Einstein's Heroes: Imagining the World through the Language of Mathematics

"For a hundred years, though, scientists have revered him. Max Planck, the great German theoretical physicist who created quantum theory at the dawn of the twentieth century, said Maxwell’s theory ‘must remain for all time one of the greatest triumphs of human intellectual endeavour’. Einstein said, ‘One scientific epoch ended and another began with James Clerk Maxwell’."But perhaps the most memorable tribute to Maxwell—and to his belief that mathematics is the best language with which to imagine the world—is the t-shirt slogan seen on university campuses in the 1990s:"And God said,∂ E/ ∂ t = c ∇ × B − 4πJ∂ B/ ∂ t = − c ∇ × E∇. E = 4πρ∇. B = 0And there was light.''Explains the change from Newtonian 'action at a distance' to Faraday's 'fields'. Recounts the severe opposition from the Newtonian's to Faraday's fields. Lord Kelvin laments at the end of his life that he failed as a physicist for rejecting Maxwell's discoveries.Reveals story of Oliver Heaviside, a self-taught physicist who discovered the correct application of Maxwell's theory, but was rejected due to the arrogance of the elite. He never gave up because he felt "Science was a means of seeking the laws of God and banishing superstition, filled with a strong sense of my Duty to impart my knowledge to others and help them." Inspiring to any who fight the same fight. He published his work at his cost to benefit his fellow man. He did.Explains that Faraday had the same fight for the same reason, the educated elite not accepting his conclusions since he was not of their class. We now view Faraday as the physicist responsible for modern technology. He did the work that Maxwell and then Einstein used to create modern physics.Connects the three mathematical theories, Newton's, Maxwell's and Einstein's. Shows how these have changed our view of reality, from physical solids to energy as fields to mathematical ideas.Page 281: "it is a paradigm shift that has provoked some to wonder weather mathematics is somehow written into the very structure of the universe."Good observation. This is a modern doubt. The men who implemented the modern use of mathematics, Galileo, Kepler, Barrow, Newton, Pascal, Maxwell, Wren, etc. did so because they believed ' god eternally mathematizes'. Their faith was validated.Arianrhod relates that Einstein had three portraits on his wall, Faraday, Newton and Maxwell. All three were devout, Bible reading Christians. Their faith in the mathematics given by the great Mathematician never wavered.Good insight into the life and personality of Faraday and Maxwell. Also, some detail on others of that time and how this new science affected radio, telephone and even quantum theory.Well written. I enjoyed the way she connected the cultural effect to the science.A Seamless IntertwiningA Reluctant Revolutionary Beetles, Strings and Sealing WaxThe Nature of PhysicsThe Language of PhysicsWhy Newton Held the World in ThrallRites of PassageA Fledgling PhysicistElectromagnetic ControversyMathematics as LanguageThe Magical Synthesis of Algebra and GeometryMaxwell’s Mathematical LanguageMaxwell’s RainbowImagining the World with the Language of Mathematics: A Revolution in PhysicsNewton also used mathematics to provide insight into the unseen . . .“Newton went even further than this. He hypothesised that gravity is a universal force, not just an earthly one. He worked out a formula describing how gravity would theoretically behave everywhere in the universe if it actually did extend beyond the earthly environment. . . . But in Newton’s day, while some scientists had begun to think of each planet having its own specific type of gravity, the idea that the Sun and other ‘heavenly bodies’ had the same gravity as the Earth was considered almost sacrilegious. Most of Newton’s contemporaries believed that the ‘heavens’—the home of the Moon, Sun and stars—must be governed by very different laws from the Earth, so they did not expect that earthly gravity would exist in the celestial realms.’’ (51)Newton now known as early Unitarian, one who rejects the trinity in favor of the Jewish concept of the one Jehovah. This is why he wanted to unify all creation. This would confirm Jehovah's godship. How difficult?“Newton’s theory was almost pure speculation: no one had been to the Moon or launched a spaceship when he made his revolutionary prediction that gravity is a property of all matter, anywhere in the universe. And that the Earth’s gravity is strong enough to extend as far as the Moon, and is keeping the Moon in its orbit, while the Sun’s gravity can be felt on Earth and is keeping Earth and the other planets in orbit.’’This ‘pure speculation’ was derived from Newton's faith in the one universal creator.“As for Newton’s theory of gravity, it was first published in 1687—twenty years after he had first begun working on the problem of planetary motion—in a great book called Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy). Nowadays referred to as ‘Newton’s Principia’, it is the most important book in the history of science because it introduced the world to the first consistent, broad-ranging scientific theory.’’ (77)Newton created one science to confirm the belief in the one Creator!

Physics is the science of describing the physical world at its most fundamental level, and math is the language physicists use, the world of equations. "Mathematics is our language -- a sublime creation of the human mind, built by countless generations from all parts of the world. A language of unity, both culturally and philosphically. It has given us a synthesis of waves and particles, energy and matter, language and reality, just as it embodies in its very grammar and symbols a synthesis of intellectual contributions from the East, the Middle East and the West. And it has changed forever the way we think about reality, and about our place in the universe."Albert Einstein is considered the father of modern physics. His equations showed that the universe was created in an explosion called the Big Bang theory. Although his "general relativity theory predicted the existence of black holes and the Big Bang, it cannot tell physicists what happens at the center of a black hole, or what happened at the moment of the Big Bang. It works on the cosmic scale, describing the origin and evolution of the universe itself." No one will ever be able to prove beyond doubt that mathematical creations like black holes exist, and that the Big Bang actually happened "because we can never return from an exploratory trip into a black hole."Sir Isaac Newton's predictive theory of physics is "the mathematical law -- an equation -- that accurately described the effects of this ubiquitous but little understood downward pull." The most astounding part of Newton's theory was its use of math to prove a brilliant and radical hypothesis "that laid the foundations of the modern science of astronomy" -- the hypothesis that gravity is a universal force, not just and earthly one ...and that the ancient mystery of why the planets move through the sky can be explained by assuming the Sun's gravity is responsible for holding them in their orbits."She gives the ancient history of the field of astronomy of Copernicus, Gailileo, Aristarchus, Hipparchus, Ptolomy, Kepler and others who paved the way for William Thomson, the most famous physicist of his day, who took James Clark Maxwell under his tutelage. It was his work which primarily inspired Einstein's special theory of relativity in 1905, and his portrait hung on the walls of Einstein's lab. The 100th anniversary of this discovery has just been observed by MIT as the era of modern physics. His general theory of relativity was developed in 1915.Many scientists, still riding on Newton's wave of success, had turned to science rather than religion for answers to the important questions about the nature of the universe and our role in it. Maxwell saw science as a means of "understanding...creation." Charles Darwin developed his theory of human evolution by natural selection, which would bring "renewed heat to debates about God's role in designing and creating the universe. Meanwhile, in an Apostles essay on the nature of the evidence for design by an intelligent Creator, Maxwell wrote (following Kant) that 'our understanding of nature is limited by the structure of our brains,' so that the very belief in design 'is a necessary consequence of the Laws of Thought acting on the phenomena of perception.'"Einstein is quoted as saying, "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." Whatever the ultimate reality of our origins, "and whatever the fate of relativity theory itself, physicists have learned an incredible amount about the universe over the past century, guided by Einstein's mathematical theory of gravity." The high success rate of various tests of Newton's theory over the previous 160 years had made astronomy 'the most glamorous and prestigious of the sciences.' Einstein also said, "The discovery of nuclear chain reactions need not bring about the destruction of mankind any more than did the discovery of matches. We only must do everything in our power to safeguard against its abuse."

Great read

The only author to include the concept of mathematical grammar in discussing Maxwell's equations. By understand how the equations described the dynamic electricity and magnetism fields to change gave me a clearer picture of why the equation are so valued. I can now picture the process and I was able to confirm that I had emulated those movements in my art form.This is my second copy.

The earlier reviews of this book give a good idea of its contents, but I would add that the author's larger point is that the greammer of mathematics can lead scientists to come to conclusions that would be by no means obvious. For example, James Clerk Maxwell did not expect his mathematical formulation of Faraday's idea of electrical and magnetic fields to indicate that these fields propagate at the speed of light. This result lead Maxwell to hypothesize that light was electromagnetic radiation, and that it should come in forms other than familiar, visible light.

This is a scientific autobiography of James Clark Maxwell and should and can be read by everyone from experts and novices alike. The title starting with 'Einstein's Heroes:' is a little deceptive. But the book shows Einstein's predecessors who laid down the foundations of mathematics. And of the forces of attractions through Maxwell's description of magnetic forces.The author has done a excellent job in taking the reader by the hand and slowly describing the theory of vectors and thereby be able to describe the magnetic field which otherwise is not seen by the eye.Very beautifully written. The book describes his life and relationship with Michael Farady and the Royal Society.

If you want to know about James Clark Maxwell - and you should if you're interested in where Einstein got his "out of the box" leads - if you want to know why mathematics is the only - and précis- global language, read Robyn, she is a wonderfully clear thinker & exponent of what she knows. Thank you, Robyn!

I ordered this book as a present, it was delivered on the specified time given and the person the book was for is extremely happy and the fact it came from second hand stock.So all-in-all very happy with everything

I had bought this book to read out for my kid, to inspire towards scientific thinking. I would read it for few pages per week. But one midnight I got up from my workbench to find my father who has took this book in morning of the day itself, was having moist eyes and totally engrossed and almost completed the book in a single day one go. In his age, his inclination is towards spiritual books...but this man read this entire book in single day, was so much influenced that he said that scientists like Maxewell are thousand times bigger than any Yogi or Swami. This book has left profound imprint on my father who took it accidentally and has developed immense respect for science and scientists after reading it. It is a book which every person above 8 years should read without delay. It not only teaches scientific thinking of greats, but also what makes a person great really.The addictive way this book has been written and narrated is exceptional and author who has perhaps written a book for the first time must be appreciated for this great piece of exceptional work. It is written like a smooth novel which anyone can read easily.

A fascinating and very stimulating insight into how Robert Maxwell single-handedly discovered one of the only four forces in the universe: the electo-magnetic force. The basic maths and physics needed to appreciate Maxwell's fabulous achievement are so clearly explained in this book that even I could grasp the concepts and understand the nature of his discovery, one of the most important intellectual breakthroughs in the history of physics and in the history of man's understanding of the world he lives in and just how it works.