Re: [alliance-iosk] Last message off topic

[Stefano.Costa@italtel.it]

Ramon van Handel wrote:

> >I assume people's fault, not of the book authors, as you imply....divulgation
> >is essential. And a partial idea is better than none at all....
>
> How is this different from the books 'for dummies' that you detest so much
> ?  That started it, remember ?  You're rather contradicting yourself, I
> don't see what the subject has to do with it.

No, because I've replied to a your comment about S. Hawking book, which I consider
valuable. You have said in reply that you don't like the divulgation of QM or
similar branches, and in spirit of *good* books about the subject I have used the
above sentence. So, to summarize: there is bad divulgation (the xyz for dummies)
and good one (for instance, History of Time, for instance, but there are several
others, don't have english titles here). I blame for stupidity the "dummies"
approach, but a single rotten apple does not lead the entire basket bad (literal
translation of an italian saying), not all divulgation is that bad.
Clear now, Ramon?

> Actually, I think that in
> computers dummies books are better feasible than in chem/phys.

There is the good and the bad everywhere.

> I like Feynman.  I must admit that I didn't read it completely, but I think
> it's amazing how he can clarify some things that are usually obscure.  I
> don't think his book is obscure - but it IS brilliant.

I have used the word wisely: from its own words (read from biography) he has tried
an experiment with CalTech sophomores, and he has said something like that. Later
the course was dropped because it was *too much* brilliant. It is for this reason
that this book is still sold everywhere after more than 20 years....

> It's a completely
> different treatment BTW, he doesn't use the conventional diff equations but
> his own path integral method.  Wonderful.

I like too, I have purchased it.

> >> and one of my favorite
> >> treatments of introductory quantum physics, 'Understanding Quantum Physics'
> >> by Michael A. Morrison (highly recommended !)
> >
> >I don't know this one. Have you looked Liboff?
>
> Liboff ?  What's that ?

Another author of QM manual used in MIT physics course.

> Anyway, I *highly* recommend you get this book and
> its successor (Understanding more quantum physics) if you like quantum
> physics - it's very mathematical but it's the most readable book I've ever
> read.  And the author also has a sense of humor :)

I'll search it.

Stefano


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