I need help learning

[RedTux]

Time for me start exercising one of the main reasons I started poking around this place. I need a few suggestions as far as reading material.

I'm currently interested in primarily Cosmology and Particle Physics. I'm getting around well enough, but I'd like some material to start a "from the ground up" understanding of each, basically anything... basic. I've got a little better than high school understanding of algebra and a little less for geometry respectively.

I'm currently trudging my way through Brian Greene's "Fabric of the Cosmos", and Leon Lederman's "The God Particle." Both of which I'm easily understanding, if only for the fortuneate fact that neither one really uses much math and rather leans on imagery.

So my request is simply some novice level literature in these fields. Of course I'm very open to anything else you may feel I would also be interested in by comparison.

Thanks in advance.

[InfiniteNow]

There are lots of good books, but out of the ones I have read, the two that came to mind almost immediately are:

"The Magic Furnace," by Marcus Chown
and
"Blackholes and Timewarps," by Kip Thorne.


Enjoy.

[freeztar]

If you haven't read Stephen Hawking's book "A Brief History of Time", I recommend that one. His writing style is very easy to read and he does a good job of simplifying complex concepts.

[CraigD]

I’ll add a recommendation for “Fear of Physics: A Guide for the Perplexed” by Lawrence M. Krauss. Despite the title, it’s not really about fear or perplexity, but more, I’d describe it, a practical account of the role and importance of estimation in all the physical sciences.

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by freeztar

If you haven't read Stephen Hawking's book "A Brief History of Time", I recommend that one. His writing style is very easy to read and he does a good job of simplifying complex concepts.

That is a good one, but a number of the ideas he discusses are out of date. Still a useful read, just something to consider.

FYI - The same applies to my suggestion of Blackholes and Timewarps.

[Thunderbird]

The Quark and the Jaguar: Adventures in the Simple and the Complex Murray Gell-Mann

This is not a book about Quantum Mechanics, nor molecular biology, nor neurobiology. In this book, the great Gell-Mann exposes his ideas of why all subjects of science (from physics, to chemistry, to biology, to psychology) must be studied together, why they are related and also he shows models of how to do this unified study. He defends that reductionism is not the only way of doing science, in opposition of the philosophical ideas of Steven Weinberg and Richard Feynman. This book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, because there aren't many books that are against pure reductionism written by reductionism defenders. Gell-Mann is not against reductionism, but against PURE reductionism; he think its nice to explain a complex phenomenon based on the theory of its contents but its also important to study the phenomenon in his actual level, studying the way that the complex works. Not only the simple. Thats the origin of the name: Quark, the simple, and the Jaguar, the complex.

[InfiniteNow]

Okay... I think I'm a total big dork, but I just finished watching this 8 part discussion, and I'm downright giddy.

You can learn a lot by simply listening to the exchanges of people more brilliant than yourself.


Discussion between Richard Dawkins and Steven Weinberg


Wow, indeed.

[RedTux]

Wonderful, thanks so much for the info, these should keep me occupied for a bit, I really appreciate the help, and any help forthcoming.

[Erasmus00]

If you really want to understand modern particle physics, unfortunately you'll have to delve into the math. Geometry and calculus are essentials, I'd recommend Calculus for the Practical Man.
-Will

[alexander]

Originally Posted by freez

If you haven't read Stephen Hawking's book "A Brief History of Time", I recommend that one. His writing style is very easy to read and he does a good job of simplifying complex concepts.

Also recommend that one, as well as his briefer and expandier version: "A Briefer History of Time" (Not a substitute, its good reading though, as it helps with understanding some hard core models in the original book that were rather hard to get, as well as adding current day discoveries to the content of the original book)