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Roots of Modern Technology

An Elegant Survey of the Basic Mathematical and Scientific Concepts

Authors:

  • Provides a comprehensive historic view on the foundations of contemporary technology
  • Revisits mathematical and other abstract scientific concepts in an surprisingly easy-to-understand but exact manner
  • Avoids misleading metaphors, analogies and descriptions by introducing the real scientific fundamental
  • Joins together the pieces of distributed knowledge of an educated reader to a consistent world view

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Softcover Book USD 169.99
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Hardcover Book USD 169.99
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  • Durable hardcover edition
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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

  2. Explaining Modern Technology

    1. Explaining Modern Technology

      • Siegfried Wendt
      Pages 1-9
  3. Part I: Fundamentals of Mathematics and Logic

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 11-11
    2. When It Helps to Ignore Any Meaning

      • Siegfried Wendt
      Pages 81-108
    3. About the Methods for Computing the Future

      • Siegfried Wendt
      Pages 109-130
    4. What Talking and Writing Have in Common

      • Siegfried Wendt
      Pages 131-143
  4. Part II: Fundamentals of Natural Sciences

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 145-145
    2. How Albert Einstein Disregarded Common Sense

      • Siegfried Wendt
      Pages 173-205
  5. Part III: Fundamentals of Engineering

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 345-345
    2. Why Engineers Are “Playing with Models”

      • Siegfried Wendt
      Pages 347-388
  6. Back Matter

About this book

If the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates came to life again today, he would wonder how airplanes fly and light bulbs glow, but not wonder much about the world’s political and social changes that took place since his time. The author puts himself in the position of explaining to Socrates the technological fundamentals behind all our modern conveniences . Since he takes Socrates seriously, the author accepts the challenge of introducing the relevant mathematical and technical concepts, and he does so in a remarkably easy-tounderstand and accurate way. The result is a comprehensive overview of the elements of our technical civilization, an overview properly based upon elementary but solid mathematical and scientific principles. Everyone with an inclination toward science and technology can take advantage of the clear structure, the comprehensive presentation and the many wonderfully-illustrated examples of the book.

Reviews

From the reviews:

“The author has undertaken to teach a willing student … all the mathematics and physics behind the complex technology of contemporary society, ranging from basic numbers to calculus, probability theory, relativity, quantum mechanics, and even string theory. … the book is … elegant. Summing Up: … . General readers.” (M. Schiff, Choice, Vol. 48 (6), February, 2011)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Hasso-Planttner-Institut für Softwaresystemtechnik, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Siegfried Wendt

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Roots of Modern Technology

  • Book Subtitle: An Elegant Survey of the Basic Mathematical and Scientific Concepts

  • Authors: Siegfried Wendt

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12062-6

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Engineering, Engineering (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-642-12061-9Published: 30 July 2010

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-642-43111-1Published: 14 October 2014

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-642-12062-6Published: 15 July 2010

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: VII, 449

  • Additional Information: Originally published in German as "Was Sokrates nicht wissen konnte", ISBN 978-3-8274-1953-8, 2008

  • Topics: Engineering, general, History of Science, Computers and Society

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access