Newton's Principia for the Common Reader (Physics) - Hardcover

Chandrasekhar, S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198517440 ISBN 13: 9780198517443

Publisher: Clarendon Press, 1995

Synopsis

Representing a decade's work from one of the world's most distinguished physicists, this major publication is, as far as is known, the first comprehensive analysis of Newton's Principia without recourse to secondary sources. Chandrasekhar analyses some 150 propositions which form a direct chain leading to Newton's formulation of his universal law of gravitation. In each case, Newton's proofs are arranged in a linear sequence of equations and arguments, avoiding the need to unravel the necessarily convoluted style of Newton's connected prose. In almost every case, a modern version of the proofs is given to bring into sharp focus the beauty, clarity, and breathtaking economy of Newton's methods. This book will stimulate great interest and debate among the scientific community, illuminating the brilliance of Newton's work under the steady gaze of Chandrasekhar's rare perception.

About this title

About the Author

S. Chandrasekhar is Emeritus Professor, Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research, The Enrico Fermi Institute at University of Chicago.

Review

"It is, perhaps, the greatest single work of the scientific canon--and undoubtedly the most influential....Yet remarkably few people today, even among physicists and engineers, have read the Principia itself....That a book of such importance should go unread seemed a pity to the astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who spent a lifetime bringing clarity to the world. Chandra, as he was known to his colleagues, was the last of the great mathematical astrophysicists, a direct spiritual descendant of Newton's, and, by any measure, one of the great minds of the twentieth century. His work was marked by the purity of his mathematical vision, the depth of his understanding and the elegance of his speech and writing....Chandra's death in August has left the world a poorer place, but this, his last volume, will remain to inspire generations of common readers to come."--The Sciences

"Following a long tradition of commentaries and explanation of Newton's great masterpiece, Chandrasekhar's new book, Newton's Principia for the Common Reader is a very valuable personal view by one of the great astrophysicists of our century."--American Journal of Physics

"This is a valuable guide to the Principia--certainly beyond the level of the 'common reader'--that will take its place in the succession of major commentaries on the Principia of the past three centuries."--Physics Today

"In almost every case, a modern version of the proof is given to bring into sharp focus the beauty, clarity and breathtaking economy of Newton's methods....This book will stimulate great interest and debate among the scientific community, illuminating the brilliance of Newton's work."--Mathematical Reviews

"It is, perhaps, the greatest single work of the scientific canon--and undoubtedly the most influential....Yet remarkably few people today, even among physicists and engineers, have read the Principia itself....That a book of such importance should go unread seemed a pity to the astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who spent a lifetime bringing clarity to the world. Chandra, as he was known to his colleagues, was the last of the great mathematical astrophysicists, a direct spiritual descendant of Newton's, and, by any measure, one of the great minds of the twentieth century. His work was marked by the purity of his mathematical vision, the depth of his understanding and the elegance of his speech and writing....Chandra's death in August has left the world a poorer place, but this, his last volume, will remain to inspire generations of common readers to come."--The Sciences

"Following a long tradition of commentaries and explanation of Newton's great masterpiece, Chandrasekhar's new book, Newton's Principia for the Common Reader is a very valuable personal view by one of the great astrophysicists of our century."--American Journal of Physics

"This is a valuable guide to the Principia--certainly beyond the level of the 'common reader'--that will take its place in the succession of major commentaries on the Principia of the past three centuries."--Physics Today

"In almost every case, a modern version of the proof is given to bring into sharp focus the beauty, clarity and breathtaking economy of Newton's methods....This book will stimulate great interest and debate among the scientific community, illuminating the brilliance of Newton's work."--Mathematical Reviews

"Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica provides a coherent and deductive presentation of his discovery of the universal law of gravitation. It is very much more than a demonstration that 'to us it is enough that gravity really does exist and act according to the laws which we have explained and abundantly serves to account for all the motions of the celestial bodies and the sea'. It is important to us as a model for all of mathematical physics. Representing a decade's work from a distinguished physicist, this is the first comprehensive analysis of Newton's Principia without recourse to secondary sources. Professor Chandrasekhar analyses some 150 propositions which form a direct chain leading to Newton's formulation of his universal law of gravitation....This work will stimulate great interest and debate among the scientific community, illuminating the brilliance of Newton's work under the gaze of Chandrasekhar's rare perception."--Bulletin of Mathematics Books

"He decided early on that rather than assessing Newton secondhand, through commentaries, he would absorb the Principia unmediated. More specifically, he would read a proposition and then before going on to Newton's proof, would try to derive his own. Chandrasekhar points out that although he has 300 extra years of knowledge at his disposal, in virtually every case his proofs fell short of Newton's. Reading Newton became for Chandrasekhar a sustained epiphany. 'The view of science that he exhibits, the clarity with which he writes, the number of new things he finds, manifest a physical and mathematical insight of which there is no parallel in science at any time.' It is common knowledge that Newton invented calculus as well as seminal theories of gravity and optics. But Chandrasekhar argues that the Principia contains other achievements that have been overlooked."--Scientific American

Edition details

• Publisher: Clarendon Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0198517440
• ISBN 13: 9780198517443
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 616