Léon Rosenfeld

Anja Skaar Jacobsen
Léon Rosenfeld

Author: Anja Skaar Jacobsen

Publisher: World Scientific

ISBN: 9789814452083

Category:

Page: 368

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Léon Rosenfeld (1904–1974) was a remarkable, many-sided physicist of exceptional erudition. He was at the center of modern physics and was well-known as Niels Bohr's close collaborator and spokesman. Besides he reflected deeply on the history and philosophy of science and its social role from a leftist perspective. As both actor and acute spectator of modern physics and as a polyglot cosmopolitan whose life crossed those of many important people in both the East and West, as well as by virtue of his close collaboration and friendship with Bohr, Rosenfeld was an important figure in twentieth century physics. His biography illuminates the development, popularization, and reception of quantum physics and its interpretation in addition to the development of the political Left. The book draws extensively from previously untapped, unpublished sources in more than five languages.Contents: Physicist of the Second Quantum GenerationRosenfeld in CopenhagenPhysics, Philosophy, and Politics in the 1930sSurviving the War in UtrechtCold War and Political CommitmentBohr's Cold Warrior Readership: Students and professionals studying the history of science.

The Infinite in Mathematics

Felix KaufmannScience
The Infinite in Mathematics

Author: Felix Kaufmann

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

ISBN: 9789400997950

Category: Science

Page: 237

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The main item in the present volume was published in 1930 under the title Das Unendliche in der Mathematik und seine Ausschaltung. It was at that time the fullest systematic account from the standpoint of Husserl's phenomenology of what is known as 'finitism' (also as 'intuitionism' and 'constructivism') in mathematics. Since then, important changes have been required in philosophies of mathematics, in part because of Kurt Godel's epoch-making paper of 1931 which established the essential in completeness of arithmetic. In the light of that finding, a number of the claims made in the book (and in the accompanying articles) are demon strably mistaken. Nevertheless, as a whole it retains much of its original interest and value. It presents the issues in the foundations of mathematics that were under debate when it was written (and in some cases still are); , and it offers one alternative to the currently dominant set-theoretical definitions of the cardinal numbers and other arithmetical concepts. While still a student at the University of Vienna, Felix Kaufmann was greatly impressed by the early philosophical writings (especially by the Logische Untersuchungen) of Edmund Husser!' He was never an uncritical disciple of Husserl, and he integrated into his mature philosophy ideas from a wide assortment of intellectual sources. But he thought of himself as a phenomenologist, and made frequent use in all his major publications of many of Husserl's logical and epistemological theses.

Reflections on Death, Dying and Bereavement

William A SmithPsychology
Reflections on Death, Dying and Bereavement

Author: William A Smith

Publisher: Routledge

ISBN: 9781351842075

Category: Psychology

Page: 100

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The methodology of "Reflections on Death, Dying and Bereavement" is mainly philosophical. It is intended to complement scriptural and theological studies. The volume has five main sections that are further divided by chapter. The first section contains foundational considerations. Since the belief in a continuation of life after death or reunion with deceased loved ones offers consolation to many people, the book examines the possibility of human immortality. Various rational arguments are also presented.

Cosmological Implications of Heisenberg's Principle

Julio A GonzaloScience
Cosmological Implications of Heisenberg's Principle

Author: Julio A Gonzalo

Publisher: World Scientific

ISBN: 9789814675390

Category: Science

Page: 192

View: 562

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The aim of this book is to analyze the all important implications of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle for a finite universe with very large mass-energy content such as ours. The earlier and main contributors to the formulation of Quantum Mechanics are briefly reviewed regarding the formulation of Heisenberg's Principle. After discussing “indeterminacy” versus ”uncertainty”, the universal constants of physics are reviewed and Planck's units are given. Next, a novel set of units, Heisenberg–Lemaitre units, are defined in terms of the large finite mass of the universe. With the help of Heisenberg's principle, the time evolution of the finite zero-point energy for the universe is investigated quantitatively. Next, taking advantage of the rigorous solutions of Einstein's cosmological equation for a flat, open and mixed universe of finite mass, the most recent and accurate data on the “age” (to) and the expansion rate (Ho) of the universe and their implications are reconsidered. Contents:Planck, Einstein and MachAbout the Origins of Quantum Mechanics IAbout the Origins of Quantum Mechanics IIAbout the Origins of Quantum Mechanics IIIAbout the Origins of Quantum Mechanics IVIndeterminacy vs UncertaintyThe Universal ConstantsPlanck's Units and Heisenberg–Lemaitre UnitsImplications of a Finite UniverseCosmic Zero-Point EnergyRigorous Solutions of Einstein's Cosmological EquationOn the Evidence for Dark Matter, Dark Energy & Accelerated ExpansionOn Physics and Philosophy Readership: Advanced undergraduates, graduate students and researchers in cosmology and theoretical physics. Key Features:No other lengthy discussion of the cosmological implications is availableThe first quantitative discussion of the zero-point energy of the universe is givenCompact rigorous solutions of Einstein's cosmological equation for Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM), Open Friedman–Lemaitre (OFL), and mixed universes are discussed in detailKeywords:Big Bang;Cosmology;Heisenberg's PrincipleReview: “For a scholarly book covering quantum mechanics, this book is a highly accessible read. Gonzalo treats the reader to insightful and informative biographies of many giants of 20th century physics, focusing on their accomplishments and the larger metaphysical implications. As Gonzalo notes, quantum mechanics may imply 'an external chooser', making his book a compelling and refreshing critique of the materialistic philosophy which pervades science today.” Casey Luskin Discovery Institute

Sir James Jeans

E. A. MilneScience
Sir James Jeans

Author: E. A. Milne

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

ISBN: 9781107623330

Category: Science

Page: 197

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Originally published in 1952, this book by E. A. Milne examines the life and work of influential astrophysicist Sir James Jeans. The text includes reproductions of correspondence between Jeans and such luminaries as G. H. Hardy and G. E. Hale, and is introduced by a personal memoir by the publisher S. C. Roberts. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Jeans' work and the history of astrophysics.

Archimedes to Hawking

Clifford PickoverScience
Archimedes to Hawking

Author: Clifford Pickover

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 9780199714520

Category: Science

Page: 528

View: 111

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Archimedes to Hawking takes the reader on a journey across the centuries as it explores the eponymous physical laws--from Archimedes' Law of Buoyancy and Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and Hubble's Law of Cosmic Expansion--whose ramifications have profoundly altered our everyday lives and our understanding of the universe. Throughout this fascinating book, Clifford Pickover invites us to share in the amazing adventures of brilliant, quirky, and passionate people after whom these laws are named. These lawgivers turn out to be a fascinating, diverse, and sometimes eccentric group of people. Many were extremely versatile polymaths--human dynamos with a seemingly infinite supply of curiosity and energy and who worked in many different areas in science. Others had non-conventional educations and displayed their unusual talents from an early age. Some experienced resistance to their ideas, causing significant personal anguish. Pickover examines more than 40 great laws, providing brief and cogent introductions to the science behind the laws as well as engaging biographies of such scientists as Newton, Faraday, Ohm, Curie, and Planck. Throughout, he includes fascinating, little-known tidbits relating to the law or lawgiver, and he provides cross-references to other laws or equations mentioned in the book. For several entries, he includes simple numerical examples and solved problems so that readers can have a hands-on understanding of the application of the law. A sweeping survey of scientific discovery as well as an intriguing portrait gallery of some of the greatest minds in history, this superb volume will engage everyone interested in science and the physical world or in the dazzling creativity of these brilliant thinkers.

Explaining Things

Lee ThayerSocial Science
Explaining Things

Author: Lee Thayer

Publisher: Xlibris Corporation

ISBN: 145684041X

Category: Social Science

Page: 185

View: 638

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"This is a book about how we invent ourselves and our cultures by how we explain things. We invent our explanations, and then they invent us. It is a book about how we create our virtual worlds – the habitat of our minds – by how we explain things. It is a book about how our explanations get embedded in the stories we tell and ingest – from gossip to advertising to the pernicious “social media.” It is a book about how everything we say or do or have is an explanation. Whatever we say or do or buy explains who we are. We multifariously explain ourselves to ourselves and to others. We talk, we daydream, we do, we feel: all evolves from how we explain things. Our explanations are the seeds from which everything human and social sprouts and evolves. They are the sources and the sinks of how we live our lives. It is a book that offers a non-biological and thus a superior theory of the human trajectory, of specifically human and social evolution. We have turned our lives over to our pundits – our “experts,” our celebrities, our advertisers and entertainers, and our fashionistas. We invite them to tell us what’s what, and how to live. They are our predators. We are their prey. It is an unprecedented sea-change for civilization. As our lives go, so goes our civilization. We evolve out of our explanations of things. But to what end?"