Dirac

A Scientific Biography

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Paperback | 27 September 2005

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400 Pages

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23.39 x 15.6 x 2.08

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Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant and influential physicists of the twentieth century. Between 1925 and 1934, this Nobel Laureate revolutionized physics with his contributions to quantum theory. This book, the first full length biography of Dirac, offers a comprehensive account of his life and presents his physics in its historical context, including known areas such as cosmology and classical electron theory. The author examines Dirac's successes and failures, and pays particular attention to Dirac's opposition to modern quantum electrodynamics - an opposition based on aesthetic objections. This book, which draws extensively from unpublished sources, including Dirac's correspondence with Bohr, Heisenberg, Pauli, Schroedinger, Gamow, and other physicists, is a history of modern physics as seen through one scientist's career.

Industry Reviews

"...a delightful and instructive evocation of a remarkable human being by way of a judicious and documented passage downstream following the flow of modern physics." Scientific American "...an important, highly professional contribution to the history of quantum theory." Science "The entire biography is harmonic and a very interesting work created from previously unpublished documents." Physics in Canada "One of the valuable features of Kragh's fine if impersonal biography is that he dispels the myths surrounding Dirac and paints a portrait that clearly indicates Dirac's limitations without diminishing his greatness." Physics Today "This 'scientific biography' should be widely read by physicists." Walter J. Moore, American Historical Review "The text has accounts of his life and extraordinary character with outlines of his achievements skilfully interwoven." N. Kemmer, Nature "...will be most appreciated by those readers already acquainted with the relevant physics and, moreover, something of its historical development." Peter R. Law, Mathematical Reviews

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Biographies & True Stories Biographies Science, Technology & Medicine Biographies Science Physics Quantum Physics & Quantum Mechanics & Quantum Field Theory

Other Editions and Formats

Hardcover

Published: 20th August 1990

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Preface
Early years
Discovery of quantum mechanics
Relativity and spinning electrons
Travels and thinking
The dream of philosophers
Quanta and fields
Fifty years of a physicist's life
'The so-called quantum electrodynamics'
Electrons and ether
Just a disappointment
Adventures in cosmology
The purest soul
Philosophy in physics
The principle of mathematical beauty
Appendices
Bibliography of P. A. M. Dirac
Notes and references
General bibliography
Index of names
Index of subjects
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Dirac

A Scientific Biography

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

Other Editions and Formats

Hardcover

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