Philosopher and science historian Robert P. Crease tells the stories behind ten of the greatest equations in human history. Was Nobel laureate Richard Feynman really joking when he called Maxwell's electromagnetic equations the most significant event of the nineteenth century? How did Newton's law of gravitation influence young revolutionaries? Why has Euler's formula been called "God's equation," and why did a mysterious ecoterrorist make it his calling card? What role do betrayal, insanity, and suicide play in the second ...
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Philosopher and science historian Robert P. Crease tells the stories behind ten of the greatest equations in human history. Was Nobel laureate Richard Feynman really joking when he called Maxwell's electromagnetic equations the most significant event of the nineteenth century? How did Newton's law of gravitation influence young revolutionaries? Why has Euler's formula been called "God's equation," and why did a mysterious ecoterrorist make it his calling card? What role do betrayal, insanity, and suicide play in the second law of thermodynamics? The Great Equations tells the stories of how these equations were discovered, revealing the personal struggles of their ingenious originators. From "1 + 1 = 2" to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Crease locates these equations in the panoramic sweep of Western history, showing how they are as integral to their time and place of creation as are great works of art.
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Fair. Acceptable-The covers are intact but may have creases, marks, and/or various stickers. Pages may have several folds/creases and may include considerable notes and highlighting but text is legible. All items we sell are donated goods and are in used condition. Thank you for shopping with Goodwill Colorado! Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
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Like New in Like New jacket. First Edition, First Printing (Full Number Line). Not price-clipped ($25.95 price intact). Published by W.W. Norton, 2008. Octavo. Black boards over orange boards stamped in gold. Book is like new; clean with no writing or names. Sharp corners and spine straight. Binding tight and pages crisp. Dust jacket is like new. 315 pages. ISBN: 9780393062045. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions or if you would like a photo. All books packed carefully and ship with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Southampton, New York. We Buy Books! Individual titles, libraries, collections. Message us if you have books to sell!
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I bought this on the strength of a review in American Scientist, but ended up disappointed. I knew enough not to expect the depth or mathematical detail of a Paul Nahin book, but I found this one superficial, and the cutesy writing style cloying after only one chapter. I studied quantum mechanics and statistical thermodynamics a long, long time ago, but found the chapter on Schrodinger's equation not very illuminating. The story of the development of quantum mechanics has been told countless times, and there are many better renditions.
