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A 9-line summary of textbook physics

motionmountain.net

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Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#21

Post by PrettyPebble »

nayuki wrote: post #12
humanistbot wrote: post #3

Physics maybe, but all sciences? This is is some serious physics determinism --- obligatory XKCD: https://xkcd.com/435/

> The nine lines contain physics, chemistry, material science, biology, medicine, geology, astronomy, engineering and computer science. I have doubts that these 9 lines describe computer science. As I interpret it, computer science is founded on pure mathematics and is not a physical or empirical science. Computer science deals with perfect abstract mathematical objects like numbers, sets, quantification, recursion,…

Good point - but it needs computers...

Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#23

Post by mhh__ »

The 9 equations aspect is pretty pointless but the chapters on the right hand side could be ok.

One of the things that makes physics different to most subjects is that we can make an explicit goal of being smug and rederiving the laws of physics from the simplest possible principles. I think the book seems to do this, but just summarizing like done on this webpage is a bit daft.

Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#25

Post by mhh__ »

MauranKilom wrote: post #9

> About 18 particles > About 25 numbers Excellent science here!

Obviously this won't help you find the particles but this seriously isn't far off capturing how shocking symmetry groups are as a tool for building theories in particle physics. The fact that you can reduce so much physics down to some invariance is very spooky.

Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#26

Post by sdoering »

Reventlov wrote: post #6

I opened a volume of the books linked in the page, and found this: « Learning allows us to discover what kind of person we can be. Learning widens knowledge, improves intelligence and provides a sense of achievement. Therefore, learning from a book, especially one about nature, should be efficient and enjoyable. Avoid bad learning methods like the plague! Do not use a marker, a pen or a pencil to highlight or underli…

> Do not use a marker, a pen or a pencil to highlight or underline text on paper. It is a waste of time, provides false comfort and makes the text unreadable.

What a load of elitist BS (pardon my French). When I was at University we were trained early on to cut the notion of a book being sacred. We should mark, note, create meaning on the pages with pens.

I would not have been able to learn as much in my life if I had not taken this advice seriously.

> In particular, never, ever, learn from the internet, from videos, from games or from a smartphone.

Yeah. Exactly. OK. So I have not learned new things recently about both World Wars through documentaries telling me about findings that I did neither learn in school or at university studying history (among other subjects).

I know. I am just anecdata. But wow. What a view on learning in the quotes book.

Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#27

Post by PrettyPebble »

mhh__ wrote: post #25
MauranKilom wrote: post #9

> About 18 particles > About 25 numbers Excellent science here!

Obviously this won't help you find the particles but this seriously isn't far off capturing how shocking symmetry groups are as a tool for building theories in particle physics. The fact that you can reduce so much physics down to some invariance is very spooky.

Or just beautiful!

Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#28

Post by archhn »

Reventlov wrote: post #6

I opened a volume of the books linked in the page, and found this: « Learning allows us to discover what kind of person we can be. Learning widens knowledge, improves intelligence and provides a sense of achievement. Therefore, learning from a book, especially one about nature, should be efficient and enjoyable. Avoid bad learning methods like the plague! Do not use a marker, a pen or a pencil to highlight or underli…

I like it. The author is being real. This is what he sincerely thinks. You don't have to agree with everything an author says. I for one appreciate the candor.

It's also a proven fact that many smartphone applications are effectively dispensers of dopamine at regular intervals. People check their social media like smokers take a smoke break. The author is right...albeit a bit terse and dramatic.

Re: A 9-line summary of textbook physics

#30

Post by dr_dshiv »

Reventlov wrote: post #10
dr_dshiv wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which book?

I was interested in electromagnetism, so https://www.motionmountain.net/motionmountain-volume3.pdf , in the « Advice for learners » section of the introduction. I reckon this is the same text in every volume.

Yeah, not sarcasm. But contradictory for a free online downloadable.

I do like the next advice, to be able to say the ideas in your own words. Maybe the point (which seems very overstated) is that highlighting and videos create the sensation of knowing, but not necessarily the knowing.

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