Friday, February 26, 2010
DOG EARED
I just finished a great book.
How to Teach Physics to Your Dog
This is a great book if (1) you are interested in finally kind of, more or less, understanding quantum physics and (2) if you have any hope of meaningful conversation with an intelligent pooch on long walks. This has kept Booker and me occupied in deep conversation for weeks now.
Hey, I went to MIT and I didn't really grasp quantum physics. I passed the quizzes and got my gentleman's C but it was just barely.
This book lays it down in a way that is fun. But that is not the point. It is not the fun that makes it work. It is the clear prose and the simple diagrams.
It is also the continuous interjection of the real world of a dog as well as the real world of classical physics to make sense of basically a non-sensical science. Read the book and you will agree. Quantum physics is non-sense. Beyond sensing. But it is, at certain points, analogous to our familiar world and this is where the author Chad Orzel shines.
By talking to his dog Emmy (photo) and letting the dog talk back he hooks into the sort of non-rational, non-humanoid universe of dogs as a way to explain the non-rational, non-humanoid world of quantum physics.
Orzel is an engaging character. Learn more about him at his website.
Why should this be interesting to you? Aha! That is exactly Emmy's point throughout the book. And Orzel brings home the growing importance of quantum physics to our daily lives. Try digital photography for one. Lasers anyone? Like that.
Like an auto engine, it is not necessary to understand all the intricacies of the thing but it helps to have a general knowledge, to appreciate it.
I do not know how I found this book. Some blog.
I am really glad that I got it and read it.
A tip. This is the kind of book that improves and works best at a slow pace. It has been my toilet companion for over a month.
