Mathematics And The Natural Sciences: The Physical Singularity Of Life

Mathematics And The Natural Sciences: The Physical Singularity Of Life PDF Author: Giuseppe Longo
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 1908977795
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
This book identifies the organizing concepts of physical and biological phenomena by an analysis of the foundations of mathematics and physics. Our aim is to propose a dialog between different conceptual universes and thus to provide a unification of phenomena. The role of “order” and symmetries in the foundations of mathematics is linked to the main invariants and principles, among them the geodesic principle (a consequence of symmetries), which govern and confer unity to various physical theories. Moreover, an attempt is made to understand causal structures, a central element of physical intelligibility, in terms of both symmetries and symmetry breakings. A distinction between the principles of (conceptual) construction and of proofs, both in physics and in mathematics, guides most of the work.The importance of mathematical tools is also highlighted to clarify differences in the models for physics and biology that are proposed by continuous and discrete mathematics, such as computational simulations.Since biology is particularly complex and not as well understood at a theoretical level, we propose a “unification by concepts” which in any case should precede mathematization. This constitutes an outline for unification also based on highlighting conceptual differences, complex points of passage and technical irreducibilities of one field to another. Indeed, we suppose here a very common monist point of view, namely the view that living objects are “big bags of molecules”. The main question though is to understand which “theory” can help better understand these bags of molecules. They are, indeed, rather “singular”, from the physical point of view. Technically, we express this singularity through the concept of “extended criticality”, which provides a logical extension of the critical transitions that are known in physics. The presentation is mostly kept at an informal and conceptual level./a

The Natural Sciences

The Natural Sciences PDF Author: John A. Bloom
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433539381
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 130

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Book Description
Whether it’s widely promoted debates streamed over the internet or a big-budget documentary series on TV, the supposed “conflict” between science and faith remains as prominent as ever. In this accessible guide for students, a well-regarded science professor introduces readers to the natural sciences from a distinctly Christian perspective. Starting with the classical view of God as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, this book lays the biblical foundation for the study of the natural world and explores the history of scientific reflection from Kepler to Darwin. This informative resource argues that the Christian worldview provides the best grounds for scientific investigation, offering readers the framework they need to think and speak clearly about this important issue.

Mathematics And The Natural Sciences: The Physical Singularity Of Life

Mathematics And The Natural Sciences: The Physical Singularity Of Life PDF Author: Giuseppe Longo
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 1908977795
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
This book identifies the organizing concepts of physical and biological phenomena by an analysis of the foundations of mathematics and physics. Our aim is to propose a dialog between different conceptual universes and thus to provide a unification of phenomena. The role of “order” and symmetries in the foundations of mathematics is linked to the main invariants and principles, among them the geodesic principle (a consequence of symmetries), which govern and confer unity to various physical theories. Moreover, an attempt is made to understand causal structures, a central element of physical intelligibility, in terms of both symmetries and symmetry breakings. A distinction between the principles of (conceptual) construction and of proofs, both in physics and in mathematics, guides most of the work.The importance of mathematical tools is also highlighted to clarify differences in the models for physics and biology that are proposed by continuous and discrete mathematics, such as computational simulations.Since biology is particularly complex and not as well understood at a theoretical level, we propose a “unification by concepts” which in any case should precede mathematization. This constitutes an outline for unification also based on highlighting conceptual differences, complex points of passage and technical irreducibilities of one field to another. Indeed, we suppose here a very common monist point of view, namely the view that living objects are “big bags of molecules”. The main question though is to understand which “theory” can help better understand these bags of molecules. They are, indeed, rather “singular”, from the physical point of view. Technically, we express this singularity through the concept of “extended criticality”, which provides a logical extension of the critical transitions that are known in physics. The presentation is mostly kept at an informal and conceptual level./a

Toward a More Natural Science

Toward a More Natural Science PDF Author: Leon R. Kass
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439105685
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 389

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Book Description
Kass shows how the promise and the peril of our time are inextricably linked with the promise and the peril of modern science. The relation between the pursuit of knowledge and the conduct of life—between science and ethics, each broadly conceived—has in recent years been greatly complicated by developments in the science of life. This book examines the ethical questions involved in prenatal screening, in vitro fertilization, artificial life forms, and medical care, and discusses the role of human beings in nature.

Boundaries of Natural Science

Boundaries of Natural Science PDF Author: Rudolf Steiner
Publisher: SteinerBooks
ISBN: 9780880101875
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 148

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Book Description
"Translated by Frederick Amrine and Konrad Oberhuber from shorthand reports unrevised by the lecturer, from the 4th edition (1969) of the German text published under the title Grenzen der Naturerkenntnis (Vol. 322 in the Bibliographic survey)"--Copyright page.

CLEP® Natural Sciences Book + Online

CLEP® Natural Sciences Book + Online PDF Author: Laurie Ann Callihan, Ph.D
Publisher: Research & Education Assoc.
ISBN: 0738612073
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
Earn College Credit with REA's Test Prep for CLEP® Natural Sciences There are many different ways to prepare for the CLEP® Natural Sciences exam. What's best for you depends on how much time you have to study and how comfortable you are with the subject matter. Our test prep for CLEP® Natural Sciences and the free online tools that come with it, will allow you to create a personalized CLEP® study plan that can be customized to fit you: your schedule, your learning style, and your current level of knowledge. Here's how it works: Diagnostic exam at the REA Study Center focuses your study Our online diagnostic exam pinpoints your strengths and shows you exactly where you need to focus your study. Armed with this information, you can personalize your prep and review where you need it the most. Most complete subject review for CLEP® Natural Sciences Written by a science teacher, our CLEP® Natural Sciences test prep features an in-depth review of Biological Science and Physical Science. It covers all the topics found on the official CLEP® exam that you need to know: origin and evolution of life; cell organization; structure, function, and development in organisms; population biology; atomic and nuclear structure and properties; heat, thermodynamics, and states of matter; electricity and magnetism; the universe, and more. The review also includes a glossary of must-know terms. Two full-length practice exams The online REA Study Center gives you two full-length practice tests and the most powerful scoring analysis and diagnostic tools available today. Instant score reports help you zero in on the CLEP® Natural Sciences topics that give you trouble now and show you how to arrive at the correct answer-so you'll be prepared on test day. Our CLEP® test preps are perfect for adults returning to college (or attending for the first time), military service members, high-school graduates looking to earn college credit, or home-schooled students with knowledge that can translate into college credit. REA is the acknowledged leader in CLEP® preparation, with the most extensive library of CLEP® titles available. Our test preps for CLEP® exams help you earn valuable college credit, save on tuition, and get a head start on your college degree. REA's CLEP® Natural Sciences test prep gives you everything you need to pass the exam and get the college credit you deserve!

The Natural Sciences and the Social Sciences

The Natural Sciences and the Social Sciences PDF Author: Robert S. Cohen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401733910
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442

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Book Description
Natural Sciences and the Social Sciences contains a series of explorations of the different ways in which the social sciences have interacted with the natural sciences. Usually, such interactions are considered to go only `one way': from the natural to the social sciences. But there are several important essays in this volume which show how developments in the social sciences have affected the natural sciences - even the `hard' science of physics. Other essays deal with various types of interaction since the Scientific Revolution. In his general introductory chapter, Cohen sets some general themes concerning analogies and homologies and the use of metaphors, drawing specific examples from the use of concepts of physics by marginalist economists and of developments in the life sciences by organismic sociologists. The remaining chapters, which explore the different ways in which the social sciences and the natural sciences have actually interacted, are written by leaders in the field of history of science, drawn from a wide range of countries and disciplines. The book will be of great interest to all historians of science, philosophers interested in questions of methodology, economists and sociologists, and all social scientists concerned with the history of their subject and its foundations.

Applied Natural Science

Applied Natural Science PDF Author: Mark D. Goldfein
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1771882735
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 458

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Book Description
Applied Natural Science: Environmental Issues and Global Perspectives provides the reader with a complete insight into the natural-scientific pattern of the world, covering the most important historical stages of the development of various areas of science, methods of natural-scientific research, general scientific and philosophical concepts, and the fundamental laws of nature. The book analyzes the main scientific trends and developments of modern natural science and also discusses important aspects of environmental protection. Topics include: The problem of "the two cultures": the mathematization of natural sciences and the informatization of society The non-linear nature of the processes occurring in nature and society Application of the second law of thermodynamics to describe the development of biological systems Global problems of the biosphere Theory and practice of stable organic paramagnetic materials Polymers and the natural environment Key features include: An interdisciplinary approach in considering scientific and technical problems A discussion of general scientific trends in modern natural science, including globalization challenges in nature and society, the organic chemistry of stable paramagnetic materials, the fundamentals of the environmental chemistry of polymeric materials, etc. A justification of applying classical (non-equilibrium) thermodynamics to studying the behavior of open (including biological) systems Of particular importance in the book is the discussion of some problems associated with the place of man in the biosphere, issues of the globalization of science and technology, new ideas about the universe, and the concept of universal evolutionism. At the same time, the book discusses more specific issues related to solving major global and regional environmental problems (particularities of organic paramagnetic materials, the influence of polymers on the man and environment, etc). All this leads to the fundamental conclusion of the unity of animate and inanimate nature, as well as improvement of the process of cognition of the real world, which consists in objective and natural changing of world views. The book is intended for professors, teachers, and students of classical and technological universities who are interested in the development of the foundations of modern natural sciences, as well as for professionals working in the field of chemical physics and applied ecology.

On Knowing--The Natural Sciences

On Knowing--The Natural Sciences PDF Author: Richard P. McKeon
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226560267
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 420

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Book Description
Well before the current age of discourse, deconstruction, and multiculturalism, Richard McKeon propounded a philosophy of pluralism showing how "facts" and "values" are dependent on diverse ways of reading texts. This book is a transcription of an entire course, including both lectures and student discussions, taught by McKeon. As such, it provides an exciting introduction to McKeon's conception of pluralism, a central aspect of neo-Pragmatism, while demonstrating how pluralism works in a classroom setting. In his lectures, McKeon outlines the entire history of Western thinking on the sciences. Treating the central concepts of motion, space, time, and cause, he traces modern intellectual debates back to the ancient Greeks, notably Plato, Aristotle, Democritus, and the Sophists. As he brings the story of Western science up to the twentieth century, he uses his fabled semantic schema (reproduced here for the first time) to uncover new ideas and observations about cosmology, mechanics, dynamics, and other aspects of physical science. Illustrating the broad historical sweep of the lectures are a series of discussions which give detail to the course's intellectual framework. These discussions of Plato, Aristotle, Galileo, Newton, and Maxwell are perhaps the first published rendition of a philosopher in literal dialogue with his students. Led by McKeon's pointed questioning, the discussions reveal the difficulties and possibilities of learning to engage in serious intellectual communication.

Critical Phenomena in Natural Sciences

Critical Phenomena in Natural Sciences PDF Author: Didier Sornette
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 366204174X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 445

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Book Description
A modern up-to-date introduction for readers outside statistical physics. It puts emphasis on a clear understanding of concepts and methods and provides the tools that can be of immediate use in applications.

Acolytes of Nature

Acolytes of Nature PDF Author: Denise Phillips
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226667375
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 366

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Book Description
Although many of the practical and intellectual traditions that make up modern science date back centuries, the category of “science” itself is a relative novelty. In the early eighteenth century, the modern German word that would later mean “science,” naturwissenschaft, was not even included in dictionaries. By 1850, however, the term was in use everywhere. Acolytes of Nature follows the emergence of this important new category within German-speaking Europe, tracing its rise from an insignificant eighteenth-century neologism to a defining rallying cry of modern German culture. Today’s notion of a unified natural science has been deemed an invention of the mid-nineteenth century. Yet what Denise Phillips reveals here is that the idea of naturwissenschaft acquired a prominent place in German public life several decades earlier. Phillips uncovers the evolving outlines of the category of natural science and examines why Germans of varied social station and intellectual commitments came to find this label useful. An expanding education system, an increasingly vibrant consumer culture and urban social life, the early stages of industrialization, and the emergence of a liberal political movement all fundamentally altered the world in which educated Germans lived, and also reshaped the way they classified knowledge.