Re: [alliance-iosk] Last message off topic

[vhandel@chem.vu.nl (Ramon van Handel)]

>Ramon van Handel wrote:
>> 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 don't see on what basis you differentiate Hawking ('Physics for dummies')
from C++ for dummies or any other such book.  What makes Hawking 'good' and
C++ for dummies 'bad' ?

>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.

No of course not, but they both share the same problem - which in itself is
not bad, but as you brought up the subject of the dummies books, I have
brought up a similar set of books in my own field which I have something
against :)

>> 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)

I have, and I know that.  He himself considered his experiment a failure,
but nobody else did...

>> 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.

Heh... it's too expensive for me, compared to some less brilliant books
that contain more information.  I'm planning to purchase the whole set
someday though.

>> >> 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.

I'll have a look in the library.

Ramon


---
Ramon van Handel   <vhandel@chem.vu.nl>
Chemistry Student, OS Programmer and all-round Weirdo
The ant has made himself illustrious / Through constant industry industrious.
So what? Would you be calm and placid / If you were full of formic acid?
(Ogden Nash)


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