Lost in Math

Lost in Math
Author: Sabine Hossenfelder
Publisher: Basic Books
Total Pages: 277
Release: 2018-06-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0465094260

In this "provocative" book (New York Times), a contrarian physicist argues that her field's modern obsession with beauty has given us wonderful math but bad science. Whether pondering black holes or predicting discoveries at CERN, physicists believe the best theories are beautiful, natural, and elegant, and this standard separates popular theories from disposable ones. This is why, Sabine Hossenfelder argues, we have not seen a major breakthrough in the foundations of physics for more than four decades. The belief in beauty has become so dogmatic that it now conflicts with scientific objectivity: observation has been unable to confirm mindboggling theories, like supersymmetry or grand unification, invented by physicists based on aesthetic criteria. Worse, these "too good to not be true" theories are actually untestable and they have left the field in a cul-de-sac. To escape, physicists must rethink their methods. Only by embracing reality as it is can science discover the truth.

Flat Earth

Flat Earth
Author: Christine Garwood
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 623
Release: 2008-08-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1429986948

Contrary to popular belief fostered in countless school classrooms the world over, Christopher Columbus did not discover that the earth was round. The idea of a spherical world had been widely accepted in educated circles from as early as the fourth century B.C. Yet, bizarrely, it was not until the supposedly more rational nineteenth century that the notion of a flat earth really took hold. Even more bizarrely, it persists to this day, despite Apollo missions and widely publicized pictures of the decidedly spherical Earth from space. Based on a range of original sources, Garwood's history of flat-Earth beliefs---from the Babylonians to the present day---raises issues central to the history and philosophy of science, its relationship to religion and the making of human knowledge about the natural world. Flat Earth is the first definitive study of one of history's most notorious and persistent ideas, and it evokes all the intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual turmoil of the modern age. Ranging from ancient Greece, through Victorian England, to modern-day America, this is a story that encompasses religion, science, and pseudoscience, as well as a spectacular array of people and places. Where else could eccentric aristocrats, fundamentalist preachers, and conspiracy theorists appear alongside Copernicus, Newton, and NASA, except in an account of such a legendary misconception? Thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating, Flat Earth is social and intellectual history at its best.

Worlds of Their Own

Worlds of Their Own
Author: Robert J. Schadewald
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2008-02-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1462810039

History is written by the winners; including the histories of science and scholarship. Unorthodoxies that flourish at the grassroots are often beneath the contempt of historians. Zetetic astronomy (flat-Earth science) was a household term in Victorian England, but not a single reference to it is found in conventional histories. We ignore such histories at our peril; the modern intelligent design movement is almost a carbon copy of the 19th century flat-Earth movement in its argumentative techniques. When orthodox science finds itself stumped, or a certain segment finds it unpalatable, the unorthodox may rush in to fill the void. The past two decades have brought a surge of interest in the history and philosophy of science. But how do we discern between pseudo and actual science? To fully understand what science is, we must understand what science is not. Written with penetrating insight into the minds of alternative thinkers, this book throws light on the differences between pseudo and actual science. The droll humor that permeates Worlds of Their Own makes it as enjoyable a read as it is enlightening. Despite its focus on unorthodox ideas, Worlds of Their Own is about human nature. Whether they drew their ideas from the Bible or nature, all the pseudoscientists discussed in this book were driven to communicate their truth to the misinformed world. None was afflicted with self-doubt. All defended their truth with similar standards of evidence, modes of reasoning, and methods of scholarship. Their counterparts are legion the blue-collar philosopher who refutes Einstein from his barstool, the preacher who refutes (but cannot define) evolution from his pulpit, the narcissist who promotes quackery courtesy of modern talk shows and infomercials. Each topic discussed in Worlds of Their Own covers a once-popular concept that persists to this day. Numerous works examine or debunk pseudoscientific ideas. Worlds of Their Own is unique in letting unorthodox thinkers speak for themselves. Readers will want to buy the book to learn how such people argued their cases against conventional views. Worlds of Their Own is a timeless book offering humor, substance, and analysis for a mainstream audience. Moreover, it is a unique source book on unorthodox ideas that nearly everyone has heard about but few fully understand. And the source material is rare. For example, the National Union Catalog lists only four U.S. libraries the Library of Congress, New York Public, Yale, and Duke that hold Carpenters One Hundred Proofs That the Earth Is Not a Globe (1885). Bobs own extensive collection of flat-Earth literature as well as his collection of literature advocating various other unorthodoxies was donated to the University of Wisconsin after his death. It is housed there as the Robert Schadewald Collection on Pseudo-Science. This collection consists of 885 books and pamphlets (many from the 19th century) as well as 70 boxes of personal files and collected news clippings. Praise for Bob Schadewald: Perhaps the most important thing that Bob taught me has to do with the striking insights one can gain by first studying the history of one particular kind of crackpot science for example, the flat-Earth movement in past centuries and then realizing how reliable that knowledge can be for gaining insight into a seemingly unrelated pseudoscience of more contemporary times for example, the creation science movement that flourished in Iowa and across the country in recent decades, and is now returning as intelligent design today. Nobody, but nobody could make the case for this more convincingly than Bob Schadewald, and Lois has included some of Bobs best material doing so between the covers of Worlds of Their Own. John W. Patterson.emeritus Materials Science & Engineering, Iowa State University Bob Schadewald was an insightful thinker w

Flat Earth Clues

Flat Earth Clues
Author: Mark Sargent
Publisher: Booglez Limited
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2023-12-04
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1916611028

The Flat Earth Clues book gives you 14 compelling reasons why you should rethink the globe model that you have been taught. Before you were born, before your parents, your grandparents, before you even had a family line… there was the illusion, the trick, the lie... That you lived on a small spinning rock, flying through space. What if, after centuries of preaching the globe as a religious icon, "the powers that be" found out that it was actually not a sphere, but instead something much different? Would they risk unravelling 500 years of science doctrine by informing the public? Could a government still retain it's authority if there were actually proof of a higher power? It's about proving the Flat Earth, but more importantly, it's about disproving the globe, and that shouldn't be possible, but there are several big questions which science has a difficult time with. Why was there only one blue marble image used for 43 years? Where are the videos of the earth rotating from space? Astronauts can't turn around in space with the camera running? Not even by accident? Are the Van Allen radiation belts dangerous? Why does the Orion Trial by Fire video exist? Why was the space shuttle program cancelled? Why does the Mars mission keep getting postponed? Why are they closing down the ISS? Why is Psalm 19:1 on Werner Von Braun's headstone? Why is the moon generating a light that is sometimes 12 degrees colder than the moon shade? How is that possible if it's reflecting the suns rays? And if the moon is generating it's own light source, then what was that dark grey thing we landed on? We can beam back crystal clear photos of Pluto, but the Global Positioning System doesn't track planes in the Southern oceans? And why does this topic, compared to ANY other, conspiracy or not, make people excited, angry, or scared? Some of you are getting anxious just listening! Why? Because it's the greatest trick of all, and we all fell for it. You should be excited, because it's going to change the world. You should be angry, because you were fooled your entire life, and you should be a little scared, because this is uncharted territory. This is the Flat Earth theory, that the world is easy to understand, more intimate, and very deliberate. It didn't just happen, it was built, and more importantly built for you. Open your eyes and smile. You have never been alone. Published by Booglez Limited, UK - Flat Earth Clues is digestible nuggets of information broken down in a very reader-friendly way. Author Mark Sargent is located in the USA. He features in the Netflix documentary Behind The Curve (2018). Mark runs a regular radio show on Truth Frequency Radio where you can phone in and discuss the topic.

One Hundred Proofs That the Earth Is Not a Globe

One Hundred Proofs That the Earth Is Not a Globe
Author: William Carpenter
Publisher: Ravenio Books
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2015-06-28
Genre:
ISBN:

Much may be gathered, indirectly, from the arguments in these pages, as to the real nature of the Earth on which we live and of the heavenly bodies which were created for us. The reader is requested to be patient in this matter and not expect a whole flood of light to burst in upon him at once, through the dense clouds of opposition and prejudice which hang all around. Old ideas have to be gotten rid of, by some people, before they can entertain the new; and this will especially be the case in the matter of the Sun, about which we are taught, by Mr. Proctor, as follows: “The globe of the Sun is so much larger than that of the Earth that no less than 1,250,000 globes as large as the Earth would be wanted to make up together a globe as large as the Sun.” Whereas, we know that, as it is demonstrated that the Sun moves round over the Earth, its size is proportionately less. We can then easily understand that Day and Night, and the Seasons are brought about by his daily circuits round in a course concentric with the North, diminishing in their extent to the end of June, and increasing until the end of December, the equatorial region being the area covered by the Sun’s mean motion. If, then, these pages serve but to arouse the spirit of enquiry, the author will be satisfied.

200 Proofs Earth Is Not a Spinning Ball

200 Proofs Earth Is Not a Spinning Ball
Author: Eric DuBay
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 42
Release: 2018-10-10
Genre:
ISBN: 9781727646467

The most popular flat Earth book ever written, translated into over 20 languages, 200 Proofs Earth is Not a Spinning Ball inspired by John Carpenter's 19th century opus "100 Proofs Earth is Not a Globe," doubles the number of natural scientific evidences proving Earth is not a tilting, wobbling, spinning space-ball.Wolves in sheep

Flat Earthers Around the Globe

Flat Earthers Around the Globe
Author: James Egan
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2018-07-21
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 024499711X

Although you may think this book's title is a joke, I assure you that there are people today that adamantly believe the world is flat. Worse still, the number of Flat Earthers has been increasing in recent years. How could that be possible? NASA has taken photos of the Earth from space to confirm it is round. According to The Flat Earth Society, NASA are lying. NASA never went to space... because space isn't real. You might find this concept preposterous. Are Flat Earthers suggesting every astronomer and physicist is wrong? No. Flat Earthers believe that so-called "scientists" know the Earth is flat but they are lying. Why would anyone lie about the shape of the Earth? How can Flat Earthers be so sure? If the Earth is flat, why doesn't the oceans spill out at the sides? All of these questions will be explained in this book. Read on to learn the history of the Flat Earth community, why they believe what they believe, and most importantly, how we know their beliefs are irrefutably false.

The End of the World is Flat

The End of the World is Flat
Author: Simon Edge
Publisher: Eye Books (US&CA)
Total Pages: 278
Release: 2021-07-17
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1785632531

A satirical comedy featuring Christopher Columbus, a tech billionaire, and a global delusion. Mel Winterbourne is the founder of a small, single-issue charity in the obscure field of mapmaking. Its success in achieving modest aims attracts the attention of handsome tech billionaire Joey Talavera, who evicts Mel and hijacks her charity for his own ends: to convince the world that the earth is flat. Although his chances of doing so seem slim, Flat Earthery is an idea whose time has come. With the historical reputation of Christopher Columbus in free-fall, old-style 'globularism' becomes heretical for a new generation of angry, anti-Establishment free-thinkers. Teachers, politicians, and celebrities face ruin if they refuse to sign up to the new orthodoxy. For Mel, something must be done. Teaming up with a pariah tabloid journalist and a faded writer of gross-out movie comedies, she sets out to challenge Talavera and his deranged beliefs. Will history and the billionaire's own family origins be their unexpected ally? Using his trademark mix of history and satire to poke fun at modern foibles, Simon Edge is at his razor-sharp best in a caper that may be much more relevant than you think.

Category Theory for Programmers (New Edition, Hardcover)

Category Theory for Programmers (New Edition, Hardcover)
Author: Bartosz Milewski
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2019-08-24
Genre:
ISBN: 9780464243878

Category Theory is one of the most abstract branches of mathematics. It is usually taught to graduate students after they have mastered several other branches of mathematics, like algebra, topology, and group theory. It might, therefore, come as a shock that the basic concepts of category theory can be explained in relatively simple terms to anybody with some experience in programming.That's because, just like programming, category theory is about structure. Mathematicians discover structure in mathematical theories, programmers discover structure in computer programs. Well-structured programs are easier to understand and maintain and are less likely to contain bugs. Category theory provides the language to talk about structure and learning it will make you a better programmer.

Weird Earth

Weird Earth
Author: Donald R. Prothero
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2020-07-14
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1684351235

“A breath of intellectual fresh air . . . [an] amusing look at how to dispel endemic pseudoscience and conspiracy theories through rational thinking.” —Publishers Weekly Aliens. Ley lines. Water dowsing. Conspiracies and myths captivate imaginations and promise mystery and magic. Whether it’s arguing about the moon landing hoax or a Frisbee-like Earth drifting through space, when held up to science and critical thinking, these ideas fall flat. In Weird Earth: Debunking Strange Ideas About Our Planet, Donald R. Prothero demystifies these conspiracies and offers answers to some of humanity’s most outlandish questions. Applying his extensive scientific knowledge, Prothero corrects misinformation that con artists and quacks use to hoodwink others about geology—hollow earth, expanding earth, and bizarre earthquakes—and mystical and paranormal happenings—healing crystals, alien landings, and the gates of hell. By deconstructing wild claims such as prophesies of imminent natural disasters, Prothero provides a way for everyone to recognize dubious assertions. Prothero answers these claims with facts, offering historical and scientific context in a light-hearted manner that is accessible to everyone, no matter their background. With a careful layering of evidence in geology, archaeology, and biblical and historical records, Prothero’s Weird Earth examines each conspiracy and myth and leaves no question unanswered. Weird Earth is about the facts and the people who don’t believe them. Don Prothero describes the process of science—and the process of not accepting it. If you’re wondering if humans walked on the Moon, if you’ve wondered where the lost City of Atlantis went, or if you’re wondering what your cat will do before an earthquake, check out Weird Earth.” —Bill Nye