Fearful Symmetry: Is God a Geometer?

by Martin Golubitsky and Ian Stewart

Book Overview

This fascinating study explores a fundamental paradox behind the patterns of the natural world, in which symmetrical causes lead to asymmetrical effects. Lesser and greater patterns--the structure of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140130470
• ISBN13: 9780140130478
• Release Date: September 1993
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Interesting to the biologist too

I really didn't knew exactly what to expect. I have to say I wasn't disappointed, but was a little overwhelm with some new concepts (maybe it was just that I read this book while in my honeymoon). Anyway, I am no mathematics genius (I'm really far from that) but I'm a curious guy and this book fulfill my eager, while by the way make me use some slept neurons hibernating since my college days. My background is not mathematical, but you don't need much mathematics to drive you through to book, besides it was really interesting to see biological applications of mathematical abstractions. This was a wonderful read without troubling with numbers and formulas.

Breaking symmetry to uncover one theory that rules them all

Breaking Symmetry is certainly a magic term in this book. With the use of innumerable real-life examples and the use of dozens of pictures Stewart and Golubitsky try to illustrate the basic concept of the "Theory-That-Covers-Everything". Being confronted with the dissection of physical phenomenon into degrees of symmetry, gives the reader enough reason to believe that the "big theory" might ultimately be uncovered by using the mathematical tool of Breaking Symmetry. But this book also points out that scientists are still far away from reaching this ultimate goal. The patterns discussed in this book takes you to the invisible world of quarks, then shows you the wonderful stripes on the fur of a tiger and finally let you surf the spiral-arms of our Galaxy. Clearly it gives the reader the opportunity to have a taste from more than one scientific discipline: Biology, Physic, Chemistry, Maths, they are all addressed in this book.But be aware: you must keep yourself very alert while reading it, because the train of thought is not always easy to follow. Apart from the sometimes strange jumps, the narration is very clear and easy to understand, which will certainly enable you to get more insight into the fascinating world of symmetry.

AN EARFUL ON SYMETRY AND AN EYEFUL AS WELL

This book really improved my understanding of what physicists are talking about when they speak of Symmetry Breaking. The book makes it possible for you to understand the underpinnings of this concept whilst doing nothing more intellectual than pouring the milk onto your breakfast cereal. Lots of good illustrations.Nothing to be frightened of in this book.

it kinda connects everything

It really trys to connect everything and show that nature is not random. It lets you appreciate math in everyday life and lets you understand the intelligence of nature.