Why is Schouten's book on tensor analysis not recommended for physicists?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter uiulic
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Physicists
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
Sign up Log in
1 reply · 3K views
uiulic
Messages
99
Reaction score
0
"Introduction to vector analysis" (Harry F. Davis, 1961) page 284 says:


"Tensor analysis for physicists by J.A.Schouten 1951" is not intended so much for physicists as for applied mathematicians. This author knows of no book on tensor analysis written in a modern style for pure mathematicians."

I am reading Davis's book at the moment (its vector part is very good), which only talks about tenosr in about two pages. Why did Davis criticize Schouten (a famous physicist? but I did not read his book) so seriously?

GG
 

Discussion

Physics news on Phys.org
Schouten was a mathematician who was interested in physics... but I don't think he is considered a physicist.

I know of Schouten (and have read his Tensor Analysis for Physicists and parts of his Ricci Calculus and some of his papers)... but not of Davis... although I'm sure I have seen the Davis book in passing.