Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity, 1894-1912 (Paperback)

by Thomas S. Kuhn (Author) "Between late 1894 and the end of 1900 three lines of nineteenth-century scientific research were associated in novel ways by the work of the established..." (more)
Key Phrases: permutability measure, new distribution law, resonator entropy, Physical Society, Solvay Congress, Planck's Lectures (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"A masterly assessment of the way the idea of quanta of radiation became part of 20th-century physics. . . . The book not only deals with a topic of importance and interest to all scientists, but is also a polished literary work, described (accurately) by one of its original reviewers as a scientific detective story."--John Gribbin, New Scientist

"Every scientist should have this book."--Paul Davies, New Scientist

About the Author

Thomas S. Kuhn is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His books include The Structure of Scientific Revolutions and The Essential Tension, both published by the University of Chicago Press, and The Copernican Revolution.

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Product Details Paperback: 398 pages Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (January 15, 1987) Language: English ISBN-10: 0226458008 ISBN-13: 978-0226458007 Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #291,309 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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First Sentence:
Between late 1894 and the end of 1900 three lines of nineteenth-century scientific research were associated in novel ways by the work of the established German physicist Max Planck (1858-1947). Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
permutability measure, new distribution law, resonator entropy, first quantum papers, irreversible radiation processes, quantum topics, new heat theorem, complexion theory, resonator energy, quantum literature, derivation papers, resonator equation, damped resonator, black radiation, combinatorial derivation, molecular disorder, les quanta, electromagnetic view, gas theory, single resonator, partial vibrations, cavity radiation, combinatorial form, more probable states, radiation theory

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Physical Society, Solvay Congress, Planck's Lectures, British Association, Physikalische Zeitschrift, Vienna Academy, James Jeans, Lorentz's Rome, Arnold Sommerfeld, Albert Einstein, Dynamical Theory of Gases, Kirchhoff's Lectures, Max Planck, Max Thiesen, Paul Ehrenfest, Philosophical Magazine, World War

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 21 books:

• Theory of Heat (Dover Books on Physics) by James Clerk Maxwell on 7 pages
• Dictionary of Scientific Biography. by Charles Coulston Gillispie on 4 pages
• Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics by J. Willard Gibbs on 4 pages
• Lectures on Gas Theory by Ludwig Boltzmann on page 21, page 39, and Back Matter
• Sources for History of Quantum Physics by Thomas S. Kuhn in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)

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12 books cite this book:

• Thomas Kuhn (Contemporary Philosophy in Focus) by Thomas Nickles on 5 pages
• Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy by Edward Craig on page 315, and page 318
• A Companion to the Philosophers (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy) by Robert L. Arrington on page 360
• Walther Nernst and the Transition to Modern Physical Science by Diana Kormos Barkan on page 164
• One Hundred Twentieth-Century Philosophers by Stuart Brown on page 104

See all 12 books citing this book

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Albert Einstein by Albrecht Folsing

Discusses:

• black radiation
• cavity radiation
• Solvay Congress

Quantum Generations by Helge Kragh

Discusses:

• new distribution law
• irreversible radiation processes
• quantum topics

Kinetic Theory of Gases by Stephen G. Brush

Discusses:

• molecular disorder
• gas theory
• more probable states

Einstein in Love by Dennis Overbye

Discusses:

• first quantum papers
• Solvay Congress
• Physikalische Zeitschrift

Studies in the History of General Relativity by Jean Eisenstaedt

Discusses:

• irreversible radiation processes
• Physikalische Zeitschrift
• Arnold Sommerfeld

The Cambridge History of Science, Volume 5 by Mary Jo Nye

Discusses:

• les quanta
• electromagnetic view
• Solvay Congress

Albert Einstein by Albrecht Folsing Discusses: black radiation cavity radiation Solvay Congress Quantum Generations by Helge Kragh Discusses: new distribution law irreversible radiation processes quantum topics Kinetic Theory of Gases by Stephen G. Brush Discusses: molecular disorder gas theory more probable states Einstein in Love by Dennis Overbye Discusses: first quantum papers Solvay Congress Physikalische Zeitschrift Loading...

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	67% buy the item featured on this page: Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity, 1894-1912 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) $31.50
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	13% buy The Road since Structure: Philosophical Essays, 1970-1993, with an Autobiographical Interview 3.5 out of 5 stars (6) $15.60

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3 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 21 of 21 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars How the Quantum came to be, June 28, 2000 By  "im_silox" (Chicago-land) - See all my reviews Excellent book, as Kuhn's usually are, on the origin of quantum theory. "Everyone" knows Planck arrived at the quantum by studying black-body radiation, but what you are never told is *why* he was doing that! Kuhn reaches back as to why Planck was, and has an interesting story to tell for it (the question of thermodynamic irreversability vs reversability in classical mechanics). Another major part of Kuhn's tale is that even after he arrived at his quantum hypothesis, Planck still saw it as a direct extension of classical physics. It was others, mainly Einstein, who realized the revolutionary nature of the quantum (and who ran with the idea), and physicists like Planck had to conceptually play catch up in the quantum revolution in the first decade of the 20th century. One serious WARNING: while interesting and well written, the book has some very technical parts, requiring at least intermediate college physics. While not flooded with equations, Kuhn freely gets into thermodynamics and statistical mechanics (entropy, free energy, H-theorem,...) in explaining the core of Planck's early work. The reader should be prepared for some technical physics on the journey! 11 of 12 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars All you wanted to know about q.m. but were afraid to ask, September 30, 2001 By  Luis Reyes (Mexico City, DF Mexico) - See all my reviews The solution to the blackbody radiation problem is often quoted in Physics books as the formal bridge between the classic and quantum world viewpoints. However, as Kuhn points out, the full solution and not just the answer is nowhere else to be found. Well beyond the satisfaction that reading this book should present to any serious Quantum Physics related student it is an absoulte requirement in the History of Physics. Yes, the mathematical arguments get quite dense and most are not trivial. However, little is needed beyond basic calculus, statiscal mechanics and thermodynamics. View this as an excellent excuse to get going in those areas. If every time you hear something about the beginnings of q.m. something stirs in your guts telling you that something is not quite right about the story you're being fed, that the full story isn't being told, then who could be better than Kuhn to show you that you were after right, after all? 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars An extremely challenging book, August 23, 2005 By  Neal J. King (Munich, Germany) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Anyone who has learned quantum mechanics has been told, in a general way, what Planck did and how it fits into the history of quantum physics. Kuhn shows that Planck thought about his goals and his results very differently than do textbook writers today. Warning! This is a very tough read: - You will not get much out of this book unless you are able and willing to follow detailed arguments in thermodynamics and statistical physics, in fairly gory mathematical detail. Quantum history-lite this isn't! - You will also not get much out of this book unless you are willing to relax about the "right" way of thinking about thermodynamics and quantum theory. However YOU may think about it, Planck thought about it differently -- and Kuhn attempts to follow his thought, zigging & zagging as he did. If you're not willing to follow along closely and attentively for the ride, you will miss the story. The payoff from reading this book is a more vivid understanding and appreciation for how very very differently we think about physics than the way it physicists saw it 100 years ago.		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 398 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (January 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226458008
• ISBN-13: 978-0226458007
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #291,309 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How the Quantum came to be, June 28, 2000

By	"im_silox" (Chicago-land) - See all my reviews

Excellent book, as Kuhn's usually are, on the origin of quantum theory. "Everyone" knows Planck arrived at the quantum by studying black-body radiation, but what you are never told is *why* he was doing that! Kuhn reaches back as to why Planck was, and has an interesting story to tell for it (the question of thermodynamic irreversability vs reversability in classical mechanics). Another major part of Kuhn's tale is that even after he arrived at his quantum hypothesis, Planck still saw it as a direct extension of classical physics. It was others, mainly Einstein, who realized the revolutionary nature of the quantum (and who ran with the idea), and physicists like Planck had to conceptually play catch up in the quantum revolution in the first decade of the 20th century. One serious WARNING: while interesting and well written, the book has some very technical parts, requiring at least intermediate college physics. While not flooded with equations, Kuhn freely gets into thermodynamics and statistical mechanics (entropy, free energy, H-theorem,...) in explaining the core of Planck's early work. The reader should be prepared for some technical physics on the journey!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All you wanted to know about q.m. but were afraid to ask, September 30, 2001

By	Luis Reyes (Mexico City, DF Mexico) - See all my reviews

The solution to the blackbody radiation problem is often quoted in Physics books as the formal bridge between the classic and quantum world viewpoints. However, as Kuhn points out, the full solution and not just the answer is nowhere else to be found.
Well beyond the satisfaction that reading this book should present to any serious Quantum Physics related student it is an absoulte requirement in the History of Physics.
Yes, the mathematical arguments get quite dense and most are not trivial. However, little is needed beyond basic calculus, statiscal mechanics and thermodynamics. View this as an excellent excuse to get going in those areas.
If every time you hear something about the beginnings of q.m. something stirs in your guts telling you that something is not quite right about the story you're being fed, that the full story isn't being told, then who could be better than Kuhn to show you that you were after right, after all?

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extremely challenging book, August 23, 2005

By	Neal J. King (Munich, Germany) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Anyone who has learned quantum mechanics has been told, in a general way, what Planck did and how it fits into the history of quantum physics. Kuhn shows that Planck thought about his goals and his results very differently than do textbook writers today.

Warning! This is a very tough read:
- You will not get much out of this book unless you are able and willing to follow detailed arguments in thermodynamics and statistical physics, in fairly gory mathematical detail. Quantum history-lite this isn't!
- You will also not get much out of this book unless you are willing to relax about the "right" way of thinking about thermodynamics and quantum theory. However YOU may think about it, Planck thought about it differently -- and Kuhn attempts to follow his thought, zigging & zagging as he did. If you're not willing to follow along closely and attentively for the ride, you will miss the story.

The payoff from reading this book is a more vivid understanding and appreciation for how very very differently we think about physics than the way it physicists saw it 100 years ago.