classics digests, reflections and reviews
To understand Einstein as a human being, as well as his scientific vision, one must read this book. He had an acute appreciation of human nature, even the characteristics and emotional temperament of a nation as a whole, with a mischievous sense of humor. He was also a passionate pacifist and a Zionist, who believed, perhaps naively, the cultural and social development of a Jewish nation would benefit both the […]
Read moreThe Beauty of Logic I first came across an exposition of the theory of relativity in “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene, and “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking. Without those two books, I don’t know whether I would be able to understand and appreciate this book as much as I do now. With that said, however, the exposition in this book is far better than the other […]
Read moreHaving already read his autobiographies “Surely You’re Joking Mr Feynman” and “What Do You Care What Other People Think“, I was convinced that I could gain valuable insights into quantum electrodynamics (QED) from Feynman, who had a unique ability to explain the most complex concepts. “What one fool can understand, another can” (even though that one fool was a Nobel Laureate). Feynman did not disappoint. He was not only a […]
Read moreJudging a Book by the Cover What stuck me the most before opening this book was Dr. Luria’s photo on the back cover. His alert eyes behind dark rimmed glasses, thin, pressed lips with an ironic upward curl in the left corner, his head tilting slightly backward in an air of aloofness. I thought perhaps he was not as communicative as some of the other scientist-authors whose autobiographies I had […]
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Scientists work within a philosophical framework, though it is perhaps not as pronounced as that of philosophers. A scientific theory is an interpretation of empirical data, and it is often the case that numerous theories can describe the same set of data, which one the scientist chooses depends on his/her philosophy. Empirical evidence drives the advance of science by eliminating bad theories, and forcing the scientists to admit their own […]
Read moreThe Character of Life Watson and Crick, in their respective accounts of the discovery of the structure of DNA, both cited “What is Life” as their source of inspiration. It’s amazing how a physicist’s insights triggered a breakthrough in molecular biology. Schrödinger, based on the principles of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics and very limited experimental data, deduced with amazing accuracy the size and character of the genetic material, later known […]
Read moreComparing this book with Francis Crick’s “What Mad Pursuit”, which covers the discovery of the structure of DNA from a different perspective, I enjoy reading Crick a lot more. While this book provides a more colorful account of the lives and characteristics of the scientists involved in the work, I find Crick’s insightful and humorous commentaries on scientific discovery more stimulating and refreshing.
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