Abraham Pais Livres

Since the death of Albert Einstein in 1955 there have been many books and articles written about the man and a number of attempts to "explain" relativity. In this new major work Abraham Pais, himself an eminent physicist who worked alongside Einstein in the post-war years, traces the development of Einstein's entire oeuvre. This is the first book which deal comprehensively and in depth with Einstein's science, both the successes and the failures.Running through the book is a completely non-scientific biography (identified in the table of contents by italic type) including many letters which appear in English for the first time, as well as other information not published before.Throughout the preparation of this book, Pais has had complete access to the Einstein Archives (now in the possession of the Hebrew University) and the invaluable guidance of the late Helen Dukas--formerly Einstein's private secretary.

The narrative explores the life of Abraham Pais, a prominent theoretical physicist, detailing his experiences during Nazi-occupied Holland and his subsequent life in America, particularly at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Through engaging anecdotes, he shares insights about renowned figures like Oppenheimer, Einstein, and Bohr, alongside notable non-scientists. Pais's enthusiasm for science and his unique perspective as a cosmopolitan individual enrich the memoir, blending personal history with a broader commentary on scientific development and cultural experiences.

Focusing on J. Robert Oppenheimer, this biography delves into the life of a pivotal figure in modern physics, renowned for his charisma and complexity. The author, an award-winning biographer of Albert Einstein, provides an insightful exploration of Oppenheimer's contributions and challenges within the scientific community. Accompanied by 40 illustrations, the book paints a vivid picture of his legacy and the impact he had on the world of science.

Few people have understood what Einstein has said, thought, and done, but many are hungry to know more about him. This companion volume to Abraham Pais's Subtle is the Lord ... enlarges on the way Einstein was perceived by the world at large. His becoming the scientist of greatest renown ever is largely the result of attention by the media, as the author has documented by delving in newspaper and magazine archives, from 1902 to the present. We also learn of his views on religion and on philosophy, his marital problems, and his contacts with personalities ranging from John D. Rockefeller to Charlie Chaplin to Freud to Ghandi. Interviews with Einstein, as well as reports on brief comments and longer addresses by him, help to convey his vivid style of expression as well as his great talent at formulation. He wrote and spoke about pacifism, supranationalism, civil liberties, and the rights and obligation of Jews and Arabs to live together harmoniously in the Middle East. Subjects he was interested in ranged from capital punishment to vegetarianism. These essays were written from the author's special perspective: he is a physicist and he knew Einstein personally for several years. His style is accessible and nonmathematical. This book provides essential information about Einstein the human being which will fascinate and inform both the specialist and the layman

Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac was one of the founders of quantum theory. He is numbered alongside Newton, Maxwell and Einstein as one of the greatest physicists of all time. Together the lectures in this volume, originally presented on the occasion of the dedication ceremony for a plaque honoring Dirac in Westminster Abbey, give a unique insight into the relationship between Dirac's character and his scientific achievements. The text begins with the dedication address given by Stephen Hawking at the ceremony. Then Abraham Pais describes Dirac as a person and his approach to his work. Maurice Jacob explains how Dirac was led to introduce the concept of antimatter, and its central role in modern particle physics and cosmology. This is followed by David Olive's account of the origin and enduring influence of Dirac's work on magnetic monopoles. Finally, Sir Michael Atiyah explains the deep and widespread significance of the Dirac equation in mathematics.

Die Erlebnisse des Autors in Princeton 1946 bieten einen faszinierenden Einblick in die Begegnungen mit bedeutenden Physikern wie Albert Einstein und Niels Bohr. Die ersten Gespräche mit Einstein, die oft von Respekt und Leidenschaft geprägt waren, führten zu tiefen Diskussionen über die Quantentheorie. Der Autor schildert, wie er trotz anfänglicher Verständnisschwierigkeiten von Einstein eingeladen wurde, regelmäßig mit ihm zu sprechen, was die Grundlage für eine langanhaltende intellektuelle Freundschaft bildete. Die Gespräche fanden meist auf Deutsch statt, um die komplexen Gedanken Einsteins präzise auszudrücken.