"Theoretical minimum" Leonard Susskind published in Russian
We are glad to inform you that Peter has published a translation of a new book by Leonard Susskind and George Grabowski - "The Theoretical Minimum" ( orig: The Theoretical Minimum:) .
In America, this book, despite its lecture format in physics and classical mechanics, unexpectedly became a real bestseller, and The Wall Street Journal generally recognized it as the "Book of 2013". In Russia, the book was published by the Peter publishing house with the support of the Dynasty Humanitarian Foundation, the purpose of which is to promote the publication of the best modern popular science books in the field of natural and human sciences.
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We have already published one book of Susskind in Russian - “The Battle of a Black Hole” (the post about it was on Habré ) - but the “Theoretical Minimum” differs from it in its format and content.
"Theoretical minimum" - a book for those who missed the lessons of physics in school and college, but already regret it. Want to understand the basics of the natural sciences and learn how to think and reason like modern physicists do? In an original and non-standard form, famous American scientists Leonard Susskind and George Grabowski offer an introductory course in mathematics and physics for inquiring minds. Unlike other popular science books, trying to explain the laws of physics in an accessible way, deftly evading equations and formulas, the authors teach the reader the classical basics of the natural sciences. The book offers its own original teaching methodology, complemented by video lectures published on the site theoreticalminimum.com .
I always liked to explain physics. For me, this is more than teaching: it is a way of thinking. Even when I study at my desk, there is a dialogue in my head. Coming up with the best way to explain something, I almost always find the best way to understand it for myself.
About ten years ago, someone asked if I wanted to give a course of public lectures. It turned out that there are quite a few people in the Stanford area who once wanted to study physics, but life decided otherwise. They made this or that career, but they never forgot about their old love for the laws of the Universe. Now, having completed a career, or even two, they would like to return to them again, even if in a simplified form.
Unfortunately, these people do not have many opportunities to listen to lectures. Stanford and other universities do not allow - as a rule - strangers to attend classes, and for most adults, returning to school as a full-time student is not an option. It bothered me. People should have a way to develop their interests, interacting with existing scientists, but it seems that nothing of the kind existed.
It was then that I learned about the Stanford Continuing Education Program. This program offers training courses for people who are not involved in science. I thought that it could serve my purposes, picking up people who would like physics to be explained to them. It would be fun to read them for half the semester course of modern physics.
It really turned out to be fascinating. And it brought tremendous satisfaction, which sometimes does not give education of students and graduate students. People came to study for only one reason: not to gain points, not to get a degree or to prepare for exams, but only to study and satisfy their curiosity. And, being the people who had seen the species, they were absolutely not afraid to ask questions, so the classes were very lively, which is often lacking in regular lectures. I decided to repeat this course. And then again.
However, after a couple of such repetitions, it turned out that the students were not completely satisfied with the courses for non-specialists that I read to them. They wanted something more serious than what can be read in Scientific American. Many of them had some preparation, some acquaintance with physics, half-forgotten, but not dead, knowledge of mathematical analysis and some experience in solving technical problems. They were ready to apply forces to the study of real science - with equations. The result is a series of courses aimed at leading these students to the leading edge of modern physics and cosmology.
Fortunately, someone (not me) had a bright idea to record lessons on video. They were posted on the Internet, and seem to have become surprisingly popular: Stanford is not the only place where people are eager to learn physics. From all over the world I began to receive thousands of emails. One of the main questions was: when will I redo these lectures into books? "Theoretical minimum" - the answer to this question.
The term "theoretical minimum" was not invented by me. He goes back to the great Russian physicist Lev Landau. In Russia, TM meant everything that a student should know to work under the guidance of Landau himself. He was a very demanding person, and his theoretical minimum included almost everything he knew, which, of course, no one could know.
I use this term differently. For me, the theoretical minimum means only what you need to know to go to the next level. These are not thick encyclopedic textbooks that explain everything, but thin little books that explain everything important. They follow rather closely the lecture courses that can be found on the Internet.
Welcome to the “Theoretical minimum” in classical mechanics and good luck!
The book is available in print and electronic format.
In America, this book, despite its lecture format in physics and classical mechanics, unexpectedly became a real bestseller, and The Wall Street Journal generally recognized it as the "Book of 2013". In Russia, the book was published by the Peter publishing house with the support of the Dynasty Humanitarian Foundation, the purpose of which is to promote the publication of the best modern popular science books in the field of natural and human sciences.
')
We have already published one book of Susskind in Russian - “The Battle of a Black Hole” (the post about it was on Habré ) - but the “Theoretical Minimum” differs from it in its format and content.
Abstract of the book
"Theoretical minimum" - a book for those who missed the lessons of physics in school and college, but already regret it. Want to understand the basics of the natural sciences and learn how to think and reason like modern physicists do? In an original and non-standard form, famous American scientists Leonard Susskind and George Grabowski offer an introductory course in mathematics and physics for inquiring minds. Unlike other popular science books, trying to explain the laws of physics in an accessible way, deftly evading equations and formulas, the authors teach the reader the classical basics of the natural sciences. The book offers its own original teaching methodology, complemented by video lectures published on the site theoreticalminimum.com .
Preface by Leonard Susskind
I always liked to explain physics. For me, this is more than teaching: it is a way of thinking. Even when I study at my desk, there is a dialogue in my head. Coming up with the best way to explain something, I almost always find the best way to understand it for myself.
About ten years ago, someone asked if I wanted to give a course of public lectures. It turned out that there are quite a few people in the Stanford area who once wanted to study physics, but life decided otherwise. They made this or that career, but they never forgot about their old love for the laws of the Universe. Now, having completed a career, or even two, they would like to return to them again, even if in a simplified form.
Unfortunately, these people do not have many opportunities to listen to lectures. Stanford and other universities do not allow - as a rule - strangers to attend classes, and for most adults, returning to school as a full-time student is not an option. It bothered me. People should have a way to develop their interests, interacting with existing scientists, but it seems that nothing of the kind existed.
It was then that I learned about the Stanford Continuing Education Program. This program offers training courses for people who are not involved in science. I thought that it could serve my purposes, picking up people who would like physics to be explained to them. It would be fun to read them for half the semester course of modern physics.
It really turned out to be fascinating. And it brought tremendous satisfaction, which sometimes does not give education of students and graduate students. People came to study for only one reason: not to gain points, not to get a degree or to prepare for exams, but only to study and satisfy their curiosity. And, being the people who had seen the species, they were absolutely not afraid to ask questions, so the classes were very lively, which is often lacking in regular lectures. I decided to repeat this course. And then again.
However, after a couple of such repetitions, it turned out that the students were not completely satisfied with the courses for non-specialists that I read to them. They wanted something more serious than what can be read in Scientific American. Many of them had some preparation, some acquaintance with physics, half-forgotten, but not dead, knowledge of mathematical analysis and some experience in solving technical problems. They were ready to apply forces to the study of real science - with equations. The result is a series of courses aimed at leading these students to the leading edge of modern physics and cosmology.
Fortunately, someone (not me) had a bright idea to record lessons on video. They were posted on the Internet, and seem to have become surprisingly popular: Stanford is not the only place where people are eager to learn physics. From all over the world I began to receive thousands of emails. One of the main questions was: when will I redo these lectures into books? "Theoretical minimum" - the answer to this question.
The term "theoretical minimum" was not invented by me. He goes back to the great Russian physicist Lev Landau. In Russia, TM meant everything that a student should know to work under the guidance of Landau himself. He was a very demanding person, and his theoretical minimum included almost everything he knew, which, of course, no one could know.
I use this term differently. For me, the theoretical minimum means only what you need to know to go to the next level. These are not thick encyclopedic textbooks that explain everything, but thin little books that explain everything important. They follow rather closely the lecture courses that can be found on the Internet.
Welcome to the “Theoretical minimum” in classical mechanics and good luck!
- Table of Contents (PDF)
- Excerpt from the book (PDF)
- Book on the publisher site
- About the book on the Dynasty Foundation website
The book is available in print and electronic format.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/213173/
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