Customer Reviews

The Continuing Revolution: A History of Physics from the Greeks to Einstein,

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Agassi trained in physics and then studied logic and scientific method at the University of London with Sir Karl Popper. This book consists of a series of dialogues between the author and his son Aaron on the history of physics. The book demonstrates Agassi's "view that scientific activity is an endless dialogue,with problems and proposed solutions which are criticized as unclear, or as unsatisfactory, or as false. Science is and has been a continuing revolution" (8). The author does a good job of presenting the conceptual problems and solutions that led to the Copernican and Newtonian revolutions. He also covers some of the advances that created doubts about the magnificent Newtonian edifice and led to relativity theory, which is briefly discussed. The book provides an excellent starting point in physics for the non-scientist. In deceptively simple prose, Agassi provides ample evidence for his view that "...if we want progress, we have to test our theories very carefully and rid them of mistakes" (147).

This book is a must for students and teachers of the history and philosophy of science. Also for parents teaching their children the story of physics. It is written with affection by a philosopher of science with and for his son.
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It takes some getting used to. But once one gets past the novelty of the principles involved in its presentation by means of father-son socratic dialogue and the sprinklings of judaic cultural contexualisms, the book shines as a treasure of parental-based scholarship (the best kind). I wish my father would have had such a discussion with me using this book. But my father--despite what he likes to say and think--cannot tolerate the heady, authoritatively dangerous mix of awe and rebellion characteristic of this book. Were i to have a child, i would however try and show a lot more affection without dominance of his or her mind, space, or being. The book seems to miss so many opportunities to just say once that parental love is vastly more important than 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th century scientific principles. Also the father seems to dominate his son's mind, which is probably alright, but again it would be better if dad could somehow be a little more genuinely understanding.

A book similar to this one, despite its strange fondness for the U.N., in presentation is Sophie's World (1996) by Jostein Gaarder. Part of the book is in fact how much physical space Sophie's given and the reader is given a similar amount of space in mind to understand and appreciate philosophical principles.