Synopses & Reviews
Review
"...an ideal book prize for a budding physics undergraduate." R.V. Cox, School Science"...a text that can help redress a serious problem in the present educational system in the US. It is a response to the science illiteracy that is rampant even among so-called educated Americans. His goal is a worthy one, and this vehicle could be effective in many courses for nonscience students." Physics Today"...I would recommend the book to anyone willing to explore the world of physics and of the physicist of today." Oren Quist, The Physics Teacher
Synopsis
Based on successful courses taught by the author, this work shows how new discoveries forced physicists to resort to unconventional notions to remove the mystery and misrepresentation that often surrounds modern physics.
Table of Contents
Preface; Part I. At the Roof of the Endeavor: 1. Human limitations; 2. Theory and the role of mathematics; 3. Scientific objectivity; 4. The aim of scientific theory; Part II. The World of Relativity: 5. Space and time: from absolute to relative; 6. Imposed consistency: special relativity; 7. Gravitation as geometry: general relativity; 8. Revolutions without revolutions; Part III. The Quantum World: 9. The limits of the classical world; 10. Concepts of the quantum world; 11. From apparent paradox to a new reality; 12. The present state of the art; Epilogue; Notes; Glossary of technical terms; Name index; Subject index.