Incertezza. Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr e il principio di indeterminazione

The remarkable story of a startling scientific idea that ignited a battle among the greatest minds of the twentieth century and profoundly influenced intellectual inquiry in fields ranging from physics to literary criticism, anthropology and journalism. In 1927, young German physicist Werner Heisenberg challenged centuries of scientific understanding when he introduced what came to be known as "the uncertainty principle." Heisenberg proved that in many physical measurements, you can obtain one bit of information only at the price of losing another. This proposition, undermining the cherished belief that science could reveal the physical world with limitless detail and precision, placed Heisenberg in direct opposition to the revered Albert Einstein. Niels Bohr, Heisenberg's mentor and Einstein's long-time friend, found himself caught between the two. Bohr understood that Heisenberg was correct, but he also recognized the vital necessity of gaining Einstein's support as the world faced the shocking implications of Heisenberg's principle.--From publisher description.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member fpagan

Physics history, but just a specific era therein. Not only Einstein, Heisenberg, and Bohr, but also Sommerfeld, Born, Schrödinger, Pauli, Dirac ... -- all the legendary figures of the formative years of quantum mechanics. More absorbing than I expected.

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LibraryThing member nealjking

Covers the development of the ideas behind the Uncertainty Principle, including the introduction of randomness and spontaneity into quantum physics. The issues among Heisenberg, Bohr and Einstein are discussed in the context of their interests, personalities and lives.

There is also discussion of

the confusion introduced by this development into philosophical thought and popular culture.

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LibraryThing member SnowcatCradle

Stephen Hakwking's A Grand Design made me despise the Uncertainty Principle. David Lindley's Uncertainty made me despise those men who, throughout history, have despised the Uncertainty Principle. Such a drastic turnaround is no mean feat and likely is due to this book's, predominantly

biographical, focus.

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LibraryThing member MarkBeronte

Werner Heisenberg’s “uncertainty principle” challenged centuries of scientific understanding, placed him in direct opposition to Albert Einstein, and put Niels Bohr in the middle of one of the most heated debates in scientific history. Heisenberg’s theorem stated that there were physical

limits to what we could know about sub-atomic particles; this “uncertainty” would have shocking implications. In a riveting account, David Lindley captures this critical episode and explains one of the most important scientific discoveries in history, which has since transcended the boundaries of science and influenced everything from literary theory to television.

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