Across the Frontiers [Paperback]

Werner Heisenberg (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 229 pages
• Publisher: Ox Bow Pr (October 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918024811
• ISBN-13: 978-0918024817
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,751,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars All in all a very satisfying book., July 14, 2002

By 

Frank Bierbrauer (Cardiff, Wales, UK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Across the Frontiers (Paperback)

Werner Heisenberg is one of the most famous physicists in the history of the development of the quantum theory, his name is attached to the famous uncertainty principle dictating the inablity to both measure the position and the velocity of a particle with the same degree of accuracy at the same time, one accurate measurement leads to inaccuracy in the other. This book does not discuss Heisenberg's science but rather his own interest in discussing science as part of the whole human endeavour. It is a book of essays ranging from the philosophy of Wolfgang Pauli, the state of education in German universities, the use of abstraction in science and art, the truths inherent in science and religion to Einstein's lifetime work. Most of the essays are obtained from the transcripts of lectures or talks Heisenberg gave at various times during the 50's, 60's and 70's. His writing is straightforward without the subtlety of say Schroedinger in his "What is Life" but nonetheless quite deep at times. As you go through each essay you find that a small gem usually awaits, sometimes it is a simple statement and at other times its more hidden. His discussions are intelligent and thought provoking often allowing the reader to progress further in his own thinking and developing the ideas themselves. Heisenberg makes no rash statements much as his own scientific career has shown when he states something there is real meaning behind it. Heisenberg is willing to consider much that others would rather look past. Heisenberg does not dismiss religion or philosophy which many others do, thinking both to be unnecessary for science, rather he is willing to consider the ideas present in both and even as being other ways to reach truth. He possesses a good judge of character as his essay on Einstein suggests. All in all a very satisfying book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Writings of Truth, Beauty and Goodness from a Philosopher-Scientist, January 14, 2009

By 

Larry Mullins "Larry Mullins" (St. Augustine, Florida) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Across the Frontiers (Paperback)

Leon Lederman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, saw the role of modern science as a search for beauty "When Coleridge tried to define beauty, he returned always to one deep thought: beauty, he said, is `unity in variety.' Science is nothing else than the search to discover unity in the wild variety of nature--or more exactly, in the variety of our experience." Werner Heisenberg's "Across the Frontiers" is indeed a work of beauty. Most fascinating from a philosophical view is his pronouncement that Plato was right: "... modern science has definitely decided for Plato. For the smallest units of matter are in fact not physical objects in the ordinary sense of the word; they are forms, structures--or in Plato's sense--Ideas, which can unambiguously be spoken of only in the language of mathematics." [Page 116]

Beyond his scientific concepts, Heisenberg the philosopher is also a man of spiritual and moral insight ... "It is only within this spiritual pattern, of the ethos prevailing in the community, that man acquires the points of view whereby he can also shape his own conduct wherein it involves more than a mere reaction to external situations; it is here that the question about values is first decided. Not only ethics, however, but the whole cultural life of the community is governed by this spiritual pattern. Only within its sphere does the close connection first become visible between the good, the beautiful and the true, and here only does it become possible to speak of life having meaning for the individual." [218] This book is highly recommended for scientists, visionaries and philosophers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughts from the master..., May 11, 2009

By 

Ricardo R. Gonzalez - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Across the Frontiers (Paperback)

If you are an EE, physicist or scientist then definitely you will like it. Or if you just like to read stuff to stimulate your mind to think about deep thoughts then you will like it too. This is one of those books that you go over things slowly and if you are lucky then eventually you will run across stuff like "Ahhh !!!... I didn't think that way !!!!". On the other hand, stuff written by the one an only Heisnenberg, how cool is that !!!!. Anyways, this book is a miscelaneous collection on several different topics, not a biography.