Space Time Matter

Rating:
Summary: Dated, but a Masterpiece
Review: In 1918, Hermann Weyl developed a theory of the combined gravitational-electromagnetic field that was based on an early form of today's gauge formalism. This book neatly summarizes Weyl's motivations for what can be considered the first serious attempt at unified field theory. This attempt failed, but the gauge idea did not, and in 1929 Weyl transformed it into the gauge-invariant concept of quantum mechanics. Today, gauge invariance is arguably the most profound concept in modern quantum theory, and our understanding of the strong and weak nuclear interactions would not have been possible without it.

Weyl was first and foremost a mathematician, but he also proved to be a visionary theoretical physicist who was greatly admired by the likes of Einstein, Pauli, Dirac and Heisenberg. He was also a great human being who was involved with humanity. In spite of its great age, Space-Time-Matter has earned a place of distinction in the physics literature, if only because of Weyl's gauge idea. The Dover edition costs next to nothing; get it and enlighten yourself.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic of Relativity Theory
Review: Not long after Einstein published his general theory of relativity one of the greatest mathematician of his time trumped it. Space-Time-Matter has been published by Dover press for a very long time. My copy was put out in the 5o's. I bought it used in the late 60's. I have never regretted buying it. It is difficult reading even when you know what he is talking about: when I got it , it read like Greek. It isn't an easy read, but he predicts a tenth planet in it that was never found! And lays the foundation of what later became gauge theory. He introduces group theory at a time when quantum groups were just beginning. His tensor discussion is very basic and he doesn't even introduce the Weyl tensor! But he taught me the basic metrical equations and the applications of non Euclidean geometry to relativity. Together with Weinberg's flawed Cosmology this book has been my teacher. I wish I could say he did a good job, but since it took me years to wade through it without falling asleep, I can't say he did!

Rating:
Summary: The birth of gauge theory by its author
Review: This book bewitched several generations of physicists and students. Hermann Weyl was one of the very great mathematicians of this century. He was also a great physicist and an artist with ideas and words. In this book you will find, at a deep level, the philosophy, mathematics and physics of space-time. It appeared soon after Einstein's famous paper on General Relativity, and is, in fact, a magnificent exposition of it, or, rather, of a tentative generalization of it. The mathematical part is of the highest class, striving to put geometry to the forefront. Actually, the book introduced a far-reaching generalization of the theory of connections, with respect to the Levi-Civita theory. It was not a generalization for itself, but motivated by the dream (Einstein's) of including gravitation and electromagnetism in the same (geometrical) theory. The result was gauge theory, which, slightly modified and applied to quantum mechanics resulted in the theory which dominates prese! nt particle physics. Weyl's unified theory was proved wrong by Einstein, and his criticism alone, accepted by Weyl and included in the book, would justify the reading. Though wrong, Weyl's theory is so beautiful that Paul Dirac stated that nature could not afford neglecting such perfection, and that the theory was probably only misplaced. Prophetic words! The philosophic parts are, alas, too much for our present cultural level, but you can ignore them. The mathematical and physical parts are perfectly accessible and, of course, of the highest class. The pity is that the number of misprints is immense, particularly in the formulas, so that the reading is made much more difficult than it should. Also, the English edition is not the latest one. If you read German, choose the original, also available here.

Rating:
Summary: God is the geometer (maybe)
Review: This book is esoteric initiation into spacetime physics. Written with intellectual passion, full of powerful insights & alluring legions of equations- you will enjoy even by immersion in its spirit. Read it slowly and in awe: witness great ideas grow & collapse. Not a textbook, proven wrong in not few points, this is a mutable & profound vision of reality by one of the last universal mathematicians. If you want profit- look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: God is the geometer (maybe)
Review: This book is esoteric initiation into spacetime physics. Written with intellectual passion, full of powerful insights & alluring legions of equations- you will enjoy even by immersion in its spirit. Read it slowly and in awe: witness great ideas grow & collapse. Not a textbook, proven wrong in not few points, this is a mutable & profound vision of reality by one of the last universal mathematicians. If you want profit- look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Please create an audio adaptation ...
Review: To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story. Arnold D Veness