in religious bookstores, but since the publication of "Darwin on Trial" well over a decade ago, the critiques have become increasingly sophisticated. "Uncommon Dissent" captures much of the best critical material.

Although many of the chapters are worth special mention, the best is the last, which is a reprint of a famous Commentary essay by David Berlinski. His arguments are rhetorically devasting and come from a non-religious point of view. As much fun as his piece is to read, the letters written in response to it and his responses to them constitute a spectacular battle of the brainiacs with Berlinski returning fire magnificently.

If you are interested in the "evolving" controversy over biological origins, "Uncommon Dissent" is an indispensable addition to your collection. ... Read more

Book Description

Alan Turing was one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. In 1935, aged 22, he developed the mathematical theory upon which all subsequent stored-program digital computers are modeled. At the outbreak of hostilities with Germany in September 1939, he joined the Goverment Codebreaking team at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire and played a crucial role in deciphering Engima, the code used by the German armed forces to protect their radio communications. Turing's work on the version of Enigma used by the German navy was vital to the battle for supremacy in the North Atlantic. He also contributed to the attack on the cyphers known as 'Fish,' which were used by the German High Command for the encryption of signals during the latter part of the war. His contribution helped to shorten the war in Europe by an estimated two years. After the war, his theoretical work led to the development of Britain's first computers at the National Physical Laboratory and the Royal Society Computing Machine Laboratory at Manchester University. Turing was also a founding father of modern cognitive science, theorizing that the cortex at birth is an 'unorganized machine' which through 'training' becomes organized 'into a universal machine or something like it.' He went on to develop the use of computers to model biological growth, launching the discipline now referred to as Artificial Life. The papers in this book are the key works for understanding Turing's phenomenal contribution across all these fields. The collection includes Turing's declassified wartime 'Treatise on the Enigma'; letters from Turing to Churchill and to codebreakers; lectures, papers, and broadcasts which opened up the concept of AI and its implications; and the paper which formed the genesis of the investigation of Artifical Life. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For some artificial intelligence researchers, Minsky's book is too far removed from hard scienceto be useful. For others, the high-level approach of The Society of Mind makes it a gold mine ofideas waiting to be implemented. The author, one of the undisputed fathers of the discipline of AI, sets outto provide an abstract model of how the human mind really works. His thesis is that our minds consist of ahuge aggregation of tiny mini-minds or agents that have evolved to perform highly specific tasks. Most ofthese agents lack the attributes we think of as intelligence and are severely limited in their ability tointercommunicate. Yet rational thought, feeling, and purposeful action result from the interaction of thesebasic components. Minsky's theory does not suggest a specific implementation for building intelligentmachines. Still, this book may prove to be one of the most influential for the future of AI. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A must-read if you are interested in how the mind works.
The fundamental assumption underlying the principles in the book is that the mind is a result of many small and independent pieces that act in a predictable way and CANNOT think for themselves - but that the result (the mind) CAN think. Of course, the title 'The Society of the Mind' is not a good fit to the ideas in the book because Society and its parts (individual minds) can BOTH think.

But leaving these kind of simple inconsistencies and incongruencies (I discovered at least a couple after some deep thinking) to the side, this book makes for an absolutely fascinating read if you are interested in the subject of how the mind works. The approach is very unique, and the ideas are thought provoking. There are 270 components in the book grouped into 30 chapters and each component takes up 1-2 pages to explain the idea and some basic logic supporting the idea presented in that component. The book has 339 pages in case you are wondering (including the index).

The format of the book makes it very convenient to pick up the book once in a while and read 5-6 ideas in a 15 minute sitting. Of course, to get the most benefit from the book, you have to read one chapter at a time as each chapter contains ideas that are interconnected. The best approach would be to finish reading the book in 2 or 3 sittings so you can connect all the ideas. The author does warn you at the beginning that there are a lot of cross-connections between the different ideas that you may miss. You have to take this advice into consideration and pay extra attention to connecting the ideas in order to get the real theory that the author is trying to communicate. He never actually explains the theory in a nutshell. He leaves it to the reader to come to some conclusions that hopefully will match the author's theory.

Marvin Minsky cofounded the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT and this book gets accolades from some very well known and popular figures like Douglas Hofstadter, Michael Crichton, and Gene Roddenberry.

The book has numerous thought experiments that are fun to do! There are also references made to the works of some very eminent scientists and thinkers. The best part about the book is the simplicity of Dr. Minsky's theory on how the Mind works. The second best part about the book is the really elegant way he explains his theory.

The first downside to the book - the actual theory is never explained explicitly but contained implicitly in the different ideas presented throughout the book. The second downside to the book - there isn't clear logic backing some of the ideas and you have to take the author's word for it.

My opinion in a nutshell - this is a book definitely worth buying for your personal book collection. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book for several years now and even though I personally disagree with some of the ideas in the book (you may quickly find yourself feeling the same way), I believe that it is a beautiful work. Enjoy reading this book, you won't regret the time or the few dollars spent.

A Challenge from Minsky to Think Different
In the Society of Mind, Marvin Minsky advocates that the human mind is composed of a number of various networked agencies (or societies). He discusses a number of different areas (psychology, linguistics, reasoning, child development, computer science, humor, etc.) in the context of this mind-agency theme.

Minsky also assigns names to a number of other entities in our brains that he discusses. He calls these b-brains, k-lines, polynemes, pronomes, isonomes, trans-frames, uniframes, etc. They are all unified via this agency-thread. In any case, much of the work in the book is not originally Minsky's. However, the book serves as a collage of essays (all written by Minsky) which express Minsky's unique perspective on the mind and the work of others in these areas, namely Seymour Papert and Jean Piaget.

I recommend the Society of Mind to anyone interested in psychology or the human-computer interaction (HCI) and artificial intelligence (AI) sub-disciplines of Computer Science, or in looking at life in an esoteric way. In addition, a potential reader needs to be able to tolerate a book which is long and talks about a number of different areas, but by the end has really not made any concrete conclusions. In this book, Minsky states (describes) some obvious things (phenomenon) in complicated / drawn out manners. However, he does provide interesting perspectives on certain things. Minsky challenges us to think about common things in unique ways.

Marvin Minsky was the 1969 ACM A.M. Turing Award winner.

Reasonable instead of AI
Marvin Minsky are great scientist, but he and the crowd are mistaken.
Intelligence can't be artificial. Only system could.
My definition for reasonable system is
"System is reasonable if it could define it's own behavior by own representation of the World accessible to it."

Cognition is an illusion. No entity could be named "Conscious". That term could serve only as tag on the systems satisfying given above definition. My E-mail: szeldich@netzero.net

a modern "The Origin of Species"
like Darwin's epiphany- Minsky's genius has revealed an idea that once understood- it is almost unquestionable- and makes you shout "Of course! how could I have not seen it!"

We are all greatly indebted
I was interested in AI for many years, and read hundreds of papers or books on the subject. After I found this book, I thought I wasted much time.

The book is about methodology of finding things out, and building things up.

Many researchers wrote books about AI or other sciences, and describe the philosophy in a different context. However, they are just the same thing presented in new fashions. And unfortunately, seldom give him the credit. An extreme example is the now best selling ANKOS by Wolfram, which is just an application of Minsky's theory with some variations, on some different problems!!

Scientific theories in the deepest sense are all based on the same philosophy -- building up complicated things from simple things. And the mathematician Minsky was the first to put all that simple-complicated theory all together in a concise small book, in a philosophic way, and for science people.

The philosophy can be applied to many fields, not only AI. It's also a philosophy of problem solving and modeling. Or, even how to study philosophy!

The book is quoted more often in philosophy papers than AI.

I recommend this book for all people who love knowledge. ... Read more

Book Description

Thomas Berry is one of the most eminent cultural historians of our time. Here he presents the culmination of his ideas and urges us to move from being a disrupting force on the Earth to a benign presence. This transition is the Great Work -- the most necessary and most ennobling work we will ever undertake. Berry's message is not one of doom but of hope. He reminds society of its function, particularly the universities and other educational institutions whose role is to guide students into an appreciation rather than an exploitation of the world around them. Berry is the leading spokesperson for the Earth, and his profound ecological insight illuminates the path we need to take in the realms of ethics, politics, economics, and education if both we and the planet are to survive. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

One of the Great Prophetic Minds of our age!
Tom Berry has been called the "Bard of the New Cosmology" and so he is! His thoughts challenge those rooted in authoritarian structures and flatland awareness. His views challenge those who find extreme security in their myths and dogmatic positions. These people have made a career of striking back with an authoritarian thunder when challenged with a more comprehensive unfolding of the Cosmos. Berry's explication brings science and religion together without authoritative fiat rooted in dogma--what Ken Wilbur calls "Deep Religion." Deep religion honors the developmental spirial of conciousness and the EXPERIENTIAL awareness that mystics are privy to and speak of so eloquently and forcefully. Berry's book brings the enviornmental crisis in focus and calls for human transformation of every aspect of human unfolding: political, educational, corporate, sociological, and religious. It is no wonder those who remain rooted in the systems of the Earth's demise so forcefully attack this Great and surely Prophetic Man.

One of the two or three most important works I've read
Most people who love the Earth and fear its demise will relate to and devour this book. You may labor at times, but the fruit is abundant. You'll understand more clearly the deep causes in our cultural evolution that have put the Earth at risk. The solution is an immense undertaking, but Berry reminds us there's hope, and that we aren't alone. The human community, and more importantly, the larger life/Earth/Universe community, is available and at work, in us. How can it not be, when it was those communities from which we came? The developing universe, as Berry writes. When you adequately understand the causes of the problems, when you can identify them both outside and within, you move in a better direction. Berry provides an un-numbered, un-listed direction, one that is heard with more than the rational mind. Yet, he articulates better than I could have imagined. He gives an immense hope and guides toward that most important of all energies at this time, the psychic energy necessary for confronting and walking forward, for preparing oneself for real action, real work. That is a big thing. If you have wrung your hands at the seeming impossibility of correcting the wrongs done to the Earth, read this book. Berry doesn't give you concrete things to do, his words work into your creative area, your reflective mind, your spirit.
The folks who reacted negatively in review of this book missed the point or had other expectations. They almost kept me from purchasing The Great Work. I'm glad I bought it. It's one of the two or three most important works I've read.

Godless, biocentric, and New Age
Thomas Berry promotes a "new story" of the universe, also known as the "Earth story," "Universe story," or "new cosmology." The new cosmology essentially is a bio-centric, Godless, New Age, and scientific account of creation, rather than a God-centered religious story. Sadly, Berry is widely promoted as a Catholic author, yet there is nothing Catholic about this book. In fact, the book is generally critical of Christianity and Western Culture. During our time of environmental crisis, we need to turn to God, the Creator of the universe. This book will only steer us away. Save your money. There are better Christian faith and ecology books out there.

Over-generalized, overly-abstract, anti-human bluster
The 5-star reviews are not wrong in their content, only in their rating. The low reviews are incomplete, probably because the reviewers don't care to expound... I'm guessing there would be several more negative reviews if this book didn't generate such a "-bluh-" feeling in the reader.

I consider myself a pragmatic environmentalist... this book simply had no substance for me, nothing to grab onto. There are almost no anecdotes, just abstract talk about how people should remove themselves from the top rung of the evolutionary chain, and step down to the level of all other species (should dolphins and chimpanzees do the same?). Berry bemoans almost every aspect of organized human life (which implies some psychological issues in the author), but offers no suggested replacements or improvements. Even where he draws on the example of nature, his obvious selectivity makes no effort to find understanding in how humans may have diverged from our natural family. It's just one general, abstract gripe session after another.

And this just goes on and on and on. I'm not a speed-reader, but after the first half, I found myself able to read a page every 7-8 seconds. It just looks the same, reads the same... check this book out from the library first, and see if you agree.

If you want hope, if you want -tools-, if you want ideas, if you want a notion of how life could look, not just a summary of how it -shouldn't- look, I might recommend to you Dee Hock's "Birth of the Chaordic Age"... but definitely something other than "The Great Work". And I'm so sorry to have to say that... Thomas Berry seems like a nice, caring person... but he doesn't provide anything beyond (or even approaching) the great authors from the late 19th century.

Not as great as the reviews make it seem.
This book is...different. I got it looking for some ANSWERS on how to help our current Earth situation. It gave me ONE that will work. (A waste management idea. Not one I was WISHING for. Not something I can do.) All others were a little too mumbo-jumbo along the lines of holding hands and looking at the stars together. It does offer reasons why our situation must change but is nothing in comparison to Daniel Quinn's works. Read his instead. ... Read more

Book Description

Throughout history, humans have dreamed of knowing the reason for the existence of the universe. In The Mind of God, physicist Paul Davies explores whether modern science can provide the key that will unlock this last secret. In his quest for an ultimate explanation, Davies reexamines the great questions that have preoccupied humankind for millennia, and in the process explores, among other topics, the origin and evolution of the cosmos, the nature of life and consciousness, and the claim that our universe is a kind of gigantic computer. Charting the ways in which the theories of such scientists as Newton, Einstein, and more recently Stephen Hawking and Richard Feynman have altered our conception of the physical universe. Davies puts these scientists' discoveries into context with the writings of philosophers such as Plato. Descartes, Hume, and Kant. His startling conclusion is that the universe is "no minor byproduct of mindless, purposeless forces. We are truly meant to be here." By the means of science, we can truly see into the mind of God. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Packed full of contemporary physics; not for everyone
"The Mind of God" would be a great book for someone interested in theoretical physics and the evolution of ideas related to questions of existence. Author Paul Davies wanders through a multitude of different angles related to contemporary thought in the realm of physics and mathematics, and how explanations can be arrived at to describe creation, nature, and numerous scientific laws. Many great thinkers, past and present are cited, and it is easy to see how extensive debate can arise as scientific and philosophic thought evolve from developing theories.

For someone who is seeking a link between Judeo/Christian thought and scientific explanation, this book is not likely what you're looking for, and will not be easy to read for those who are unfamiliar with cosmology, causation theories, quantum physics, logic and mathematical processes. Though I have a basic understanding of the above, I still found it hard to concentrate and grasp all the physics theories. The tie-in between scientific application and biblical history wasn't there. The 3-star rating doesn't mean this book isn't good; I just happened to be expecting something different.

This is indispensable reading for truth seekers.
With lucidity and wit, prolific writer Paul Davies, aprofessor of mathematical physics, surveys the history of science, philosophy and mathematics to try to answer the human race's deepest questions. While acknowlegingthe possibility that the universe might be a meaningless fluke, Davies convincingly argues that the existence of consciousness in the universe cannot be "a byproduct of mindless, purposeless forces." Though he is not religious in a conventional sense, Davies believes that the rationality of the universe, the fact thathumans can understand how the universe works, is evidence ofpurpose and meaning. Particularly fascinating is Davies' meditations on mathematics. Davies points out that the fact that the universe's deepest laws can beexpressed mathematically strongly suggests that thereis more to our world than meets the eye.Anyone who has ever looked at the night sky and wondered if our lives have a purpose should read this book. Thoughtrained as a scientist, Daviesis as familiar with Leibnitz, Kant, and Aquinas as he is with the latest developments in quantum physics. He also provides a fun and thought-provoking chapter on Virtual Worlds and Real Worlds. Truly a delight to read.

Fascinating, with a qualification...
In a word, fascinating. Wonderfully lucid account of what modern cosmology and science tell us about the origin and nature of our universe. However, in my view, Western science is very much limited by its own, unquestioned, metaphysical assumptions. Many of which I think Davies has innocently swallowed. Don't get me wrong, Davies is a brilliant man, and a masterful writer. I just think he's hamstrung by the unquestioned metaphysical assumptions of the Western science that he's had years of training in, and made his career in.

The main flaw with Western science is that it generally assumes (without analysis) that there is a physical reality which exists independently of our perceptions and conceptions, but which we can still somehow know by means of those same perceptions and conceptions. This is a metaphysical position that cannot, in fact, withstand analysis. For those who wish to know more on this point, I'd direct them to a wonderful book called Choosing Reality, by B. Alan Wallace. It's a very fond wish of mine that Davies would read that book and tell me what he thinks!

Too many assumptions!
This is a good book overall, but if never quite focus too well and it leaves the subject at the end with way too many assumptions that will make you feel like you have been running in circle and never really got nowhere. Overall: Decent to Good.

A Disappointment
Mathematical physicist Paul Davies offers a grand synthesis of the possibility of a "theory of everything" vis-à-vis physics - leading to the nature of physical laws, mathematical jargon, and philosophy by exposing various perspectives of the existence of the universe. Written with a general audience in mind The Mind of God presupposes no prior knowledge of math, physics, computer science, etc., which makes it easy for the reader to stay afloat.

Davies's purpose is to broaden the horizon and enhance the perspective of his readers. He does this by laying down a mathematical framework of reality from a physicist's point of view for a better understanding of our world and the universe in which we live. A framework, like a model, is something worth remembering when one confronts a situation. Davies's situation offers a scientific perspective to finding a rational explanation and meaning in a universe that is persuasively personal and subjective.

Davies's book takes two but interrelated directions. The first is an objective understanding of the universe to support his position of a "process thought" for adopting an open universe (this is what I accept also). The second is a subjective understanding of the universe that appeals to Davies's proposed religious-philosophical mysticism that our existence has a fundamental goal and existential purpose.

Davies says, "The future is not implicit in the present: there is a choice of alternatives. Thus nature is attributed a sort of freedom... This freedom comes about through the abandonment of reductionism" (181-182). Davies recognizes that "the world is more than the sum of its parts" and that physical systems are "the existence of many different levels of structure" (Ibid). Despite tensions of order and novelty of an open universe, Davies perhaps warrants his rationality of an open view, which powerfully personifies a being and a personal universe.

Thus, an openness of God is analogous to warranting a "process thought" to "open systems," which stresses the "openness and indeterminism of nature." Process thought, indeed necessitates the universe expanding or changing since it has been observable in being in flux and in the direction of becoming, in contrast to a "rigid mechanistic view of the universe," that the universe was once thought.

I now turn to Davies's second direction. And this is his appeal to a religious-philosophical mysticism that our existence has a fundamental goal and existential purpose. This second direction, once again, is interrelated to the first direction just mentioned above by the fact that one can truly have a meaningful existence (subjective authentic experience) in the world shared and lived in by others (objective universal reality) that one contributes to create and define.

By appealing to mysticism Davies takes his own leap of faith into the infinite "beyond" rational explanation by saying, "If we wish to progress beyond, we have to embrace a different concept of 'understanding' from that of rational explanation. Possibly the mystical path is a way to such an understanding" (232). It was rather disappointing to me that Davies abandoned his own scientific discipline of rational explanation of the universe in favor of embracing a religious mysticism. If Davies seeks to examine the great questions of existence by providing "an entertaining and provocative tour of recent developments in theoretical physics," he succeeds.

However, he fails his own work because he deconstructs his own work and "process thought" by resorting to a "mystical path" in the end. If it is Davies's intention to end his work open-ended on mysticism then he leaves knowledge open for the reader to discover his or her own meaning in the universe. In this respect, Paul Davies succeeds in writing a brilliant exposé and nothing more. ... Read more

Book Description

The great inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil is one of the best-known and controversialadvocates for the role of machines in the future of humanity. In his latest, thrilling foray into thefuture, he envisions an event—the "singularity"—in which technological change becomes so rapidand so profound that our bodies and brains will merge with our machines.

The Singularity Is Near portrays what life will be like after this event—a human-machinecivilization where our experiences shift from real reality to virtual reality and where our intelligencebecomes nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than unaided human intelligence. Inpractical terms, this means that human aging and pollution will be reversed, world hunger will besolved, and our bodies and environment transformed by nanotechnology to overcome thelimitations of biology, including death.

We will be able to create virtually any physical product just from information, resulting in radicalwealth creation. In addition to outlining these fantastic changes, Kurzweil also considers theirsocial and philosophical ramifications. With its radical but optimistic view of the course of humandevelopment, The Singularity Is Near is certain to be one of the most widely discussedand provocative books of 2005. ... Read more

Book Description

One of our great theologians, also a physicist, here sets a new agenda for religion’s dialogue with science

Most often, the dialogue between religion and science is initiated by the discoveries of modern science—big bang cosmology, evolution, or quantum theory, for example. In this book, scientist-theologian John Polkinghorne changes the discussion. He approaches the dialogue from a little-explored perspective in which theology shapes the argument and sets the agenda of questions to be considered.

The author begins with a review of approaches to science and religion in which the classification focuses on theological content rather than on methodological technique. He then proceeds with chapters discussing the role of Scripture, a theology of nature, the doctrine of God, sacramental theology, and eschatology. Throughout, Polkinghorne takes the perspective of Trinitarian thinking while arguing in a style that reflects the influence of his career as a theoretical physicist. In the final chapter, the author defends the appropriateness of addressing issues of science and religion from the specific standpoint of his Christian belief. His book provides an important model for theologians and scientists alike, showing how their two fields can inform one another in significant ways.



John Polkinghorne, F.R.S., K.B.E., is past president and now fellow of Queens’ College, Cambridge, as well as canon theologian of Liverpool. A quantum physicist who became an Anglican priest, he is one of only two clergypersons who are Fellows of the Royal Society. Among his many honors is the 2002 Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities.

... Read more

Book Description

In this short masterpiece, eminent scientist and theologian John Polkinghorne offers an accessible, yet authoritative, introduction to the stimulating field of science and theology. After surveying their volatile historical relationship, he leads the reader through the whole array of questions at the nexus of the scientific and religious quests. A lucid and lively writer, Polkinghorne provides a marvelously clear overview of the major elements of current science (including quantum theory, chaos theory, time, and cosmology). He then offers a concise outline of the character of religion and shows the joint potential of science of religion to illumine some of the thorniest issues in theology today: creation, the nature of knowledge, human and divine identity and agency. Polkinghorne aptly demonstrates that a sturdy faith has nothing to fear and much to gain from an intellectually honest appraisal of the new horizons of contemporary science. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Accessible
I thoroughly enjoyed this great book by John Polkinghorne. Polkinghorne's writing style is brilliant. The "Introduction" in the title and the book's small size deceived me at first; this book is no "quick read." Thankfully, the book is conveniently broken into small bite-sized sections, allowing one to absorbed and reflect on Polkinghorne's insightful work. This is Polkinghorne's most accessible work, and I highly recommend it.

Masterly summary of Science & Theology from a real expert.
John Polkinghorne is probably the greatest writer on science and religion to date - the only truly world-class scientist who has become a theologian. This book is his 'textbook' surveying the field, discussing other authors and providing a rounded view. Everyone seriously interested in ultimate questions should read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This book tells how quantitative ideas of chance have transformed the natural and social sciences as well as everyday life over the past three centuries.A continuous narrative connects the earliest application of probability and statistics in gambling and insurance to the most recent forays into law, medicine, polling, and baseball.Separate chapters explore the theoretical and methodological impact on biology, physics, and psychology.In contrast to the literature on the mathematical development of probability and statistics, this book centers on how these technical innovations recreated our conceptions of nature, mind, and society. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very limited discussion of differing theories of probability
Gigerenzer(G)does a B+ discussion of the particular items he is interested in covering ,such as the conflict between Neyman(Pearson)and Sir Ronald Fisher over significance levels and confidence intervals and their meaning.However, there is practically no,or a very limited,discussion of the subjectivist theory of probability(Ramsey and de Finetti)or of the logical theory of probability(John Maynard Keynes and Rudolf Carnap).A potential reader ,who is interested in either of the above mentioned approaches to probability ,is forewarned that his curiosity will not be satisfied by reading this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Trinh Xuan Thuan, whose books of popular science are bestsellers in France, is an astronomer by training. In Chaos and Harmony, he reaches well beyond the immediate bounds of that field to consider the explosion of scientific knowledge of all kinds in the 20th century, and he muses on the very nature of scientific inquiry.

The most important aspect of a theory of science, in Trinh's view, is not that it be verifiable experimentally, but that it "allow beauty and truth to emerge into one." General relativity is a hallmark in this regard. Unendingly rich in insight and implication, as well as "inevitable, simple, and congruent with the whole," it has enabled cosmologists to range across the whole of time and to conceive of such phenomena as black holes and curved space. Trinh applies his beauty-and-truth criterion to various problems, such as where the moon--the largest known satellite in the solar system--came from, how chaos theory can properly be applied to economic modeling, and why nature seems to favor symmetry. Along the way, Trinh pauses to remark on episodes in the history of science and to make gentle but provocative asides (for example, gainsaying Einstein to insist that God does indeed play dice with the universe). Elegant and lively, Trinh's book is a fine survey of contemporary scientific ideas and a look ahead at science's ongoing quest for a unifying Theory of Everything. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (7)

hard to decipher
As a reviewer below notes, this book is neoplatonism obscured by much well described science.

On page 332, the author writes-- "Our abitlity to do science and decipher the cosmic code suggests an intimate connection between the world of the mind and that of Platonic forms. The universe has produced human beings capable of understanding it. The loop is now closed. I believe that it did not happen by accident. ... The universe does have a meaning, and it is man who, by understanding it, bestows that meaning on it."

One must cover a lot of territory between the Foreword which only barely hints at the hidden Platonism and page 332. Such deciphering becomes extremely tedious...

General Information
Without getting into specifics you read Chaos, Symetry and Harmony. A good description of all modern theories and how they tie to Chaos without concrete reasoning. Yes Stock Market behaves like Chaos so what do you do with that, i could not get the answer. I would call it more like a summary of modern physics

Good popular science, but not really philosophy
Just so you get an idea of Dr. Thuan's philosophical viewpoint, he is a neo-Platonist (in the sense that he believes in a self-existing reality where mathematics "resides") and he believes that the universe was designed. He also thinks that determinism is bad. If you agree with any or all of these perspectives, you probably won't find any new reasons to support your viewpoint. If you disagree, you will probably find little here to convince you otherwise. This is not a philosophically original work.

But Dr. Thuan does offer an engagingly written (if brief) account of much of the history of modern physics--big bang cosmology, electromagnetism, special and general relativity, quantum mechanics, strong and weak nuclear forces, particle physics--as well as some fun topics like black holes and wormholes, and he teases the reader with short accounts of potential research areas such as superstring theory and supersymmetry. His treatment is nice since we get not only the results of modern physics, but also some sense as to how we got them in the first place, which is often missing in works of popular science.

My only complaints (other than the possibly misleading title) are:
* I wish he would have been a little more careful to distinguish the behavior of chaotic systems from the operation of "chaos theory" in Chapter 3.
* In Chapter 6 I wish he would have given more rigorous reasons than his personal incredulity for doubting that natural selection can account for the diversity of life. At least he could have gotten a biologist's perspective--he quoted quite often from physicists and mathematicians, so presumably it wouldn't have been very hard to get a relevant comment from a biologist.
* I found his comments on the "evils" of determinism in Chapter 7 to be distracting and beside the point, but perhaps others will see merit in them.

Overall, it's a good read if you want to get a general sense of some of the more important advances in physics, but if it's philosophy you're looking for, you could do better elsewhere.

What an amazing book!
I thoroughly enjoyed Xuan Thuan Trinh's approach to describing a modern view of the Universe. He ties many of the common themes underlying modern physics and science together. He also beautifully inter-weaves them together to give us all a better perspective on the advances that will come in the 21st century.

Vivid, accessible overview of the latest theories ...
A clear, eloquent, and graceful discussion of how recent scientifc discoveries impact our lives in more than just theoretical terms. Thuan begins with a wonderfully vivid, accessible overview of the latest theories about chaos, gravity, strange attractors, fractals, symmetry, superstrings, and the strangeness of atoms, and reveals how these discoveries have shaped our view of the universe. From the subatomic world to the vastness of quasars and galaxies, from the nature of mathematics to the fractal characteristics of the human circulatory system, Trinh Xuan Thuan takes us on a truly awe-inspiring tour of the universe as we know it today. With brilliant analogies that open up the strangest, often counterintuitive theories about all sorts of things most of us don't take the time to consider, what Thuan really shows readers in Chaos and Harmony is how science has actually restored mystery and amazement to the world around us. ... Read more

Book Description

This magisterial study of the philosophy of physics both introduces the subject to the nonspecialist and contains many original and important contributions for professionals in the area. Modern physics was born as a part of philosophy and has retained to this day a properly philosophical concern for the clarity and coherence of ideas. Any introduction to the philosophy of physics must therefore focus on the conceptual development of physics itself. This book pursues that development from Galileo and Newton through Maxwell and Boltzmann to Einstein and the founders of quantum mechanics. There is also discussion of important philosophers of physics in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and of twentieth century debates. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A comprehensive survey
This is an outstanding book about the conceptual development of modern theoretical physics, from Newton to Quantum mechanics, and its philosophical implications. The general slant of the work is mainly historical and philosophical, but it also makes extensive use of mathematics (calculus and vector spaces). A summary of the contexts may be in order here.

The first chapter provides some background to Newtonian physics. The second, discusses Newton's concepts of mass, force, space, time and gravitation, and finishes with a technical section on Lagrange's analytical formulation of mechanics. The next chapter is strictly philosophical and offers an assessment of Kant's contribution to philosophy of nature in his Critique of Pure Reason. The chapter devoted to the 19th. Century deals successively with Non Euclidean geometries, field theories, and thermodynamics. It also reserves a long section for the work of the scientists-philosophers: Whewell, Peirce, Mach, and Duhem. The chapter on relativity stresses the geometrical approach, providing a detailed account of Minkoski's spacetime. It follows a review of the philosophical problems of special relativity, such as conventionality of simultaneity or the twin's paradox, and briefer sections on general relativity and relativistic cosmology. The chapter on quantum mechanics is quite technical and a bit tortuous. It begins with the older formalism of matrix and wave mechanics, and then it presents the standard Hilbert space formalism. There is a thorough analysis of philosophical problems, including the EPR argument, the measurement problem, hidden variables theories and quantum logic.

The last chapter contains general philosophical reflections on the nature of