- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: W&N; First Edition edition (9 Oct 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0297607251
- ISBN-13: 978-0297607250
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 13.8 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,295,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
'In INFORMATION, physicist Hans Christian von Baeyer sets out to explain why this is regarded as one of the most fundamental and philosophical questions in science: information is the irreducible seed from which every particle, every force and even the fabric of space-time grows. This is deep stuff, but von Baeyer romps through a huge range of subjects...you will never think of information the same way again.' (NEW SCIENTIST (November issue) )
'I was fascinated to learn how topics such as randomness, entropy and logarithms were interwoven. By the end I had a hugely explaned idea of information, the strange compressible stuff that comes out of tangible objects - a DNA molecule, a piano - and then ultimately lodges itself in the brain and into consciousness.' (Jerome Burne FINANCIAL TIMES (8.11.03) )
'...fascinating...Von Baeyer is incapable of penning an ugly sentence.' (Graham Farmelo GUARDIAN (15.11.03) )
'If you're looking for a simplified introduction to some of the most unusual ideas in physics at the moment, this...[is] a good place to start.' (Richard Wentik FOCUS (January '04) )
'The book's most appealing feature is its focus on big questions...There is a nice balance between accepted science and speculative ideas...von Baeyer has provided an accessible and engaging overview of the emerging role of information as a fundamental building block in science.' (Michael A. Nielson NATURE (January 2004) )
'Each chapter is a well-structured and elegantly written essay that circumnavigates its topic with poetic quotation, literary allusion, biographuical anecdote, personal reminiscence, mathematical paradox and metaphysical musing, all expressed in a clear and vivid prose style.' (Tony Hoare TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT (2.1.04) )
'I was fascinated to learn how topics such as randomness, entropy and logarithms were interwoven. By the end I had a hugely explaned idea of information, the strange compressible stuff that comes out of tangible objects - a DNA molecule, a piano - and then ultimately lodges itself in the brain and into consciousness.' (Jerome Burne FINANCIAL TIMES (8.11.03) )
'...fascinating...Von Baeyer is incapable of penning an ugly sentence.' (Graham Farmelo GUARDIAN (15.11.03) )
'If you're looking for a simplified introduction to some of the most unusual ideas in physics at the moment, this...[is] a good place to start.' (Richard Wentik FOCUS (January '04) )
'The book's most appealing feature is its focus on big questions...There is a nice balance between accepted science and speculative ideas...von Baeyer has provided an accessible and engaging overview of the emerging role of information as a fundamental building block in science.' (Michael A. Nielson NATURE (January 2004) )
'Each chapter is a well-structured and elegantly written essay that circumnavigates its topic with poetic quotation, literary allusion, biographuical anecdote, personal reminiscence, mathematical paradox and metaphysical musing, all expressed in a clear and vivid prose style.' (Tony Hoare TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT (2.1.04) )
Book Description
The gripping primer to the emerging field of information theory.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of the best books I have read on information theory. Being aspecialist on information theory and coding, I can confidently recommendthis book to anyone who is interested in a bit more that just thetheoretical aspects of information. The clarity and the relevance of theexamples given by the author definitely make the book very readable (evenfor people who are not fascinated by books). I believe this book is a mustread for people who wish to find out about the true power of informationand what it actually means despite its very abstract nature.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
An interesting and well written book, It takes the reader chronologically through the history of the concept of information.
The pace is quite quick and Hans Christian von Baeyer skillfully puts the necessary scientific insights and backgrounds into theories without making it a heavy tome. For each classical figure in scientific history who has given us a step change, we also get a brief overview of their character and how their efforts have formalised 'information' as we see it today.
We also get the contrasts of simply measuring the bits (even q-bits) of information through to determining what we know from expressing things as huge unknowns, there is also a good section on quality of information and noise.
Later in the book we get the 'economy' of information where we try to express the most in most efficient way.
An example is the mention of Samual Morse as an inovator in the telegraphic age for the efficiency of his code (together with a background regarding his enthusiasm for expressing and informing...) Then having moved forward into our present information age of high speed processing and communications, the final chapters of the book move into the realms of quantum theory and how we may move forward again in our processing and manipulation of information in the next few decades.
A good book based on a good scientific background, but expressed in a relaxed and informal style where you feel the personal input of each person in history who has moved us forward in our insight...
The pace is quite quick and Hans Christian von Baeyer skillfully puts the necessary scientific insights and backgrounds into theories without making it a heavy tome. For each classical figure in scientific history who has given us a step change, we also get a brief overview of their character and how their efforts have formalised 'information' as we see it today.
We also get the contrasts of simply measuring the bits (even q-bits) of information through to determining what we know from expressing things as huge unknowns, there is also a good section on quality of information and noise.
Later in the book we get the 'economy' of information where we try to express the most in most efficient way.
An example is the mention of Samual Morse as an inovator in the telegraphic age for the efficiency of his code (together with a background regarding his enthusiasm for expressing and informing...) Then having moved forward into our present information age of high speed processing and communications, the final chapters of the book move into the realms of quantum theory and how we may move forward again in our processing and manipulation of information in the next few decades.
A good book based on a good scientific background, but expressed in a relaxed and informal style where you feel the personal input of each person in history who has moved us forward in our insight...
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book strikes me as a tour de force. If it were written in a scientific style, it would probably constitute a serious contribution to knowledge. But in its accessible form, it is a gift to the layman. It is abounding with profound insights into the nature of information. Marvellous.
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