John Archibald Wheeler was a distinguished American theoretical physicist. He was one of the later collaborators of Albert Einstein, striving to achieve Einstein's vision of a unified field theory. He is also recognized as the originator of the popular name for a well-known space phenomenon: the black hole.
Exploring the life of John Archibald Wheeler, this autobiography delves into his remarkable contributions to modern physics and his interactions with luminaries like Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein. Wheeler, who coined the term "black hole" and was pivotal in nuclear physics and gravitation, recounts the thrill of groundbreaking discoveries and the vibrant intellectual community at Princeton University. His narrative highlights not only his scientific achievements but also the friendships and collaborations that shaped his enduring passion for knowledge.
Colleague and confidant of Einstein and Bohr and pioneer of nuclear fission -- John A. Wheeler is one of our most original and profound thinkers. In engaging essays formed of reminiscence, science, and conjecture, Wheeler writes of debates and discussions with Bohr, long talks with Einstein in his study at Princeton, and the eloquence and nobility of Hermann Weyl. With simple delight in "the machinery of existence" Wheeler exudes an enthusiasm that illuminates this collection. John Wheeler is one of the 20th century's most notable nuclear physicists and relativity theorists. In addition, he has played a leading role in research on pulsars, black holes, and nuclear reactor safety. Dr. Wheeler is Jan and Roland Blumberg Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas, Austin and Joseph Henry Professor of Physics Emeritus at Princeton University.
Explores the concepts and many implications of the theory that the structure and operation of the universe is determined by the existence of intelligent observers
This landmark text offers a rigorous full-year graduate level course on gravitation physics, teaching students • Grasp the laws of physics in flat spacetime• Predict orders of magnitude• Calculate using the principal tools of modern geometry• Predict all levels of precision• Understand Einstein's geometric framework for physics• Explore applications, including pulsars and neutron stars, cosmology, the Schwarzschild geometry and gravitational collapse, and gravitational waves• Probe experimental tests of Einstein's theory• Tackle advanced topics such as superspace and quantum geometrodynamicsThe book offers a unique, alternating two-track pathway through the • In many chapters, material focusing on basic physical ideas is designated asTrack 1 . These sections together make an appropriate one-term advanced/graduate level course (mathematical vector analysis and simple partial-differential equations). The book is printed to make it easy for readers to identify these sections.• The remaining Track 2 material provides a wealth of advanced topics instructors can draw from to flesh out a two-term course, with Track 1 sections serving as prerequisites.
