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Humane Physics: The Whole Story
This book has helped high school and college students to understand the science of physics, but it also helped intelligent adults to understand what scientists do and how science works.
It describes the evolution of the science of Physics from the human perspective: biographical sketches, stories of discovery, fundamental principles, social significance. The book is a serious study, with lots of details but no math in the first two-thirds of the book. For advanced readers, the “Next Level” chapter points the way for further study, using advanced high-school mathematics. The required math is summarized in the short “Your Math Toolkit” chapter just ahead of the “Next Level”. Many of the results presented in the main body of the book are mathematically proven and some typical examples are calculated and solved there. It assumes that the reader has a serious interest in understanding the laws of Physics on which our lives depend every day. This is definitely not a pop-science book: it assumes that the reader wants to learn and has the confidence that any science, intelligently explained, and requiring no prerequisites, can be understood and enjoyed. Written for age 16 and above.
It describes the evolution of the science of Physics from the human perspective: biographical sketches, stories of discovery, fundamental principles, social significance. The book is a serious study, with lots of details but no math in the first two-thirds of the book. For advanced readers, the “Next Level” chapter points the way for further study, using advanced high-school mathematics. The required math is summarized in the short “Your Math Toolkit” chapter just ahead of the “Next Level”. Many of the results presented in the main body of the book are mathematically proven and some typical examples are calculated and solved there. It assumes that the reader has a serious interest in understanding the laws of Physics on which our lives depend every day. This is definitely not a pop-science book: it assumes that the reader wants to learn and has the confidence that any science, intelligently explained, and requiring no prerequisites, can be understood and enjoyed. Written for age 16 and above.
- GenresNonfictionScience
519 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2021
18 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Francis Mont
17 books53 followersFrancis Mont has been living in Canada for the past 50 years, after he emigrated from his native Hungary where he studied science and received a degree in Theoretical Physics. Over the years he did research, application and teaching in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science. He is interested in profound questions, both in science and in social philosophy. He is a 'big picture' person, focusing on fundamental principles and the defining essence of the topic at hand. He also pursues independence and self-reliance to the best of his abilities, as his solar power system and year-around greenhouse demonstrate. He writes poetry, plays classical violin, dabbles at wood carving and has not yet stopped building the house where he and his wife and (currently) five cats live.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 2, 2021
An entertaining science course.
I found this work to be instructive and accessible. The fact that the author did meander down personal and other paths of science did not bother me in the least, I felt it made it more enjoyable. I especially liked the history lessons of the pioneers of physics and how they used observation, deduction, calculation, and experimentation to discover the principals of physics. Too bad current scientists seem to have abandoned those methods completely.
There were many thought provoking sections and statements. If I was to have the benefit of being in the author’s classroom, his statements would cause me to ask many questions – which I believe is a very good thing, although he may not think so once he hears them...
Again and again throughout I was struck by the contrast of how the author stressed the importance of logic, reason, observation, and the scientific method while there is a lack of such methods being practiced today. I wondered if this physicist or any other ‘scientists’ can see the forest for the trees because there is a growing rejection of ‘science’ and scientists. Many changes and restrictions are being forced on us in the name of science when in fact these scientists have darn little data to back themselves up and they don’t seem to realize it or maybe just don’t care: “We’re right and don’t question us.”
For example, the author talks about 9/11:
‘What I found most frightening in all that has happened since, was the ease with which political leaders exploit people’s fears and lead them on a course that would have been unthinkable even a few years before. Suddenly, due process of law was discarded... I could not help wondering how it was possible - how people could be so blind and gullible.’
Isn’t this exactly what is happening since a certain virus came along? We are forced into solitary confinement in our homes in the name of science. What science? Where are the observations, the experiments, the deductions, the DATA? We know nothing about this virus, not even its origin or really how it’s spread. Instead science can only provide us computer models which have been consistently wrong.
And while we’re on the subject of logic and observation, and scientific method, how about climate change? Supposedly all the world’s scientists have settled on it (if it even exists) being human caused. And don’t question these gods. Only trouble is our observation period is maybe 50 years – out of 13.8 billion years, a period so infinitesimal it is completely absurd. How can science claim with a straight face this is true beyond question when typical earth climate cycles are in the 200,000 year range? And scientists (like the media), wonder why no one believes or listens to them? Science is causing its own downfall by these patently unproven statements.
In both these cases I would point out the author’s own words that he has a problem with ‘speculation’:
‘Most of the time there is no experimental data to suggest that the speculation was a reasonable one’.
Oh, how true!
But let’s get back to pure physics. I enjoyed the chapter on dark matter and dark energy – which I personally believe is the greatest mystery facing science and is interlinked with quantum physics at a level we have not even begun to understand. My question would be: “Is it possible that the 95% of the universe we can’t measure or perceive contains alternate universes?”
Lastly, if I were in his classroom, I would leave the author with my final question (well, after ‘where did math come from?) on his three laws of logic:
‘The basic rules are: The Law of Identity: Everything is what it is - and cannot, at the same time, be something else. The Law of Excluded Middle: Every statement, exactly as it is stated, is either true or false. The Law of Non-Contradiction: No statement may be simultaneously true and false.’
Doesn’t quantum physics violate every one of them?
So yes, it is an enjoyable, entertaining, thought provoking book that I’d like to see updated to current situations.
I found this work to be instructive and accessible. The fact that the author did meander down personal and other paths of science did not bother me in the least, I felt it made it more enjoyable. I especially liked the history lessons of the pioneers of physics and how they used observation, deduction, calculation, and experimentation to discover the principals of physics. Too bad current scientists seem to have abandoned those methods completely.
There were many thought provoking sections and statements. If I was to have the benefit of being in the author’s classroom, his statements would cause me to ask many questions – which I believe is a very good thing, although he may not think so once he hears them...
Again and again throughout I was struck by the contrast of how the author stressed the importance of logic, reason, observation, and the scientific method while there is a lack of such methods being practiced today. I wondered if this physicist or any other ‘scientists’ can see the forest for the trees because there is a growing rejection of ‘science’ and scientists. Many changes and restrictions are being forced on us in the name of science when in fact these scientists have darn little data to back themselves up and they don’t seem to realize it or maybe just don’t care: “We’re right and don’t question us.”
For example, the author talks about 9/11:
‘What I found most frightening in all that has happened since, was the ease with which political leaders exploit people’s fears and lead them on a course that would have been unthinkable even a few years before. Suddenly, due process of law was discarded... I could not help wondering how it was possible - how people could be so blind and gullible.’
Isn’t this exactly what is happening since a certain virus came along? We are forced into solitary confinement in our homes in the name of science. What science? Where are the observations, the experiments, the deductions, the DATA? We know nothing about this virus, not even its origin or really how it’s spread. Instead science can only provide us computer models which have been consistently wrong.
And while we’re on the subject of logic and observation, and scientific method, how about climate change? Supposedly all the world’s scientists have settled on it (if it even exists) being human caused. And don’t question these gods. Only trouble is our observation period is maybe 50 years – out of 13.8 billion years, a period so infinitesimal it is completely absurd. How can science claim with a straight face this is true beyond question when typical earth climate cycles are in the 200,000 year range? And scientists (like the media), wonder why no one believes or listens to them? Science is causing its own downfall by these patently unproven statements.
In both these cases I would point out the author’s own words that he has a problem with ‘speculation’:
‘Most of the time there is no experimental data to suggest that the speculation was a reasonable one’.
Oh, how true!
But let’s get back to pure physics. I enjoyed the chapter on dark matter and dark energy – which I personally believe is the greatest mystery facing science and is interlinked with quantum physics at a level we have not even begun to understand. My question would be: “Is it possible that the 95% of the universe we can’t measure or perceive contains alternate universes?”
Lastly, if I were in his classroom, I would leave the author with my final question (well, after ‘where did math come from?) on his three laws of logic:
‘The basic rules are: The Law of Identity: Everything is what it is - and cannot, at the same time, be something else. The Law of Excluded Middle: Every statement, exactly as it is stated, is either true or false. The Law of Non-Contradiction: No statement may be simultaneously true and false.’
Doesn’t quantum physics violate every one of them?
So yes, it is an enjoyable, entertaining, thought provoking book that I’d like to see updated to current situations.
October 13, 2021
Most Excellent
I love this book! The author successfully explains physics in everyday words. This book would be excellent for any student or person who wants to learn more about physics. It's also a great resource for writers. One of my favorite sections is the math chapter. I plan to purchase a copy to put on my bookshelves. I also plan to keep it on my Kindle as a writing resource.
I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
I love this book! The author successfully explains physics in everyday words. This book would be excellent for any student or person who wants to learn more about physics. It's also a great resource for writers. One of my favorite sections is the math chapter. I plan to purchase a copy to put on my bookshelves. I also plan to keep it on my Kindle as a writing resource.
I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
February 17, 2021
Interesting but not compelling. A fairly complete timeline of developments in physics, potentially useful when the author restricts himself to that subject. However, I found myself skimming whenever the author wandered off-topic. He detoured into areas like biographical details, symbolic logic, his criteria for being a person who can understand truth, and how he feels society should be organized. It also contains a completely irrelevant digression where the author takes it upon himself to try to debunk all religious beliefs. Because of this, I would not recommend this book to readers who adhere to any faith.
March 5, 2021
The premise of establishing the original thought process behind the study of physics and presenting a more practical view of the subject is fine. The execution suffers from odd tangents, curious thoughts about society, and opinions presented arrogantly as fact. The author is conversant in the subject matter, however, so those eager to learn more about physics will likely find something of merit.
October 7, 2021
A fun way to review key physics topics while putting some personality to the names. I enjoyed learning about how various discoveries were made in a human as well as a technical context.
November 14, 2020
Having read Francis Mont's Humane Physics: No Student Was Harmed in Writing This Book as well as Epicycle Physics: We make it up as we go along, I felt it would be great if the material existed all together in a single volume.
Well, Humane Physics: The Whole Story does precisely that!
Just as the title promises, this is an amazingly comprehensive analysis of virtually every development in the history of physics, from Ptolemy to Hawking. It includes a wealth of biographical and historical information, as well as analytic but fairly accessible details about the science itself. Not all chapters (or all parts of chapters) are transparent to a lay audience, but the majority of them are.
Whether you are an enthusiast or a college student, whether you are interested in the history of physics or you want a handy reference with math and equations, this book cannot be missing from your library. Very highly recommended!
Well, Humane Physics: The Whole Story does precisely that!
Just as the title promises, this is an amazingly comprehensive analysis of virtually every development in the history of physics, from Ptolemy to Hawking. It includes a wealth of biographical and historical information, as well as analytic but fairly accessible details about the science itself. Not all chapters (or all parts of chapters) are transparent to a lay audience, but the majority of them are.
Whether you are an enthusiast or a college student, whether you are interested in the history of physics or you want a handy reference with math and equations, this book cannot be missing from your library. Very highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews