Books September 2006

Book Reviews September 2006

The private life of the brain Susan Greenfield

Penguin Books

ISBN: 0141007206

Mentioned in

There has been much argument concerning the nature of consciousness and the mind. In 'The private life of the brain Susan Greenfield avoids getting bogged down in such philosophising (in fact she is dismissive of non-physical ideas of the mind) and bases her ideas on what can actually be observed. She puts forward the idea of the 'neural correlate of consciousness', saying that different numbers of neurons being involved results in different states of consciousness. If you've ever wondered about the workings of your mind then you'll find that this hypothesis can explain a lot. The book requires no prior knowledge of the subject and is well worth reading. Continued..

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Forward Drive Jim Motavalli	Earthscan, 2001	ISBN: 1853837857
Despite their clear disadvantages, the private motor car and internal combustion engine are so dominant in our society that it's tempting to assume a conspiracy on the part of motor and oil companies to block the alternatives. In 'Forward Drive' Jim Motavalli shows that on the contrary, such businesses are doing lots of research into electric cars, fuel cells and the like. If you want to find out more about what is happening behind the scenes in the move away from fossil fuels, or if you want to see what form transport in the future might take then you should take a look at t Continued..

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THE MOON a biography David Whitehouse	Headline, 2001	ISBN: 0747264953
The moon has fascinated humans since the earliest times. In 'The Moon: A biography' David Whitehouse traces our relationship with this intruiging object. He begins by looking at the features on the moon as seen through a telescope during its cycle. He then goes on to consider its influence upon our early mythologies and upon our view of our place in the universe. Whitehouse shows how the invention of the telescope had a profound affect on our relationship with the moon, and this leads up to the space age, where he includes some little known details of the race to land a man on the moon. Continued..

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Mind at light speed David D Nolte	Simon & Schuster, 2001	ISBN: 0743205014
At first glance I took this book to be a fairly shallow look at the gee-whiz technologies that might come about in the future. When I got down to reading it I was pleasantly surprised. David Nolte has a deep knowledge of the subjects he tackles, whether it's Einstein's 1905 papers or the collapse of behaviourist psychology. But the book doesn't need specialist knowledge on the part of the reader; I would say that if you have a basic knowledge of computers then you will have no problems with this book. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a peek at the possibilities for the future of computers. Continued..

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Platypus Ann Moyal	Allen & Unwin, 2001	ISBN: 1560989777
The discovery of the duck-billed platypus came as a shock to nineteenth century biologists - some people even claimed that it was a hoax, put together out of parts of other animals. In Platypus Ann Moyal tells the story of the problems it caused in the developing science of taxonomy, of the rivalry between the British and the French over classification of newly discovered animals, and how the question was eventually settled. Moyal looks at how the scientists of the day, such as Charles Darwin, Richard Owen and Thomas Huxley, reacted to the platypus, and conversely the effect that dealing with this challenge had upon their careers. Continued..

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Return of the Hero Christopher Wrigley	Book Guild, 2005	ISBN: 1857769902
The success of Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings and Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy is something of a surprise. Even adult readers seem to prefer these books to more 'serious' literature. In 'Return of the Hero' Christopher Wrigley analyses why this should be the case, and looks at how the books relate to sexuality, religion and in particular the idea of an initiation rite. Now I feel one shouldn't take such analysis too seriously. If it is done in a negative way - implying that the critic has 'found out' the hidden faults of the work - then it usually becomes simply annoying. But Wrigley is writing as a fan of the books he is analysing, and does offer plenty of insightful comment on these three works. Continued..

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Stories of the invisible Philip Ball	Oxford University Press, 2001	ISBN: 0192802143
Chemistry can be perceived as something of a dull subject, as is seen by the drop in applications to study the subject at university. At the start of 'Stories of the invisible' Philip Ball seems to be trying to improve the image of the subject. If this is his aim then I don't think that he succeeds. There is much of interest in the book, but I would classify it as biochemisty. Ball gives an easy to understand account of the some of the processes of life at the molecular level - how we extract energy from food, how this is used to move our muscles and the like. If you're interested in finding out about this then the book has much to recommend it. Continued..

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The Book of nothing John Barrow	Jonathan Cape, 2003	ISBN: 0224059629
There seem to be lots of books with 'Nothing' or 'Zero' in the title. So what distinguishes John Barrow's work 'The book of Nothing'. Well I would say that it has more of a thread to it, dealing with the physics of nothing, that is the vacuum. Some of the ideas introduced might be challenging if this is the first time you have seen them, but Barrow does help to put into a historical context the development of ideas leading to modern theories of physics and cosmology, such as the inflationary universe. Continued..

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An Introduction to Astrobiology Iain Gilmour	Cambridge University Press, 2003	ISBN: 0521546214
Life elsewhere in the universe is a staple of science fiction but it might seem to be pure speculation. However, in 'An introduction to Astrobiology', Iain Gilmour shows that there is some real science behind the search for extraterrestrial life. It's written as an undergraduate textbook for The Open University, but does not require much in the way of scientific background - the authors are careful to explain the science needed at each stage. With plenty of pictures and diagrams, together with exercises for the reader with full solutions, it makes an excellent resource for those wanting to improve their knowledge of this subject beyond the sci-fi stage. Continued..

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The future of life Edward O Wilson	Little, Brown & co, 2002	ISBN: 0316648531
There's a lot of talk about the mess we are making of the planet, but you might begin to wonder how whether this is just one of those things that people say, without any substance behind it. If so then you should read 'The future of life' in which Edward O Wilson looks at the problems facing humanity, but with detailed information to back up his arguments. Wilson is an expert in biodiversity issues, and has put together a compelling argument about what we should do to give other life on Earth a fair use of its resources. Continued..

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Alpha and Omega Charles Seife

Transworld Publishers, 2003

ISBN: 0142004464

Mentioned in

Full Review

Just a few years ago dark matter and energy seemed highly speculative ideas. Hence the announcement that the percentages of normal matter, dark matter and dark energy had been found fairly precisely came as something of a surprise to me. In Alpha and Omega Charles Seife looks at the discoveries which brought this about, which he calls the third cosmological revolution. Despite the title it's really about &Lambda - the cosmological constant - and &Omega - the density of the universe, and what these mean in our view of cosmology. The book is highly readable and is aimed at a non-technical audience, but there's plenty of information on the latest (in 2003) experiments, so more knowledgeable readers are still likely to find it of interest. Continued..

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Superconductivity
V L Ginzburg and E A Andryushin

World Scientific, 2004

ISBN: 981238913X

Mentioned in

Absolute zero

Co-author

Ginzburg,V L

Superconductivity is a counterintuitive phenomenon, and although it has been known about for nearly a century, the reasons for it happening can seem somewhat obscure. In this short book Ginzburg and Andryushin explain the subject in easy to follow way, but without oversimplifying things too much, and I found that it clarified several things in my mind concerning superconductivity and the Meissner effect. No prior experience of the subject is required to read the book, although it would be helpful for the reader to have some background scientific knowledge. The text is easy to read, although sometimes a sentence seems a bit stilted. I would recommend the book to readers who have read a little about superconductivity and would like to find out more about the subject without getting into technicalities. Continued..

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Time machines : time travel in physics, metaphysics, and science fiction Paul Nahin	Springer, 1999	ISBN: 0387985719
I'm a firm believer in the idea that science fiction stories are an excellent resource in the study of philosophy. In 'Time machines' Paul Nahin brings together an extensive list of fictional examples of time travel, and uses this to illustrate ideas in the science and philosophy of time. Thus we are introduced to wormholes, Gödel's rotating universe, and other ways of travelling in time. Nahin also gives plenty of consideration to the paradoxes which this might cause. Overall this book gives an accessible introduction to some deep ideas, as well as suggesting plenty of further reading. Continued..

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A Beautiful mind Sylvia Nasar	Faber & Faber	ISBN: 0571212921
'A Beautiful Mind' is Sylvia Nasar's account of the life of the mathemetician John F Nash, in particular his long mental illness and his gradual recovery. The book deals well with getting inside the mind of Nash as his behaviour becomes more and more irrational, showing how from his point of view it might seem to be the rational thing to do. We also see the dilemma of those caring for Nash - how intervention makes them seem hostile to him, but how doing nothing just allows the illness to get worse. In the end allowing him to 'haunt' the maths department without any pressure seemed to lead to his eventual recovery. Continued..

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Up at Oxford Ved Mehta	John Murray, 1992	ISBN: 0719552877
'Up at Oxford' is Ved Mehta's account of his time as an undergraduate at the university. When he was growing up in India, it was his great ambition to study there. Thus when he actually arrived as a new student he was rather overawed by the reputation of the place, and was constantly struggling to live up to what he feels was expected of him. On the other hand he had already completed a degree and what is more had had a book published. Hence this work gives a fascinating account of his life in an elite society, while being beset by doubts about whether it is where he 'really' belongs. Continued..

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Chance and Necessity Jacques Monod	Collins, 1972	ISBN: 0002151189
The philosophy of biology is a fast moving subject, as new biological discoveries are coming thick and fast. Hence even a classic like Jacques Monod's 'Chance and Necessity' looks pretty dated after 35 years. But sometimes it's good to go back to see what the important issues were at an earlier time. The book requires a little knowledge of biology, but anyone who has read a few popular science books should have no problem with this one. It's a short book, but a wide range of topics are discussed - vitalism, the second law of thermodynamics and the philosophy of mind are just a few. The reader can also see the beginnings of the idea of the electronic computer as a metaphor for biological processes. Continued..

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The Man who found Time Jack Repcheck	Simon & Schuster, 2003	ISBN: 073820692X
The age of the earth is a question that has been pondered upon since the earliest times, The first ideas came from religious texts, but in the eighteenth century people started to get an idea of the vast timescales involved in geological processes. 'The Man who found Time' tells the story of James Hutton, whose saw that geological formations implied slow laying down and erosion of rocks. He put a great deal of effort into promoting his ideas including writing a book, but this was difficult for the public to understand. Jack Repcheck shows how his ideas might have died with him were it not for the work of John Playfair, who summarised Hutton's work in a more understandable form, thus saving it for a later re-emergence. Continued..

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The map that changed the world Simon Winchester	Penguin, 2001	ISBN: 0140280391
The science of geology began to take off at the end of the eighteenth century, as people began to realise the information about the history of the earth which could be obtained by studying the rocks and the fossils they contained. 'The Map that Changed the World' is the story of William Smith, one of the main participants in this revolution in knowledge. It is centred on his creation of the first geological map of Britain, and shows what trials and tribulations he experienced in its making. The book is very readable, and requires no previous knowledge of the subjects covered. Continued..

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The Edge of Infinity P C W Davies	Penguin, 1981	ISBN: 0140231943
When black holes began to become accepted, and Penrose and Hawking showed that singularities were inevitable, people began to wonder: Would singularities always be hidden behind an event horizon, or would it be possible to find a 'naked' singularity. This is the question Paul Davies considers in 'The edge of infinity'. The book is aimed at the non-technical reader, with the author explaining concepts such as mathematical infinites and the behaviour of black holes as necessary. Hence it is a useful book for those who want a gentle introduction to such subjects. Continued..

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The dream of eternal life Mark Benecke	Columbia University Press, 2002	ISBN: 0231116721
Most of us see long life as a goal worth striving for. In 'The dream of eternal life', Mark Beneke has much useful information for those of us hoping to make it to the age of 100. The book covers a wide range of subjects, looking at different views on death and what can be done to avoid it. There is also discussion of the ethics of medical issues such as organ transplants and there is a chapter on the long term outlook for humanity (rather than individual humans), examining what can be done about environmental problems. Continued..

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The Labyrinth of Time Michael Lockwood	Oxford University Press, 2005	ISBN: 0199249954
Previously when I've read books on the philosophy of time I've often found them to be full of obscure arguments (whose main purpose seems to be to show that the author is smarter than everyone else). Now Michael Lockwood has produced a work which doesn't get bogged down in abstract philosophising. That's not to say that you won't find some of the ideas in 'The Labyrinth of Time' challenging, but if you've read other 'popular science' type books then you shouldn't have too much trouble following this one. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in the nature of time (and who isn't?) Continued..

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Symmetry and the Monster Mark Ronan	Oxford University Press, 2006	ISBN: 0192807226
In the early 1980's there was an unusual buzz in the normally quiet pure mathematics departments of many universities. It looked like the classification of finite groups, a major milestone in the subject, had been completed. Mark Ronan's 'Symmetry and the Monster' gives the history of this process, and in particular the discovery of the last of the 'sporadic' groups known as the 'Monster'. Of particular interest are the 'Moonshine' connections which have been found between this object and totally different areas of mathematics. The book tells the stories of the main contributors to the subject, from Galois up to the present day, and is aimed at the non-specialist reader. Continued..

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The undivided universe
David Bohm and Basil Hiley

Routledge, 1993

ISBN: 041512185X

Mentioned in

road to reality

Local Realism

Co-author

Bohm,David

Those of you who have an interest in quantum mechanics will know that there are several different interpretations of the subject. 'The undivided universe' deals with one of those interpretations, Bohm's ontological interpretation. If you have read some of Bohm's popular accounts then you might have felt that his ideas were a bit 'wooly'. This book shows that, on the contrary they are precisely thought out - indeed I would say they are better thought out than many of the other interpretations. The book uses undergraduate level mathematics and a previous knowledge of 'orthodox' quantum theory would be useful, but no specific prior knowledge of the subject is required. Continued..

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Kuhn vs Popper Steve Fuller	Icon books, 2003	ISBN: 1840467223
I'm not totally convinced about the value of 'A vs B' books. The author always seems to construct two people to fit his arguments rather than the other way around. In this case I'm not convinced either that Popper 'lost' the battle with Kuhn. Maybe in the world of 'science studies' Popper might need a defender, but in a wider context I feel that his falsificationism is alive and well. But despite all that I feel that Steve Fuller's 'Kuhn vs Popper' is definitely worth reading, as it isn't just a narrow look at the work of two philosophers, rather it is a wide ranging discussion of why the philosophers of science seem to have argued themselves into a corner, giving an optional commentary on science, rather than an opinion on how to improve it. Furthermore it is written to be read by non-specialists, and so is very useful in helping those of us who are confused by the direction philosophy has taken to sort things out in our minds. Continued..

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