The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn: Richard W. Hamming, Bret Victor: 9781732265172: Amazon.com: Books

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Richard W. Hamming

The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn Hardcover – May 26, 2020

by Richard W. Hamming (Author), Bret Victor (Foreword)

4.6 896 ratings

in Information Theory

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A groundbreaking treatise by one of the great mathematicians of our age, who outlines a style of thinking by which great ideas are conceived.

What inspires and spurs on a great idea? Can we train ourselves to think in a way that will enable world-changing understandings and insights to emerge?

Richard Hamming said we can. He first inspired a generation of engineers, scientists, and researchers in 1986 with “You and Your Research,” an electrifying sermon on why some scientists do great work, why most don’t, why he did, and why you can—and should—too. The Art of Doing Science and Engineering is the full expression of what “You and Your Research” outlined. It's a book about thinking; more specifically, a style of thinking by which great ideas are conceived.

The book is filled with stories of great people performing mighty deeds—but they are not meant simply to be admired. Instead, they are to be aspired to, learned from, and surpassed. Hamming consistently returns to Shannon’s information theory, Einstein’s theory of relativity, Grace Hopper’s work on high-level programming, Kaiser’s work on digital fillers, and his own work on error-correcting codes. He also recounts a number of his spectacular failures as clear examples of what to avoid.

Originally published in 1996 and adapted from a course that Hamming taught at the US Naval Postgraduate School, this edition includes an all-new foreword by designer, engineer, and founder of Dynamicland Bret Victor, plus more than 70 redrawn graphs and charts.

The Art of Doing Science and Engineering is a reminder that a capacity for learning and creativity are accessible to everyone. Hamming was as much a teacher as a scientist, and having spent a lifetime forming and confirming a theory of great people and great ideas, he prepares the next generation for even greater distinction.

Print length

432 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Stripe Press
Publication date

May 26, 2020
Dimensions

6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

1732265178
ISBN-13

978-1732265172
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This title will be released on November 14, 2023.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

896 global ratings

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Crafty book introducing techniques for understanding the world around us.

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2023

Verified Purchase

Based on another's work, yet simultaneously original, great work, and perspective.

One person found this helpful

Came for the engineering, stayed for the lessons

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

I'm halfway tempted to write my engineering college and demand a full refund considering this book wasn't required reading. This is a must have for anyone in an engineering field(or any STEM field for that matter). The book is written so well. Hamming somewhat apologizes for the first person references in the intro, I would argue this is the best part. His anecdotes about how he learned a particular lesson were not only engaging to read, but clearly defined the message. It almost felt like I was having coffee with this guy and he was telling old war stories. Seriously one of the most unique science books I've ever read.

The more technical chapters on error coding and filters were the real reason I purchased the book, as I had been doing some ECC implementations and was looking to really see how this was "discovered". These chapters (while brillant) were actually not the parts I enjoyed the most. The chapters on simulation actually had me screaming "YES!" when he describes reliance on simulation as a mistake, and that simulation only closely approximates reality. His insistence that while fast simulations are great, time between the simulations can be just as important, and that a true scientist should be thinking about the results before the results are calculated. These thought simulations allow the scientist/engineer to start thinking about the problem and what the simulation doesn't account for. It was quite refreshing to hear this.

Ever since reading this book, I've started purchasing a copy for anyone who works under me. Understanding the math behind the problems isn't required. It's nice, to understand it, but certainly not the value you should receive out of this.

Again, I honestly am floored that this wasn't required reading where I attended college. It's possible that someone in college would not be able to appreciate it, but after being in my career for 8 years, it is truly the most interesting and engaging STEM book I have read.

14 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2022

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You never get what you need out of a college or university. They have curriculums to teach. It basically means you get indoctrination on generalized areas not in dept teaching which for what you pay it raises questions. Thank you for well written books and a desire to read.

6 people found this helpful

Excellent wisdom from a computer science great

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021

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While the book was written in 1994 and makes predictions about what computer science might look like in 2020, that isn't the point of the book. This is a great work by someone who got into the computing game in the 1940's right when things were starting to take off. The author's name should be familiar to you (aka the Hamming code) which adds a nice cachet of credibility.

Hamming takes you through a fun history of computers and the art of computer programming but also with a larger point: trying to get you to think great thoughts. There are lots of wonderful insights in this book about management, corporate culture, scientific style and thinking about the future. The book is a beautifully made hardback priced like a softback -- a terrific value, and a thought provoking and inspiring read.

5 people found this helpful

Developing Better Thought Processes for Effective Problem Solving

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2020

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I came by Richard Hamming via a footnote on an essay on learning what it takes to become better at handling information. With my curiosity piqued, I decided to purchase this new edition, and I'm glad I did.

I'm nearly two-thirds through it, and I've already jotted down several notes on passages where Professor Hamming goes into detail on communicating ideas better, coding, learning, and mathematics. His chapter on Claude Shannon's Information (Communication) Theory is worth the price of the book alone.

I realise this book is not groundbreaking, but I've enjoyed his thought process as it differs from many similar books where it leaves me to reflect on things I was taking for granted in my thinking. And any book that's a cause for reflection on one's thoughts is a worthy exercise if it means overall better progress for oneself.

28 people found this helpful

Jessica Jarrett

A rambling work with gold nuggets scattered throughout.

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021

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This book is perfectly written like a college lecture, and even describes itself as so.

Like any good college lecture, there's an adequate amount of rambling and anecdotes, interspersed with sporadic great ideas for those able to muster energy to stagger forward and stay awake. This has made it a difficult work to struggle through as a book to read before bedtime. It really brought me back to the physics classes of my college days, praying the professor could locate and make a point in any thirty minute stretch and then painfully trying to understand the connections of stray thoughts to the equations which seemed to come out of thin air.

I was hoping for something more cohesive, but Hamming's undoubtable brilliance makes this an interesting read for those willing to cope with the style. Be ready for fascinating stories about computing history, predictions for the future, and different ways of thinking about things from a great mind.

7 people found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Theis Egeberg

Mostly for the very experienced

Reviewed in Germany on March 4, 2023

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I've read some of the negative reviews of this book. I'm a seasoned veteran when it comes to engineering. And I can see how some would not get a lot from this book. It requires experience to fully grasp what's being said here. Also it can't really be said, because then it would be a formal science. Hamming tries to reach above pragmatic advice and rules of thumb, and provide some intuition and guidelines for how to become great at something that isn't yet formally defined. But you need to have attempted to climb this mountain before it makes any sense. Otherwise it will likely seem like a weird soup of stories.

It's a fantastic book if you're at the end of your line, trying to find some last nugget of penned truth. It's eloquent and delightful. It has also stood the test of time incredibly well.

One person found this helpful

shahid k.

Good book

Reviewed in India on March 25, 2023

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Good book

shashank s.

Read it or skim through. Every chapter is a delight.

Reviewed in India on January 2, 2021

Verified Purchase

He’s done it, and thought about how he and people around him have behaved and what their “style” is. Now he wants you to do it.

3 people found this helpful

Marlon shah

Tedious reading

Reviewed in India on October 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

Tedious
Boring
Over explained
I seriously doubt if any value to be gained from this in 2021
Three more words

One person found this helpful

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