Einstein Defiant: Genius Versus Genius in the Quantum Revolution

by Edmund Blair Bolles

Book Overview

I find the idea quite intolerable that an electron exposed to radiation should choose of its own free will, not only its moment to jump off, but also its direction. In that case, I would rather be a cobbler, or even an employee in a gaming house, than a physicist. -Albert Einstein

A scandal hovers over the history of 20th century physics. Albert Einstein--the century's greatest physicist--was never able to come to terms with quantum...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0309089980
• ISBN13: 9780309089982
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: Joseph Henry Press
• Length: 348 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A Great Book

Einstein Defiant by Edmund Blair Bolles is a great book that recounts the conflicts between some of the greatest Geniuses of our time. The book explains how Einstein believes that there is order in the universe and you can apply a law and therefore an explanation to everything. Bohr on the other hand believes that there is a form of randomness that takes over and that laws may no longer apply when dealing with quantum. The author obviously has a great love for physics and the scientists that expand the frontiers of physics, because only a person with such passion for physics could write a 300 page biography dealing with physics that has a lot of technical information and keep the reader entertained at the same time. I thought it was a great book and was exceptional in comparison with similar books as it did a great job of explaining some confusing concepts and ideas. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone as it is interesting to see into the minds and achievements of geniuses and it is very entertaining. I really enjoyed this book.

Wonderful Book fro the Centenary!

Anyone looking for something other than a straightforward biography of Einstein should consider this wonderful book, a full exposition of Einstein's vision of science and of the world science describes. By looking at the clash of approaches between two major 20th Century thinkers, Bolles elucidates a larger cultural clash that animates the 20th and, now, the 21st centuries, between those who are careless of ideals and essences, focused on "whatever works," and those who are more concerned with meaning and grasping something whole. In his review of Bolles' book in the Washington Post "Book World," David Bodanis wrote that this "tender, insightful book" is "the best popular account I know of this central episode in 20th-century thought." "Tender" is an unusual word to associate with a book about such a subject, but Bolles, whose list of writings is as varied as it is extensive, manages to bring a seriousness of purpose to all his work which extends well beyond an accumulation of facts, to something quite profound about the nature of man and his struggle with Being. THe book on Einstein for this year (and next)? Blair Bolles' "Einstein Defiant."

Quantum Theory's Challenge

Bolles has put a brilliant spotlight on one of the central philosophical questions confronting the physical sciences. The debate between Einstein and Bohr, portrayed with dramatic personal texture in a historical context, continues to this day. Relativity and quantum theory are presented in a manner that enlightens the reader without intimidating the nonspecialist. The leading physicists of the early 20th century are brought vividly to life through Bolles' sharing of their all too human foibles. The book is richly annotated, and draws from an impressive fount of reference material.

Story as Rich as a Novel

I am not a scientist or science buff, but I loved this book. The book shows how Einstein thought about his work, what he imagined, and how he planned to go about it. Einsteinc omes across as a down-to-earth person. I had never heard of Niels Bohr, but as the quantum revolution unfolded, he too made a key contribution. Einstein and Bohr fought over quantum physics: Einstein a realist, Bohr a pragmatist. This tension between them made the story flow. I am not a scientist, but the story made me care about Einstein's and Bohr's ideas. What will stay in my mind is the picture of Einstein on a quest to understand the universe.