The Physicists’ View of Nature, Part 1, 2000
From Newton to Einstein

This book is designed as a textbook for students who need to fulfil their science requirements. Part I explores classical physics from its beginnings with Descartes, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton, to the relativity theories of Einstein. Special emphasis is given to the development of the objective, materialist, and deterministic worldview of classical physics. The influence of Newtonian physics on other fields of science and on society is emphasized. Finally, some of the problems with the worldview of classical physics are discussed and a preview of quantum physics is given.

Preface. 1. Introduction: The Importance of the Physicists' View of Nature for Everyone. Part One: The Development of Classical Physics. 2. The Beginnings of Classical Physics. 3. The Foundations of the Newtonian Paradigm: the Laws of Motion. 4. The Denouement: the Universal Gravity Law. 5. Matter, Energy, Conservation Laws, and the Rise of Materialism. Part Two: From Being to Becoming. 6. Thermodynamics and Its Laws. 7. Progressivity and Energy Consumption. 8. Energy and Environment. 9. From Being to Becoming: Entropy, Life, and Chaos Theory. 10. Heat Death, Hangups, and the Question of Design. Part Three: Waves, Fields, and Einstein's Universe. 11. The Motion of Waves. 12. Wave Interactions. 13. Sound and Music and Light and Color. 14. Electricity, Magnetism, Fields, and Waves. 15. The Relativity of Time. 16. The Relativity of Space and Einstein's Theory of Gravitation. 17. The Universe. 18. The World View of Classical Physics: Where Do We Go From Here? Index.