Art and Science: The Physics of Our Natural World, Book Review

When you go to college, you take psychology and philosophy courses that challenge the reality of existence, while the professor tries to get your mind to think outside the box. While this is a very good exercise, it confuses a good number of students. Maybe you have a solution for that. Perhaps all these college students need to do is consider the science behind what it is, that is, ask the question; what our reality is made of, and then work backwards from there, while asking the same questions suggested by the teachers.

If you want a book that can help you consider all of this, and perhaps understand a little more about what they are doing with particle physics at places like CERN, then I have a decent recommendation for you. The name of the book is;

“Einstein’s Space and Van Gogh’s Sky – Physical Reality and Beyond” by Lawrence Leshan and Henry Margenau, MacMillan Publishers, New York, NY, 1982, 268 pages, ISBN: 0-02-570460-5.

Now, you don’t have to be a New Age person to enjoy this attempt by the authors to explain our current realm and reality using science, quantum physics, and many of Einstein’s most prominent equations and theories to enjoy this book. and reflect on the alternative realities or relative observations of everything in our known world. The authors first dive into how exactly to understand and explain this concept of alternate realities and the structure of domains, realms, and relative realities.

Although this book was written in 1982, one could look at it and see that much of today’s understanding, even the most current theories of particle physics in the philosophical realm. In fact, when you are done with Part I of this book, you will have a good understanding of Part II and Part III. The authors have a good philosophical and scientific argument for the reader regarding relativity and truth, as to what it is, what is reality and where and when it did, will or may occur.

You will enjoy the discussion of causality, feedback, purpose, reductionism, logic, and verification of scientific theory, as the authors perhaps explain why their point of view is perfectly solid with all that it is. In Part III, well, this is where things get really interesting and deep as in; what is real is real, and why is it real or not. There is an interesting chapter on art, one on ethics and one on conscience.

Although these authors seem to be writing from a liberal arts perspective, which makes someone like me go crazy, their scientific use of theories and knowledge is quite good, therefore this book survives the label of a ; New Age work.