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 : 135

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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

Get Book Here

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

On Knowing--The Natural Sciences

On Knowing--The Natural Sciences PDF Author: Richard P. McKeon
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226560274
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 426

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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.

Language, Syntax, and the Natural Sciences

Language, Syntax, and the Natural Sciences PDF Author: Ángel J. Gallego
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107152941
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 381

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Book Description
An exploration of human language from the perspective of the natural sciences, this outstanding book brings together leading specialists to discuss the scientific connection of language to disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.

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.

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!

Applied Factor Analysis in the Natural Sciences

Applied Factor Analysis in the Natural Sciences PDF Author: Richard A. Reyment
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521575560
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
This graduate-level text aims to introduce students of the natural sciences to the powerful technique of factor analysis and to provide them with the background necessary to be able to undertake analyses on their own. A thoroughly updated and expanded version of the authors' successful textbook on geological factor analysis, this book draws on examples from botany, zoology, ecology, and oceanography, as well as geology. Applied multivariate statistics has grown into a research area of almost unlimited potential in the natural sciences. The methods introduced in this book, such as classical principal components, principal component factor analysis, principal coordinate analysis, and correspondence analysis, can reduce masses of data to manageable and interpretable form. Q-mode and Q-R-mode methods are also presented. Special attention is given to methods of robust estimation and the identification of atypical and influential observations. Throughout the book, the emphasis is on application rather than theory.

Revealed Sciences

Revealed Sciences PDF Author: Justin K. Stearns
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107065577
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 331

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Book Description
Provides a detailed overview of the place of the natural sciences in the scholarly and educational landscape of Early Modern Morocco, this study challenges previous negative depictions of the natural sciences in the Muslim world to demonstrate the vibrancy of an Early Modern Muslim society in seventeenth-century Morocco.

The Nature of Classification

The Nature of Classification PDF Author: J. Wilkins
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1137318120
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 329

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Book Description
Discussing the generally ignored issue of the classification of natural objects in the philosophy of science, this book focuses on knowledge and social relations, and offers a way to understand classification as a necessary aspect of doing science.

The Laboratory of the Mind

The Laboratory of the Mind PDF Author: James Robert Brown
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134865791
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
Thought experiments are performed in the laboratory of the mind. Beyond this metaphor it is difficult to say just what these remarkable devices for investigating nature are or how they work. Though most scientists and philosophers would admit their great importance, there has been very little serious study of them. This volume is the first book-length investigation of thought experiments. Starting with Galileo's argument on falling bodies, Brown describes numerous examples of the most influential thought experiments from the history of science. Following this introduction to the subject, some substantial and provocative claims are made, the principle being that some thought experiments should be understood in the same way that platonists understand mathematical activity: as an intellectual grasp of an independently existing abstract realm. With its clarity of style and structure, The Laboratory of the Mind will find readers among all philosophers of science as well as scientists who have puzzled over how thought experiments work.