What Goes Up... Gravity and Scientific Method

Inbunden, Engelska, 2017

442 kr

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Beskrivning

The concept of gravity provides a natural phenomenon that is simultaneously obvious and obscure; we all know what it is, but rarely question why it is. The simple observation that 'what goes up must come down' contrasts starkly with our current scientific explanation of gravity, which involves challenging and sometimes counterintuitive concepts. With such extremes between the plain and the perplexing, gravity forces a sharp focus on scientific method. Following the history of gravity from Aristotle to Einstein, this clear account highlights the logic of scientific method for non-specialists. Successive theories of gravity and the evidence for each are presented clearly and rationally, focusing on the fundamental ideas behind them. Using only high-school level algebra and geometry, the author emphasizes what the equations mean rather than how they are derived, making this accessible for all those curious about gravity and how science really works.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2017-01-20
Mått:178 x 254 x 15 mm
Vikt:620 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:232
Förlag:Cambridge University Press
ISBN:9781107129856

Utforska kategorier

Klassisk mekanik inom Naturvetenskap och teknik

Mer om författaren

Peter Kosso is a philosopher of science. He taught physics at Montana State University, and taught philosophy first at Northwestern University, Illinois and then at Northern Arizona University. He is the author of Reading the Book of Nature, Appearance and Reality, and Knowing the Past, as well as numerous articles on relativity, quantum mechanics, astronomy, and scientific method.

Recensioner i media

'In Kosso's most recent work, the philosopher and physicist exhibits precision in language and thought. In a sense, What Goes Up is three works in one. A history of physics is intertwined with a non-mathematical conceptual physics text. Arising out of these two comes a philosophy of physics glue that binds the first two together. The evolution of one's 'understanding of gravity' … is used as the narrative, leading the reader from cover to cover. Philosophically, Kosso … helps the reader appreciate the scientific method as it comes to maturity out of a cooperation between observation and theory. He discusses such topics as the 'distinction between description and explanation', instrumentalism, and causal mechanisms. Especially easy to follow is his conceptual presentation on the metric and the manner in which the principle of equivalence leads to the gravitational red shift and the slowing of clocks - both normally difficult topics in general relativity.' J. F. Burkhart, CHOICE

Innehållsförteckning

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Forces and fields; 3. Basic Newtonian theory; 4. Gravity before Newton; 5. Early modern astronomy; 6. Connecting physics and astronomy; 7. Connecting kinematics and dynamics; 8. Testing the Newtonian theory; 9. Challenging the Newtonian theory; 10. Geometry and equivalence; 11. The general theory of relativity; 12. Testing the general theory of relativity; 13. Using the theory to explore the universe; 14. Dark matter; 15. The structure of scientific knowledge; Glossary; Bibliography.