Cats and Physics
 |
Description
Book Introduction
From Schrödinger's cat to quantum computers
The Usefulness of Physics in Exploring the Complex World
“How does science become a weapon for life?
Although knowledge in various fields is becoming more popular, there are still areas that people find difficult to access.
That's right, it's science.
Among them, physics is a field of knowledge that explains heterogeneous phenomena that appear in various fields, from chemistry to biology, sociology, and economics, but most people feel distant from it.
But physics is very closely related to our lives.
In this book, “Cats and Physics,” Vlatko Vedral, an authority on quantum physics and professor of physics at Oxford University, covers classical physics, including the theory of relativity and the uncertainty principle, as well as quantum mechanics, to teach us the principles of physics in our daily lives that we were not aware of.
The author emphasizes that the role of physics is to solve difficult problems in each field based on experiments and theories, and that even non-majors should study physics if they want to know the world and the future at the technological level of this era.
To support this idea, he analyzes numerous dynamics in human society, such as new city design, economic phenomena, and infectious disease tracking, from the perspective of modern physics, and constantly proves that the most accurate perspective for understanding this world is 'physics.'
Among them, it covers the vast and advanced theories of various physicists, including Newton, Heisenberg, Einstein, and Steven Weinberg, but it conveys difficult content in an easy and fun way with easy-to-understand explanations and witty humor.
Physics is still constantly changing and research is ongoing.
This book, which contains that brave new world, is full of strangeness and surprise.
Let's shake off our fear of studying science and listen to the author's in-depth and clear explanations.
Even those who don't know much about science will be equipped with a powerful weapon in life called 'physics'.
The Usefulness of Physics in Exploring the Complex World
“How does science become a weapon for life?
Although knowledge in various fields is becoming more popular, there are still areas that people find difficult to access.
That's right, it's science.
Among them, physics is a field of knowledge that explains heterogeneous phenomena that appear in various fields, from chemistry to biology, sociology, and economics, but most people feel distant from it.
But physics is very closely related to our lives.
In this book, “Cats and Physics,” Vlatko Vedral, an authority on quantum physics and professor of physics at Oxford University, covers classical physics, including the theory of relativity and the uncertainty principle, as well as quantum mechanics, to teach us the principles of physics in our daily lives that we were not aware of.
The author emphasizes that the role of physics is to solve difficult problems in each field based on experiments and theories, and that even non-majors should study physics if they want to know the world and the future at the technological level of this era.
To support this idea, he analyzes numerous dynamics in human society, such as new city design, economic phenomena, and infectious disease tracking, from the perspective of modern physics, and constantly proves that the most accurate perspective for understanding this world is 'physics.'
Among them, it covers the vast and advanced theories of various physicists, including Newton, Heisenberg, Einstein, and Steven Weinberg, but it conveys difficult content in an easy and fun way with easy-to-understand explanations and witty humor.
Physics is still constantly changing and research is ongoing.
This book, which contains that brave new world, is full of strangeness and surprise.
Let's shake off our fear of studying science and listen to the author's in-depth and clear explanations.
Even those who don't know much about science will be equipped with a powerful weapon in life called 'physics'.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Prologue: The Core of Things
Chapter 1 Physics
Chapter 2 Chemistry
Chapter 3 Biology
Chapter 4 Natural Sciences
Chapter 5 Economics
Chapter 6 Sociobiology
Conclusion Social Sciences-Natural Sciences
Epilogue: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Acknowledgements
References
Chapter 1 Physics
Chapter 2 Chemistry
Chapter 3 Biology
Chapter 4 Natural Sciences
Chapter 5 Economics
Chapter 6 Sociobiology
Conclusion Social Sciences-Natural Sciences
Epilogue: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Acknowledgements
References
Detailed image
Into the book
If there were a Laplace's demon, then probability would be unnecessary, since it could know the exact path of every subsequent event in the classical world.
Because the only laws of classical physics known to Laplace are completely deterministic.
But in quantum physics, probability arises from absolute uncertainty about how the world works.
In quantum theory, the state of a physical system is described by what Schrödinger called a 'catalog of information'.
---From "Chapter 1 Physics | p. 69"
Electrons are electrically attracted closer to the positively charged nucleus and will eventually fall into the nucleus.
Therefore, in the classical world, no electrons or molecules can exist.
Quantum atoms are 'saved' from collapse (in the classical world) by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, a cornerstone of quantum physics.
The uncertainty principle explains that the position and velocity of any object cannot be known with 100 percent accuracy.
---From "Chapter 2 Chemistry | 88p"
There is a flaw in the claim that the laws of physics only began to function after humans evolved.
We know that the universe has been following the same physical instructions since before humans existed, even before life was created 4 billion years ago.
Also, even if humans and all life were to become extinct, the laws of physics would still apply and the universe would obey them.
---From "Chapter 3 Biology | 158p"
The efficiency advantages that quantum physics brings to living systems allow organisms to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
This is what computer scientists call parallel information processing.
But no one expects the entire repertoire of quantum physics to survive in macroscopic, warm, humid, and noisy environments like plants and birds.
---From "Chapter 4 Natural Science | 210p"
If our understanding of economics is not supported by scientific principles like natural science, the gap between the two will remain wide open forever.
Fortunately, microeconomists who study transactions between individuals approach it like physicists.
They like to call economics “the physics of the social sciences.”
Moreover, there is a field in economics that takes Boltzmann's micro-macro approach from physics and applies it to the micro-macro transition process.
---From "Chapter 5 Economics | 253p"
Sociobiology is the discipline that systematically studies the biological basis underlying all social behavior.
It is controversial because it claims that social behavior can be understood in terms of biological behavior.
---From "Chapter 6 Sociobiology | 285p"
If the matter active in the brain were quantum, what would happen to our thoughts, actions, and large-scale behaviors? For example, if human thought were to arrive as discrete, "thinking" nuggets, like photons, quanta of light, then the leap from social science to quantum physics might not be so remarkable after all.
Because the only laws of classical physics known to Laplace are completely deterministic.
But in quantum physics, probability arises from absolute uncertainty about how the world works.
In quantum theory, the state of a physical system is described by what Schrödinger called a 'catalog of information'.
---From "Chapter 1 Physics | p. 69"
Electrons are electrically attracted closer to the positively charged nucleus and will eventually fall into the nucleus.
Therefore, in the classical world, no electrons or molecules can exist.
Quantum atoms are 'saved' from collapse (in the classical world) by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, a cornerstone of quantum physics.
The uncertainty principle explains that the position and velocity of any object cannot be known with 100 percent accuracy.
---From "Chapter 2 Chemistry | 88p"
There is a flaw in the claim that the laws of physics only began to function after humans evolved.
We know that the universe has been following the same physical instructions since before humans existed, even before life was created 4 billion years ago.
Also, even if humans and all life were to become extinct, the laws of physics would still apply and the universe would obey them.
---From "Chapter 3 Biology | 158p"
The efficiency advantages that quantum physics brings to living systems allow organisms to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
This is what computer scientists call parallel information processing.
But no one expects the entire repertoire of quantum physics to survive in macroscopic, warm, humid, and noisy environments like plants and birds.
---From "Chapter 4 Natural Science | 210p"
If our understanding of economics is not supported by scientific principles like natural science, the gap between the two will remain wide open forever.
Fortunately, microeconomists who study transactions between individuals approach it like physicists.
They like to call economics “the physics of the social sciences.”
Moreover, there is a field in economics that takes Boltzmann's micro-macro approach from physics and applies it to the micro-macro transition process.
---From "Chapter 5 Economics | 253p"
Sociobiology is the discipline that systematically studies the biological basis underlying all social behavior.
It is controversial because it claims that social behavior can be understood in terms of biological behavior.
---From "Chapter 6 Sociobiology | 285p"
If the matter active in the brain were quantum, what would happen to our thoughts, actions, and large-scale behaviors? For example, if human thought were to arrive as discrete, "thinking" nuggets, like photons, quanta of light, then the leap from social science to quantum physics might not be so remarkable after all.
---From "Conclusion: Social Sciences and Natural Sciences | 323p"
Publisher's Review
From the vastness of space to the tiniest atom
Interpreting the world through the language of physics!
The book, From Micro to Macro, begins with the author, Professor Vlatko Vedral, attending a dinner at Hertford College, Oxford.
At a gathering of leading scholars from various fields, including chemists, biologists, economists, and sociologists, he, a quantum physicist, was asked the following question:
“What do you think is the biggest challenge we face?” he answers.
“It’s about bridging the gap between micro and macro.
“I may be presumptuous, but I believe that only physics can do that.”
This book chronicles the journey of a physicist who has built a bridge between quantum phenomena in the microscopic world and the complex systems of the macroscopic world. It encompasses physics theories and experiments that have solved social phenomena and difficult problems that cannot be explained not only in natural science but also in social science.
The author, a professor of physics at Oxford University, names the virtual reality that resolves all the controversies between the microscopic quantum world and the macroscopic classical world as the 'Great Reduction Era', and explains in detail the scientific theories that have broadened the horizons of humanity, from Schrödinger's cat experiment, which opened the door to quantum mechanics, to Newtonian mechanics, relativity, and thermodynamics.
In addition, it introduces everyday examples such as the Holting problem of general-purpose computers, the correlation between the irreversibility of evolution and thermodynamics, the paradigm of quantum mechanics according to information theory, and the link between human macroscopic behavior and evolutionary biology expressed in physics, proving that the influence of physics far transcends not only natural science but also the realm of social science.
What makes this book special among the numerous science books is that it covers a vast and in-depth range of advanced scientific knowledge, yet is written in a way that makes it accessible to anyone interested in the field.
Even for science nerds, let alone those who are not good at physics, it is by no means easy to completely understand the overall flow of physics.
However, living up to his reputation as an authority on quantum mechanics, Vlatko Vedral has been able to explain complex formulas ranging from theoretical physics to everyday physics in an easy and fun way that even the general public can understand.
If you want to conquer the countless theories of physics that you've heard of but never understood, such as Brownian motion, the entropy formula, and the uncertainty principle, open this book.
For us living in the age of science
A unique and captivating book! - David Deutsch
The world of physics captured by a quantum physicist as he travels around the world.
A person is in a dilemma.
He has to get married soon.
And he has seven blind dates.
However, this is subject to the following conditions:
Once you have indicated your refusal to the other party, you cannot change your choice.
How many blind dates would it take for this person to make the best choice?
This book, which lives up to its title as an 'introductory book to physics', begins with a rather unusual case.
So what exactly is the connection between physics and matchmaking? It all comes down to Euler's number.
This is because Euler's number (2.71), which is the foundation of quantum mechanics, is used to determine the optimal number of matches.
You can comfortably propose to the first person you like among those you meet after dividing the total number of blind dates, '7', by Euler's number (rounded up to '3').
In this way, the author teaches us about physics theories that are being used in our daily lives, knowingly or unknowingly, through interesting examples.
In this book, which consists of seven chapters, the author travels to Oxford, Beijing, Singapore, Dubai, and Belgium to meet with colleagues from various places, including chemistry, biology, natural sciences, economics, sociobiology, and even integrated conclusions, to discuss in detail how each field is connected to physics, illuminating our daily lives and social and natural phenomena from a physicist's perspective.
For example, based on the behavioral economics theory of Nobel laureate in economics Daniel Kahneman and the market for lemons theory of George Akerlof, it introduces the quantum mechanics theory of 'signalling' that achieves information equilibrium, and based on political scientist Robert Axelrod's 'The Evolution of Cooperation', it explains how the mathematical game theory used in physics interprets human conflict and cooperation.
Furthermore, John Conway, a mathematics professor at Princeton University, applies a universal quantum computer to the system of biological evolution, which he calls the “game of life,” to predict the future of complex systems.
When we talk about science, we often think of it as a discipline that pursues only perfect formulas and studies things that are far removed from reality.
However, science, especially physics, develops new theories based on existing theories and experiments, and often solves problems that other fields could not solve.
Therefore, the "how physics interprets the world" introduced by the author in this book is essential not only for scholars but also for everyone who struggles with the difficult problems they must solve every day while living in this world.
Isn't this precisely why we should read this book?
Interpreting the world through the language of physics!
The book, From Micro to Macro, begins with the author, Professor Vlatko Vedral, attending a dinner at Hertford College, Oxford.
At a gathering of leading scholars from various fields, including chemists, biologists, economists, and sociologists, he, a quantum physicist, was asked the following question:
“What do you think is the biggest challenge we face?” he answers.
“It’s about bridging the gap between micro and macro.
“I may be presumptuous, but I believe that only physics can do that.”
This book chronicles the journey of a physicist who has built a bridge between quantum phenomena in the microscopic world and the complex systems of the macroscopic world. It encompasses physics theories and experiments that have solved social phenomena and difficult problems that cannot be explained not only in natural science but also in social science.
The author, a professor of physics at Oxford University, names the virtual reality that resolves all the controversies between the microscopic quantum world and the macroscopic classical world as the 'Great Reduction Era', and explains in detail the scientific theories that have broadened the horizons of humanity, from Schrödinger's cat experiment, which opened the door to quantum mechanics, to Newtonian mechanics, relativity, and thermodynamics.
In addition, it introduces everyday examples such as the Holting problem of general-purpose computers, the correlation between the irreversibility of evolution and thermodynamics, the paradigm of quantum mechanics according to information theory, and the link between human macroscopic behavior and evolutionary biology expressed in physics, proving that the influence of physics far transcends not only natural science but also the realm of social science.
What makes this book special among the numerous science books is that it covers a vast and in-depth range of advanced scientific knowledge, yet is written in a way that makes it accessible to anyone interested in the field.
Even for science nerds, let alone those who are not good at physics, it is by no means easy to completely understand the overall flow of physics.
However, living up to his reputation as an authority on quantum mechanics, Vlatko Vedral has been able to explain complex formulas ranging from theoretical physics to everyday physics in an easy and fun way that even the general public can understand.
If you want to conquer the countless theories of physics that you've heard of but never understood, such as Brownian motion, the entropy formula, and the uncertainty principle, open this book.
For us living in the age of science
A unique and captivating book! - David Deutsch
The world of physics captured by a quantum physicist as he travels around the world.
A person is in a dilemma.
He has to get married soon.
And he has seven blind dates.
However, this is subject to the following conditions:
Once you have indicated your refusal to the other party, you cannot change your choice.
How many blind dates would it take for this person to make the best choice?
This book, which lives up to its title as an 'introductory book to physics', begins with a rather unusual case.
So what exactly is the connection between physics and matchmaking? It all comes down to Euler's number.
This is because Euler's number (2.71), which is the foundation of quantum mechanics, is used to determine the optimal number of matches.
You can comfortably propose to the first person you like among those you meet after dividing the total number of blind dates, '7', by Euler's number (rounded up to '3').
In this way, the author teaches us about physics theories that are being used in our daily lives, knowingly or unknowingly, through interesting examples.
In this book, which consists of seven chapters, the author travels to Oxford, Beijing, Singapore, Dubai, and Belgium to meet with colleagues from various places, including chemistry, biology, natural sciences, economics, sociobiology, and even integrated conclusions, to discuss in detail how each field is connected to physics, illuminating our daily lives and social and natural phenomena from a physicist's perspective.
For example, based on the behavioral economics theory of Nobel laureate in economics Daniel Kahneman and the market for lemons theory of George Akerlof, it introduces the quantum mechanics theory of 'signalling' that achieves information equilibrium, and based on political scientist Robert Axelrod's 'The Evolution of Cooperation', it explains how the mathematical game theory used in physics interprets human conflict and cooperation.
Furthermore, John Conway, a mathematics professor at Princeton University, applies a universal quantum computer to the system of biological evolution, which he calls the “game of life,” to predict the future of complex systems.
When we talk about science, we often think of it as a discipline that pursues only perfect formulas and studies things that are far removed from reality.
However, science, especially physics, develops new theories based on existing theories and experiments, and often solves problems that other fields could not solve.
Therefore, the "how physics interprets the world" introduced by the author in this book is essential not only for scholars but also for everyone who struggles with the difficult problems they must solve every day while living in this world.
Isn't this precisely why we should read this book?
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: May 31, 2023
- Page count, weight, size: 368 pages | 458g | 128*188*23mm
- ISBN13: 9788925576534
- ISBN10: 8925576538
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