Physics in Mind: A Quantum View of the Brain


Werner R. Loewenstein - 2013
    But what is the mind? What do we mean when we say we are "aware" of something? What is this peculiar state in our heads, at once utterly familiar and bewilderingly mysterious, that we call awareness or consciousness? In Physics in Mind, eminent biophysicist Werner R. Loewenstein argues that to answer these questions, we must first understand the physical mechanisms that underlie the workings of the mind. And so begins an exhilarating journey along the sensory data stream of the brain, which shows how our most complex organ processes the vast amounts of information coming in through our senses to create a coherent, meaningful picture of the world. Bringing information theory to bear on recent advances in the neurosciences, Loewenstein reveals a web of immense computational power inside the brain. He introduces the revolutionary idea that quantum mechanics could be fundamental to how our minds almost instantaneously deal with staggering amounts of information, as in the case of the information streaming through our eyes. Combining cutting-edge research in neuroscience and physics, Loewenstein presents an ambitious hypothesis about the parallel processing of sensory information that is the heart, hub, and pivot of the cognitive brain. Wide-ranging and brimming with insight, Physics in Mind breaks new ground in our understanding of how the mind works.

A Brilliant Darkness: The Extraordinary Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Ettore Majorana, the Troubled Genius of the Nuclear Age


João Magueijo - 2009
    He was never seen again. In A Brilliant Darkness, theoretical physicist João Magueijo tells the story of Majorana and his research group, “the Via Panisperna Boys,” who discovered atomic fission in 1934. As Majorana, the most brilliant of the group, began to realize the implications of what they had found, he became increasingly unstable. Did he commit suicide that night in Palermo? Was he kidnapped? Did he stage his own death?A Brilliant Darkness chronicles Majorana’s invaluable contributions to science—including his major discovery, the Majorana neutrino—while revealing the truth behind his fascinating and tragic life.

The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field


Jacques Hadamard - 1945
    Role of the unconscious in invention; the medium of ideas — do they come to mind in words? in pictures? in mathematical terms? Much more. "It is essential for the mathematician, and the layman will find it good reading." — Library Journal.

An Introduction to Thermal Physics


Daniel V. Schroeder - 1999
    Part I introduces concepts of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics from a unified view. Parts II and III explore further applications of classical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Throughout, the emphasis is on real-world applications.

Euler: The Master of Us All


William Dunham - 1999
    This book examines the huge scope of mathematical areas explored and developed by Euler, which includes number theory, combinatorics, geometry, complex variables and many more. The information known to Euler over 300 years ago is discussed, and many of his advances are reconstructed. Readers will be left in no doubt about the brilliance and pervasive influence of Euler's work.

Mechanical Metallurgy


George E. Dieter - 1961
    It covers the entire scope of mechanical metallurgy, from an understanding of the continuum description of stress and strain, through crystalline and defect mechanisms of flow and fracture, and on to a consideration of major mechanical property tests and the basic metalworking process. It has been updated throughout, SI units have been added, and end-of-chapter study questions are included.

Computational Complexity


Christos H. Papadimitriou - 1993
    It offers a comprehensive and accessible treatment of the theory of algorithms and complexity—the elegant body of concepts and methods developed by computer scientists over the past 30 years for studying the performance and limitations of computer algorithms. The book is self-contained in that it develops all necessary mathematical prerequisites from such diverse fields such as computability, logic, number theory and probability.

Solid State Physics: Structure and Properties of Materials


M.A. Wahab - 2005
    The First seven chapters deal with structure related aspects such as lattice and crystal structures, bonding, packing and diffusion of atoms followed by imperfections and lattice vibrations. Chapter eight deals mainly with experimental methods of determining structures of given materials. While the next nine chapters cover various physical properties of crystalline solids, the last chapter deals with the anisotropic properties of materials. This chapter has been added for benefit of readers to understand the crystal properties (anisotropic) in terms of some simple mathematical formulations such as tensor and matrix. New to the Second Edition: Chapter on: *Anisotropic Properties of Materials

Principia Mathematica to '56


Alfred North Whitehead - 1913
    Its aim is to deduce all the fundamental propositions of logic and mathematics from a small number of logical premises and primitive ideas, establishing that mathematics is a development of logic. This abridged text of Volume I contains the material that is most relevant to an introductory study of logic and the philosophy of mathematics (more advanced students will of course wish to refer to the complete edition). It contains the whole of the preliminary sections (which present the authors' justification of the philosophical standpoint adopted at the outset of their work); the whole of Part I (in which the logical properties of propositions, propositional functions, classes and relations are established); section A of Part II (dealing with unit classes and couples); and Appendices A and C (which give further developments of the argument on the theory of deduction and truth functions).

Eternity: God, Soul, New Physics


Trevelyan - 2013
    This is a book about how many of the 'big' philosophical and religious questions that have puzzled mankind for centuries can be answered by recent breakthroughs in science.

Introduction to Real Analysis


Robert G. Bartle - 1982
    Therefore, this book provides the fundamental concepts and techniques of real analysis for readers in all of these areas. It helps one develop the ability to think deductively, analyze mathematical situations and extend ideas to a new context. Like the first two editions, this edition maintains the same spirit and user-friendly approach with some streamlined arguments, a few new examples, rearranged topics, and a new chapter on the Generalized Riemann Integral.

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea


Charles Seife - 2000
    For centuries, the power of zero savored of the demonic; once harnessed, it became the most important tool in mathematics. Zero follows this number from its birth as an Eastern philosophical concept to its struggle for acceptance in Europe and its apotheosis as the mystery of the black hole. Today, zero lies at the heart of one of the biggest scientific controversies of all time, the quest for the theory of everything. Elegant, witty, and enlightening, Zero is a compelling look at the strangest number in the universe and one of the greatest paradoxes of human thought.

Mathematical Analysis


Tom M. Apostol - 1957
    It provides a transition from elementary calculus to advanced courses in real and complex function theory and introduces the reader to some of the abstract thinking that pervades modern analysis.

A First Course in General Relativity


Bernard F. Schutz - 1985
    This textbook, based on the author's own undergraduate teaching, develops general relativity and its associated mathematics from a minimum of prerequisites, leading to a physical understanding of the theory in some depth. It reinforces this understanding by making a detailed study of the theory's most important applications - neutron stars, black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology - using the most up-to-date astronomical developments. The book is suitable for a one-year course for beginning graduate students or for undergraduates in physics who have studied special relativity, vector calculus, and electrostatics. Graduate students should be able to use the book selectively for half-year courses.

Schaum's Outline of Vector Analysis


Murray R. Spiegel - 1959
    Now Schaum's is better than ever-with a new look, a new format with hundreds of practice problems, and completely updated information to conform to the latest developments in every field of study.Fully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.