| UK | Germany |
| Home - Books - Science - Physics - General | Help | |
| 61-80 of 200 Back 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next 20 |
click price to see details click image to enlarge click link to go to the store
| 61. Chaos: Making a New Science by James Gleick | |
![]() | list price: $18.95
our price: $12.89 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0140092501 Catlog: Book (1988-12-01) Publisher: Penguin Books Sales Rank: 7420 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Amazon.com This is not a purely technical book. Instead, it focuses as much on the scientists studying chaos as on the chaos itself. In the pages of Gleick's book, the reader meets dozens of extraordinary and eccentric people.For instance, Mitchell Feigenbaum, who constructed and regulated his life by a 26-hour clock and watched his waking hours come in and out of phase with those of his coworkers at Los Alamos National Laboratory. As for chaos itself, Gleick does an outstanding job of explaining the thought processes and investigative techniques that researchers bring to bear on chaos problems. Rather than attempt to explain Julia sets, Lorenz attractors, and the Mandelbrot Set with gigantically complicated equations, Chaos relies on sketches, photographs, and Gleick's wonderful descriptive prose. Reviews (78)
Gleick accomplishes an impressive feat in his chronicle of chaos' brief history. He skillfully interweaves the characters, their ideas, and the interactions among characters and ideas into a seamless story so as to give the reader an accurate sense of how chaos theory evolved over the course of a couple of decades. While "Chaos" does not delve into the mathematics, it provides enough detail for readers with technical backgrounds to make the appropriate connections and develop a more complete understanding of chaos. Gleick also provides a thorough list of endnotes for additional reading. Enjoy. This book will both entertain and astound you.
Personally when I first read this book an year ago, I was able to comprehend that non-linear dynamics and chaos present a new set of tools to describe systems in all realms of science. The study of chaos contains key to understanding our nature better. Complexity is beautiful in form and patterns in chaos both awe and fascinate! An year later I am still trying to understand the technical details and mathematicals of chaos and nonlinear dynamics, but I feel an excitement for which I must thank Gleick! And not surprisingly, I have now moved to research with an open mind about possibilities in domains of nonlinearty. Like I Ching said, "Before the beginning of great brilliance, there must be chaos". Maybe as Gleick claims, Chaos will be rated just below relativity and quantum mechanics as the key discoveries of last century!! Read it: it is fun!
You can't always have the best of both worlds, though, and so at times, a more scientifically or mathematically reader will be frustrated with the lack of detail concerning some of the interesting concepts developed here. For example, Gleick mentions fractional dimensionality, but fails to really explain it well, probably assuming that it is beyond most of his readers. This is probably a safe bet for layman readers, but left me very frustrated in places. Also, Gleick's writing (praised as "novelistic") gets overly melodramatic in places, and the reader gets the distinct impression that he's trying too hard to make this book accessible. But even despite these flaws, this is an excellent introduction to chaos theory, and worth reading for scientists and laymen alike. This book makes you want to learn more about chaos theory, and does a good job at making chaos accessible. It was written over fifteen years ago, though, so a more recent book on chaos would be a good supplement.
| |
| 62. Introductory Quantum Mechanics (4th Edition) by Richard Liboff | |
![]() | list price: $100.00
our price: $100.00 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0805387145 Catlog: Book (2002-08-08) Publisher: Addison Wesley Sales Rank: 133335 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Reviews (15)
I found that I was able to understand most of it without access to a teacher to help me. My complaint with Dirac is that although it explains theory quite well, it doesn't privide problem solving techniques. Liboff's book is quite good for that. As for theory, although Dirac is more thorough, there were important gaps in my understanding after reading Dirac that were cleared up by Liboff. Liboff is easier to understand. In the fourth edition there is a new chapter on Quantum Computing. In my opinion, this chapter is extremely weak. Shor's algorithm for factoring integers is a probabilistic one, but this fact is not mentioned in the text. A probabilistic algorithm, simply stated, is one that does not always work. For instance Shor's algorithm fails to factor the number 9, but Liboff uses 9 as an example. In fact there is a definition of probabilistic algorithms in the book, but it fails to bring out the features that make Shor's alorithm understandable. Fortunately, this one bad chapter does not ruin the book.
| |
| 63. Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell by A. Zee | |
![]() | list price: $49.50
our price: $34.65 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0691010196 Catlog: Book (2003-03-10) Publisher: Princeton University Press Sales Rank: 21134 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Quantum field theory was invented to deal simultaneously with special relativity and quantum mechanics, the two greatest discoveries of early twentieth-century physics, but it has become increasingly important to many areas of physics. These days, physicists turn to quantum field theory to describe a multitude of phenomena. Stressing critical ideas and insights, Zee uses numerous examples to lead students to a true conceptual understanding of quantum field theory--what it means and what it can do. He covers an unusually diverse range of topics, including various contemporary developments, while guiding readers through thoughtfully designed problems. In contrast to previous texts, Zee incorporates gravity from the outset and discusses the innovative use of quantum field theory in modern condensed matter theory. Without a solid understanding of quantum field theory, no student can claim to have mastered contemporary theoretical physics. Offering a remarkably accessible conceptual introduction, this text will be widely welcomed and used. Reviews (25)
I just don't understand the two star review by someone who thinks this is one step up from popularization. First, I don't know of any books in that category that discuss and show calculations for field theory in curved spacetime, renormalization, the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron, basics of Chern-Simons Theory and TQFT, etc. Second, if it's rigor you want, say non-commutative C* Algebras and QFT, why would you expect to find it "in a Nutshell?" Try, for a bit more rigor, "The Mathematical Foundations of Gauge Theories" by Marathe & Martucci or the wonderful works of John Baez. Or go to Glimm and Jaffe's "Quantum Physics: A Functional Integral Point of View" for lots of rigor but almost nothing in four dimensions. De gustibus non disputandem est - but let us not get ridiculous. Joseph R. Dell'Aquila, Ph.D.
This text on quantum field theory is filled with charming psychology of physicists. It not only teaches up-to-date quantum field theory, but also tells readers how research is actually done and shows how to think about physics. For example, it is told how Yang-Mills theory was born out of a great mind in 20th century physics. It is also told how theorists and experimentalists live with each other. Readers can even know about how a life in physics is like, say, through the career of Confusio. These may belong to what people usually say `cannot be learned from books'. This book is in the same style as ``Fearful Symmetry'' and ``Einstein's Universe'', two `popular' physics books. I think one can recognize that they are written by the same author merely by reading the texts. I have to use quotation marks for the word `popular', as those two books geneuinely teach physics, with a same taste as this quantum field theory book except with less technical details. All the three books, by a special theoretical physicist, are classics.
One problem with learning QFT is that it is so easy to get lost in the mathematical details that the core physics concepts often get obscured. In my opinion, Tony Zee overcomes this particular problem quite successfully. He keeps algebra to a bare minimum, and tries to find the shortest route to the physics ideas. He chooses examples that illustrate concepts in the fastest possible way. The chapters are short. So refreshing! Each chapter has one or two core ideas. You can go through one in ten minutes (glossing over the math), and then you go back and do the math. Part I (first eighty or so pages) is called "Motivation and Foundation" and is a rapid introduction to QFT. It is also a summary and sweeping overview --- introducing path integrals and Feynman diagrams and making a very intuitive transition from Quantum mechanics to Field theory. The next three parts cover spin-1/2 particles (Dirac spinors), renormalization, and symmetry (breaking), standard fare for QFT texts. A sampling of condensed-matter applications is given in Parts V & VI, and then current high-energy topics are treated in parts VII & VIII. The applications make this text stand out. There is a selection of advanced current topics like the quantum hall physics, surface growth, string theory, D-branes and quantum garavity, not usually found in introductory field theory texts. Of course none of these topics can be done justice in a book at this level, but getting a taste of advanced issues is a great treat. Renormalization is discussed through a lively dialog between student Confusio, a female Smart Experimentalist (SE), and a senior (Egghead) theorist. Ode to Galileo! Section headings alternate between serious and hilarious --- one section is called "Wisdom of the son-in-law". The path integral formulation of quantum mechanics comes out of a conversation between a teacher and a "wise-guy" student, who happens to be Feynman. And so on and so forth. The net result is a book which is much easier, and more fun, to read than any of the other common QFT books out there. Tony Zee's skills as a popular physics writer have been used to excellent effect in writing this textbook. One more distinctive feature is that there is equal emphasis on condensed-matter and high-energy applications. Most QFT texts today, unfortunately, are so biased toward particle-physics that they tend to put off condensed-matter students. A. Zee has broken the mold! Is the treatment "over"-simplified? Maybe simplified, but not dumbed-down. The high concept-to-pain ratio certainly seems worth the simplification. Is this text only good as a supplement? Well, it is after all a "Nutshell", so maybe other texts are better for details. But as an introduction to QFT concepts, few other books match this. Wholeheartedly recommended. ... Read more | |
| 64. The Feynman Lectures on Physics Volumes 1-2 by Richard P. Feynman | |
![]() | list price: $59.95
our price: $37.77 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0738209244 Catlog: Book (2003-11-01) Publisher: Basic Books Sales Rank: 32631 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Basic Books is proud to announce the first volumes of the complete audio CD collection of the recorded lectures delivered by the late Richard P. Feynman, lectures originally delivered to his physics students at Caltech and later fashioned by the author into his classic textbook Lectures on Physics. Ranging from the most basic principles of Newtonian physics to such formidable theories as Einstein's general relativity, superconductivity, and quantum mechanics, Fenyman's lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. | |
| 65. Organometallic Vapor-Phase Epitaxy: Theory and Practice by G. B. Stringfellow | |
![]() | list price: $150.00
our price: $150.00 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0126738424 Catlog: Book (1999-05-15) Publisher: Academic Press Sales Rank: 527664 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description
Reviews (4)
| |
| 66. Introductory Physics, Building Understanding by JeroldTouger | |
![]() | list price: $128.95
our price: $128.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0471418730 Catlog: Book (2004-12-31) Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Sales Rank: 172102 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description | |
| 67. Introduction to Elementary Particles by DavidGriffiths | |
![]() | list price: $93.95
our price: $93.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0471603864 Catlog: Book (1987-03-01) Publisher: Wiley Sales Rank: 101889 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Reviews (9)
This book contains all the background that professors expect you to have already been exposed to: particle classification schemes, the November Revolution, relativistic kinematics, and fundamental force overviews. Griffiths then goes on to discuss Feynman rules, QED, QCD, electroweak and gauge theories. Griffiths also works out some essential problems, like muon decay, that you will want to see done, but I think it is done better by Lahiri and Pal (that, however, is a field theory book, which might be more advanced than is necessary to some people in particle physics). This is a great text for anyone starting out in particle physics and for anyone who needs to review the fundamentals. My only bone with Griffiths is that sometimes more of the work is left to the reader than is appropriate (those problems worked out in gory detail are a godsend when you genuinely aren't getting the point).
Griffiths' sly wit is in great evidence in this text, and this is one of the reasons why it is so enjoyable. Although he displays a similar witty vein in his other texts, it just doesn't succeed as it does for this book. If you want to be able to calculate particle decay rates and interaction cross sections and have fun doing it, Griffiths' book is an excellent investment.
How many typos can you find in chapter 9? There are many more questions like these to be asked about the Introduction to Elementary Particles. But, of course, five stars!
| |
| 68. The New Quantum Universe by Tony Hey, Patrick Walters | |
![]() | list price: $34.99
our price: $23.09 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0521564573 Catlog: Book (2003-10-23) Publisher: Cambridge University Press Sales Rank: 18984 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Reviews (6)
This book has plenty of beautiful pictures and illustrations of the technologies and experiements discussed. Each chapter is well written and a joy to read. Chapters include the following: 1) Waves Versus Particles 10) Death of a Star For a beginner, such as myself, it's the kind of book that's challenging in a good way. I found myself constantly wanting to pick this book up to read as much as I could. I was always looking forward to what was comming next. I highly recommend it for anyone curious about the subject matter.
The stated purpose of this book is to "present the essential ideas of quantum physics as simply as possible and demonstrate how quantum physics affects us all." After reading the book, I have to agree that Hey and Walters have succeeded on both accounts. They've achieved their goal by laying the book out in a careful and logical manner, including filling it with lots of informative and nicely made illustrates (on average, more than one for each page). The book begins by discussing the classical differences between waves and particles. Most of us have been introduced to quantum mechanics this way. First learning how quantum-mechanical objects act like "particles" some of the time, and "waves" part of the time. An important point made by the authors is that particles and waves are idealizations. In reality, quantum-mechanical objects cannot be described by any simple picture. Overcoming this conceptual obstacle is one of the first challenges for someone who is first becoming acquainted with QM. This is a point made by their careful discussion about the results and implications of double-slit experiments. This book has equations. Not many, and not too difficult (mostly just algebra). It's really written at a High School or Freshman College level. The ideas introduced are mostly qualitative. I think this makes the book an excellent introduction. I certainly wish I'd had something like this before taking my first QM class. Having a qualitative and conceptual understanding before diving into the mathematics is a more productive approach. Leaving the chapter on waves and uncertainty, the authors introduce the reader to the weird world of the uncertainty principle, which is the strange characteristic of quantum-mechanical objects that they don't actually have an exact position/velocity until it's measured. There's an excellent series of photographs that illustrate the uncertainty principle in a macroscopic object by using a sequence showing the probabilistic formation of a camera image over time. The book quotes often from Richard Feynman, and this chapter has an introductory description of Feynman's diagrams/quantum paths. These discussions lead naturally to the Schrodinger equation and matter probability waves. Again, there's a little mathematics here (the differential equation for a particle moving in one dimension, in a potential). The authors illustrate the tie-in with the macroscopic world by illustrating a photograph of some dust mites, made by using the quantum-mechanical nature of electrons. Chapter 4 is one of the best, in my opinion. It's about the structure of atoms. When this subject was first introduced to me over 35 years ago, the explanation faltered and it took several more years before I felt comfortable in my understanding. How I wish I'd had this book then. The explanation here is crisp and clear, and does a nice job of explaining the notation used for the different quantum-energy levels and how they relate to things like the angular momentum. How atoms are made affects our everyday lives. The fact that bosons and fermions have different statistical distributions makes a huge difference in how macroscopic objects behave. In fact, we would probably not be alive to notice how different the universe would be without these specific characteristics at the quantum level. One of the best examples is found in the life sequence of stars, where the quantum-mechanical structure of stars is inherently related to their evolution. There's an excellent chapter in this book that describes how stars work, how they are born, what makes them shine, and how they die. In each step, the laws of quantum mechanics govern the evolutionary process. Other topics covered include superconductivity, superfluidity, Feynman diagrams, Hawking radiation and black holes, the weak and strong forces, the Higgs vacuum, particle accelerators, lasers, monopoles, and quark confinement. The book also has several informative appendixes in the back, that supply additional mathematical information, including a simple solution to the Schrodinger equation. This book is a little like Chandrasekhar's book "Why Things Are the Way They Are," with a touch of the flavor found in Sam Trieman's book "The Odd Quantum." Both of these other books are among my favorite introductory texts, and "The Quantum Universe" sits on my bookshelf next to them. This is a well-written book that makes an excellent introduction for students, and enjoyable leisure reading by scientists and engineers who've already had a college class in quantum mechanics. The illustrations and photographs add to the expressive and clear writing style to make this a book I can heartily recommend
| |
| 69. Conformal Field Theory (Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics) by Philippe Di Francesco, Pierre Mathieu, David Senechal | |
![]() | list price: $109.00
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 038794785X Catlog: Book (1996-12-01) Publisher: Springer-Verlag Sales Rank: 522262 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Intended primarily for graduate students and researchers in theoretical high-energy physics, mathematical physics, condensed matter theory, statistical physics, the book will also be of interest in other areas of theoretical physics and mathematics.It will prepare the reader for original research in this very active field of theoretical and mathematical Physics. Reviews (3)
Congratulations for this nice book!
| |
| 70. Physical Science with New CD-ROM, PowerWeb and OLC Passcode Card by Bill W Tillery | |
![]() | list price: $110.63
our price: $110.63 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0072476338 Catlog: Book (2001-12-11) Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math Sales Rank: 273318 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description | |
| 71. Fundamentals of Physics by DavidHalliday, RobertResnick, JearlWalker | |
![]() | list price: $137.95
our price: $137.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 047122863X Catlog: Book (2002-04-19) Publisher: Wiley Sales Rank: 250248 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description The principal goal of Halliday-Resnick-Walker is to provide instructors with a tool by which they can teach students how to effectively read scientific material and successfully reason through scientific questions. To sharpen this tool, the Enhanced Problems Version of the sixth edition of Fundamentals of Physics contains over 1000 new, high-quality problems that require thought and reasoning rather than simplistic plugging of data into formulas. Reviews (4)
| |
| 72. Handbook of Heat Transfer by Warren M. Rohsenow, James P. Hartnett, Young I. Cho | |
![]() | list price: $165.00
our price: $165.00 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0070535558 Catlog: Book (1998-05-01) Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional Sales Rank: 358783 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Reviews (3)
| |
| 73. Physics, Chapters 18-32 by John D.Cutnell | |
![]() | list price: $86.95
our price: $86.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0471209392 Catlog: Book (2003-06-16) Publisher: Wiley Sales Rank: 172502 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description
| |
| 74. Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Volume II by Raymond A. Serway, Robert J. Beichner, John W. Jewett | |
![]() | list price: $98.95
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0030209692 Catlog: Book (1999-11-01) Publisher: Brooks Cole Sales Rank: 103603 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Reviews (12)
| |
| 75. Modern Cosmology by Scott Dodelson | |
![]() | list price: $70.00
our price: $70.00 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0122191412 Catlog: Book (2003-03-07) Publisher: Academic Press Sales Rank: 114411 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description
Reviews (4)
Couple Dodelson with Kolb & Turner's Early Universe text (which has some more in depth treatments of QCD- and high energy-related effects such as the axion), and perhaps with the old -- but still excellent -- Peebles book on large scale structure, and you're ready to hit the ground running in the literature. Especially commendable aspects of Dodelson's book: 1. A great literature review at the end of each chapter allows you to dip deeper (or clarify things.) Dodelson should also be praised for his evenhandedness. 2. His in depth solutions -- meaning, you and he crunch the algebra together down the page -- are a great antidote to the "it can be shown" attitude of many cosmology papers (and sometimes textbooks!)
1. The Standard Model and Beyond. The expanding universe, Hubble diagram, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), beyond Standard Model. 2. The Smooth, Expanding Universe. General relativity (crash course), distances, evolution of energy, cosmic inventory (photons, baryons, matter, neutrinos, dark energy, epoch of matter-radiation equality). 3. Beyond Equilibrium. Boltzmann equation for annihilation, BBN (neutron & light elements abudance), recombination, dark matter. 4. The Boltzmann Equations (BE). BE for harmonic oscillator, the collisionless BE for photons (0th and 1st order), collision terms: Compton scattering, BE for photons, BE for Cold Dark Matter (CDM), BE for baryons. 5. Einstein Equations. Perturbed Ricci tensor and scalar, two components of Einstein Equations, tensor perturbations, decomposition theorems, gauges. 6. Initial conditions. Einstein-Boltzmann equations at early times, the horizon, inflation, gravity wave production, scalar perturbations. 7. Inhomogeneities. Prelude, large scales (super-horizon & through horizon crossing), small scales (horizon & sub-horizon crossing), growth function, beyond CDM. 8. Anisotropies. Overview, large-scale anisotropies, acoustic oscillations (tightly coupled), diffusion (Silk) damping, inhomogeneities to anisotropies (free streaming, C_{l}s), anisotropy spectrum (Sachs-Wolfe, small scales), cosmological parameters. 9. Probe of Inhomogeneities. Angular correlation, peculiar velocities, redshift space distortions, galaxy clusters. 10. Weak Lensing and Polarization. Gravitational distortion, geodesics and shears, ellipticity, weak lensing power spectrum, polarization, quadrupole and Q/U (or E/B as in recent literatures) decomposition, polarization power spectra, detection of gravity waves. 11. Analysis. Likelihood function, signal covariance matrix, Karhunen-Loeve & optimal quadratic, Fisher matrix, mapmaking & inversion, systematics, foregrounds. Appendix A. Solution to Selected Problems In addition, each chapter is ended with a summary and further reading list. Quite nice indeed. The bibliography are extensive: there are classic, pioneering papers, recent papers, textbooks. There are some color plates in the middle part of the book. In my opinion, this book is far better than Peacock in discussing new aspect of anisotropies and inhomogeneities. Lots of topics that were only previously available in research papers, review articles, summer school lectures, preprints, are brought together to the form of a decent book. The chapter of analysis is quite interesting, since the subject has become very demanding but there are still no single treatment of it. Dodelson said in the preface that the expected audience are advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. Some of the necessary materials (GR, inflation, are introduced in the text). I myself suggests, however, that the reader should have a proficient knowledge in standard undergraduate physics (mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, quantum physics), mathematical physics, and general relativity if possible. Some knowledge of astrophysics/astronomy, statistics/data analysis, kinetic theory, would certainly be welcomed. A little bit of cons, however are inevitable. The current development in cosmology is astounding. Just a few weeks before the book was published, the WMAP team released their first result after a year of observations, which put tight constraints for cosmological models. Several numbers and figures in the book then are in the need to be updated. Topics such as distant quasars, cosmic reionization and the end of cosmic dark ages, first-generation stars, might be worthy enough to be included in the future. This book is definitely a must buy for cosmologist. Update 2003 July 8 home.fnal.gov/~dodelson/book.html Update 2003 September 8. 1) Kinetic theory in the expanding universe by Jeremy Bernstein, Cambridge, 1988, ISBN 0-521-36050-1. Best reference material to understand relativistic Boltzmann equation in Dodelson chapter 3-5. 2) The Early Universe by Edward W. Kolb and Michael S. Turner, Perseus/Westview, 1994, ISBN 0-201-62674-8. Contains extensive material on FRW metric, detailed discussion on nucleosynthesis and particle physics-cosmology interface, inflation, and structure formation. ... Read more | |
| 76. The Classical Theory of Fields : Volume 2 (Course of Theoretical Physics Series) by L. D. Landau | |
![]() | list price: $66.95
our price: $66.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0750627689 Catlog: Book (1980-01-01) Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann Sales Rank: 118553 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description
Reviews (15)
To put it simply, the derivation of Maxwell's equations are stunning. I have never seen a clearer, more convincing treatment. And as we have come to expect from this series, it is almost impossible to find any flaws(except for some typos which unfortunately still exist even in the most recent reprint.) The sections on radiation of electromagnetic waves and The treatment of relativity is very consice and it is rather unfortunate that we could not get a more detailed exposition on the subject from Landau. It would have been extremely interesting to see what Landau would have had to say had he written this section after the "Golden Area for Black Holes Rsearch" As it is the discussion of Relativity from, as is to be expected, a principle of least action(Hilbert Action) is very cleverly done. Every section of the book is very physically motivated rather than purely geometric arguments. Reading this book gives you a fairly good intuitive understanding for the actual physics involved rather than simply an ability to write and solve field equations. It might be a very good idea to read some sections of their Vol1. on Mechanics before attemting this book, with special attention to Chapters 1,2 and the last chapter on the Hamiltonian treatment. But all in all, this is probably one of my favorite books both in terms of contect as well as sheer elegance of presentation. A geneuine masterpiece.
The other weakness is rationalization. For example about the fact that maximum speed exists (almost on the first page). It looks like the speed limit is mathematically necessary, however it's not correct and logic of authors is flawed there. The phisical experiment only convince about existance of such a limit. ... Read more | |
| 77. The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life by Robert Becker, Gary Selden | |
![]() | list price: $14.95
our price: $10.17 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 0688069711 Catlog: Book (1998-08-05) Publisher: Perennial Currents Sales Rank: 28323 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Book Description Reviews (14)
For some reason those in who study life have elected to ignore Maxwell's work and concentrate on chemical reactions. As was pointed out back in the 1920's (and earlier even) this approach precludes life so it is no wonder that medicine has not advanced very far. Becker lays the groundwork for understanding ancient traditions such as Qigong (the Taoists certainly understood the concept of the energetic body) in addition to exposing the widespread pollution we are now exposed to. One wonders when people will wake up and realize that the electromagnetic pollution is no doubt doing at least as much as the chemical pollution in causing changes to the planet's biosphere. Excellent book in addition to the newer "Cross Currents".
My first exposure to Becker was a relatively unimpressive interview on 60 minutes when I was a boy. In college I watched this man's work almost singlehandedly bring back electrobiology, which (so said the books printed in the 80's) was dead. There is still much to do in this field. It's rare for an MD (no, he is not a PhD) to be able to figure these things out without having someone else tell it to him. That's a compliment, by the way. Hell, MD's keep saying the Atkins diet won't work, when bodybuilders and wrestlers have been using the same principles very successfully for decades. They just aren't progressive thinkers for the most part, but this guy has more to say (that you need to hear) than any PhD around today. His early article in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery(an early inspiration for my thesis) is cited here, as are several of his later articles, so it gives you leads to follow. If you are a scientist or are studying to be one, I recomend this as something very important to read between semesters. If you are a laymen that is either interested in science or just worried about the potential hazards of electromagnetic pollution, I recomend it as a starting point.
Incidentally Dr. Becker, far ahead of his time, is the king of stem cell research, however, he was hounded by the mainstream as his research would have put much of the wrong headed & self serving resea | |