The Quantum Ten
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Product Description
Theoretical physics is in trouble. At least that's the impression you'd get from reading a spate of recent books on the continued failure to resolve the 80-year-old problem of unifying the classical and quantum worlds. The seeds of this problem were sewn eighty years ago when a dramatic revolution in physics reached a climax at the 1927 Solvay conference in Brussels. It's the story of a rush to formalize quantum physics, the work of just a handful of men fired by ambition, philosophical conflicts and personal agendas. Sheilla Jones paints an intimate portrait of the key figures who wrestled with the mysteries of the new science of the quantum, along with a powerful supporting cast of famous (and not so famous) colleagues. The Brussels conference was the first time so many of the "quantum ten" had been in the same place: Albert Einstein, the lone wolf; Niels Bohr, the obsessive but gentlemanly father figure; Max Born, the anxious hypochondriac; Werner Heisenberg, the intensely ambitious one; Wolfgang Pauli, the sharp-tongued critic with a dark side; Paul Dirac, the silent Englishman; Erwin Schrödinger, the enthusiastic womanizer; Prince Louis de Broglie, the French aristocrat; and Paul Ehrenfest, who was witness to it all. Pascual Jordan, the ardent Aryan nationalist, came uninvited. This is the story of quantum physics that has never been told, an equation-free investigation into the turbulent development of the new science and its very fallible creators, including little-known details of the personal relationship between the deeply troubled Ehrenfest and his dear friend Albert Einstein. Jones weaves together the personal and the scientific in a heartwarming-and heartbreaking-story of the men who struggled to create quantum physics: a story of passion, tragedy, ambition and science.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
The subtitle of this book is "a story of passion, tragedy, ambition and science". It describes quite well what this book is all about. You will notice that the three first subjects deal with human emotions, while only the last one is about the science. This reflects the actual content of the book, which is constructed more or less in these same proportions. Personally I would have preferred a more balanced presentation. Not that there is too much human drama. On the contrary, it makes the science come alive. The problem is that there is not enough science to balance it out. And there are so many irrelevant details about the personal lives of the protagonists as to overshadow the scientific debate, instead of informing it.
I also have to mention that the story is not strictly chronological. And since this book is about the early development of Quantum Physics, I would have preferred to have the genesis of the theory recounted as it simultaneously unfolded at various intellectual centres throughout Europe. So it can occasionally be confusing and make the story harder to follow. On the other hand the various characters involved are well portrayed. Especially Bohr, Heisenberg and de Broglie. In the standard narrative Bohr and Heisenberg are always depicted as super heros of Quantum Mechanics. In this book they are presented with a more human dimension. And de Broglie, who has often been neglected in the past, is given here the proper space that he deserves. Only Dirac is not offered a fair treatment in my opinion. His contribution is not properly reported and his genius does not shine through. So one can come out with the impression that Dirac was a minor figure, which he certainly was not.
Overall I would say that the book is relatively easy to read. Even a pleasure, I would add. It remains a superficial treatment of the subject matter though. But we still get the essential. The language level is about the same you would find in a serious newspaper, like the New York Times for example. So it is somewhat dumbed down. For example, the Pauli Exclusion Principle is discussed, but never named as such. Same thing with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principal. I can understand that an author (or an editor) might want to exclude formulas and equations. But to entirely avoid any scientific terms that could potentially afraid the lay reader is not what I would normally expect from this kind of book. The scientific language used by the author is way below the level of what you would find in a magazine like Scientific American. The little science there is in this book is nevertheless well explained. And we are given a pretty good feel of the atmosphere that prevailed in those crucial years. The time span covered is approximately twenty years (1913-1933).
I would recommend this book as a brief introduction to the history of the creation of Quantum Physics.
I also have to mention that the story is not strictly chronological. And since this book is about the early development of Quantum Physics, I would have preferred to have the genesis of the theory recounted as it simultaneously unfolded at various intellectual centres throughout Europe. So it can occasionally be confusing and make the story harder to follow. On the other hand the various characters involved are well portrayed. Especially Bohr, Heisenberg and de Broglie. In the standard narrative Bohr and Heisenberg are always depicted as super heros of Quantum Mechanics. In this book they are presented with a more human dimension. And de Broglie, who has often been neglected in the past, is given here the proper space that he deserves. Only Dirac is not offered a fair treatment in my opinion. His contribution is not properly reported and his genius does not shine through. So one can come out with the impression that Dirac was a minor figure, which he certainly was not.
Overall I would say that the book is relatively easy to read. Even a pleasure, I would add. It remains a superficial treatment of the subject matter though. But we still get the essential. The language level is about the same you would find in a serious newspaper, like the New York Times for example. So it is somewhat dumbed down. For example, the Pauli Exclusion Principle is discussed, but never named as such. Same thing with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principal. I can understand that an author (or an editor) might want to exclude formulas and equations. But to entirely avoid any scientific terms that could potentially afraid the lay reader is not what I would normally expect from this kind of book. The scientific language used by the author is way below the level of what you would find in a magazine like Scientific American. The little science there is in this book is nevertheless well explained. And we are given a pretty good feel of the atmosphere that prevailed in those crucial years. The time span covered is approximately twenty years (1913-1933).
I would recommend this book as a brief introduction to the history of the creation of Quantum Physics.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
interesting
4 Jun 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This interesting book provides a special view of quantum theory.
It provides an insight into the origins of the theory based on the personal
lives of its creators.
The book treats scientific activity as any other cultural activity
making clear that even the most "objective" of our mathematical theories
(like the theories of mathematical physics) ought to be seen as cultural
products within the social and political frame of their conception and
(perhaps more importantly) within the professional and financial strains
and aspirations of their creators. This is indeed the case from the beginning
of abstract mathematical thought in ancient Greece to this day.
There is no deep discussion of the mathematics/concepts of the theory and
an expert in the theory would certainly not become any wiser as to its
meaning. However, the greatest service provided by the text is a better
understanding of the shaky foundations of the theory that was conceived
as an effective model of reality as allowed by the mathematical capabilities
of that time and not at all as a "fundamental" theory as understood today.
The theory emerged as a recipe for understanding experiments with no
intrinsic limits on its applicability or relevance to other situations.
Young people interested in a realistic view of how real science is done
rather than idealized, fairy-tale treatments would find this text interesting.
Interesting but not captivating so four stars.
It provides an insight into the origins of the theory based on the personal
lives of its creators.
The book treats scientific activity as any other cultural activity
making clear that even the most "objective" of our mathematical theories
(like the theories of mathematical physics) ought to be seen as cultural
products within the social and political frame of their conception and
(perhaps more importantly) within the professional and financial strains
and aspirations of their creators. This is indeed the case from the beginning
of abstract mathematical thought in ancient Greece to this day.
There is no deep discussion of the mathematics/concepts of the theory and
an expert in the theory would certainly not become any wiser as to its
meaning. However, the greatest service provided by the text is a better
understanding of the shaky foundations of the theory that was conceived
as an effective model of reality as allowed by the mathematical capabilities
of that time and not at all as a "fundamental" theory as understood today.
The theory emerged as a recipe for understanding experiments with no
intrinsic limits on its applicability or relevance to other situations.
Young people interested in a realistic view of how real science is done
rather than idealized, fairy-tale treatments would find this text interesting.
Interesting but not captivating so four stars.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Extremely engaging journey into a turning point in physics
20 Oct 2010
Format:Hardcover
I see a few other reviewers disliked this book, but I must strongly disagree.
It seems to me that there are many personalities left out of typical books on quantum history, for example Max Born and Pascal Jordan typically appear only as shadows on the side. I enjoyed reading about the German contribution - the so called Gottingen school - in all its detail.
Background biography on the various characters and how the mystery of quantum theory slowly and painfully unfolded is well done and enjoyable.
Careers were being molded as some characters can be seen trying to prove that they belong with the big boys, to land a respectable job. Others seemed almost desperate to shut out certain views and keep their own dominant. Personal lives and friendships became entangled in it all.
I'm not crazy about google searches, but one reviewer says "all this is within reach of someone searching online." I seriously doubt that so much detail actually is there, and even if it is, would someone actually sit down and do about 7,000 individual searches? How would they know *which* searches to do, not knowing beforehand all of the twists and turns of the actual history?
Surely, having it all the info already under one cover, and told in a coherent fashion makes far more sense, I think one must agree.
It seems to me that there are many personalities left out of typical books on quantum history, for example Max Born and Pascal Jordan typically appear only as shadows on the side. I enjoyed reading about the German contribution - the so called Gottingen school - in all its detail.
Background biography on the various characters and how the mystery of quantum theory slowly and painfully unfolded is well done and enjoyable.
Careers were being molded as some characters can be seen trying to prove that they belong with the big boys, to land a respectable job. Others seemed almost desperate to shut out certain views and keep their own dominant. Personal lives and friendships became entangled in it all.
I'm not crazy about google searches, but one reviewer says "all this is within reach of someone searching online." I seriously doubt that so much detail actually is there, and even if it is, would someone actually sit down and do about 7,000 individual searches? How would they know *which* searches to do, not knowing beforehand all of the twists and turns of the actual history?
Surely, having it all the info already under one cover, and told in a coherent fashion makes far more sense, I think one must agree.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Entertaining, Rough, Hard Hitting
25 Sep 2011
Format:Hardcover
The Quantum Ten: A Story of Passion, Tragedy, Ambition and Science
by Sheila Jones
The "Quantum Ten" is a great idea. The topic is the dramatic revolution in physics, the story of quantum physics from 1925 - 27, related through ten chosen participants. This is the unsolved problem in physics of unifying the separate worlds of the classical and the quantum physics. It is told in a personal, behind the scenes, hard hitting, popular narrative.
But what to make of its implementation by author Sheilla Jones? Each chapter commences with a quote: the reader may hesitate at the first choice "Science ... is part and parcel of our knowledge and obscures our insight only when it holds that the understanding given by it is the only kind there is." OK but why is the comment necessary? By Chapter 3 the reader may actually object to "Very strange people, physicists - in my experience the ones who aren't dead are in some way very ill".
The Q10 are chosen from those attending the Fifth Solvay Conference in 1927: Albert Einstein, Neils Bohr, Paul Ehrenfest, Max Born, Erwin Schrödinger, Wolfgang Pauli, Louis de Broglie, Werner Heisenberg, Paul Dirac; plus Pascual Jordan who was not at the conference. A good choice; but judge the brief introductory persona for each. For example Neils Bohr is "An obsessive and pressured man, running his own physics institute in Copenhagen, raising a large family and getting left behind by the new mathematical physics." Bohr, the legendary father of the atom and indeed most of the others, deserve more respect. For example, do we need to be told of Pascual Jordan's speech impediment five times?
We are informed: "About all they had in common was the fact that they were white, European males" on the book's back cover and twice in the text. Does that disqualify their work? Anyway what about female Marie Curie and American Arthur Compton who were active participants at the Fifth Solvay Conference?
Overall this is a good idea for the presentation of the topic, say compared to a single biography, being popular, easy to read, hard hitting, and emotional by an author who knows her subject. The book is entertaining, non-mathematical, accurate, referenced, and well documented. Yet it can be scattered, contradictory, with odd emphases on chosen facets of the topic, sometimes presenting scientific meetings as being like the worst debates in a factional political party.
Malcolm Cameron
25 September 2011
by Sheila Jones
The "Quantum Ten" is a great idea. The topic is the dramatic revolution in physics, the story of quantum physics from 1925 - 27, related through ten chosen participants. This is the unsolved problem in physics of unifying the separate worlds of the classical and the quantum physics. It is told in a personal, behind the scenes, hard hitting, popular narrative.
But what to make of its implementation by author Sheilla Jones? Each chapter commences with a quote: the reader may hesitate at the first choice "Science ... is part and parcel of our knowledge and obscures our insight only when it holds that the understanding given by it is the only kind there is." OK but why is the comment necessary? By Chapter 3 the reader may actually object to "Very strange people, physicists - in my experience the ones who aren't dead are in some way very ill".
The Q10 are chosen from those attending the Fifth Solvay Conference in 1927: Albert Einstein, Neils Bohr, Paul Ehrenfest, Max Born, Erwin Schrödinger, Wolfgang Pauli, Louis de Broglie, Werner Heisenberg, Paul Dirac; plus Pascual Jordan who was not at the conference. A good choice; but judge the brief introductory persona for each. For example Neils Bohr is "An obsessive and pressured man, running his own physics institute in Copenhagen, raising a large family and getting left behind by the new mathematical physics." Bohr, the legendary father of the atom and indeed most of the others, deserve more respect. For example, do we need to be told of Pascual Jordan's speech impediment five times?
We are informed: "About all they had in common was the fact that they were white, European males" on the book's back cover and twice in the text. Does that disqualify their work? Anyway what about female Marie Curie and American Arthur Compton who were active participants at the Fifth Solvay Conference?
Overall this is a good idea for the presentation of the topic, say compared to a single biography, being popular, easy to read, hard hitting, and emotional by an author who knows her subject. The book is entertaining, non-mathematical, accurate, referenced, and well documented. Yet it can be scattered, contradictory, with odd emphases on chosen facets of the topic, sometimes presenting scientific meetings as being like the worst debates in a factional political party.
Malcolm Cameron
25 September 2011
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