Author: Arthur Zajonc
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199882835
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 264
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Book Description
What happens when the Dalai Lama meets with leading physicists and a historian? This book is the carefully edited record of the fascinating discussions at a Mind and Life conference in which five leading physicists and a historian (David Finkelstein, George Greenstein, Piet Hut, Arthur Zajonc, Anton Zeilinger, and Tu Weiming) discussed with the Dalai Lama current thought in theoretical quantum physics, in the context of Buddhist philosophy. A contribution to the science-religion interface, and a useful explanation of our basic understanding of quantum reality, couched at a level that intelligent readers without a deep involvement in science can grasp. In the tradition of other popular books on resonances between modern quantum physics and Zen or Buddhist mystical traditions--notably The Dancing Wu Li Masters and The Tao of Physics, this book gives a clear and useful update of the genuine correspondences between these two rather disparate approaches to understanding the nature of reality.
Author: Raymond Y. Chiao
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521882397
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 827
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Book Description
World-leading researchers, including Nobel Laureates, explore the most basic questions of science, philosophy, and the nature of existence.
Author: Arthur Zajonc
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195347821
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 276
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Book Description
What happens when the Dalai Lama meets with leading physicists and a historian? This book is the carefully edited record of the fascinating discussions at a Mind and Life conference in which five leading physicists and a historian (David Finkelstein, George Greenstein, Piet Hut, Arthur Zajonc, Anton Zeilinger, and Tu Weiming) discussed with the Dalai Lama current thought in theoretical quantum physics, in the context of Buddhist philosophy. A contribution to the science-religion interface, and a useful explanation of our basic understanding of quantum reality, couched at a level that intelligent readers without a deep involvement in science can grasp. In the tradition of other popular books on resonances between modern quantum physics and Zen or Buddhist mystical traditions--notably The Dancing Wu Li Masters and The Tao of Physics, this book gives a clear and useful update of the genuine correspondences between these two rather disparate approaches to understanding the nature of reality.
Author: Cornelia Dean
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781402793202
Category : American newspapers
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
A treasury of 125 archival articles covers more than a century of scientific breakthroughs, setbacks and mysteries and includes pieces by Pulitzer Prize-winning writers, includes Malcolm W. Browne on antimatter, James Glanz on string theory and George Johnson on quantum physics.
Author: J. A. Peacock
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521422703
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 700
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Book Description
A comprehensive and authoritative introduction to contemporary cosmology for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
Author: Roger Penrose
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400880289
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 520
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Book Description
One of the world's leading physicists questions some of the most fashionable ideas in physics today, including string theory What can fashionable ideas, blind faith, or pure fantasy possibly have to do with the scientific quest to understand the universe? Surely, theoretical physicists are immune to mere trends, dogmatic beliefs, or flights of fancy? In fact, acclaimed physicist and bestselling author Roger Penrose argues that researchers working at the extreme frontiers of physics are just as susceptible to these forces as anyone else. In this provocative book, he argues that fashion, faith, and fantasy, while sometimes productive and even essential in physics, may be leading today's researchers astray in three of the field's most important areas—string theory, quantum mechanics, and cosmology. Arguing that string theory has veered away from physical reality by positing six extra hidden dimensions, Penrose cautions that the fashionable nature of a theory can cloud our judgment of its plausibility. In the case of quantum mechanics, its stunning success in explaining the atomic universe has led to an uncritical faith that it must also apply to reasonably massive objects, and Penrose responds by suggesting possible changes in quantum theory. Turning to cosmology, he argues that most of the current fantastical ideas about the origins of the universe cannot be true, but that an even wilder reality may lie behind them. Finally, Penrose describes how fashion, faith, and fantasy have ironically also shaped his own work, from twistor theory, a possible alternative to string theory that is beginning to acquire a fashionable status, to "conformal cyclic cosmology," an idea so fantastic that it could be called "conformal crazy cosmology." The result is an important critique of some of the most significant developments in physics today from one of its most eminent figures.
Author: Dalai Lama XIV Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780197732458
Category : Buddhism
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
What happens when the Dalai Lama meets with five leading physicists and a historian? This book documents their discussions about theoretical quantum physics and Buddhist philosophy. This book is a contribution to the science-religion interface, and a useful explanation of our basic understanding of quantum reality.
Author: G. W. Gibbons
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521820813
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 924
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Book Description
Based on lectures given in honour of Stephen Hawking's sixtieth birthday, this book comprises contributions from some of the world's leading theoretical physicists. It begins with a section containing chapters by successful scientific popularisers, bringing to life both Hawking's work and other exciting developments in physics. The book then goes on to provide a critical evaluation of advanced subjects in modern cosmology and theoretical physics. Topics covered include the origin of the universe, warped spacetime, cosmological singularities, quantum gravity, black holes, string theory, quantum cosmology and inflation. As well as providing a fascinating overview of the wide variety of subject areas to which Stephen Hawking has contributed, this book represents an important assessment of prospects for the future of fundamental physics and cosmology.
Author: Paul Davies
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521438315
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 526
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Book Description
The New Physics is a sweeping survey of developments in physics up to the present day. All of the major topics at the frontiers of the subject have been covered in this collection of reviews. Whether the reader wants to know about the ultimate building blocks of matter; the structure, origin and evolution of the Universe; quantum gravity; low temperature physics; optics and lasers; chaos or quantum mechanics; this widely acclaimed book contains a clear explanation by one of the top scientists working in the field. Aimed at scientists and laymen alike, the articles are profusely illustrated throughout with colour photographs and clear explanatory diagrams, and have been meticulously edited to ensure they will appeal to a wide range of readers. In this single volume, Paul Davies, renowned for his ability to communicate advanced topics to the non-specialist, has gathered an exciting collection of reviews by many of the world's top physicists.
Author: Benjamin Gal-Or
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1475711492
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 538
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Book Description
by Sir Karl Popper This is a great book, and an exciting book. I say so even though I happen to dis agree with the author in many minor points and one or two major points. Some of the minor points are merely terminological, and therefore very minor. I dislike the term 'dialectic', because of its use since Hegel and Marx; and I dislike the term 'gravitism', perhaps without a good reason. Thus I dislike the name which Professor Gal-Or has given to his theory. But the theory seems to me a great and a very beauti ful theory, so far as I can judge. Other minor points of disagreement are connected with Gal-Or's original and remarkable views of the great philosophers, including Spinoza and Kant. A major point of disagreement is that Gal-Or, following Einstein, is a scientific determinist, while I cannot but regard determinism as a modem super stition. Of course, he may be right and I may be completely mistaken. I mention these critical points rather in order to emphasize how strongly I am impressed by Professor Gal-Or's great book. Even in the very unlikely case that, wherever we disagree, he should be in the wrong and I right, even if that should be the case (which is improbable in the extreme), it would remain a great book: readable, worth reading and enlightening; with a most fascinating cosmological story of time, expansion, and gravitation.
