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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2024
Many years ago, I was required to take a physics course. Being what they called a “Bull Major”, this version was called Physics for poets. A rather interesting formula for those who think human have no choice but to see the beauty in the world or its mechanics. That duality is silly. Much later, I would come home from dating (My then date is now The Wife) and watch a televised class in physics. Amazing what a huge budget for animations and demonstrations do to make the subject fascinating.
Somewhere along the line I got interested in reading into Quantum physics. All the while clinging to the famous quote to the effect that if you think you understand Quantum, you don’t.
And so, to this slim gem of a book. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. It is a nice companion book for the not even amateur reader like myself and a lovely intro for one barely willing to read its 80 pages. Please read it, it is very nearly poetic and written to the intelligence of the most casual reader.
For me, there was little new for about 3 chapters. These were fun because he gave me another way to think about and understand things, I had struggled to take in.
Then he steps int what is more nearly poetry than science, and is entirely science. What we are asked to consider is that the universe is driven by probability. The outcome of every interaction is never more than a probability. Enven heat flows one way because that way is the more likely. For that matter, try this for contemplation. Time is (probably) heat flow.
The past is gone, the future does not exist yet, but we are all certain of the right now. Why? What does ‘now’ mean? How do you express it as a formula? Great questions. Follow these thoughts where Rovelli takes you then launch out into your own directions.
Somewhere along the line I got interested in reading into Quantum physics. All the while clinging to the famous quote to the effect that if you think you understand Quantum, you don’t.
And so, to this slim gem of a book. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. It is a nice companion book for the not even amateur reader like myself and a lovely intro for one barely willing to read its 80 pages. Please read it, it is very nearly poetic and written to the intelligence of the most casual reader.
For me, there was little new for about 3 chapters. These were fun because he gave me another way to think about and understand things, I had struggled to take in.
Then he steps int what is more nearly poetry than science, and is entirely science. What we are asked to consider is that the universe is driven by probability. The outcome of every interaction is never more than a probability. Enven heat flows one way because that way is the more likely. For that matter, try this for contemplation. Time is (probably) heat flow.
The past is gone, the future does not exist yet, but we are all certain of the right now. Why? What does ‘now’ mean? How do you express it as a formula? Great questions. Follow these thoughts where Rovelli takes you then launch out into your own directions.
