false 2620722 1 <p> Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, two iconic scientists of the twentieth century, belonged to different generations, with the boundary marked by the advent of quantum mechanics. By exploring how these men differed—in their worldview, in their work, and in their day—this book provides powerful insights into the lives of two critical figures and into the scientific culture of their times. In Einstein&rsquo;s and Oppenheimer&rsquo;s philosophical and ethical positions, their views of nuclear weapons, their ethnic and cultural commitments, their opinions on the unification of physics, even the role of Buddhist detachment in their thinking, the book traces the broader issues that have shaped science and the world. </p><p> Einstein is invariably seen as a lone and singular genius, while Oppenheimer is generally viewed in a particular scientific, political, and historical context. Silvan Schweber considers the circumstances behind this perception, in Einstein&rsquo;s coherent and consistent self-image, and its relation to his singular vision of the world, and in Oppenheimer&rsquo;s contrasting lack of certainty and related non-belief in a unitary, ultimate theory. Of greater importance, perhaps, is the role that timing and chance seem to have played in the two scientists&rsquo; contrasting characters and accomplishments—with Einstein&rsquo;s having the advantage of maturing at a propitious time for theoretical physics, when the Newtonian framework was showing weaknesses. </p><p> Bringing to light little-examined aspects of these lives, Schweber expands our understanding of two great figures of twentieth-century physics—but also our sense of what such greatness means, in personal, scientific, and cultural terms. </p> 2645380 30 4 2008 Einstein and Oppenheimer: The Meaning of Genius total:10|5:2|4:3|3:4|2:1|1:0| 10 36 22 4 0 0 false false Mon Aug 10 02:49:01 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 10 03:08:49 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 true false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Oct 03 11:20:55 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 03 11:22:16 -0700 2009 1 2 0 false false Wed Jun 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed May 13 21:12:35 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 17:06:51 -0700 2009
It sounded interesting, but I really couldn't get into the book. I was expecting more of a comparison of the two, and specifics of the two. Instead it felt more like "Once Einstein said..... And Oppenheimer thought the same thing..." I would have l...more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jul 31 10:22:03 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 31 10:22:37 -0700 2008 ]]> 3 0 false false Sat Nov 07 07:33:39 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 07 07:33:39 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Mon Oct 12 22:45:11 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 12 22:45:11 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Jul 17 12:09:13 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 17 12:09:13 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun Mar 22 20:10:21 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 22 20:10:21 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Sat Mar 07 18:20:05 -0800 2009 Sat Mar 07 18:20:05 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Mon Apr 13 10:16:10 -0700 2009 Mon Feb 23 07:44:54 -0800 2009 Mon Apr 13 10:16:10 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Feb 13 13:02:20 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 26 15:54:04 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Tue Feb 10 19:36:29 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 10 19:36:29 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Wed Dec 03 06:13:58 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 03 06:14:24 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Sat Dec 13 17:56:10 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 25 19:28:44 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 13 17:56:10 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Mon Aug 11 09:56:05 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 11 09:56:31 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Fri Jul 18 11:22:13 -0700 2008 Fri Jul 18 12:23:44 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Wed Jul 16 05:46:09 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 16 05:46:16 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Sat Jun 14 19:50:31 -0700 2008 Sat Jun 14 19:50:31 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Sat May 31 21:02:48 -0700 2008 Sat May 31 21:02:48 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Sat May 24 07:29:56 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 04 11:27:55 -0800 2009