Michael Spivak's Physics Book Will Be Here Soon

AI Thread Summary
A new book by Spivak, focused on the intersection of classical mechanics and abstract mathematics, is set for publication on December 6th. The excitement around this release highlights Spivak's ongoing contributions to the field, with discussions emphasizing the importance of prior knowledge from his earlier volumes on differential geometry. The book aims to make complex topics more accessible, particularly for those who find traditional physics challenging. Participants express interest in the content, particularly the exploration of Lie groups in classical mechanics, and share links to additional materials related to the book. The pricing of the book at $90 raises some concerns among potential readers, but the discussion acknowledges a gap in educational resources in this area. Overall, the anticipation for Spivak's work suggests it will be a significant addition to the literature on physics and mathematics.
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His publishing company has a http://www.mathpop.com/mechanics1.htm" isn't telling lies it's slated for publication on December 6th.

I'm insanely excited about this.

(I'm sure someone else noticed this before I did. Let me know if this is redundant.)
 
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well you know what hilbert said :wink:
 
Nice! I was about to think it had been abandoned.
 
Nice, I had no idea that this was in the works, or even that Spivak was still actively writing. It's hard to imagine this being anything less than excellent.

I see from the preface that the first two volumes of his Comprehensive Introduction to Differential Geometry are a prerequisite, though, so it may be a while before I can read it.
 
jbunniii said:
Nice, I had no idea that this was in the works, or even that Spivak was still actively writing. It's hard to imagine this being anything less than excellent.

Check out the link on the bottom of the publisher's page, or click http://www.math.uga.edu/~shifrin/Spivak_physics.pdf" to read some of the material in the book.
 
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Wow abstractions of Lie groups on classical mechanics? Sounds interesting. D:
 
ephedyn said:
Wow abstractions of Lie groups on classical mechanics? Sounds interesting. D:

Really now? Hmm...I might have to get this on my shopping list.
 
"I also want to explore the working of elementary physics ... which I have always found so hard to fathom.

I have written this work in order to learn the subject myself, in a form that I find comprehensible.
By a mathematician I mean some one who has been trained in modern mathematics and been inculcated with its general outlook. ...
"

Mmm yes, I suppose that could have prevented him understanding physics.
:smile:

And by physics I mean ... well, physics, what physicists mean by physics, i.e., the actual study of physical objects ... (rather than the study of symplectic structures on cotangent bundles, for example).


Mm yes too, the first of these does sound closer to what I think of as physics.

:smile:
 
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epenguin said:
"I also want to explore the working of elementary physics ... which I have always found so hard to fathom.

I have written this work in order to learn the subject myself, in a form that I find comprehensible.
By a mathematician I mean some one who has been trained in modern mathematics and been inculcated with its general outlook. ...
"

Mmm yes, I suppose that could have prevented him understanding physics.
:smile:

And by physics I mean ... well, physics, what physicists mean by physics, i.e., the actual study of physical objects ... (rather than the study of symplectic structures on cotangent bundles, for example).


Mm yes too, the first of these does sound closer to what I think of as physics.

:smile:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.math.uga.edu/~shifrin/Spivak_physics.pdf&docid=7200da59a8d320ecb0a596d21a960e4f&a=bi&pagenumber=4&w=1000" cracks me up. "It's not quantum physics I don't understand, it's levers!"
 
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  • #10
Has anyone received this yet? If so, how is it so far?
 
  • #11
This book costs 90 bucks. I think I'll pass.
 
  • #13
Wow, holy crap.

Maybe I could learn things like the "cotangent bundle" from that book though.

But yeah, there certainly was a gap in this area.
 
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