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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
The book was interesting, but there was too much time spent talking about the entire history of our knowledge of physics. The mentions of antiquity started to feel like filler at times. I appreciated the author’s use of metaphors to explain difficult concepts.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
informative
fast-paced
Mr. Ravioli works himself from the ancient Greek -when physics and philosophy were deeply intertwined- to the most recent theories of Quantum Physics. Ravioli is coherent and clear and this is the first time that I feel like I am understanding some theories clearly, for example Einstein's theories of relativity. Ravioli also explains clearly current problems with theories and the gap between general relativity and quantum physics / gravity. Sometimes some theories sounded a bit confused and unclear, but this had probably to do with those theories not being properly developed yet. They are on the edge of what we know today and how can you explain something simply if you do not understand it yourself yet?
Only thing I would criticize is, that Ravioli quotes himself a lot. Sure, he also quotes a lot of original texts from Democritus and Newton, etc, too, but there are still loads of his own articles in the bibliography. Might not mean anything, but it usually makes me feel suspicious when there is a need to draw so much from one's own past articles (e.g. possible bias).
Only thing I would criticize is, that Ravioli quotes himself a lot. Sure, he also quotes a lot of original texts from Democritus and Newton, etc, too, but there are still loads of his own articles in the bibliography. Might not mean anything, but it usually makes me feel suspicious when there is a need to draw so much from one's own past articles (e.g. possible bias).
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Third time reading this book and I stop learn, the voyage Rovelli takes you through is one of knowledge, science and meditation.
Excellent summation on physics theories, ending with explanation of quantum loop gravity. Highly recommended.
This is exactly what I wanted: a scientist describing— to the best of their ability— what’s currently known about the furthest fringes of science for a layperson to understand.
Rovelli does an impeccable job laying down steps for us to follow from one science beat to the next, and when he believes you may have gotten lost, he backtracks a little just to summarize the results or implications of what’s been covered. Anything that felt like detracting from the path was akin to taking a break on an arduous hike, giving the reader time to recover or ruminate on what’s been learned, which— I’m not going to lie— were much needed moments.
I had to stop reading multiple times when I felt an existential crisis take hold, but then over time it was replaced with a sense of wonder and enchantment. I cannot deny everything about the macro and micro scale of what we know is very fascinating.
All of that said, I knew I had to highlight a lot of portions of this book, as I would not doubt have trouble retaining it when I was finished; I do not work I science whatsoever, and none of this knowledge has application to anything I do once I’m done reading it, but it was a very fun dip of my toes into its waters, and I’d gladly revisit it again in time.
Rovelli does an impeccable job laying down steps for us to follow from one science beat to the next, and when he believes you may have gotten lost, he backtracks a little just to summarize the results or implications of what’s been covered. Anything that felt like detracting from the path was akin to taking a break on an arduous hike, giving the reader time to recover or ruminate on what’s been learned, which— I’m not going to lie— were much needed moments.
I had to stop reading multiple times when I felt an existential crisis take hold, but then over time it was replaced with a sense of wonder and enchantment. I cannot deny everything about the macro and micro scale of what we know is very fascinating.
All of that said, I knew I had to highlight a lot of portions of this book, as I would not doubt have trouble retaining it when I was finished; I do not work I science whatsoever, and none of this knowledge has application to anything I do once I’m done reading it, but it was a very fun dip of my toes into its waters, and I’d gladly revisit it again in time.
Yet another wonderful read from Carlo Rovelli, who knows so well how to make Physics poetic and philosophical. However, any book that tries to express modern physics without mathematics often makes it sound mysterious and even mystical, and this one is no exception.
For anyone who believes that science tries to box things in and that scientists believe they have answers to everything, I would strongly recommend that they just read the last chapter of this book. He explains it better than anyone else why just the opposite is true. What distinguishes science is the constant humility of not having the answers. Every single scientist spend good part of their day painfully realizing how must that is still unknown. Not only they don't know all the answers, science questions anyone who pretends that they have the truth in their pocket. That is why it progresses.
For anyone who believes that science tries to box things in and that scientists believe they have answers to everything, I would strongly recommend that they just read the last chapter of this book. He explains it better than anyone else why just the opposite is true. What distinguishes science is the constant humility of not having the answers. Every single scientist spend good part of their day painfully realizing how must that is still unknown. Not only they don't know all the answers, science questions anyone who pretends that they have the truth in their pocket. That is why it progresses.
Rovelli defende uma outra interpretação da gravidade quântica que eu não conhecia, a Loop Theory. Em oposição às supercordas adotadas e explicadas pelo Sean Carroll em [b:The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself|26150770|The Big Picture On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself|Sean Carroll|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443740660s/26150770.jpg|46106688]. Ele faz um ótimo trabalho de chegar nesse ponto explicando o conceito de gravidade através da história, dando alguns insights que não tinha visto em outros livros. Mas não fica tão claro o que é conclusão científica e o que é especulação ou extrapolação sem suporte – o mesmo problema do livro do Sean Carroll.
Mesmo tendo lido sobre o trabalho do Newton em vários livros, como o ótimo [b:Explicar o Mundo|28399890|Explicar o Mundo|Steven Weinberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451499123s/28399890.jpg|41700105], Rovelli foi o primeiro a me dar os passos lógicos de Newton pensando sobre o que aconteceria se a Lua fosse menor e girasse mais próxima da Terra. Que foi o passo para entender que o "impulso da Lua" é a mesma aceleração gravitacional de objetos aqui na Terra. Nesse sentido, o livro é bem didático, embora ele faça a mesma comparação exagerada com os gregos de outros livros recentes – o [b:The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge|25816925|The Evolution of Everything How New Ideas Emerge|Matt Ridley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437071881s/25816925.jpg|44676087] não cansava de falar do De Rerum Natura também.
Achei bom para me familiarizar com a Loop Theory, sobre a qual nunca tinha lido. Mas se estiver atrás de explicações sobre o que compõe a matéria e como o universo funciona, ainda acho os livros da [a:Lisa Randall|38333|Lisa Randall|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366492712p2/38333.jpg] mais acessíveis e eles saíram em português.
Mesmo tendo lido sobre o trabalho do Newton em vários livros, como o ótimo [b:Explicar o Mundo|28399890|Explicar o Mundo|Steven Weinberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451499123s/28399890.jpg|41700105], Rovelli foi o primeiro a me dar os passos lógicos de Newton pensando sobre o que aconteceria se a Lua fosse menor e girasse mais próxima da Terra. Que foi o passo para entender que o "impulso da Lua" é a mesma aceleração gravitacional de objetos aqui na Terra. Nesse sentido, o livro é bem didático, embora ele faça a mesma comparação exagerada com os gregos de outros livros recentes – o [b:The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge|25816925|The Evolution of Everything How New Ideas Emerge|Matt Ridley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437071881s/25816925.jpg|44676087] não cansava de falar do De Rerum Natura também.
Achei bom para me familiarizar com a Loop Theory, sobre a qual nunca tinha lido. Mas se estiver atrás de explicações sobre o que compõe a matéria e como o universo funciona, ainda acho os livros da [a:Lisa Randall|38333|Lisa Randall|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366492712p2/38333.jpg] mais acessíveis e eles saíram em português.