Time A Very Short Introduction

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Time: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Jenann Ismael
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 137 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2021-10-28
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780192568953

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Time: A Very Short Introduction by Jenann Ismael Pdf

What is time? What does it mean for time to pass? Is it possible to travel in time? What is the difference between the past and future? Until the work of Newton, these questions were purely topics of philosophical speculation. Since then we've learned a great deal about time, and its study has moved from a subject of philosophical reflection to instead became part of the subject matter of physics. This Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the current physical understanding of the direction of time, from the Second Law of Thermodynamics to the emergence of complexity and life. Jenann Ismael charts the line of development in physical theory from Newton, via Einstein's Theory of Relativity, to the current day. Einstein's innovations led to a vision of time very different from the familiar time of everyday sense. In this new vision, time is one of the dimensions in which the universe is extended alongside the spatial dimensions. The universe appears as a static block of events, in which there is no more a difference between past and future than there is between east and west. Discussing the controversy and philosophical confusion which surrounded the reception of this new vision, Ismael also covers the contemporary mixture of statistical mechanics, cognitive science, and phenomenology that point the way to reconciling the familiar time of everyday sense with the vision of time presented in Einstein's theories. Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The History of Time: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Leofranc Holford-Strevens
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2005-08-11
Category : History
ISBN : 9780191578007

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The History of Time: A Very Short Introduction by Leofranc Holford-Strevens Pdf

Why do we measure time in the way that we do? Why is a week seven days long? At what point did minutes and seconds come into being? Why are some calendars lunar and some solar? The organisation of time into hours, days, months and years seems immutable and universal, but is actually far more artificial than most people realise. The French Revolution resulted in a restructuring of the French calendar, and the Soviet Union experimented with five and then six-day weeks. Leofranc Holford-Strevens explores these questions using a range of fascinating examples from Ancient Rome and Julius Caesar's imposition of the Leap Year, to the 1920s' project for a fixed Easter. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Nothing: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Frank Close
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2009-06-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9780199225866

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Nothing: A Very Short Introduction by Frank Close Pdf

What is 'the void'? What remains when you take all the matter away? Can empty space - 'nothing' - exist? This text explores the science & history of the elusive void - from Aristotle's theories to black holes & quantum particles, & why our very latest discoveries about the vacuum can tell us extraordinary things about the cosmos.

Relativity: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Russell Stannard
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2008-07-24
Category : Mathematics
ISBN : 9780191574047

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Relativity: A Very Short Introduction by Russell Stannard Pdf

100 years ago, Einstein's theory of relativity shattered the world of physics. Our comforting Newtonian ideas of space and time were replaced by bizarre and counterintuitive conclusions: if you move at high speed, time slows down, space squashes up and you get heavier; travel fast enough and you could weigh as much as a jumbo jet, be squashed thinner than a CD without feeling a thing - and live for ever. And that was just the Special Theory. With the General Theory came even stranger ideas of curved space-time, and changed our understanding of gravity and the cosmos. This authoritative and entertaining Very Short Introduction makes the theory of relativity accessible and understandable. Using very little mathematics, Russell Stannard explains the important concepts of relativity, from E=mc2 to black holes, and explores the theory's impact on science and on our understanding of the universe. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Galileo: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Stillman Drake
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2001-02-22
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780191606663

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Galileo: A Very Short Introduction by Stillman Drake Pdf

In a startling reinterpretation of the evidence, Stillman Drake advances the hypothesis that Galileo's trial and condemnation by the Inquisition was caused not by his defiance of the Church, but by the hostility of contemporary philosophers. Galileo's own beautifully lucid arguments are used to show how his scientific method was utterly divorced from the Aristotelian approach to physics in that it was based on a search not for causes but for laws. Galileo's method was of overwhelming significance for the development of modern physics, and led to a final parting of the ways between science and philosophy. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

History: A Very Short Introduction

Author : John Arnold,John H. (Professor of History Arnold, School of History Classics and Archaeology Professor of History School of History Classics and Archaeology Birkbeck University of London),Professor John H Arnold
Publisher : Oxford Paperbacks
Page : 152 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2000-02-24
Category : History
ISBN : 9780192853523

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History: A Very Short Introduction by John Arnold,John H. (Professor of History Arnold, School of History Classics and Archaeology Professor of History School of History Classics and Archaeology Birkbeck University of London),Professor John H Arnold Pdf

Starting with an examination of how historians work, this "Very Short Introduction" aims to explore history in a general, pithy, and accessible manner, rather than to delve into specific periods.

Education: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Gary Thomas
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2013-03-28
Category : Education
ISBN : 9780199643264

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Education: A Very Short Introduction by Gary Thomas Pdf

From the schools of ancient times to the present day, Gary Thomas looks at how and why education evolved as it has. By exploring some of the big questions, he examines the ways in which schools work, considers the differences around the world, and concludes by considering the future of education worldwide.

The Periodic Table

Author : Eric R. Scerri
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 185 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2019
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780198842323

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The Periodic Table by Eric R. Scerri Pdf

The periodic table of elements, first encountered by many of us at school, provides an arrangement of the chemical elements, ordered by their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties, and divided into periodic trends. In this Very Short Introduction Eric R. Scerri looks at the trends in properties of elements that led to the construction of the table, and shows how the deeper meaning of the table's structure gradually became apparent with the development of atomic theory and, in particular, quantum mechanics, which underlies the behaviour of all of the elements and their compounds. This new edition, publishing in the International Year of the Periodic Table, celebrates the completion of the seventh period of the table, with the ratification and naming of elements 113, 115, 117, and 118 as nihonium, moscovium, tennessine, and oganesson. Eric R. Scerri also incorporates new material on recent advances in our understanding of the origin of the elements, as well as developments concerning group three of the periodic table. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Canada: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Donald Wright
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2020-07-23
Category : History
ISBN : 9780191071539

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Canada: A Very Short Introduction by Donald Wright Pdf

Canada is not one nation, but three: English Canada, Quebec, and First Nations. Yet as a country Canada is very successful, in part because it maintains national diversity through bilingualism, multiculturalism, and federalism. Alongside this contemporary openness Canada also has its own history to contend with; with a legacy of broken treaties and residential schools for its Indigenous peoples, making reconciliation between Canada and First Nations an ongoing journey, not a destination. Drawing on history, politics, and literature, this Very Short Introduction starts at the end of the last ice age, when the melting of the ice sheets opened the northern half of North America to Indigenous peoples, and covers up to today's anthropogenic climate change, and Canada's climate politics. Donald Wright emphasizes Canada's complexity and diversity as well as its different identities and its commitment to rights, and explores its historical relationship to Great Britain, and its ongoing relationship with the United States. Finally, he examines Canada's northern realities and its northern identities. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Physics: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Sidney Perkowitz
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 152 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2019-07-25
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780192543578

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Physics: A Very Short Introduction by Sidney Perkowitz Pdf

Physics, the fundamental science of matter and energy, encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. Understanding the physics of our universe is an essential aspect of humanity's quest to understand our environment and our place within it. Doing physics enables us to explore the interaction between environment and human society, and can help us to work towards the future sustainability of the planet. This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of how this pervasive science came to be and how it works: who funds it, how physicists are trained and how they think, and how physics supports the technology we all use. Sidney Perkowitz presents the theories and outcomes of pure and applied physics from ideas of the Greek natural philosophers to modern quantum mechanics, cosmology, digital electronics and energy production. Considering its most consequential experiments, including recent results in elementary particles, gravitational waves and materials science, he also discusses outside the lab, the effects of physics on society, culture, and humanity's vision of its place in the universe. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Political Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

Author : David Miller
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2003-06-26
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780191577864

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Political Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by David Miller Pdf

This book introduces readers to the concepts of political philosophy. It starts by explaining why the subject is important and how it tackles basic ethical questions such as 'how should we live together in society?' It looks at political authority, the reasons why we need politics at all, the limitations of politics, and whether there are areas of life that shouldn't be governed by politics. It explores the connections between political authority and justice, a constant theme in political philosophy, and the ways in which social justice can be used to regulate rather than destroy a market economy. David Miller discusses why nations are the natural units of government and whether the rise of multiculturalism and transnational co-operation will change this: will we ever see the formation of a world government? ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The Future: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Jennifer M. Gidley
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 144 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2017-03-16
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780191054242

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The Future: A Very Short Introduction by Jennifer M. Gidley Pdf

From the beginning of time, humans have been driven by both a fear of the unknown and a curiosity to know. We have always yearned to know what lies ahead, whether threat or safety, scarcity or abundance. Throughout human history, our forebears tried to create certainty in the unknown, by seeking to influence outcomes with sacrifices to gods, preparing for the unexpected with advice from oracles, and by reading the stars through astrology. As scientific methods improve and computer technology develops we become ever more confident of our capacity to predict and quantify the future by accumulating and interpreting patterns form the past, yet the truth is there is still no certainty to be had. In this Very Short Introduction Jennifer Gidley considers some of our most burning questions: What is "the future "?; Is the future a time yet to come?; Or is it a utopian place?; Does the future have a history?; Is there only one future or are there many possible futures? She asks if the future can ever be truly predicted or if we create our own futures - both hoped for and feared - by our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and concludes by analysing how we can learn to study the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Particle Physics: a Very Short Introduction

Author : Frank Close
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2023-11-23
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780192873750

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Particle Physics: a Very Short Introduction by Frank Close Pdf

Following the discovery of the Higgs boson, Frank Close has produced this major revision to his classic and compelling introduction to the fundamental particles that make up the universe.

Game Theory: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Ken Binmore
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 201 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2007-10-25
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780199218462

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Game Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Ken Binmore Pdf

Games are played everywhere: from economics to evolutionary biology, and from social interactions to online auctions. This title shows how to play such games in a rational way, and how to maximize their outcomes.

Film: A Very Short Introduction

Author : Michael Wood
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 153 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2012-01-26
Category : Art
ISBN : 9780192803535

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Film: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Wood Pdf

Offers a wealth of insight into the paradoxical nature of film, considering its role and impact on society in the 20th century as well as its future in the digital age. Original.