Is God a Mathematician?
| AUTHOR | Livio, Mario |
| PUBLISHER | Simon & Schuster (01/19/2010) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Paperback (Paperback) |
Description
Bestselling author and astrophysicist Mario Livio examines the lives and theories of history's greatest mathematicians to ask how--if mathematics is an abstract construction of the human mind--it can so perfectly explain the physical world. Nobel Laureate Eugene Wigner once wondered about "the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics" in the formulation of the laws of nature. Is God a Mathematician? investigates why mathematics is as powerful as it is. From ancient times to the present, scientists and philosophers have marveled at how such a seemingly abstract discipline could so perfectly explain the natural world. More than that--mathematics has often made predictions, for example, about subatomic particles or cosmic phenomena that were unknown at the time, but later were proven to be true. Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered? If, as Einstein insisted, mathematics is "a product of human thought that is independent of experience," how can it so accurately describe and even predict the world around us? Physicist and author Mario Livio brilliantly explores mathematical ideas from Pythagoras to the present day as he shows us how intriguing questions and ingenious answers have led to ever deeper insights into our world. This fascinating book will interest anyone curious about the human mind, the scientific world, and the relationship between them.
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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13:
9780743294065
ISBN-10:
0743294068
Binding:
Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language:
English
More Product Details
Page Count:
320
Carton Quantity:
33
Product Dimensions:
5.60 x 0.80 x 8.60 inches
Weight:
0.62 pound(s)
Feature Codes:
Bibliography,
Index,
Price on Product - Canadian,
Price on Product,
Table of Contents,
Illustrated
Country of Origin:
US
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Mathematics | History & Philosophy
Mathematics | Epistemology
Mathematics | History
Dewey Decimal:
510
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
Bestselling author and astrophysicist Mario Livio examines the lives and theories of history's greatest mathematicians to ask how--if mathematics is an abstract construction of the human mind--it can so perfectly explain the physical world. Nobel Laureate Eugene Wigner once wondered about "the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics" in the formulation of the laws of nature. Is God a Mathematician? investigates why mathematics is as powerful as it is. From ancient times to the present, scientists and philosophers have marveled at how such a seemingly abstract discipline could so perfectly explain the natural world. More than that--mathematics has often made predictions, for example, about subatomic particles or cosmic phenomena that were unknown at the time, but later were proven to be true. Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered? If, as Einstein insisted, mathematics is "a product of human thought that is independent of experience," how can it so accurately describe and even predict the world around us? Physicist and author Mario Livio brilliantly explores mathematical ideas from Pythagoras to the present day as he shows us how intriguing questions and ingenious answers have led to ever deeper insights into our world. This fascinating book will interest anyone curious about the human mind, the scientific world, and the relationship between them.
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Author:
Livio, Mario
Mario Livio is a Senior Astrophysicist and Head of the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, USA.
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List Price $20.00
Your Price
$19.80