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Sourcebook on atomic energy
700
BOOK REVIEWS
In the first volume, we find Weyl's early work related to Fourier's integral theorem, followed by his discussion o f the distribution o f eigenfrequencies o f oscillating systems, so i m p o r t a n t in statistical physics. T h e last p a p e r o f the first v o l u m e a n d a large part o f the second v o l u m e are devoted to the theory o f gravitation. T h e second v o l u m e also contains purely m a t h e m a t i c a l papers, including his first c o n t r i b u t i o n s to two vast p r o b l e m s which did n o t cease to occupy him: t h e epistemological f o u n d a t i o n s o f m a t h e m a t i c s a n d the t h e o r y o f representations o f groups. T h e application o f the last t h e o r y to q u a n t u m m e c h a n i c s led h i m to atomic physics, where his c o n t r i b u t i o n s are o f lasting value. T h e s e are f o u n d in t h e third v o l u m e , which f u r t h e r contains m a n y brilliant papers o n geometrical a n d algebraical questions. T h e f o u r t h v o l u m e , in which W e y l ' s p r o d u c t i o n o f the last fourteen years o f his life is collected, takes up t h e previous t h e m e s a n d adds new variations to t h e m , in no way inferior to t h e old ones. It closes with a masterly biographical s t u d y by C. Chevalley a n d A. Weil. T h e preceding e n u m e r a t i o n , incomplete as it is, will give t h e reader a n idea o f t h e wealth a c c u m u lated in these pages, a n d presented to h i m with such w o n d e r f u l lucidity that he m a y be t e m p t e d to forget the t r e m e n d o u s c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f t h o u g h t by which it was acquired. L.R.
GLASSTONE,S., Sourcebook on atomic energy. D. V a n N o s t r a n d Co., L o n d o n , 1968. 881 pp. 86s. 6d. N e w edition o f a highly successful a c c o u n t o f atomic a n d nuclear physics in simple, b u t precise l a n g u a g e - p o p u l a r i z a t i o n o f science at its best. Especially p r a i s e w o r t h y is the a u t h o r ' s e n d e a v o u r to retrace the history o f all p a r t s o f the subject, n o t neglecting t h e "petite histoire", such as the circumstances o f the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f new words. So far as r a n d o m checks indicate, the i n f o r m a t i o n , both historical a n d factual, is r e m a r k a b l y accurate. However, in the account o f events a n d developments after the war, the a u t h o r h a s n o t m a i n t a i n e d a right balance between A m e r i c a n achievements a n d the c o n t r i b u t i o n s f r o m o t h e r parts o f the world to the technological a n d especially to the scientific advances; the reader is left with the impression that hardly a n y t h i n g was done outside the U n i t e d States. Even the selection o f the illustrations a n d o f the recent literature for further reading is exclusively A m e r i c a n a n d t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o f the International U n i o n o f Physics a b o u t units a n d s y m b o l s are scorned. L.R. JAUCH, J. M., Fotmdations o f quantum mechanics. A d d i s o n - W e s l e y Publishing Co., L o n d o n , 1968. 299 pp. 140/-. This treatise r a n k s as a m a j o r contribution to a n i m p o r t a n t subject; n o t only has it the didactic qualities o f a n a d v a n c e d textbook, but - assembling as it does in a systematic way the a u t h o r ' s o w n investigations - it m a y be regarded as an original contribution o f o u t s t a n d i n g a n d lasting value to the elucidation o f the conceptual f r a m e w o r k o f q u a n t u m mechanics. Still, for an exhaustive analysis, this vast p r o b l e m m u s t be considered f r o m so different points o f view t h a t there is p r o b a b l y no single physicist capable o f doing justice to all its aspects. Professor J a u c h h a s concentrated his efforts on the consolidation o f the logical structure o f the theory, a n d since he a p p r o a c h e d the task with the physicist's feeling for the really m e a n i n g f u l points, he h a s complished it m u c h better t h a n t h o s e p u r e m a t h e m a t i c i a n s w h o pick up physical theories as pretexts for formal exercises; nevertheldss he definitely overestimates the significance o f axiomatics at the cost o f the deeper epistemological discussion o f the relation between physical concepts a n s sensory data - a discussion which is hardly t o u c h e d in the whole b o o k (and this in a very unsatisfactory fashion). It is n o t necessary to enlarge u p o n this criticism, since I h a d occasion recently to present it in a wider context (inthis j o u r n a l A108 (1968) 241). Professor J a u c h is kind e n o u g h to allude in the preface o f his b o o k to s o m e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e which "influenced" his t r e a t m e n t o f the m e a s u r e m e n t processes; I only wish it could have influenced h i m just a little bit m o r e t h a n it did - as it is, the barrier between us seems have a v a n i s h i n g width, b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y an infinite height. T h i s will n o t prevent me, however, f r o m u r g i n g serious students to seek guidance in this b o o k - while c a u t i o n i n g t h e m that it only fulfils h a l f the p r o m i s e o f the title. L.R. BLANC--LAPIERRE, A., Mdcanique statistique. M a s s o n et Cie., Paris, 1968. 432 pp. 9 4 F . Ce trait6 rel6ve de la tradition frangaise de p h y s i q u e m a t h 6 m a t i q u e , r e m o n t a n t ~t Lagrange. Il en a toutes les qualit6s - clart6, 6Mgance, pr6cision, solide a r m a t u r e logique, et aussi le grave d6faut,
BOOK REVIEWS
In the first volume, we find Weyl's early work related to Fourier's integral theorem, followed by his discussion o f the distribution o f eigenfrequencies o f oscillating systems, so i m p o r t a n t in statistical physics. T h e last p a p e r o f the first v o l u m e a n d a large part o f the second v o l u m e are devoted to the theory o f gravitation. T h e second v o l u m e also contains purely m a t h e m a t i c a l papers, including his first c o n t r i b u t i o n s to two vast p r o b l e m s which did n o t cease to occupy him: t h e epistemological f o u n d a t i o n s o f m a t h e m a t i c s a n d the t h e o r y o f representations o f groups. T h e application o f the last t h e o r y to q u a n t u m m e c h a n i c s led h i m to atomic physics, where his c o n t r i b u t i o n s are o f lasting value. T h e s e are f o u n d in t h e third v o l u m e , which f u r t h e r contains m a n y brilliant papers o n geometrical a n d algebraical questions. T h e f o u r t h v o l u m e , in which W e y l ' s p r o d u c t i o n o f the last fourteen years o f his life is collected, takes up t h e previous t h e m e s a n d adds new variations to t h e m , in no way inferior to t h e old ones. It closes with a masterly biographical s t u d y by C. Chevalley a n d A. Weil. T h e preceding e n u m e r a t i o n , incomplete as it is, will give t h e reader a n idea o f t h e wealth a c c u m u lated in these pages, a n d presented to h i m with such w o n d e r f u l lucidity that he m a y be t e m p t e d to forget the t r e m e n d o u s c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f t h o u g h t by which it was acquired. L.R.
GLASSTONE,S., Sourcebook on atomic energy. D. V a n N o s t r a n d Co., L o n d o n , 1968. 881 pp. 86s. 6d. N e w edition o f a highly successful a c c o u n t o f atomic a n d nuclear physics in simple, b u t precise l a n g u a g e - p o p u l a r i z a t i o n o f science at its best. Especially p r a i s e w o r t h y is the a u t h o r ' s e n d e a v o u r to retrace the history o f all p a r t s o f the subject, n o t neglecting t h e "petite histoire", such as the circumstances o f the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f new words. So far as r a n d o m checks indicate, the i n f o r m a t i o n , both historical a n d factual, is r e m a r k a b l y accurate. However, in the account o f events a n d developments after the war, the a u t h o r h a s n o t m a i n t a i n e d a right balance between A m e r i c a n achievements a n d the c o n t r i b u t i o n s f r o m o t h e r parts o f the world to the technological a n d especially to the scientific advances; the reader is left with the impression that hardly a n y t h i n g was done outside the U n i t e d States. Even the selection o f the illustrations a n d o f the recent literature for further reading is exclusively A m e r i c a n a n d t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o f the International U n i o n o f Physics a b o u t units a n d s y m b o l s are scorned. L.R. JAUCH, J. M., Fotmdations o f quantum mechanics. A d d i s o n - W e s l e y Publishing Co., L o n d o n , 1968. 299 pp. 140/-. This treatise r a n k s as a m a j o r contribution to a n i m p o r t a n t subject; n o t only has it the didactic qualities o f a n a d v a n c e d textbook, but - assembling as it does in a systematic way the a u t h o r ' s o w n investigations - it m a y be regarded as an original contribution o f o u t s t a n d i n g a n d lasting value to the elucidation o f the conceptual f r a m e w o r k o f q u a n t u m mechanics. Still, for an exhaustive analysis, this vast p r o b l e m m u s t be considered f r o m so different points o f view t h a t there is p r o b a b l y no single physicist capable o f doing justice to all its aspects. Professor J a u c h h a s concentrated his efforts on the consolidation o f the logical structure o f the theory, a n d since he a p p r o a c h e d the task with the physicist's feeling for the really m e a n i n g f u l points, he h a s complished it m u c h better t h a n t h o s e p u r e m a t h e m a t i c i a n s w h o pick up physical theories as pretexts for formal exercises; nevertheldss he definitely overestimates the significance o f axiomatics at the cost o f the deeper epistemological discussion o f the relation between physical concepts a n s sensory data - a discussion which is hardly t o u c h e d in the whole b o o k (and this in a very unsatisfactory fashion). It is n o t necessary to enlarge u p o n this criticism, since I h a d occasion recently to present it in a wider context (inthis j o u r n a l A108 (1968) 241). Professor J a u c h is kind e n o u g h to allude in the preface o f his b o o k to s o m e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e which "influenced" his t r e a t m e n t o f the m e a s u r e m e n t processes; I only wish it could have influenced h i m just a little bit m o r e t h a n it did - as it is, the barrier between us seems have a v a n i s h i n g width, b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y an infinite height. T h i s will n o t prevent me, however, f r o m u r g i n g serious students to seek guidance in this b o o k - while c a u t i o n i n g t h e m that it only fulfils h a l f the p r o m i s e o f the title. L.R. BLANC--LAPIERRE, A., Mdcanique statistique. M a s s o n et Cie., Paris, 1968. 432 pp. 9 4 F . Ce trait6 rel6ve de la tradition frangaise de p h y s i q u e m a t h 6 m a t i q u e , r e m o n t a n t ~t Lagrange. Il en a toutes les qualit6s - clart6, 6Mgance, pr6cision, solide a r m a t u r e logique, et aussi le grave d6faut,