I'm searching for a statistical mechanics textbook. It should be roughly at or above the advanced undergraduate level, have a decent set of problems, be reasonably thorough, and be ideal for self-study. I would be grateful for any recommendations.
The authors were Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill. We used to call it "Horrific and Hill". One of the worst textbooks I ever encountered. Each to his own. :smile:
My favourites:
Special Relativity: Mermin (the best writer among physicists)
General Relativity: MTW (desert island book)...
I don't know if this would qualify as "best textbook for quantum mechanics" but I really liked David Bohm's book, Quantum Theory. It's dated, doesn't use the bra-ket notation, and eschews the axiomatic approach in favour of the historical apporach, but you will definitely learn a lot from it...
The great Italian filmmaker (and atheist), Pasolini, used to talk about his "nostalgia for belief". A very honest man, like Sagan.
The love of learning starts at a very early age. The entire American educational system (indeed, one might say the entire American culture) is to blame for the...
Yes, sorry, you're right about that.
Again, you fail to note the use of "may". These are all estimates, based on varying degrees of probability for various parameters. Neither Sagan nor any scientist would claim to have a definite answer. That would be unscientific.
Look, it's not my...
It is currently impossible to detect Earth-like planets. Current detection of extrasolar planets is limited to gas giants, with a few smaller exceptions that are still much larger than Earth. That will change with technological progress, and then we will be able to observe Earth-like planets...
Relevance?
The first intelligent thing you've said.
I presume metaphor isn't in your vocabulary?
You have the comprehension and logic skills of a 3 year old. It goes like this, duh, George: our ancestors had an excuse -- you don't.
It's hard to keep politics out of it, I know...
More like a narrow-minded, left-bashing exercise.
Even if this were true, why unfortunate? You, a self-confessed "neocon" are biased, too. Is that unfortunate?
That's a criticism?
Know you the difference between world and star? Also, orders of magnitude guessing and estimating is a...
Thanks marcus, you have postponed my experience of zero gravity.
I'm familiar with some of Rovelli's writings. He is definitely one of the modern giants of physics. I would like to be a fly on his wall.
If I don't find some interesting reading material soon, I'm going to jump off a cliff. So I'm wondering if you could give me your science book recommendations. Unfortunately, I have to be rather difficult about it. I have a physics degree, and I tend to dislike so-called popular-science books...