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Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

mitpress.mit.edu

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Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#11

Post by fancyketchup »

tgb wrote: post #10
reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

On the idea of "mechanics 101 for smart people" - can anyone recommend good books that are the analogs of SICP for other subjects? I'd love to know ones for, say, genetics or evolution as well as stats. I can say that Hubbard + Hubbard "Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations" does a good job of being that for vector calculus specifically and for exposure to theoretical mathematics.

I'm currently preparing for a course based around The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind, which (so far) seems like exactly what you're looking for. The beginning has a very quick recap of state spaces, vectors, calculus, etc. It goes over Lagrangian mechanics and conservation laws in the middle before finishing with Poisson brackets.

The table of contents also claims a chapter on E&M, but I haven't looked at that yet.

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#13

Post by cconroy »

tgb wrote: post #10
reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

On the idea of "mechanics 101 for smart people" - can anyone recommend good books that are the analogs of SICP for other subjects? I'd love to know ones for, say, genetics or evolution as well as stats. I can say that Hubbard + Hubbard "Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations" does a good job of being that for vector calculus specifically and for exposure to theoretical mathematics.

Almost finished Vol I of Feynman Lectures On Physics. So far, Im picking up on the same enthusiasm and joy. A real pleasure to read.

Euclid's Elements too for geometry is fantastic. (I think reading "from the horses mouth" is necessary but not sufficient. With guys like Newton especially, since there are no translation barriers (for us English speakers), and they are quite relatable.)

I have noticed that excursions? in history of a topic; its people, places, culture, enhance the quality of the book. Feynman goes on historical asides, as does say, Apostol (in his calculus texts), and it has been a while but I believe SICP does too. I think the teaching of something should be coupled with its history.

In this same vein, I'm too am interested in a book covering evolution and biology, but I have not found one, or heard of one, so if anybody knows I would greatly appreciate it. Two good bio books I have read are The Selfish Gene, and The Machinery Of Life (Goodsell), but they're more auxiliary.

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#15

Post by weland »

batbomb wrote: post #4
reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

Learning Lagrangian mechanics was like falling in love all over again with your girlfriend when you discovered exactly how elegant she could be. Easily my favorite part of classical mechanics as an undergrad.

Same here. In highschool, I really struggled with classical mechanics. A lot of things didn't click, because they were taught to us before we were taught calculus, and a lot of what I was seeing in class simply didn't make much sense. I understood the words and I could do the math, but never actually felt like I had a grip on it.

Fast forward to my freshman year and poof! mechanics suddely isn't a mess of because-i-said-so formulae that sort of make some physical sense. It's an elegant, well-thought system that can help you understand the world.

I had a further moment of revelation later on, when I seriously studied philosophy. It doesn't look like much now, but when put into their historical context, the discoveries made by Galilei and Newton are amazing leaps in human thought.

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#16

Post by wuschel »

reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

Neat.

Does anyone have a epub/mobi version of this book?

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#17

Post by nextos »

tgb wrote: post #10
reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

On the idea of "mechanics 101 for smart people" - can anyone recommend good books that are the analogs of SICP for other subjects? I'd love to know ones for, say, genetics or evolution as well as stats. I can say that Hubbard + Hubbard "Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations" does a good job of being that for vector calculus specifically and for exposure to theoretical mathematics.

I'm quite fond of Watson's Molecular Biology of the Gene (not to be confused with Molecular Biology of the Cell).

In the stats camp, Jaynes is fantastic, alas a bit difficult. But the prerequisites are very modest. It's self-contained.

Hoel, Port & Stone's volume is a great introduction to basic (w/o measure theory) probability.

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#18

Post by dfan »

bsaul wrote: post #3

For those interested, Leonard susskin video course in stanford ( can be found anywhere ) on classical mechanics is one of the most beautiful piece of intellectual material i've ever been given the chance to see.

Yes, it was amazing. The good news is that it was turned into a book, The Theoretical Minimum. The bad news is that the book was really disappointing. I'm more of a learn-by-reading than learn-by-watching person, but Susskind's lectures are amazing.

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#19

Post by [deleted] »

tgb wrote: post #10
reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

On the idea of "mechanics 101 for smart people" - can anyone recommend good books that are the analogs of SICP for other subjects? I'd love to know ones for, say, genetics or evolution as well as stats. I can say that Hubbard + Hubbard "Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations" does a good job of being that for vector calculus specifically and for exposure to theoretical mathematics.

[deleted]

Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics

#20

Post by CurtMonash »

tgb wrote: post #10
reikonomusha wrote: post #2

Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…

On the idea of "mechanics 101 for smart people" - can anyone recommend good books that are the analogs of SICP for other subjects? I'd love to know ones for, say, genetics or evolution as well as stats. I can say that Hubbard + Hubbard "Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations" does a good job of being that for vector calculus specifically and for exposure to theoretical mathematics.

On a more elementary level, Michael Spivak's Calculus is an amazing book on first-year calculus.

He also wrote Calculus on Manifolds and a 5-volume series on Differential Geometry. Those, to put it mildly, were rougher going.

I actually once got a crush on a dorm-mate in large part because I saw Calculus on Manifolds on her bookshelf. It wasn't reciprocal, however. Later in life, she went on to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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