"I wish to provide an interpretation of nature that will rest on a certain foundation laid out by none other than myself, so that I may know to what e"I wish to provide an interpretation of nature that will rest on a certain foundation laid out by none other than myself, so that I may know to what extent I can believe in that interpretation."
Lomonosov states that the way experimentation is conducted in his time accompanied by mathematical expression is an insufficient method for understanding nature. He argues that in order to comprehend the characteristics and behavior of nature, we must employ all of our senses, including our chemical senses: taste and smell. Rather than simply observing and recording nature's phenomena, we must mix nature's elements, dissolve and separate them, while cooling and heating them, in order to fully comprehend the matter by which we are surrounded. Lastly, we should not sever philosophy from science as the freedom of philosophizing on nature is an effective tool to interpret things.
If this was a novel, which it is not, Lomonosov would be our narrator, and the central character his love for chemistry.
Corpuscular Philosophy: Selected Works (1738-1765) is written by Mikhail Lomonosov (1711-1765) a Russian polymath who's known, among other things, for discovering the law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions and the atmosphere of Venus.
Prior to reading this book, I didn't know much about Corpuscular Theory. But when I hear the words Corpuscular Theory, two names and one image comes to mind; Descartes and Newton for the former, and a stream of particles for the latter. Even though the original Corpuscular Theory was mostly abandoned but later, from the 18-20th century, to some extent, was revived and redefined.
Lomonosov begins with the assumption that all matter is made up of imperceptible and indivisible physical particles where each particle possesses a force of inertia. These particles are in constant rotational, translational, and oscillating motion. All of Lomonosov's descriptions of particles associated me with 20th-century atomic physics.
He argues that all observable bodies consist of corpuscles, where heat is contained in the internal movements of these bodies. He defines a corpuscle as a set of elements that make up a small mass that is round in shape, where between the corpuscles lies an interspace filled with an imperceptible fluid matter. The corpuscles are in constant motion, some indivisible and others colorful, continually being created and decomposed. These illustrations reminded me of what we know today as molecules, compounds, cells, and photons. Also, what we refer to today as "gravitational waves", Lomonosov refers to it as "gravitational fluid".
Lomonosov presents in these 22 selected works the fundamental principles of chemistry. He is an exquisite writer who capable of adapting his style of writing and adjusting his tone in writing that suits the occasion. For instance, in his scientific papers, he is lucid and concise. In his letter to, Leonhard Euler, he uses an unassertive tone like a humble student would when writing to their mentor in the 18th century. His speech to the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences is poetic and one of confidence, inspiration, and authority. While his open letter to a Leipzig journalist, a book critic, is harsh and sardonic as the journalist "groundlessly" criticized one of his theories. Lomonosov is a versatile and accomplished individual and writer and I look forward to reading more of his work, perhaps, I would be most interested in reading his biography....more
This book is a work of art and my first five-star read this year. While consuming every word and savoring each page I've noticed my pencil's point vanThis book is a work of art and my first five-star read this year. While consuming every word and savoring each page I've noticed my pencil's point vanish by the end of the first few chapters.
We (1920) is written by the Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatin (1884-1937) who was a one of the first Soviet dissidents and whose We earned the title as the first book to be banned by the Soviet censorship board.
The premise of the story takes place several hundred years in the future. In which the protagonist, a mathematician and engineer, is developing a spaceship for his 'One State' government. The space mission's purpose is to conquer the extraterrestrial planets and impose on its inhabitants the One State system of government that is exclusively dictated by rationalism.
The characters in the story are nameless. But they are all assigned a number; something that resembles a serial number: for the male characters they start with a consonant followed by a rigid prime number, and for the female characters they begin with a vowel attached to a beautifully rounded even number.
The entire One State is made of transparent glass structures dominated by curveless geometry and enclosed by a green wall. The people live by a predetermined daily schedule, outlined by the authority, which is precisely defined by an almost perfect equation with barely any unknown variables. Everyone is under constant surveillance by the Benefactor and his "guardian angels" for the benefit of the We, rather than the I.
Every citizen's life is a mechanical one; dreamless and devoid of passion. Any involvement in asymmetrical art, music or poetry is punishable by execution. The only melody permitted is the one in tune with the mathematical notes.
The State has to approve for everyone a brief visits by their partner, where the State usually assigns two or three companions for each person all for the sake of mimicking a triangle or square. During the protagonist's short impersonal walk with his assigned companion, he spontaneously meets another, free-spirited woman, with whom he becomes infatuated with and eventually falls in love. This leads him to develops a sense of self-awareness, and as a result, he is diagnosed by the State's doctor with a terrible illness; the birth of a soul. What will happen to the space mission? What’s behind the green wall? Will his "illness" ever be cured and will his love endure it all?
This compelling read is a fusion of dystopian science fiction and political satire with religion root metaphors. It reads like a poetic prose with beautifully crafted expressions, with the right dose of sarcasm, and Zamyatin's unfinished sentences that leave you wondering......more
Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921) narrates the first half of his life in his Memoirs of a Revolutionist (1899) through historical events, ideals, and peoplePeter Kropotkin (1842-1921) narrates the first half of his life in his Memoirs of a Revolutionist (1899) through historical events, ideals, and people he was surrounded by while occasionally sharing his inner thoughts and contemplations. He unveils the accounts of his life, which seem credible and never exaggerated, that left the greatest impression on him emotionally and the circumstances, travel and attained knowledge that formulated his thoughts which led him to become the most famous anarchist in the world by 1886.
Kropotkin was born and brought up in a Russian aristocratic family in the affluent Old Equerries Quarter of Moscow. He was homeschooled throughout his childhood by French, German, and Russian teachers and grew up surrounded by books where he developed his love for reading. Respecting his father's wishes he attended the military academy in St. Petersburg, while after graduation, and not to his father's liking, spent the next five years in Siberia as a Cossack officer. His written illustrations of the Amur River, Manchurian flora, Lake Baikal, and his experiences in Siberia made me long for adventure. He later returned to St. Petersburg and enrolled at the university for scientific study and research which led him to achieve an important discovery in topography that rectified the inaccurately illustrated physical features of Asia; Kropotkin redrew the map of Asia.
Even though Kropotkin was born into privilege with a status of a prince and became a prominent scientist, he decided to give it all up to improve the social and economical status of the peasants and labor workers. Kropotkin sacrificed his social status and personal safety for the benefit of all those in a society that were discriminated against.
He dedicated the remainder of his life to raising the intellectual well-being and awareness of the peasants and labor class and participated in the development of the founding principles, organization, recruitment, and advocacy of the socialist movements of the 19th century in Western Europe and Russia.
As a scientist and anarchist, he draws interesting parallels between political revolutions and human evolution. He presents nihilism in a positive light compared to the press of his time that labeled it as terrorism. His firsthand accounts of the cruelty and injustice of serfdom in Russia, as his father possessed 1,200 male serfs, were heart-wrenching while the chapters of his imprisonment and escape were exhilarating to read. Although, Kropotkin does not touch upon stories relating to any romantic involvements, neither his nor someone else's, but I am not sure if these accounts would have improved or possibly weakened the essence of the book? Nevertheless, he continuously expresses, throughout the book, his unconditional love for his older brother, Alexander, that at times he felt like the central character in some of the memoirs.
Thank you, Ilse, for bringing this book and author to my attention. I enjoyed every single page and found Kropotkin's character, motives, and actions an embodiment of altruism at its finest. This read broadened my perspective of anarchism and in addition, I become more acquainted with this historical period that's rich with theories of social organization.
Second Foundation (1953) is the 3rd novel of the The Foundation Trilogy and the one I found most compelling of the three.
The Mule, after conquering thSecond Foundation (1953) is the 3rd novel of the The Foundation Trilogy and the one I found most compelling of the three.
The Mule, after conquering the First Foundation, which is at the forefront of the physical sciences in the Galaxy, is in a restless search to find and eliminate the Second Foundation. The Second Foundation is the Mule's only threat and obstacle in uniting the Galaxy under his tyrannical rule. The Mule is a mutant with supreme mental powers capable of tampering with and manipulating the emotions of others while converting them into his loyal devotees. But the Mule is in for a surprise, as the Second Foundationers have for centuries been developing and refining their intricate telepathic science and have acquired the mental capabilities that for the Mule are inborn. Has the Mule met his match? And does Arcadia, a 14-year-old girl, become the key link as the events unfold?
As far as I am concerned, this is not a sturdy stand-alone novel, therefore, you would need to read the previous two parts, for all of this to make sense. Although, the narration flow of this novel is smoother than in the previous parts and the dialogues are well developed and psychologically intriguing, though, some of the jargon is dated.
Throughout the book, Asimov gives the advantage to the Second Foundationers due to their education in neuroscience, psychology, and sociology as well as presenting in a positive light their egalitarian society with a horizontal structure of government. Compared to the First Foundation, which is governed by a more conventional hierarchical structure where their strengths are derived from nuclear power, high-tech technology, commerce, and education in the physical sciences. But what science, 'mental' or 'physical', shows to be superior? And what system of government, 'vertical' or 'horizontal', prevails at the end of the novel?
There is a whole series of these novels but I think that I will pause with completing just this Trilogy and perhaps come back to it one day....more
Reading Foundation and Empire, the second book in the Foundation Trilogy, reminded me of a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche: “In every real man, a child iReading Foundation and Empire, the second book in the Foundation Trilogy, reminded me of a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche: “In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play.” That said, reading a SF book once in a while, can be great play.
This story continued where the previous book Foundation left off. Hari Seldon, used psychohistory to project that the 12,000 year old Galactic Empire will collapse in 300 years and the dark ages will reign for the next 30,000 years. But as the Emperor allowed, Seldon, to establish two Foundations colonies at the extreme ends of the spiral galaxy, Seldon, and his scientists have in return promised to, with their work, reduce the barbarian ages to a mere one thousand years.
It's seems that, Hari Seldon's, predictions are coming true. But with the appearance of The Mule, who is presented by Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) as a rebel conqueror and threat to Seldon's plan, is a new breed of a human being, with greater metal and emotional powers than that of man. With the appearance of The Mule things are not looking promising for the Foundation. Did Seldon's deterministic calculations fail to predict the probability of a spontaneous mutation that resulted in a creation of a human with greater intelligence that the homo sapiens, a new dominant race? Also, what ever happened to the other, Second Foundation, at the opposite far end of the Galaxy?
I have to say that I enjoyed this book slightly more than previous one, perhaps the story grew on me. I liked the many allegorical settings, such as the Galactic Empire's administration positioned on a dead planet Tranton housed with billions of isolated lonely people in a vast closed structure - sounds very familiar. Also, the symbol of hope and order, the Foundation, is the cradle of science, research and development of the galaxy.
Since the plots time frame lasts over a century, new generation of characters are introduced, but faintly, while the old ones have passed. There is a constant change of characters, and once you begin to learn about or like your characters, they are exchanged by their successors. Which makes it difficult to keep up with all the names. All in all, the storyline and narrative were good enough to make me want to read the following book....more
I am intrigued by space and time. The pattern of particles we're made of, the material world we're surround by, what's happening billions of light-yeaI am intrigued by space and time. The pattern of particles we're made of, the material world we're surround by, what's happening billions of light-years away, and the waves of time that defined the past and will dictate the future. How does space in conjunction with time form or behave? Is it a perfectly synchronized rhythmical dance between the physical space and the dimension of time or is spacetime a single flesh, and what does it all mean for us? Since, I am not a physicist, what better way to feed my curiosity than through books, and who better to ask than the theoretical physicist of the first half of the 20th century, who not once, but twice, with the introduction of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, fundamentally changed our understanding and perspective of the physical and natural world and its laws, or rather indeterminacy.
George Gamow (1904-1968), a Russian physicist known for many discoveries in science, was one of these pioneers and he does an exceptional job in his popular science book One Two Three...Infinity explaining the facts and speculations of science for the educated layman. The exposition of physics is mostly done though the language of mathematics and 128 hand-drawn illustrations by the author himself. Gamow, also employs everyday life examples in order to, in a simplified manner, present a brief history of the mathematicians and scientists, and the evolution and acquired knowledge in mathematics, thermodynamics, relativity, atomic and nuclear physics, cosmology, and even genetics! I'm noticing a tendency that modern physicist, especially those who deal with the physics of the very small (atomic, molecular, and quantum physics) have this urge and inclination to discuss with great confidence genetics, and even continue their research in this field.
Gamow is born in Ukraine and at the age of 30 moves to the US, becomes a research professor and wrote this and other books in English. His writing is excellent which is catered for the American public. This is probably one of the best pop science books on physics that I've read.
The missing half star is not the fault of the author or his writing; it's more a general side effect that time has on the content of science books, as the branch is constantly evolving.
This Sci-fi narrative takes place fifty thousand years into the future. Humanity has achieved the possibility of interstellar travel and inhabited a lThis Sci-fi narrative takes place fifty thousand years into the future. Humanity has achieved the possibility of interstellar travel and inhabited a large part of our galaxy, although, strangely, still relying on oil, coal, and for the fortunate ones, nuclear power, as the primary source of energy.
Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Foundation begins on planet Trantor the administrative and ruling capital of the 12,000 year old Galactic Empire. Hari Seldon, who is on trial for treason in front of the Emperor himself, is a psychohistorian (a branch of mathematics that combines psychology and mathematics) uses his deterministic system and calculates that in 300 years the Empire will collapse and enter a 30,000 year dark age period. As predicted and wished by Seldon, he is ousted by the Emperor, along with his scientists and scholars, to a far off insignificant planet Terminus (Foundation) that is located at the edge of our galaxy where he would be allowed to unite all human knowledge and compose the Encyclopedia Galactica in order to reduce the dark age period to 1,000 years.
This book was written at a different time, mostly in the 1940's, but the story takes place in the high-tech future where you would not expect to hear phrases like "women and children", "man to man", etc. Also, it's surprising that, Asimov, envisions a future with a possibility of human interstellar space travel at parsec distances (which is close to impossible) but didn't foresee women having a roll in science, politics, military, and trade. As you probably assume all of the characters are male who still hunt birds for sport and smoke in public areas. Women are referred to as wives and mistresses.
We have here a fairly well-written book, with some really good dialogues, and somewhat developed characters. Although, the allegory of the story is very meaningful! It portrays knowledge as the only and true beacon of hope. The "religion of science", even though practiced by the few, is the path to equality, freedom, and a utopian society. There is also a hidden political message that was relevant at the time the book was written. If you like Sci-fi, you could give it a try....more
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