The Great Design: Particles, Fields, and Creation
[Paperback]
Robert K. Adair (Author)
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Adair's aim is to explain the underlying ideas of modern physics to the educated layperson while avoiding mathematics as much as possible. Considering the difficulty of the task, he does a creditable job. Still, there is a fair amount of algebraic notation, using Greek letters and sub- and superscripts, which may intimidate some readers, and the author tacitly assumes familiarity with scientific terminology. This is a good book for anyone who has studied some physics at the undergraduate level but never really grasped its unifying concepts. It is also recommended to readers with a scientific background interested in the present state of the art in quantum mechanics, particle physics, and astrophysics. Harold D. Shane, Mathematics Dept., Baruch Coll. , Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"A delicious and, in many ways, a profound popularization of what physics is and how physicists reach and accept conclusions."--New Technical Books
"A good book for anyone who has studied some physics at the undergraduate level but never really grasped its unifying concepts. It is also recommended to readers with a scientific background interested in the present state of the art in quantum mechanics, particle physics, and astrophysics."--Library Journal
"Adair...has digested many of the seemingly impossible-to-understand concepts for general readers, and has presented these concepts in this book....Excellent illustrations are used throughout. Highly recommended."--Choice
"A thoughtful, scholarly book that describes the foundations of physics and the methods by which these foundations have been formed....Highly recommended for anyone with more than a passing curiosity about physics and our attempts to observe and understand the universe in which we live."--Science Books and Films
"A straightforward, unfussy, and well-ordered account of the core concepts of relativistic particle physics....Adair is on many topics an excellent guide and mentor, with a good teacher's ability to anticipate the difficulties the student will have."--Nature
"We found this book to be an excellent and often illuminating review of the basic concepts of modern physics. It brings the reader right to the frontier of Grand Unified Theories and the more shadowy world of superstrings and rolled-up dimensions. Controversial topics are presented evenhandedly, and our present level of understanding of new topics is stated clearly. . . .the author frequently uses very intuitive, simple, and often brilliant analogies to get his ideas across. . . .For undergraduate physics students seeking a broad overview, or for readers from other disciplines of science who want to see what their colleagues are up to, this would be an excellent book. It would benefit a much wider range of readers--including senators and university presidents--as well." --American Scientist
"This is a clean, readable account of contemporary thought by physicists. I have recommended it to our physics majors as a cultural undertaking."--Albert C. Claus, Loyola University
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Excerpt/Excerto:
"O Universo: Criado para nós? sim ou não? Mas o que ou quem, é ou foi o Criador? á uma Causa Primeira? O que havia antes do começo do espaço e tempo? O que haverá após o fim? Nós não sabemos e --exercitando uma rara humildade-- nós não estamos nem confiantes de que nós podemos saber. Se o universo nasceu em uma flutuação quântica, a aleatoriedade inerente revelada na mecânica quântica pode eliminar a possibilidade de extrapolação antes daquele incidente. Antes do começo do universo e após o fim pode estar além do alcance da racionalidade. Com dimensões tão distorcidas que até o tempo pode ser amarrado em nós, podemos nós até saber o que significa por "antes" ou o que quer dizer "Causa"? Talvez os físicos devam deixar a Causa com os teólogos e filósofos." [*]
Aqui nós vemos a humildade do cientista reconhecendo os limites que a ciência e a razão humana têm, e a arrogância de Hawking em afirmar aquilo que a ciência não lhe concede por não ter referenciais teóricos suficientes e nem tecnologia adequada para uma questão de ciência das origens.
Estranha coincidência nos títulos: The Great Design (Adair) e The Grand Design (Hawking).
É, parece que ultimamente um livro para vender tem que ter pelo menos Design ou Deus no título.
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[*] "The Universe: Created for us? yea or nay? But what or who, is or was, the Creator? Is there a Primal cause? What was there before the beginning of space and time? What will be there after the end? We do not know and--exercising a rare humility--we are not even confident that we can know. If the universe was born in a quantum fluctuation, the inherent randomness revealed in quantum mechanics may eliminate the possibility of extrapolation before that incident. Before the beginning of the universe and after the end may be beyond the reach of rationality. With dimensions so distorted that even time may be tied into knots, can we even know what is meant by "before" or what is meant by "Cause"? Perhaps physicists must leave the Cause with theologians and philosophers."
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Source/Fonte: Amazon
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