From Paradox to Reality Our Basic Concepts of the Physical World [Paperback]

Based on successful courses taught by the author, this work shows how new discoveries forced physicists to resort to unconventional notions to remove the mystery and misrepresentation that often surrounds modern physics.Based on successful courses taught by the author, this work shows how new discoveries forced physicists to resort to unconventional notions to remove the mystery and misrepresentation that often surrounds modern physics.Using a clear, non-technical style, Professor Rohrlich discusses the two major theories of twentieth-century physics: relativity and quantum mechanics. Discussed conceptually and philosophically, rather than using mathematics, the philosophical issues raised show how new discoveries forced physicists to accept often strange and unconventional notions. He aims to remove the mystery and misrepresentation that often surround the ideas of modern physics and to show how modern scientists construct theories, so that the reader can appreciate their successes and failures and understand problems that are as yet unresolved.Preface; Part I. At the Roof of the Endeavor: 1. Human limitations; 2. Theory and the role of mathematics; 3. Scientific objectivity; 4. The aim of scientific theory; Part II. The World of Relativity: 5. Space and time: from absolute to relative; 6. Imposed consistency: special relativity; 7. Gravitation as geometry: general relativity; 8. Revolutions without revolutions; Part III. The Quantum World: 9. The limits of the classical world; 10. Concepts of the quantum world; 11. From apparent paradox to a new reality; 12. The present state of the art; Epilogue; Notes; Glossary of technical terms; Name index; Subject index. ...an ideal book prize for a budding physics undergraduate. R.V. Cox, School Science ...a text that can help redress a serious problem in the present educational system in the US. It is a response to the science illiteracy that is rampant even among so-called educated Americans. His goal is a worthy one, alC