Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview Of The New Physics (Perennial Classics) (2001) - Plot & Excerpts
This is probably as good as a physics-for-the-layman book can get. But that doesn't mean it's perfect. Far from it, in fact.The strength of the book is Zukav's review of the history of physics. He does a good job setting up and explaining the major breakthroughs so that you, the reader, can appreciate their significance in pretty substantial ways. That's quite a feat. His clarity gets weaker as he starts to go into the weirder aspects of quantum mechanics though. At times he's so eager to jump to the scientific and philosophical ramifications of quantum mechanics that he sprints past the reader's understanding. I re-read and re-read and re-read passages until I finally saw that he had left out certain points that would have made things much more comprehensible, had he been more careful.The biggest flaw in the book is his hippie obsession with his Wu-Li metaphor. At times it's elegant and beautiful, but more often than not it's annoying and overblown. He's too eager to yammer on about particles acting as if they were conscious, ties between quantum mechanics and telepathy, and on and on. He's not a scientist so he's free to make these leaps of imaginative fancy, but I was constantly rolling my eyes whenever he started to wax philosophic about some new wrinkle in quantum mechanics.The other thing that grates is that he thinks the book is very funny. He even writes in the introduction that he's amazed and so pleased with how funny the book is, that it is, in fact, funnier than he is in real life. Mr. Zukav? It's not funny. His humor is cloying and totally unnecessary.Still, if you're interested in the history of physics--from Newton to Einstein to the birth of quantum mechanics--this is the book to read. But oddly enough, I'd recommend that you read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as a primer to this book. Zen covers a lot of the difficult philosophical underpinnings that Zukav has integrated into his book. And Zen is a better introduction to those ideas.This summer, apparently, will be the summer of physics. I've figured out a logical progression:0. (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)1. The Dancing Wu Li Masters (history of physics + good discussion of Einstein + good intro to quantum mechanics)2. A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking (deeper discussion of Einstein's space-time + intro to quantum gravitation)3. The Elegant Universe, Brian Greene (superstring theory of quantum gravity)To some degree each of the three physics books cover the same ground, but Zukav excels at surveying the history of physics and at describing Einstein's three important contributions. His intro to quantum mechanics is good enough, but that will be covered in more detail later.Hawking rushes through the history of physics so you really need Zukav as a primer. But Hawking then goes much deeper into the implications of general relativity's space-time. I'm halfway through it now and it's pointing towards a unification of general relativity with quantum mechanics (aka quantum gravitation).I began reading Brian Greene's book but realized that Zukav and Hawking really must come first. Greene also surveys the history of physics but does so briefly. His discussions of general relativity also aren't as robust as Zukav or Hawking's. And since string theory is the "final" theory, it really should come last anyway.
Well, I read this book at the advice of Jeff Sneider who recommended it highly. I agree. This book, while difficult in places, does lead me to question my view of reality, which has been purely Newtonian (read the book to understand). I'd rate this book right up with Godel, Escher, and Bach. I will think often about it. It may be very well be true, that everyone lives in Aristotle's metaphorical cave, seeing shadows of the essence of reality. Actually, quantum mechanics pretty much says it IS true. Zukav argues that experiencing reality through, perhaps, meditation and eastern religious metaphors, may lead to a greater degree of "knowing" or enlightenment, as the case may be. He argues that contradictions are inherent in intellect. I can be a scientist using Newtonian physics to make a career, judge student performance and the like, and also believe in God, angels, fairies and so on. Basically, quantum mechanics argues we know really nothing about the essence of reality, so anything could be and maybe anything in actually is real. There's a quote in the book that I will post in my office and spread around my scientific camp, and it's worth thinking and mulling over."Reality" is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions. What we perceive depends upon what we look for. What we look for depends upon what we think. What we think depends upon what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.
What do You think about Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview Of The New Physics (Perennial Classics) (2001)?
As an engaging introduction to an enthralling science, for people who've never studied physics, this book is fantastic. I appreciated the historical approach to the topic, learning one piece of the puzzle at a time in the order of those who made the discoveries; I feel like this really helped my understanding. I'm someone who has held a fear of math and physics for years, but Zukav writes in a clear and thorough fashion, stopping himself every once a while to ensure that the reader is with him. The average layperson could learn the basics of complicated physics from this book, easily.Only when Zukav makes large leaps into philosophy, full of holes and assumptions and "logical" ruling-out of other possible explanations (despite a whole chapter praising Einstein for approaching physics with a beginner's mind not bothered with traditional conclusions of what is and is not possible), does he stumble. I knew going into it that he wrote this book with a particular readership in mind but to my surprise, I felt like I actually could have used MORE math, MORE in-depth explanation, and less sweeping extrapolation; this is no fault of the author's though, and I will have to credit him with encouraging me to study physics in greater depth.In summary: a superb, well-written introduction to new physics, whose only flaw (to my tastes at least) is a penchant for applying the knowledge to big-picture philosophical levels-- which isn't really something that anyone as clearly fascinated by the discovery of these new physics as Zukav is can be faulted for :)
—Chrissy
"Wu" Patterns of Organic Energy Nonsense My Way I Clutch My Ideas Enlightenment(telling, if anything can be, about quantum physics, and of Zukov's approach)The author has an appropriate and charming humor and nerdiness that color the ideas presented. One takes a trip through challenging material with a likable pal, who throws in eastern mythology and spirituality happily. My understanding of the topic was enriched by the book, although it was a bit hard to get through toward the end; perhaps a little dry by then. Still recommended for those interested.A good summary of Zukov's spin: Quantum logic is based on the way we experience things, not the way we think about things. If that grabs you, read this book!
—Erik Akre
Having read several of the low-star reviews I'd say don't bother to read this if you have Newtonian views and are unwilling to change and grow. As Dirac said, "Beautiful theories are often destroyed by uncomfortable facts". Replace "theories" with "opinions". The stuff in this book doesn't exist by "opinion" it is fact, it's what makes Life possible. And it's only so far as we know it at the moment. It's what works. It knocks your "common sense" into a cocked hat and shows that (as Einstein said) common sense is usually common prejudice. If this makes you uncomfortable then likely you will neither like nor understand this book. I'd also suggest you read it alongside Einstein for Dummies and Space-Time and Beyond.
—Elen Sentier
