Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature by Peter Pesic (PDF)

Description

The unknown history of surveillance in relation to changing systems of representation and visual arts practice.The separateness and connection of individuals is perhaps the central question of human life: What, exactly, is my individuality? To what degree is it unique? To what degree can it be shared, and how? To the many philosophical and literary speculations about these topics over time, modern science has added the curious twist of quantum theory, which requires that the elementary particles of which everything consists have no individuality at all. All aspects of chemistry depend on this lack of individuality, as do many branches of physics. From where, then, does our individuality come? In Seeing Double, Peter Pesic invites readers to explore this intriguing set of questions. He draws on literary and historical examples that open the mind (from Homer to Martin Guerre to Kafka), philosophical analyses that have helped to make our thinking and speech more precise, and scientific work that has enabled us to characterize the phenomena of nature. Though he does not try to be all-inclusive, Pesic presents a broad range of ideas, building toward a specific point of view: that the crux of modern quantum theory is its clash with our ordinary concept of individuality. This represents a departure from the usual understanding of quantum theory. Pesic argues that what is bizarre about quantum theory becomes more intelligible as we reconsider what we mean by individuality and identity in ordinary experience. In turn, quantum identity opens a new perspective on us.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review … an ambitious but sober reminder of the deep philosophical questions revolving around the ideas of individuality, identity and distinguishability.―Levy-Leblond, Physics World… offers a rare insight into the bizarre quantum realm and its implications for our sense of self.―PD Smith, The GuardianPesic suavely creates a masterpiece by saying much in little space.―Ray Olson, Booklist Review In what consists your identity? With the potential of cloning on the horizon, what defines individuality? Drawing on philosophy, literature, and physics in accessible prose, Peter Pesic illuminates the meaning of unique personhood. A challenging and civilizing tour-de-force.―Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and Professor of History of Science, Emeritus, Harvard University About the Author Peter Pesic, writer, pianist, and scholar, is Director of the Science Institute and Musician-in-Residence at St. John’s College, Santa Fe. He is the author of Abel’s Proof: An Essay on the Sources and Meaning of Mathematical Unsolvability; Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature; Sky in a Bottle; and Music and the Making of Modern Science, all published by the MIT Press. Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐For those new to science, or for those who have little experience with quantum physics, “Seeing Double,” by Dr. Pesic, will serve as a wonderful introduction to quantum physics, a field that was the most spectacular and influential to the 20th century. The book provides a historical overview that is elucidated by references and parallels to examples from the classics and humanities.For the seasoned physicist, “Seeing Double” will be a refreshing departure from rigorous scientific reading, which aims at being specialized, focused, and forensically convincing. Instead of choosing one very specialized point and thoroughly pursuing its depth, Pesic’s writing courses broadly, like lightening across water, discovering a multitude of connections to the classics and humanities. Like Goethe’s biological poetry and Schrödinger’s “What is Life?” Pesic does a wonderful job of wedding his work to broader academic disciplines. One of the great misfortunes of the rise of science in the 20th century has been its separation from other academic disciplines, such as the humanities. This separation runs contrary to the nature of human thought. This work is an encouraging victory in the reunification between the sciences and humanities.Pesic’s writing is conversational. The reader feels as if he is in an arm-chair, an arm’s length away, in a tea-infused discussion. One feels in reading Pesic that he has put the responsibility of being understood on the writer, and not the reader.Although less broad than “Labyrinth,” which explained modern scientific method by tracing its ancestors in law and code-breaking, nonetheless “Seeing Double” makes a wide variety of far-reaching yet just connections to other fields that are usually regretfully kept apart from science. The overall effect is quite exciting. Like Aladdin’s carpet, or swift-footed Hermes, Pesic will take you on an exhilarating journey across the vista of the history of human achievement.

⭐

⭐

Keywords

Free Download Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature in PDF format
Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature PDF Free Download
Download Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature 2003 PDF Free
Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature 2003 PDF Free Download
Download Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature PDF
Free Download Ebook Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature