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The World as I See it
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 Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
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Product Description
Few writers distinguish themselves by their ability to write about complicated, even obscure topics clearly and engagingly. In Chaos, James Gleick, a former science writer for the New York Times, shows that he resides in this exclusive category. Here he takes on the job of depicting the first years of the study of chaos--the seemingly random patterns that characterise many natural phenomena. This is not a purely technical book. Instead, it focuses as much on the scientists studying chaos as on the chaos itself. In the pages of Gleick's book, the reader meets dozens of extraordinary and eccentric people. For instance, Mitchell Feigenbaum, who constructed and regulated his life by a 26-hour clock and watched his waking hours come in and out of phase with those of his coworkers at Los Alamos National Laboratory. As for chaos itself, Gleick does an outstanding job of explaining the thought processes and investigative techniques that researchers bring to bear on chaos problems. Rather than attempt to explain Julia sets, Lorenz attractors and the Mandelbrot Set with gigantically complicated equations, Chaos relies on sketches, photographs and Gleick's wonderful descriptive prose. --Christine Buttery
Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
Order from Chaos, 29 Sep 2007
We all know things that are not predictable. These can be everyday occurrences like the weather, or more specialised events (whether the stock market will go up or down). The unpredictable plays a large part in "normal life". Yet for some of these matters, there is a nagging feeling that if sufficient information were known, the unpredictable would indeed be able to be forecast with as much certainty as whether the sun will rise tomorrow. Thus James Gleick introduces the topic of `chaos' - there can be a "sensitive dependence on initial conditions". If we were to know the initial conditions in all their details, predictability would be brought within our grasp. Thus the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in China could result in rainfall in Indianapolis.
At times I was lost in the small detail, but the strength of this book is that it paints a big picture. The mathematics (and physics, and chemistry, and biology, and .....) is sometimes beyond me, but the overall story is that there is `chaos' all around. Some of the chaos is linked into classic Newtonian mechanics, but strangely enough, chaos almost has in itself an order and `predictability' about it.
The three of the most significant scientific theories of the 20th century are reckoned to be Einstein's General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and ...... Chaos Theory. Before opening this very historical account of the last mentioned, I knew nothing about the theory of chaos. Now I have an awareness of the subject, and how experimentation can play a part in mathematics. Experimentation and mathematics are not normally uttered in the same sentence.
Look for the big picture, and do not get lost in the people and places, which can be bewildering. If you read this book, please ensure that it has colour photographs within it - the pictures are both staggering, and help to bring home the message. Some areas of chaos have their roots in self similarity, and the pictures from Mendelbrot sets are both staggering and fascinating. Self similarity can be best summed up by the classic (and anonymous) ditty: "Big fleas have on their backs small fleas to bite them, small flees have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum"
Gleick is strong on the history and roots of chaos, and how the ideas were received when initially tabled. There was shock and disbelief that others from external communities could have something to say that would have relevance to (say) population growth models, from totally different scientific disciplines. There was also reluctance initially to publish some of the ground-braking ideas.
Chaos is about non-linear dynamics, fractals, fractal boundary basins and much more. As `chaos' as a concept (and almost as a discipline) spread, rather than bringing order when chaos had existed before (and this could be described as one of the main purposes of `science'), evidence of more chaos emerges.
From study, it could be that there is more evidence of chaos than we thought hitherto. There could be chaos in space, and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias (heart attacks) seems chaotic. Gleick speculates that `evolution' is chaos with feedback. He has made me more aware of randomness. Classic determinism generates randomness. Perhaps, just perhaps, chaos is a way to reconcile free will and determinism. All in all, unlike the pure scientists of old, I now find myself positively looking for chaos.
Perhaps that is a mark of a well presented book.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
New wisdom, 18 May 2007
I love this book because of its association with systems theory and the concept of emergent properties. I also find the story about the struggle to get the ideas accepted by the establishment very reminiscent of the struggle to get new ideas into the world of work.
A Truly Enlightening Introduction to a Whole New World, 29 Dec 2004
I am educated to degree level, however my degree is not in any scientific discipline. I only recently developed an interest in science, and have since read many popular science books to try and fill a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge. Before reading this book, I had no knowledge of Chaos Theory beyond the analogy that a butterfly flapping its wings in Peking could apparently cause a hurricane in New York. I never really understood this idea so I decided to read the book and find out about it. Chaos: Making a New Science - unlike many other books in the popular science genre - doesn't talk down to the reader, and makes no apology for the complexity of the subject. Don't let this put you off, Gleick doesn't need to talk down to you, instead he relies on carefully and precisely explaining all of the facts. I have to admit to re-reading some of the more complex areas, however upon re-reading I found everything accessible despite my limited scientific education. The book primarily tells the history of Chaos Theory and its scientists, which in itself requires a discussion of the theories involved. This means that it explains what the different concepts mean (The Butterfly Effect, non-linear equations, fractals etc.) but doesn't get lost in the very complex mathematics behind them. The theories in this book are often explained very effectively with good use of diagrams. I found these to be priceless, for example the description of a fractal left me a little confused until I saw the diagram of a Koch curve and suddenly understood that it really is possible for a shape to have a finite area and an infinite perimeter. If you already know a lot about Chaos Theory and want to know more I recommend a text book, otherwise I recommend Chaos: Making a New Science.
Top Book, 30 Jan 2003
This was the first book I ever read on chaos theory. I am not involved in chaos theory at all, but I was interested in finding out more about it as it was big news at the time. While at times the concept can be difficult to grasp, the author does go to great pains to make things clear. I think this book is aimed at people with some kind of background in maths, science or engineering ho know nothing about chaos theory. THe story of how chaos theory came to be is enlightening and a real insight into how such ideas evolve over time. By the end of the book I was quite able to create and run my own (basic) chaos equations. Quite a feat, really.
A delightful read !, 24 Jan 2003
This book is called 'Chaos : Making a new science' - so it should hardly
surprise anyone that it deals with the history of Chaos, bringing forth
the elementary concepts of the field along the way.
This book isn't, nor does it pretend to be, a textbook on chaos theory,
so one shouldn't expect too much maths or technical details. On the other
hand, a little maths is unavoidable for discussing even the most basic
notions of chaos theory, so the reader should be prepared for some
(not very demanding) maths. The style adopted by Gleick is to interweave the personal lives of the
major players involved in the birth of chaos with a description the
concepts, thus giving the book a feel of an interesting story while
introducing a plethora of dazzling ideas at the same time. The idea of self-similarity, of patterns composed of infinitely-repeating
tiny replicas of themselves, is astounding, to say the least. And to
learn that nature is full of such patterns is revealing indeed. The
implications to science and technology are far-reaching and often
surprising - researchers in Computer Networking have discovered that
network traffic in large networks such as the internet may actually be
following self-similar patterns !! Personally, i found this to be a delightful read - Gleick's writing is
racy, the ideas involved are mind-bending, and the vivid imagery will
stay with you for a long,long time. I fell in love with fractals at
first sight and can gaze at a collection of beautiful fractals for hours. In brief, this is a light, breezy account of the history of Chaos, with
a gentle introduction to the basic ideas of Chaos without much technical
details and only a minimum of maths. One of the best 'Science for everyone' books i've ever read!
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On Space and Time
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £9.16
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Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
Order from Chaos, 29 Sep 2007
We all know things that are not predictable. These can be everyday occurrences like the weather, or more specialised events (whether the stock market will go up or down). The unpredictable plays a large part in "normal life". Yet for some of these matters, there is a nagging feeling that if sufficient information were known, the unpredictable would indeed be able to be forecast with as much certainty as whether the sun will rise tomorrow. Thus James Gleick introduces the topic of `chaos' - there can be a "sensitive dependence on initial conditions". If we were to know the initial conditions in all their details, predictability would be brought within our grasp. Thus the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in China could result in rainfall in Indianapolis.
At times I was lost in the small detail, but the strength of this book is that it paints a big picture. The mathematics (and physics, and chemistry, and biology, and .....) is sometimes beyond me, but the overall story is that there is `chaos' all around. Some of the chaos is linked into classic Newtonian mechanics, but strangely enough, chaos almost has in itself an order and `predictability' about it.
The three of the most significant scientific theories of the 20th century are reckoned to be Einstein's General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and ...... Chaos Theory. Before opening this very historical account of the last mentioned, I knew nothing about the theory of chaos. Now I have an awareness of the subject, and how experimentation can play a part in mathematics. Experimentation and mathematics are not normally uttered in the same sentence.
Look for the big picture, and do not get lost in the people and places, which can be bewildering. If you read this book, please ensure that it has colour photographs within it - the pictures are both staggering, and help to bring home the message. Some areas of chaos have their roots in self similarity, and the pictures from Mendelbrot sets are both staggering and fascinating. Self similarity can be best summed up by the classic (and anonymous) ditty: "Big fleas have on their backs small fleas to bite them, small flees have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum"
Gleick is strong on the history and roots of chaos, and how the ideas were received when initially tabled. There was shock and disbelief that others from external communities could have something to say that would have relevance to (say) population growth models, from totally different scientific disciplines. There was also reluctance initially to publish some of the ground-braking ideas.
Chaos is about non-linear dynamics, fractals, fractal boundary basins and much more. As `chaos' as a concept (and almost as a discipline) spread, rather than bringing order when chaos had existed before (and this could be described as one of the main purposes of `science'), evidence of more chaos emerges.
From study, it could be that there is more evidence of chaos than we thought hitherto. There could be chaos in space, and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias (heart attacks) seems chaotic. Gleick speculates that `evolution' is chaos with feedback. He has made me more aware of randomness. Classic determinism generates randomness. Perhaps, just perhaps, chaos is a way to reconcile free will and determinism. All in all, unlike the pure scientists of old, I now find myself positively looking for chaos.
Perhaps that is a mark of a well presented book.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
New wisdom, 18 May 2007
I love this book because of its association with systems theory and the concept of emergent properties. I also find the story about the struggle to get the ideas accepted by the establishment very reminiscent of the struggle to get new ideas into the world of work.
A Truly Enlightening Introduction to a Whole New World, 29 Dec 2004
I am educated to degree level, however my degree is not in any scientific discipline. I only recently developed an interest in science, and have since read many popular science books to try and fill a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge. Before reading this book, I had no knowledge of Chaos Theory beyond the analogy that a butterfly flapping its wings in Peking could apparently cause a hurricane in New York. I never really understood this idea so I decided to read the book and find out about it. Chaos: Making a New Science - unlike many other books in the popular science genre - doesn't talk down to the reader, and makes no apology for the complexity of the subject. Don't let this put you off, Gleick doesn't need to talk down to you, instead he relies on carefully and precisely explaining all of the facts. I have to admit to re-reading some of the more complex areas, however upon re-reading I found everything accessible despite my limited scientific education. The book primarily tells the history of Chaos Theory and its scientists, which in itself requires a discussion of the theories involved. This means that it explains what the different concepts mean (The Butterfly Effect, non-linear equations, fractals etc.) but doesn't get lost in the very complex mathematics behind them. The theories in this book are often explained very effectively with good use of diagrams. I found these to be priceless, for example the description of a fractal left me a little confused until I saw the diagram of a Koch curve and suddenly understood that it really is possible for a shape to have a finite area and an infinite perimeter. If you already know a lot about Chaos Theory and want to know more I recommend a text book, otherwise I recommend Chaos: Making a New Science.
Top Book, 30 Jan 2003
This was the first book I ever read on chaos theory. I am not involved in chaos theory at all, but I was interested in finding out more about it as it was big news at the time. While at times the concept can be difficult to grasp, the author does go to great pains to make things clear. I think this book is aimed at people with some kind of background in maths, science or engineering ho know nothing about chaos theory. THe story of how chaos theory came to be is enlightening and a real insight into how such ideas evolve over time. By the end of the book I was quite able to create and run my own (basic) chaos equations. Quite a feat, really.
A delightful read !, 24 Jan 2003
This book is called 'Chaos : Making a new science' - so it should hardly
surprise anyone that it deals with the history of Chaos, bringing forth
the elementary concepts of the field along the way.
This book isn't, nor does it pretend to be, a textbook on chaos theory,
so one shouldn't expect too much maths or technical details. On the other
hand, a little maths is unavoidable for discussing even the most basic
notions of chaos theory, so the reader should be prepared for some
(not very demanding) maths. The style adopted by Gleick is to interweave the personal lives of the
major players involved in the birth of chaos with a description the
concepts, thus giving the book a feel of an interesting story while
introducing a plethora of dazzling ideas at the same time. The idea of self-similarity, of patterns composed of infinitely-repeating
tiny replicas of themselves, is astounding, to say the least. And to
learn that nature is full of such patterns is revealing indeed. The
implications to science and technology are far-reaching and often
surprising - researchers in Computer Networking have discovered that
network traffic in large networks such as the internet may actually be
following self-similar patterns !! Personally, i found this to be a delightful read - Gleick's writing is
racy, the ideas involved are mind-bending, and the vivid imagery will
stay with you for a long,long time. I fell in love with fractals at
first sight and can gaze at a collection of beautiful fractals for hours. In brief, this is a light, breezy account of the history of Chaos, with
a gentle introduction to the basic ideas of Chaos without much technical
details and only a minimum of maths. One of the best 'Science for everyone' books i've ever read!
The nature of time and space, explained, 25 Oct 2008
The nature of space and time is not a problem that puzzles
physicists, mathematicians and philosophers only. For historians,
time and space are two of the three most important categories we need
to consider in our analyses. This volume helps put the debate on time
and space into a wider context, making a cross disciplinary
discussion about the elements that are at the very heart of modern
science available to non experts whilst, at the same time, offering
cutting-edge research on the enigma of time and space. This book was
an eye-opener for me as I had no idea that so much on this topic was
still such a mystery even to physicists. There are chapters on dark
matter and energy, on quantum symmetry, on Penrose's pre- Big Bang
theory, on particle physics, and on philosophical and theological
implications of space and time. It is a book of different levels and
in my case the technical aspects were always going to be challenging,
but its nice to know that the arguments are there for readers who
want to work through them. The chapters covering philosophy and
theology would be a good place to start. This volume is a must-read
for those wishing to understand when did "time" begin, and where is
that thing which some call "space"? And it also looks really good on
my coffee table right next to The Brief History of Time and my
battered copy of The End of History.
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Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
Order from Chaos, 29 Sep 2007
We all know things that are not predictable. These can be everyday occurrences like the weather, or more specialised events (whether the stock market will go up or down). The unpredictable plays a large part in "normal life". Yet for some of these matters, there is a nagging feeling that if sufficient information were known, the unpredictable would indeed be able to be forecast with as much certainty as whether the sun will rise tomorrow. Thus James Gleick introduces the topic of `chaos' - there can be a "sensitive dependence on initial conditions". If we were to know the initial conditions in all their details, predictability would be brought within our grasp. Thus the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in China could result in rainfall in Indianapolis.
At times I was lost in the small detail, but the strength of this book is that it paints a big picture. The mathematics (and physics, and chemistry, and biology, and .....) is sometimes beyond me, but the overall story is that there is `chaos' all around. Some of the chaos is linked into classic Newtonian mechanics, but strangely enough, chaos almost has in itself an order and `predictability' about it.
The three of the most significant scientific theories of the 20th century are reckoned to be Einstein's General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and ...... Chaos Theory. Before opening this very historical account of the last mentioned, I knew nothing about the theory of chaos. Now I have an awareness of the subject, and how experimentation can play a part in mathematics. Experimentation and mathematics are not normally uttered in the same sentence.
Look for the big picture, and do not get lost in the people and places, which can be bewildering. If you read this book, please ensure that it has colour photographs within it - the pictures are both staggering, and help to bring home the message. Some areas of chaos have their roots in self similarity, and the pictures from Mendelbrot sets are both staggering and fascinating. Self similarity can be best summed up by the classic (and anonymous) ditty: "Big fleas have on their backs small fleas to bite them, small flees have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum"
Gleick is strong on the history and roots of chaos, and how the ideas were received when initially tabled. There was shock and disbelief that others from external communities could have something to say that would have relevance to (say) population growth models, from totally different scientific disciplines. There was also reluctance initially to publish some of the ground-braking ideas.
Chaos is about non-linear dynamics, fractals, fractal boundary basins and much more. As `chaos' as a concept (and almost as a discipline) spread, rather than bringing order when chaos had existed before (and this could be described as one of the main purposes of `science'), evidence of more chaos emerges.
From study, it could be that there is more evidence of chaos than we thought hitherto. There could be chaos in space, and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias (heart attacks) seems chaotic. Gleick speculates that `evolution' is chaos with feedback. He has made me more aware of randomness. Classic determinism generates randomness. Perhaps, just perhaps, chaos is a way to reconcile free will and determinism. All in all, unlike the pure scientists of old, I now find myself positively looking for chaos.
Perhaps that is a mark of a well presented book.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
New wisdom, 18 May 2007
I love this book because of its association with systems theory and the concept of emergent properties. I also find the story about the struggle to get the ideas accepted by the establishment very reminiscent of the struggle to get new ideas into the world of work.
A Truly Enlightening Introduction to a Whole New World, 29 Dec 2004
I am educated to degree level, however my degree is not in any scientific discipline. I only recently developed an interest in science, and have since read many popular science books to try and fill a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge. Before reading this book, I had no knowledge of Chaos Theory beyond the analogy that a butterfly flapping its wings in Peking could apparently cause a hurricane in New York. I never really understood this idea so I decided to read the book and find out about it. Chaos: Making a New Science - unlike many other books in the popular science genre - doesn't talk down to the reader, and makes no apology for the complexity of the subject. Don't let this put you off, Gleick doesn't need to talk down to you, instead he relies on carefully and precisely explaining all of the facts. I have to admit to re-reading some of the more complex areas, however upon re-reading I found everything accessible despite my limited scientific education. The book primarily tells the history of Chaos Theory and its scientists, which in itself requires a discussion of the theories involved. This means that it explains what the different concepts mean (The Butterfly Effect, non-linear equations, fractals etc.) but doesn't get lost in the very complex mathematics behind them. The theories in this book are often explained very effectively with good use of diagrams. I found these to be priceless, for example the description of a fractal left me a little confused until I saw the diagram of a Koch curve and suddenly understood that it really is possible for a shape to have a finite area and an infinite perimeter. If you already know a lot about Chaos Theory and want to know more I recommend a text book, otherwise I recommend Chaos: Making a New Science.
Top Book, 30 Jan 2003
This was the first book I ever read on chaos theory. I am not involved in chaos theory at all, but I was interested in finding out more about it as it was big news at the time. While at times the concept can be difficult to grasp, the author does go to great pains to make things clear. I think this book is aimed at people with some kind of background in maths, science or engineering ho know nothing about chaos theory. THe story of how chaos theory came to be is enlightening and a real insight into how such ideas evolve over time. By the end of the book I was quite able to create and run my own (basic) chaos equations. Quite a feat, really.
A delightful read !, 24 Jan 2003
This book is called 'Chaos : Making a new science' - so it should hardly
surprise anyone that it deals with the history of Chaos, bringing forth
the elementary concepts of the field along the way.
This book isn't, nor does it pretend to be, a textbook on chaos theory,
so one shouldn't expect too much maths or technical details. On the other
hand, a little maths is unavoidable for discussing even the most basic
notions of chaos theory, so the reader should be prepared for some
(not very demanding) maths. The style adopted by Gleick is to interweave the personal lives of the
major players involved in the birth of chaos with a description the
concepts, thus giving the book a feel of an interesting story while
introducing a plethora of dazzling ideas at the same time. The idea of self-similarity, of patterns composed of infinitely-repeating
tiny replicas of themselves, is astounding, to say the least. And to
learn that nature is full of such patterns is revealing indeed. The
implications to science and technology are far-reaching and often
surprising - researchers in Computer Networking have discovered that
network traffic in large networks such as the internet may actually be
following self-similar patterns !! Personally, i found this to be a delightful read - Gleick's writing is
racy, the ideas involved are mind-bending, and the vivid imagery will
stay with you for a long,long time. I fell in love with fractals at
first sight and can gaze at a collection of beautiful fractals for hours. In brief, this is a light, breezy account of the history of Chaos, with
a gentle introduction to the basic ideas of Chaos without much technical
details and only a minimum of maths. One of the best 'Science for everyone' books i've ever read!
The nature of time and space, explained, 25 Oct 2008
The nature of space and time is not a problem that puzzles
physicists, mathematicians and philosophers only. For historians,
time and space are two of the three most important categories we need
to consider in our analyses. This volume helps put the debate on time
and space into a wider context, making a cross disciplinary
discussion about the elements that are at the very heart of modern
science available to non experts whilst, at the same time, offering
cutting-edge research on the enigma of time and space. This book was
an eye-opener for me as I had no idea that so much on this topic was
still such a mystery even to physicists. There are chapters on dark
matter and energy, on quantum symmetry, on Penrose's pre- Big Bang
theory, on particle physics, and on philosophical and theological
implications of space and time. It is a book of different levels and
in my case the technical aspects were always going to be challenging,
but its nice to know that the arguments are there for readers who
want to work through them. The chapters covering philosophy and
theology would be a good place to start. This volume is a must-read
for those wishing to understand when did "time" begin, and where is
that thing which some call "space"? And it also looks really good on
my coffee table right next to The Brief History of Time and my
battered copy of The End of History.
The only philosopher book you'll ever need, 31 Jul 2008
With millions of trees being massacred to debate "philosophy of maths and/or science", this is the only worthwhile sacrifice. Popper lays out directly what it means to be a science, how you evaluate a scientific theory and that you can never know you are right only that you are wrong.
Whilst there are other aspects that a proposed theory may have that makes it attractive over other possibilities, if it cannot be falsified, if it cannot be shown to leap through the experimental hoops that previous theories have managed then it is simply not going to get accepted. Falsifiability is sine non qua of any scientific theory, one only has to look at the pain String Theory is starting to go through to see that no matter how "beautiful", how smart it's proponents are - and String Theory has the absolute smartest - and how well-funded it is.... at the end of the day if you cannot make predictions that can be tested you will fail as a science.
Popper lays this out and it is a sad commentary that he is probably less read than people like Latour and Kuhn - just check the number of review for Kuhn vs the maestro. When the revolution comes and the trees take over the world, ALL the other philosophers and "sociologists" of science like Kuhn, Fuller, Latour etc will be the first up against the wall. I can't wait!
THE philosophy of science thesis., 04 Jan 2002
Oddly, Popper isn't my recommended starting point for philosophy of science (Kuhn is). But Popper is what Kuhn was building on.
Written back in the '30's when the field was in its infancy, Popper's text sets out and argues the basic tenets of the 'scientific method'. Popper's 'falsifiability' criterion is still the single strongest feature distinguishing the scientific from the unscientific, and that, for me, is what the book is about.
Yes, it begins with falsification. Yes, later authors showed that tested falsifiable hypothesis does not account - by a long way - for the adoption of new theories in science. And yes, the increasingly uncertain nature of experiment and the subjective elements of interpretation make 'falsification' a far more slippery concept than a naive reading of Popper implies. But the great contribution here is the recognition that 'scientific method' can prove the particular, and while that cannot prove the general, it can eliminate the false. On top of that, Popper's historical case studies are well written and thought-provoking, which makes a heavy topic a fair read.
No book on this topic can be the only book to have; different authors cast different lights on the field. But this is one of the pivots, on which the arguments of many a later author turned. A very nearly must-have.
A classic in the philosophy of science, 13 May 2000
This book is a classic in the philosophy of science. However, Popper remains stuck in his naive falsificationalism which is superceded by philosophers like Kuhn, Lakatos and Feyerabend. Nevertheless, a must for anyone interested in the philosophy of science.
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Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
Order from Chaos, 29 Sep 2007
We all know things that are not predictable. These can be everyday occurrences like the weather, or more specialised events (whether the stock market will go up or down). The unpredictable plays a large part in "normal life". Yet for some of these matters, there is a nagging feeling that if sufficient information were known, the unpredictable would indeed be able to be forecast with as much certainty as whether the sun will rise tomorrow. Thus James Gleick introduces the topic of `chaos' - there can be a "sensitive dependence on initial conditions". If we were to know the initial conditions in all their details, predictability would be brought within our grasp. Thus the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in China could result in rainfall in Indianapolis.
At times I was lost in the small detail, but the strength of this book is that it paints a big picture. The mathematics (and physics, and chemistry, and biology, and .....) is sometimes beyond me, but the overall story is that there is `chaos' all around. Some of the chaos is linked into classic Newtonian mechanics, but strangely enough, chaos almost has in itself an order and `predictability' about it.
The three of the most significant scientific theories of the 20th century are reckoned to be Einstein's General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and ...... Chaos Theory. Before opening this very historical account of the last mentioned, I knew nothing about the theory of chaos. Now I have an awareness of the subject, and how experimentation can play a part in mathematics. Experimentation and mathematics are not normally uttered in the same sentence.
Look for the big picture, and do not get lost in the people and places, which can be bewildering. If you read this book, please ensure that it has colour photographs within it - the pictures are both staggering, and help to bring home the message. Some areas of chaos have their roots in self similarity, and the pictures from Mendelbrot sets are both staggering and fascinating. Self similarity can be best summed up by the classic (and anonymous) ditty: "Big fleas have on their backs small fleas to bite them, small flees have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum"
Gleick is strong on the history and roots of chaos, and how the ideas were received when initially tabled. There was shock and disbelief that others from external communities could have something to say that would have relevance to (say) population growth models, from totally different scientific disciplines. There was also reluctance initially to publish some of the ground-braking ideas.
Chaos is about non-linear dynamics, fractals, fractal boundary basins and much more. As `chaos' as a concept (and almost as a discipline) spread, rather than bringing order when chaos had existed before (and this could be described as one of the main purposes of `science'), evidence of more chaos emerges.
From study, it could be that there is more evidence of chaos than we thought hitherto. There could be chaos in space, and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias (heart attacks) seems chaotic. Gleick speculates that `evolution' is chaos with feedback. He has made me more aware of randomness. Classic determinism generates randomness. Perhaps, just perhaps, chaos is a way to reconcile free will and determinism. All in all, unlike the pure scientists of old, I now find myself positively looking for chaos.
Perhaps that is a mark of a well presented book.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
New wisdom, 18 May 2007
I love this book because of its association with systems theory and the concept of emergent properties. I also find the story about the struggle to get the ideas accepted by the establishment very reminiscent of the struggle to get new ideas into the world of work.
A Truly Enlightening Introduction to a Whole New World, 29 Dec 2004
I am educated to degree level, however my degree is not in any scientific discipline. I only recently developed an interest in science, and have since read many popular science books to try and fill a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge. Before reading this book, I had no knowledge of Chaos Theory beyond the analogy that a butterfly flapping its wings in Peking could apparently cause a hurricane in New York. I never really understood this idea so I decided to read the book and find out about it. Chaos: Making a New Science - unlike many other books in the popular science genre - doesn't talk down to the reader, and makes no apology for the complexity of the subject. Don't let this put you off, Gleick doesn't need to talk down to you, instead he relies on carefully and precisely explaining all of the facts. I have to admit to re-reading some of the more complex areas, however upon re-reading I found everything accessible despite my limited scientific education. The book primarily tells the history of Chaos Theory and its scientists, which in itself requires a discussion of the theories involved. This means that it explains what the different concepts mean (The Butterfly Effect, non-linear equations, fractals etc.) but doesn't get lost in the very complex mathematics behind them. The theories in this book are often explained very effectively with good use of diagrams. I found these to be priceless, for example the description of a fractal left me a little confused until I saw the diagram of a Koch curve and suddenly understood that it really is possible for a shape to have a finite area and an infinite perimeter. If you already know a lot about Chaos Theory and want to know more I recommend a text book, otherwise I recommend Chaos: Making a New Science.
Top Book, 30 Jan 2003
This was the first book I ever read on chaos theory. I am not involved in chaos theory at all, but I was interested in finding out more about it as it was big news at the time. While at times the concept can be difficult to grasp, the author does go to great pains to make things clear. I think this book is aimed at people with some kind of background in maths, science or engineering ho know nothing about chaos theory. THe story of how chaos theory came to be is enlightening and a real insight into how such ideas evolve over time. By the end of the book I was quite able to create and run my own (basic) chaos equations. Quite a feat, really.
A delightful read !, 24 Jan 2003
This book is called 'Chaos : Making a new science' - so it should hardly
surprise anyone that it deals with the history of Chaos, bringing forth
the elementary concepts of the field along the way.
This book isn't, nor does it pretend to be, a textbook on chaos theory,
so one shouldn't expect too much maths or technical details. On the other
hand, a little maths is unavoidable for discussing even the most basic
notions of chaos theory, so the reader should be prepared for some
(not very demanding) maths. The style adopted by Gleick is to interweave the personal lives of the
major players involved in the birth of chaos with a description the
concepts, thus giving the book a feel of an interesting story while
introducing a plethora of dazzling ideas at the same time. The idea of self-similarity, of patterns composed of infinitely-repeating
tiny replicas of themselves, is astounding, to say the least. And to
learn that nature is full of such patterns is revealing indeed. The
implications to science and technology are far-reaching and often
surprising - researchers in Computer Networking have discovered that
network traffic in large networks such as the internet may actually be
following self-similar patterns !! Personally, i found this to be a delightful read - Gleick's writing is
racy, the ideas involved are mind-bending, and the vivid imagery will
stay with you for a long,long time. I fell in love with fractals at
first sight and can gaze at a collection of beautiful fractals for hours. In brief, this is a light, breezy account of the history of Chaos, with
a gentle introduction to the basic ideas of Chaos without much technical
details and only a minimum of maths. One of the best 'Science for everyone' books i've ever read!
The nature of time and space, explained, 25 Oct 2008
The nature of space and time is not a problem that puzzles
physicists, mathematicians and philosophers only. For historians,
time and space are two of the three most important categories we need
to consider in our analyses. This volume helps put the debate on time
and space into a wider context, making a cross disciplinary
discussion about the elements that are at the very heart of modern
science available to non experts whilst, at the same time, offering
cutting-edge research on the enigma of time and space. This book was
an eye-opener for me as I had no idea that so much on this topic was
still such a mystery even to physicists. There are chapters on dark
matter and energy, on quantum symmetry, on Penrose's pre- Big Bang
theory, on particle physics, and on philosophical and theological
implications of space and time. It is a book of different levels and
in my case the technical aspects were always going to be challenging,
but its nice to know that the arguments are there for readers who
want to work through them. The chapters covering philosophy and
theology would be a good place to start. This volume is a must-read
for those wishing to understand when did "time" begin, and where is
that thing which some call "space"? And it also looks really good on
my coffee table right next to The Brief History of Time and my
battered copy of The End of History.
The only philosopher book you'll ever need, 31 Jul 2008
With millions of trees being massacred to debate "philosophy of maths and/or science", this is the only worthwhile sacrifice. Popper lays out directly what it means to be a science, how you evaluate a scientific theory and that you can never know you are right only that you are wrong.
Whilst there are other aspects that a proposed theory may have that makes it attractive over other possibilities, if it cannot be falsified, if it cannot be shown to leap through the experimental hoops that previous theories have managed then it is simply not going to get accepted. Falsifiability is sine non qua of any scientific theory, one only has to look at the pain String Theory is starting to go through to see that no matter how "beautiful", how smart it's proponents are - and String Theory has the absolute smartest - and how well-funded it is.... at the end of the day if you cannot make predictions that can be tested you will fail as a science.
Popper lays this out and it is a sad commentary that he is probably less read than people like Latour and Kuhn - just check the number of review for Kuhn vs the maestro. When the revolution comes and the trees take over the world, ALL the other philosophers and "sociologists" of science like Kuhn, Fuller, Latour etc will be the first up against the wall. I can't wait!
THE philosophy of science thesis., 04 Jan 2002
Oddly, Popper isn't my recommended starting point for philosophy of science (Kuhn is). But Popper is what Kuhn was building on.
Written back in the '30's when the field was in its infancy, Popper's text sets out and argues the basic tenets of the 'scientific method'. Popper's 'falsifiability' criterion is still the single strongest feature distinguishing the scientific from the unscientific, and that, for me, is what the book is about.
Yes, it begins with falsification. Yes, later authors showed that tested falsifiable hypothesis does not account - by a long way - for the adoption of new theories in science. And yes, the increasingly uncertain nature of experiment and the subjective elements of interpretation make 'falsification' a far more slippery concept than a naive reading of Popper implies. But the great contribution here is the recognition that 'scientific method' can prove the particular, and while that cannot prove the general, it can eliminate the false. On top of that, Popper's historical case studies are well written and thought-provoking, which makes a heavy topic a fair read.
No book on this topic can be the only book to have; different authors cast different lights on the field. But this is one of the pivots, on which the arguments of many a later author turned. A very nearly must-have.
A classic in the philosophy of science, 13 May 2000
This book is a classic in the philosophy of science. However, Popper remains stuck in his naive falsificationalism which is superceded by philosophers like Kuhn, Lakatos and Feyerabend. Nevertheless, a must for anyone interested in the philosophy of science.
Deserves to be better known, 06 Jan 2008
This book deserves to be better known - it should be as popular as the "Tao of Physics". The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is that there are sections that don't live up to the claim to be written without technical jargon. But don't let that put you off as it mainly concerns just one chapter and, while the rest of the book may require a little intellectual exercise, it is well worth the effort so that you can share Bohm's view of the universe as a holomovement. He even resolves the problem of non-locality and thus reconciles the differences between quantum theory and relativity. Bohm has taken science forward, it is just a pity that so few have followed him.
As easy as wrestling a hologram!, 21 May 2004
At its heart, David Bohm awe-inspiring book explores a deceptively simple and [I think] very old idea: everything in the universe that we can observe, measure, describe, and come to understand is connected, even if we cannot observe, measure, describe and come to understand that connection (Bohm's "implicate order"). It's not for the faint hearted. You'll be confronted with a devastatingly beautiful philosophical insight that completely undermines our post-"enlightenment" western tendency to divide, conquer, fragment and isolate everything we attempt to understand. You may need to skip the mathematical chunks and do some background reading into Quantum physics to survive the rigours of the argument. You'll probably get frustrated at Bohm's winsome ability to be mathematician and physicist one minute and philosopher and mystic the next. But if you hang in there, you'll find yourself returning again and again to contemplate this profound contribution to occidental thinking, as I have.
Physics for the 21st Century, 15 Jan 2002
This is a superbly written exposition of intriguing ideas on the nature of reality. I have not studied Physics but was able to understand the key concepts used to convey Bohm's theory. Bohm's key idea is that reality is a totality in movement and can not be completely grasped by fragmented and static thought. Rather we must allow our own understanding to move and change with what we observe to stay closer to reality. Deep, enlightening and insightful stuff!
Bridges the chasm between science and spirituality, 06 Jul 2001
I read this book eight years ago but its impact is still with me to this day. David Bohm writes with great authority and clarity. He uses language, which by its very nature, is dualistic, to describe something which has no opposite. In doing so, he has enabled me, and any other reader who so chooses, to transcend the tiresome Aristotelian dialectic which seems to be so necessary to preserve the world-view that time and space are real!
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Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
Order from Chaos, 29 Sep 2007
We all know things that are not predictable. These can be everyday occurrences like the weather, or more specialised events (whether the stock market will go up or down). The unpredictable plays a large part in "normal life". Yet for some of these matters, there is a nagging feeling that if sufficient information were known, the unpredictable would indeed be able to be forecast with as much certainty as whether the sun will rise tomorrow. Thus James Gleick introduces the topic of `chaos' - there can be a "sensitive dependence on initial conditions". If we were to know the initial conditions in all their details, predictability would be brought within our grasp. Thus the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in China could result in rainfall in Indianapolis.
At times I was lost in the small detail, but the strength of this book is that it paints a big picture. The mathematics (and physics, and chemistry, and biology, and .....) is sometimes beyond me, but the overall story is that there is `chaos' all around. Some of the chaos is linked into classic Newtonian mechanics, but strangely enough, chaos almost has in itself an order and `predictability' about it.
The three of the most significant scientific theories of the 20th century are reckoned to be Einstein's General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and ...... Chaos Theory. Before opening this very historical account of the last mentioned, I knew nothing about the theory of chaos. Now I have an awareness of the subject, and how experimentation can play a part in mathematics. Experimentation and mathematics are not normally uttered in the same sentence.
Look for the big picture, and do not get lost in the people and places, which can be bewildering. If you read this book, please ensure that it has colour photographs within it - the pictures are both staggering, and help to bring home the message. Some areas of chaos have their roots in self similarity, and the pictures from Mendelbrot sets are both staggering and fascinating. Self similarity can be best summed up by the classic (and anonymous) ditty: "Big fleas have on their backs small fleas to bite them, small flees have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum"
Gleick is strong on the history and roots of chaos, and how the ideas were received when initially tabled. There was shock and disbelief that others from external communities could have something to say that would have relevance to (say) population growth models, from totally different scientific disciplines. There was also reluctance initially to publish some of the ground-braking ideas.
Chaos is about non-linear dynamics, fractals, fractal boundary basins and much more. As `chaos' as a concept (and almost as a discipline) spread, rather than bringing order when chaos had existed before (and this could be described as one of the main purposes of `science'), evidence of more chaos emerges.
From study, it could be that there is more evidence of chaos than we thought hitherto. There could be chaos in space, and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias (heart attacks) seems chaotic. Gleick speculates that `evolution' is chaos with feedback. He has made me more aware of randomness. Classic determinism generates randomness. Perhaps, just perhaps, chaos is a way to reconcile free will and determinism. All in all, unlike the pure scientists of old, I now find myself positively looking for chaos.
Perhaps that is a mark of a well presented book.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
New wisdom, 18 May 2007
I love this book because of its association with systems theory and the concept of emergent properties. I also find the story about the struggle to get the ideas accepted by the establishment very reminiscent of the struggle to get new ideas into the world of work.
A Truly Enlightening Introduction to a Whole New World, 29 Dec 2004
I am educated to degree level, however my degree is not in any scientific discipline. I only recently developed an interest in science, and have since read many popular science books to try and fill a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge. Before reading this book, I had no knowledge of Chaos Theory beyond the analogy that a butterfly flapping its wings in Peking could apparently cause a hurricane in New York. I never really understood this idea so I decided to read the book and find out about it. Chaos: Making a New Science - unlike many other books in the popular science genre - doesn't talk down to the reader, and makes no apology for the complexity of the subject. Don't let this put you off, Gleick doesn't need to talk down to you, instead he relies on carefully and precisely explaining all of the facts. I have to admit to re-reading some of the more complex areas, however upon re-reading I found everything accessible despite my limited scientific education. The book primarily tells the history of Chaos Theory and its scientists, which in itself requires a discussion of the theories involved. This means that it explains what the different concepts mean (The Butterfly Effect, non-linear equations, fractals etc.) but doesn't get lost in the very complex mathematics behind them. The theories in this book are often explained very effectively with good use of diagrams. I found these to be priceless, for example the description of a fractal left me a little confused until I saw the diagram of a Koch curve and suddenly understood that it really is possible for a shape to have a finite area and an infinite perimeter. If you already know a lot about Chaos Theory and want to know more I recommend a text book, otherwise I recommend Chaos: Making a New Science.
Top Book, 30 Jan 2003
This was the first book I ever read on chaos theory. I am not involved in chaos theory at all, but I was interested in finding out more about it as it was big news at the time. While at times the concept can be difficult to grasp, the author does go to great pains to make things clear. I think this book is aimed at people with some kind of background in maths, science or engineering ho know nothing about chaos theory. THe story of how chaos theory came to be is enlightening and a real insight into how such ideas evolve over time. By the end of the book I was quite able to create and run my own (basic) chaos equations. Quite a feat, really.
A delightful read !, 24 Jan 2003
This book is called 'Chaos : Making a new science' - so it should hardly
surprise anyone that it deals with the history of Chaos, bringing forth
the elementary concepts of the field along the way.
This book isn't, nor does it pretend to be, a textbook on chaos theory,
so one shouldn't expect too much maths or technical details. On the other
hand, a little maths is unavoidable for discussing even the most basic
notions of chaos theory, so the reader should be prepared for some
(not very demanding) maths. The style adopted by Gleick is to interweave the personal lives of the
major players involved in the birth of chaos with a description the
concepts, thus giving the book a feel of an interesting story while
introducing a plethora of dazzling ideas at the same time. The idea of self-similarity, of patterns composed of infinitely-repeating
tiny replicas of themselves, is astounding, to say the least. And to
learn that nature is full of such patterns is revealing indeed. The
implications to science and technology are far-reaching and often
surprising - researchers in Computer Networking have discovered that
network traffic in large networks such as the internet may actually be
following self-similar patterns !! Personally, i found this to be a delightful read - Gleick's writing is
racy, the ideas involved are mind-bending, and the vivid imagery will
stay with you for a long,long time. I fell in love with fractals at
first sight and can gaze at a collection of beautiful fractals for hours. In brief, this is a light, breezy account of the history of Chaos, with
a gentle introduction to the basic ideas of Chaos without much technical
details and only a minimum of maths. One of the best 'Science for everyone' books i've ever read!
The nature of time and space, explained, 25 Oct 2008
The nature of space and time is not a problem that puzzles
physicists, mathematicians and philosophers only. For historians,
time and space are two of the three most important categories we need
to consider in our analyses. This volume helps put the debate on time
and space into a wider context, making a cross disciplinary
discussion about the elements that are at the very heart of modern
science available to non experts whilst, at the same time, offering
cutting-edge research on the enigma of time and space. This book was
an eye-opener for me as I had no idea that so much on this topic was
still such a mystery even to physicists. There are chapters on dark
matter and energy, on quantum symmetry, on Penrose's pre- Big Bang
theory, on particle physics, and on philosophical and theological
implications of space and time. It is a book of different levels and
in my case the technical aspects were always going to be challenging,
but its nice to know that the arguments are there for readers who
want to work through them. The chapters covering philosophy and
theology would be a good place to start. This volume is a must-read
for those wishing to understand when did "time" begin, and where is
that thing which some call "space"? And it also looks really good on
my coffee table right next to The Brief History of Time and my
battered copy of The End of History.
The only philosopher book you'll ever need, 31 Jul 2008
With millions of trees being massacred to debate "philosophy of maths and/or science", this is the only worthwhile sacrifice. Popper lays out directly what it means to be a science, how you evaluate a scientific theory and that you can never know you are right only that you are wrong.
Whilst there are other aspects that a proposed theory may have that makes it attractive over other possibilities, if it cannot be falsified, if it cannot be shown to leap through the experimental hoops that previous theories have managed then it is simply not going to get accepted. Falsifiability is sine non qua of any scientific theory, one only has to look at the pain String Theory is starting to go through to see that no matter how "beautiful", how smart it's proponents are - and String Theory has the absolute smartest - and how well-funded it is.... at the end of the day if you cannot make predictions that can be tested you will fail as a science.
Popper lays this out and it is a sad commentary that he is probably less read than people like Latour and Kuhn - just check the number of review for Kuhn vs the maestro. When the revolution comes and the trees take over the world, ALL the other philosophers and "sociologists" of science like Kuhn, Fuller, Latour etc will be the first up against the wall. I can't wait!
THE philosophy of science thesis., 04 Jan 2002
Oddly, Popper isn't my recommended starting point for philosophy of science (Kuhn is). But Popper is what Kuhn was building on.
Written back in the '30's when the field was in its infancy, Popper's text sets out and argues the basic tenets of the 'scientific method'. Popper's 'falsifiability' criterion is still the single strongest feature distinguishing the scientific from the unscientific, and that, for me, is what the book is about.
Yes, it begins with falsification. Yes, later authors showed that tested falsifiable hypothesis does not account - by a long way - for the adoption of new theories in science. And yes, the increasingly uncertain nature of experiment and the subjective elements of interpretation make 'falsification' a far more slippery concept than a naive reading of Popper implies. But the great contribution here is the recognition that 'scientific method' can prove the particular, and while that cannot prove the general, it can eliminate the false. On top of that, Popper's historical case studies are well written and thought-provoking, which makes a heavy topic a fair read.
No book on this topic can be the only book to have; different authors cast different lights on the field. But this is one of the pivots, on which the arguments of many a later author turned. A very nearly must-have.
A classic in the philosophy of science, 13 May 2000
This book is a classic in the philosophy of science. However, Popper remains stuck in his naive falsificationalism which is superceded by philosophers like Kuhn, Lakatos and Feyerabend. Nevertheless, a must for anyone interested in the philosophy of science.
Deserves to be better known, 06 Jan 2008
This book deserves to be better known - it should be as popular as the "Tao of Physics". The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is that there are sections that don't live up to the claim to be written without technical jargon. But don't let that put you off as it mainly concerns just one chapter and, while the rest of the book may require a little intellectual exercise, it is well worth the effort so that you can share Bohm's view of the universe as a holomovement. He even resolves the problem of non-locality and thus reconciles the differences between quantum theory and relativity. Bohm has taken science forward, it is just a pity that so few have followed him.
As easy as wrestling a hologram!, 21 May 2004
At its heart, David Bohm awe-inspiring book explores a deceptively simple and [I think] very old idea: everything in the universe that we can observe, measure, describe, and come to understand is connected, even if we cannot observe, measure, describe and come to understand that connection (Bohm's "implicate order"). It's not for the faint hearted. You'll be confronted with a devastatingly beautiful philosophical insight that completely undermines our post-"enlightenment" western tendency to divide, conquer, fragment and isolate everything we attempt to understand. You may need to skip the mathematical chunks and do some background reading into Quantum physics to survive the rigours of the argument. You'll probably get frustrated at Bohm's winsome ability to be mathematician and physicist one minute and philosopher and mystic the next. But if you hang in there, you'll find yourself returning again and again to contemplate this profound contribution to occidental thinking, as I have.
Physics for the 21st Century, 15 Jan 2002
This is a superbly written exposition of intriguing ideas on the nature of reality. I have not studied Physics but was able to understand the key concepts used to convey Bohm's theory. Bohm's key idea is that reality is a totality in movement and can not be completely grasped by fragmented and static thought. Rather we must allow our own understanding to move and change with what we observe to stay closer to reality. Deep, enlightening and insightful stuff!
Bridges the chasm between science and spirituality, 06 Jul 2001
I read this book eight years ago but its impact is still with me to this day. David Bohm writes with great authority and clarity. He uses language, which by its very nature, is dualistic, to describe something which has no opposite. In doing so, he has enabled me, and any other reader who so chooses, to transcend the tiresome Aristotelian dialectic which seems to be so necessary to preserve the world-view that time and space are real!
A fairly limited take on emptiness, 02 Nov 2008
A book on emptiness that starts and ends with quotes of the Rig Veda, the oldest of the sacred hindu books, raises expectations. Unfortunately, not all of these are met.
Frank Close does a very fine job of visualising the void for his readers, for instance by explaining how the dot of ink at the end of a sentence should be blown op to 100 metres to make visible the individual atoms with the naked eye, but to 10.000 kilometres to see the atom's nucleous. There is so much emptiness even within the atom.
The best chapter is the one about ether, the substance the old Greeks dreamed up to avoid the void, which appeared to be very difficult to get rid of in scientific theory, even if there was no supporting evidence for its existence. No complaints, then, about mr. Close's ability to deal with complex physics, although especially some paragraphs on particle physics are pretty tough.
The disappointment lies in the summary hints to philosophical views on the void. This is not a bad book, but it could have been a lot better had mr. Close taken a broader view on his subject, as he appears to set out to in his own introduction and the back cover praise.
This Void is about average, 13 Apr 2008
The book starts well with the physics explained at a fairly basic and historical level. Subsequent chapters advance this view with explanations of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics along the way. The final two chapters however are the meat of the book and feel hurried with topics suddenly appearing that lack adequate explanation or background information. Did the book succeed ? In my view, not quite. It is a relatively short book, interesting but lacking a lot of explanation of the more complex later science that could have made it really good. Shame!
Reading about Nothing is actually really interesting, 26 Nov 2007
Professor Frank Close has managed to engage the non-physicist reader in a topic normally reserved for the intellectual elite. He offers a detailed yet broad analysis of The Void, of nothingness, a topic you would be forgiven for thinking is 'a done deal'.
But far from it, vacuums and the concept of nothingness have been on the minds of many great thinkers throughout time, from the early Greeks to the modern-day super brains at international research centres such as CERN in Switzerland. In a bid to understand our own existence, we may contemplate our opposite: non-existence. The book is not ignorant of the large philosophical questions either.
As the concept of vacuums evolved throughout history Close is there explaining in a real, down-to-earth voice what exactly is going on. The book is illustrated with diagrams throughout, and if like me, you have trouble visualising some of the more difficult concepts, these come in very handy. Having said that, I imagine even an A-Star physics student stands to benefit from this book.
The book is split into nine chapters, with each chapter being further divided logically according to topic. The book enters into the science of atoms, light, the quantum, waves and particles amidst other areas to explain the nature of a vacuum. The Big Bang, Aether, higher dimensions and time are also discussed. Warning: there are very large and small numbers featured in this book, and some concepts will challenge your understanding of your three-dimensional reality.
If you have ever wondered about what is left when you take all the stars, planets and us out of the universe, or that split second after the big bang, then this book hits the money. I recommend this book on the grounds that it covers an interesting topic, whilst introducing other facets of physics, is readable even to the untrained brain and makes you think twice and go 'aha'.
In short: there's Nothing I don't like about it.
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Customer Reviews
Einstein the man, 09 Aug 2008
Here we see glimpses of Einstein the man, not the scientist. As science moved further away from the ideal that it was supposed to benefit mankind in a positive way, Einstein believed the mission of science was to work for mankind's well-being. He will be sadly missed, a great man that thought with his heart as well as his head. Oh Albert!, 28 Jun 2008
Albert Einstein was a whacky, comical genius. He was often seen wearing ''borat-esq man-kini's'' strutting around town trying to seduce the homeless. A rollercoaster comedy story which will have you reaching for that box of kleenex not only to whipe the tears of laughter away from your eyes, the minx. Enjoyable and well thought through book, 05 Feb 2003
The book gives you some idea of what Einstein thought about the world in his lifetime. The book touches on philosophy, politics and the Jew's in Europe which, in my opinion gives a melancholy twist to the text. The book is also a bit of a historical source - its interesting to read the corresponding letters between Einstein and the various scientific organisations in the early 1930's A great book to read, especially if intrested in Einstein, 09 Apr 1999
This book was a really interesting to read because I've never read any letters Albert had written, and it tells about events in his life you wouldn't ordinarily know. The only problem for me was the book didn't quite grab my attention in some parts very well. But other than that I loved the cover and the book, I would definitely recommend it. More than just a scientific genius..., 17 Dec 1998
Albert Einstein will always be remembered as one of the great minds of our time. But not too many people think of him as a great societal thinker as well. Albert delves into many touchy subjects in this book (having grown up during the most devastating era mankind has ever known). The one downside to this book is that there are a few (only a few) passages where you really don't know who he is talking to, and little reference is given on these to help you, the reader, figure them out. I was thoroughly impressed that this genius, mental marvel of the 20th century could convey his message so clearly in most of the essays and writings. He talks about religion, minorities, war, and other issues facing humaity today that are highly debated in all circles. A good buy, a great mind.
Order from Chaos, 29 Sep 2007
We all know things that are not predictable. These can be everyday occurrences like the weather, or more specialised events (whether the stock market will go up or down). The unpredictable plays a large part in "normal life". Yet for some of these matters, there is a nagging feeling that if sufficient information were known, the unpredictable would indeed be able to be forecast with as much certainty as whether the sun will rise tomorrow. Thus James Gleick introduces the topic of `chaos' - there can be a "sensitive dependence on initial conditions". If we were to know the initial conditions in all their details, predictability would be brought within our grasp. Thus the flapping of the wings of a butterfly in China could result in rainfall in Indianapolis.
At times I was lost in the small detail, but the strength of this book is that it paints a big picture. The mathematics (and physics, and chemistry, and biology, and .....) is sometimes beyond me, but the overall story is that there is `chaos' all around. Some of the chaos is linked into classic Newtonian mechanics, but strangely enough, chaos almost has in itself an order and `predictability' about it.
The three of the most significant scientific theories of the 20th century are reckoned to be Einstein's General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and ...... Chaos Theory. Before opening this very historical account of the last mentioned, I knew nothing about the theory of chaos. Now I have an awareness of the subject, and how experimentation can play a part in mathematics. Experimentation and mathematics are not normally uttered in the same sentence.
Look for the big picture, and do not get lost in the people and places, which can be bewildering. If you read this book, please ensure that it has colour photographs within it - the pictures are both staggering, and help to bring home the message. Some areas of chaos have their roots in self similarity, and the pictures from Mendelbrot sets are both staggering and fascinating. Self similarity can be best summed up by the classic (and anonymous) ditty: "Big fleas have on their backs small fleas to bite them, small flees have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum"
Gleick is strong on the history and roots of chaos, and how the ideas were received when initially tabled. There was shock and disbelief that others from external communities could have something to say that would have relevance to (say) population growth models, from totally different scientific disciplines. There was also reluctance initially to publish some of the ground-braking ideas.
Chaos is about non-linear dynamics, fractals, fractal boundary basins and much more. As `chaos' as a concept (and almost as a discipline) spread, rather than bringing order when chaos had existed before (and this could be described as one of the main purposes of `science'), evidence of more chaos emerges.
From study, it could be that there is more evidence of chaos than we thought hitherto. There could be chaos in space, and the onset of cardiac arrhythmias (heart attacks) seems chaotic. Gleick speculates that `evolution' is chaos with feedback. He has made me more aware of randomness. Classic determinism generates randomness. Perhaps, just perhaps, chaos is a way to reconcile free will and determinism. All in all, unlike the pure scientists of old, I now find myself positively looking for chaos.
Perhaps that is a mark of a well presented book.
Peter Morgan (morganp@supanet.com)
New wisdom, 18 May 2007
I love this book because of its association with systems theory and the concept of emergent properties. I also find the story about the struggle to get the ideas accepted by the establishment very reminiscent of the struggle to get new ideas into the world of work.
A Truly Enlightening Introduction to a Whole New World, 29 Dec 2004
I am educated to degree level, however my degree is not in any scientific discipline. I only recently developed an interest in science, and have since read many popular science books to try and fill a few of the gaping holes in my knowledge. Before reading this book, I had no knowledge of Chaos Theory beyond the analogy that a butterfly flapping its wings in Peking could apparently cause a hurricane in New York. I never really understood this idea so I decided to read the book and find out about it. Chaos: Making a New Science - unlike many other books in the popular science genre - doesn't talk down to the reader, and makes no apology for the complexity of the subject. Don't let this put you off, Gleick doesn't need to talk down to you, instead he relies on carefully and precisely explaining all of the facts. I have to admit to re-reading some of the more complex areas, however upon re-reading I found everything accessible despite my limited scientific education. The book primarily tells the history of Chaos Theory and its scientists, which in itself requires a discussion of the theories involved. This means that it explains what the different concepts mean (The Butterfly Effect, non-linear equations, fractals etc.) but doesn't get lost in the very complex mathematics behind them. The theories in this book are often explained very effectively with good use of diagrams. I found these to be priceless, for example the description of a fractal left me a little confused until I saw the diagram of a Koch curve and suddenly understood that it really is possible for a shape to have a finite area and an infinite perimeter. If you already know a lot about Chaos Theory and want to know more I recommend a text book, otherwise I recommend Chaos: Making a New Science.
Top Book, 30 Jan 2003
This was the first book I ever read on chaos theory. I am not involved in chaos theory at all, but I was interested in finding out more about it as it was big news at the time. While at times the concept can be difficult to grasp, the author does go to great pains to make things clear. I think this book is aimed at people with some | | |