Is God a Mathematician?, Mario Livio
Is God a Mathematician?, Mario Livio
3 Rating(s)
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Is God a Mathematician?

Author: Mario Livio

Narrator: Tom Parks

Unabridged: 9 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/10/2018


Synopsis

Bestselling author and astrophysicist Mario Livio examines the lives and theories of history’s greatest mathematicians to ask how—if mathematics is an abstract construction of the human mind—it can so perfectly explain the physical world.Nobel Laureate Eugene Wigner once wondered about “the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics” in the formulation of the laws of nature. Is God a Mathematician? investigates why mathematics is as powerful as it is. From ancient times to the present, scientists and philosophers have marveled at how such a seemingly abstract discipline could so perfectly explain the natural world. More than that—mathematics has often made predictions, for example, about subatomic particles or cosmic phenomena that were unknown at the time, but later were proven to be true. Is mathematics ultimately invented or discovered? If, as Einstein insisted, mathematics is “a product of human thought that is independent of experience,” how can it so accurately describe and even predict the world around us?Physicist and author Mario Livio brilliantly explores mathematical ideas from Pythagoras to the present day as he shows us how intriguing questions and ingenious answers have led to ever deeper insights into our world. This fascinating book will interest anyone curious about the human mind, the scientific world, and the relationship between them.

About Mario Livio

Mario Livio, Ph.D., is head of the science division at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which conducts the scientific program of the Hubble Space Telescope. He is recognized as a world expert on topics ranging from dramatic explosions like novae, supernovae, and gamma-ray bursts to compact astronomical objects like white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. He has published over 300 scientific papers and has lectured to the public about discoveries in astronomy and cosmology all across the globe.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Irena on July 07, 2024

I saw a Hebrew translation of "Is God a Mathematician?" years ago in a local bookshop. An intriguing title. Still, I didn't buy the book back then, but when I happened upon an audiobook version, I just had to add it to my oversized audible.com library, as well as a few other titles by the same autho......more

Goodreads review by Ken on July 26, 2011

The answer to the question "Is God a Mathematician" depends very much on your world view. Those of faith that believe in a transcendent creator God will surely answer with a resounding YES. But Atheists and other non believers are likely to think mathematics is nothing more than an invention of the......more

Goodreads review by Crina on November 01, 2015

I was pleasantly surprised by Mario Livio’s “Is God a Mathematician?” specifically his eloquence in walking the readers through the most significant moments in the history of mathematics and acquainting them with prominent figures on an extensive timeline from antiquity to modern days. As the title s......more

Goodreads review by Mircea on November 24, 2024

Este matematica descoperită sau inventată? Comunitățile matematicienilor și filosofilor sunt divizate pe acest subiect. Cred că matematica este inventată. Mi s-au părut convingătoare cercetările recente din neuroștiințe. Matematica nu este foarte diferită de limbaj. După cum spunea neurologul Jean-Pie......more