eBook

Mind and Nature

Weyl, Hermann

2009

Overview

Hermann Weyl (1885-1955) was one of the twentieth century's most important mathematicians, as well as a seminal figure in the development of quantum physics and general relativity. He was also an eloquent writer with a lifelong interest in the philosophical implications of the startling new scientific developments with which he was so involved.Mind and Natureis a collection of Weyl's most important general writings on philosophy, mathematics, and physics, including pieces that have never before been published in any language or translated into English, or that have long been out of print. Complete with Peter Pesic's introduction, notes, and bibliography, these writings reveal an unjustly neglected dimension of a complex and fascinating thinker. In addition, the book includes more than twenty photographs of Weyl and his family and colleagues, many of which are previously unpublished. Included here are Weyl's exposition of his important synthesis of electromagnetism and gravitation, which Einstein at first hailed as \"a first-class stroke of genius\"; two little-known letters by Weyl and Einstein from 1922 that give their contrasting views on the philosophical implications of modern physics; and an essay on time that contains Weyl's argument that the past is never completed and the present is not a point. Also included are two book-length series of lectures,The Open World(1932) andMind and Nature(1934), each a masterly exposition of Weyl's views on a range of topics from modern physics and mathematics. Finally, four retrospective essays from Weyl's last decade give his final thoughts on the interrelations among mathematics, philosophy, and physics, intertwined with reflections on the course of his rich life.

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Subject: Absolute time and space / Alhazen / Analogy / Atomic theory / Awareness / Axiom / Calculation / Causal structure / Certainty / Concept / Consciousness / Contradiction / Coordinate system / David Hilbert / Democritus / Determination / Dimension / Edmund Husserl / Electromagnetic field / Electromagnetism / Explanation / Foundations of mathematics / Four-dimensional space / Galileo Galilei / Gauge theory / General relativity / General Science / Geometry / Gravitational field / Gravity / Hermann Weyl / History & Philosophy / Hypothesis / Idealism / Instant / Lecture / Light cone / Martin Heidegger / Mathematician / MATHEMATICS / Mathematics -- Philosophy / MATHEMATICS / History & Philosophy / Maxwell's equations / Measurement / Modern physics / Modernity / Natural science / Nature / Newton's law of universal gravitation / Phenomenon / Philosopher / Philosophy / Philosophy & Social Aspects / Photon / Physical law / Physicist / Physics / Physics -- Philosophy / Principle / Probability / Quantity / Quantum mechanics / Reality / Riemann surface / SCIENCE / SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects / SCIENCE / Physics / General / Scientist / Simultaneity / Spectral line / Subjectivity / The Philosopher / Theorem / Theoretical physics / Theory / Theory of relativity / Thought / Three-dimensional space (mathematics) / Time / World line / Writing
• ISBN: 9781400833320, 1400833329, 9780691135458, 0691135452