Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: "Horganism"???? Perfect!!



<Interesting! This is precisely the views of physics at the turn of the
<century. Yes, we couldn't quite explain the emission spectrum -- and yes,
<there was this weird photo-electric effect -- but this was thought to be
<relatively trivial and by and by some menial technician would find the
<answers. But by and large physics was thought to be complete -- this, 100
<years ago.
<

This is a moment to remind people of a wonderful book about the zeitgeist of
physics in the early part of this century: Night Thoughts of a Classical
Physicist, by Russell McCormmach. It is available from the usual sources.

JEG
__________________________________

John E. Gastineau john@gastineau.org
PMB #163 http://gastineau.home.mindspring.com
953 National Road (304) 243-9636 voice
Wheeling WV 26003-6440 (304) 243-9637 fax
USA

I agree completely with John. "Night Thoughts" is a beautifully
written book that gives the reader deep insights into what physics
was like in Germany just before and after World War I. It's the only
novel that I know of that was written under an NSF grant.

Hugh


Hugh Haskell
<mailto://hhaskell@mindspring.com>

Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because they
have to..
******************************************************