Fundamentals

Zusatztext Mr. Wilczek's prose pulses with enthusiasm for its subject. Wall Street Journal For those with more scientific yearnings, and who regret not taking a few courses in college to learn about the physical world, theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek offers a way to catch up . . . With his clear and joyful voice, Wilczek succeeds very well, and for good reason . . . There is no calculus required; this is not Physics 101. Instead, Wilczek talks about modern physics and cosmology from a more broad-brush and philosophical perspective, often linking their findings to the real world how they affect us. In this age of rising skepticism, he wants his readers whom he imagines to be lawyers, doctors, artists, parents or simply curious people to be 'born again, in the way of science.'" The Washington Post A lucid and riveting narrative of the fundamentalswhat Wilczek calls 'the central messages of modern physics,' which are not just facts about how the world works but also 'the style of thought that allowed us to discover them.' Scientific American Fundamentals is an engaging account of the history of humankind's understanding of reality, told by one of the key contributors to recent parts of that story. Wilczek's grasp on the physics he relates is comprehensive and authoritative; he conveys technicalities with a rare combination of accuracy and accessibility . . . Wilczek provides an exceptionally clear guide to the state of physical knowledge in the early 21st century, much in the spirit of the sort of explanation that the ancient Greeks desired. Science News [A] delightful book . . . Frank Wilczek is that rare creature: a first-class scientist who is also an extremely talented communicator . . . Wilczek constantly finds fresh ways to present such ideas, so that you emerge with new insight into what they mean. . . . Fundamentals is, then, not only an exceptional piece of science communication but also a deeply humanistic book. It celebrates what we know without pretending that is more than it is: 'The world is complex beyond our ability to grasp, and rich in mysteries, but we know a lot, and are learning more. Humility is in order, but so is self-respect.' Physics World [Wilczek] turns out to be a true visionary. The Times (London) "A gorgeous and inviting overview of the fundamental facts of physical reality. Steven Pinker, author of Enlightenment Now This is an exuberant, gorgeously crafted, and intellectually thrilling book, written by one of our greatest living scientists yet hospitable to all. To be reminded that time and space, mystery and order, are so much stranger and more generous than we can comprehendthis is a gift to public life and moral imagination in a young century where what is visible and tangible feels chaotic and constricting. This book is also unexpectedly spiritually thrilling. Wilczek makes the remarkable move of picking up and evolving the classic scientists' faith that their investigations would reveal the mind of our maker, as well as Einstein's self-described 'cosmic spiritual sensibility.' What began as an exposition, as Wilzcek writes, 'grew into a contemplation.' The result is a profoundly enriched understanding, accessible to the religious and non-religious alike, of what it means to be humanand what we might be pointing at when we use the word God. Krista Tippett, host of On Being and author of Becoming Wise "If you were to go back just two hundred years and tell people what we knew, from the origins of the universe to the molecular basis of life, and how weird and unintuitive nature is at the atomic scale, they would think we were crazy. But if you showed them what we have created with that knowledge, they would think we were magicians. In this engaging and hig...

“Mr. Wilczek’s prose pulses with enthusiasm for its subject.” —Wall Street Journal

“For those with more scientific yearnings, and who regret not taking a few courses in college to learn about the physical world, theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek offers a way to catch up . . . With his clear and joyful voice, Wilczek succeeds very well, and for good reason . . . There is no calculus required; this is not Physics 101. Instead, Wilczek talks about modern physics and cosmology from a more broad-brush and philosophical perspective, often linking their findings to the real world — how they affect us. In this age of rising skepticism, he wants his readers — whom he imagines to be lawyers, doctors, artists, parents or simply curious people — to be 'born again, in the way of science.'" —The Washington Post 

“A lucid and riveting narrative of the fundamentals—what Wilczek calls ‘the central messages of modern physics,’ which are not just facts about how the world works but also ‘the style of thought that allowed us to discover them.’” —Scientific American
 
“Fundamentals is an engaging account of the history of humankind’s understanding of reality, told by one of the key contributors to recent parts of that story. Wilczek’s grasp on the physics he relates is comprehensive and authoritative; he conveys technicalities with a rare combination of accuracy and accessibility . . . Wilczek provides an exceptionally clear guide to the state of physical knowledge in the early 21st century, much in the spirit of the sort of explanation that the ancient Greeks desired.” —Science News

“[A] delightful book . . . Frank Wilczek is that rare creature: a first-class scientist who is also an extremely talented communicator . . . Wilczek constantly finds fresh ways to present such ideas, so that you emerge with new insight into what they mean. . . . Fundamentals is, then, not only an exceptional piece of science communication but also a deeply humanistic book. It celebrates what we know without pretending that is more than it is: ‘The world is complex beyond our ability to grasp, and rich in mysteries, but we know a lot, and are learning more. Humility is in order, but so is self-respect.’” —Physics World

“[Wilczek] turns out to be a true visionary.” —The Times (London)
 
"A gorgeous and inviting overview of the fundamental facts of physical reality.” **—Steven Pinker, author of *Enlightenment Now

“This is an exuberant, gorgeously crafted, and intellectually thrilling book, written by one of our greatest living scientists yet hospitable to all. To be reminded that time and space, mystery and order, are so much stranger and more generous than we can comprehend—this is a gift to public life and moral imagination in a young century where what is visible and tangible feels chaotic and constricting. This book is also unexpectedly spiritually thrilling. Wilczek makes the remarkable move of picking up and evolving the classic scientists’ faith that their investigations would reveal the mind of our maker, as well as Einstein’s self-described ‘cosmic spiritual sensibility.’ What began as an exposition, as Wilzcek writes, ‘grew into a contemplation.’ The result is a profoundly enriched understanding, accessible to the religious and non-religious alike, of what it means to be human—and what we might be pointing at when we use the word God.” —Krista Tippett, host of On Being and author of Becoming Wise*
 
"If you were to go back just two hundred years and tell people what we knew, from the origins of the universe to the molecular basis of life, and how weird and unintuitive nature is at the atomic scale, they would think we were crazy. But if you showed them what we have created with that knowledge, they would think we were magicians. In this engaging and highly accessible book, Frank Wil…