The Logical Leap
Induction in Physics
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Narrated by:
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Erik Singer
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By:
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David Harriman
About this listen
A groundbreaking solution to the problem of induction, based on Ayn Rand's theory of concepts.
Inspired by and expanding on a series of lectures presented by Leonard Peikoff, David Harriman presents a fascinating answer to the problem of induction-the epistemological question of how we can know the truth of inductive generalizations. Ayn Rand presented her revolutionary theory of concepts in her book Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology. As Dr. Peikoff subsequently explored the concept of induction, he sought out David Harriman, a physicist who had taught philosophy, for his expert knowledge of the scientific discovery process. Here, Harriman presents the result of a collaboration between scientist and philosopher.
Beginning with a detailed discussion of the role of mathematics and experimentation in validating generalizations in physics-looking closely at the reasoning of scientists such as Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Lavoisier, and Maxwell-Harriman skillfully argues that the inductive method used in philosophy is in principle indistinguishable from the method used in physics.
©2010 David Harriman (P)2010 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
Ayn Rand fans and science geeks rejoice: Objectivism's intellectual heir Leonard Peikoff joins forces with Defense Department physicist David Harriman to bring you this treatise on the proliferation of irrationality in postmodern scientific theory. Peikoff knows his philosophy and Harriman knows his science. Prepare for the brave new worlds of quantum mechanics and string theory to be crushed between them.
Your energetic guide through the quirky business of quarks is narrator Erik Singer, expert teacher of speech and dialects. In addition to capably mimicking that weirdo physics teacher you had in high school, he showcases the full range of his European accents. As Harriman charts a course from the scientific method of ancient Greece to the bogus speculations of modern Germany, Singer does each and every quotation in the accent of its author. Most gratifying, of course, is his light Russian accenting on the choice bits of Ayn Rand in Peikoff's introduction and introductory chapter.
The first two-thirds of the book outline a history of the scientific method from the Objectivist viewpoint. From Galileo to Newton to Kepler, from astronomy to chemistry to physics, Harriman identifies major breakthroughs and corresponding missteps in well-known scientific discoveries as they relate to the problem of induction. The problem is whether induction, or generalization, is a reasonable way to draw conclusions. Harriman argues that good scientists uses math and experiment to prove inductive conclusions, and that the same principle can be applied to inductive conclusions in philosophy.
If you have an interest in Ayn Rand's theory of concepts and are willing to wade through all the physics, this is the book for you. Or if you have an interest in physics and are willing to sit through the hyperbole and didacticism that are threaded throughout the Objectivist interpretation, this is the book for you. Singer's voice work goes a long way to make this tome palatable, but it is for those with strength of mind, not for those faint of heart. —Megan Volpert
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Einstein and the Quantum
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- By: A. Douglas Stone
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Einstein and the Quantum reveals for the first time the full significance of Albert Einstein's contributions to quantum theory. Einstein famously rejected quantum mechanics, observing that God does not play dice. But, in fact, he thought more about the nature of atoms, molecules, and the emission and absorption of light - the core of what we now know as quantum theory - than he did about relativity.
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educational and fun
- By Amjad on 12-04-13
By: A. Douglas Stone
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Warped Passages
- Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
- By: Lisa Randall
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Warped Passages is an altogether exhilarating journey that tracks the arc of discovery from early 20th-century physics to the razor's edge of modern scientific theory. One of the world's leading theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall provides astonishing scientific possibilities that, until recently, were restricted to the realm of science fiction. Unraveling the twisted threads of the most current debates on relativity, quantum mechanics, and gravity, she explores some of the most fundamental questions posed by Nature.
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Physics textbook without the math
- By Victor on 05-13-18
By: Lisa Randall
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The Story of Western Science
- From the Writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Far too often, public discussion of science is carried out by journalists, voters, and politicians who have received their science secondhand. The Story of Western Science shows us the joy and importance of reading groundbreaking science writing for ourselves and guides us back to the masterpieces that have changed the way we think about our world, our cosmos, and ourselves.
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Good text, tedious book structure
- By Diane K. on 10-07-15
By: Susan Wise Bauer
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Science and the Akashic Field
- An Integral Theory of Everything
- By: Ervin Laszlo
- Narrated by: Tom Pile
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Mystics and sages have long maintained that there exists an interconnecting cosmic field at the roots of reality that conserves and conveys information, a field known as the Akashic record. Recent discoveries in vacuum physics show that this Akashic field is real and has its equivalent in science's zero-point field that underlies space itself. This field consists of a subtle sea of fluctuating energies from which all things arise: atoms and galaxies, stars and planets, living beings, and even consciousness.
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A must-read about ultimate nature of reality
- By Alexandra Hopkins on 04-15-18
By: Ervin Laszlo
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The World According to Physics
- By: Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Jim Al-Khalili
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Shining a light on the most profound insights revealed by modern physics, Jim Al-Khalili invites us all to understand what this crucially important science tells us about the universe and the nature of reality itself. Al-Khalili begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, and then describes the three pillars of modern physics - quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics - showing how all three must come together if we are ever to have a full understanding of reality.
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excellent book
- By Anonymous User on 05-10-21
By: Jim Al-Khalili
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Spooky Action at a Distance
- The Phenomenon That Reimagines Space and Time-and What It Means for Black Holes, the Big Bang, and Theories of Everything
- By: George Musser
- Narrated by: William Hughes
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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What is space? It isn't a question that most of us normally stop to ask. Space is the venue of physics; it's where things exist, where they move and take shape. Yet over the past few decades, physicists have discovered a phenomenon that operates outside the confines of space and time. The phenomenon - the ability of one particle to affect another instantly across the vastness of space - appears to be almost magical.
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Rambling but Asks Good Questions
- By Michael on 12-19-15
By: George Musser
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Forces of Nature
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Professor Brian Cox uncovers some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth and in the universe and beyond. From the immensity of the universe and the roundness of Earth to the form of every single snowflake, the forces of nature shape everything we see. Pushed to extremes, the results are astonishing. In seeking to understand the everyday world, the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home, we develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to step beyond the everyday.
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Complicated in its simplicity
- By Philomath on 06-13-17
By: Professor Brian Cox, and others
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Beyond Biocentrism
- Rethinking Time, Space, Consciousness, and the Illusion of Death
- By: Robert Lanza, Bob Berman
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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In Beyond Biocentrism, acclaimed biologist Robert Lanza and astronomer Bob Berman take the listener on an intellectual thrill ride as they reexamine everything we thought we knew about life, death, the universe, and the nature of reality itself. The first step is acknowledging that our existing model of reality is looking increasingly creaky in the face of recent scientific discoveries.
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Here's the thing
- By Mikal on 11-09-18
By: Robert Lanza, and others
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Calculating the Cosmos
- How Mathematics Unveils the Universe
- By: Ian Stewart
- Narrated by: Dana Hickox
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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In Calculating the Cosmos, Ian Stewart presents an exhilarating guide to the cosmos, from our solar system to the entire universe. He describes the architecture of space and time, dark matter and dark energy, how galaxies form, why stars implode, how everything began, and how it's all going to end. He considers parallel universes, the fine-tuning of the cosmos for life, what forms extraterrestrial life might take, and the likelihood of life on Earth being snuffed out by an asteroid.
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Crank alert: rejects modern cosmology
- By James Weisner on 03-20-17
By: Ian Stewart
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The Big Picture
- On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void?
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ABSOLUTE MUST READ!
- By serine on 05-12-16
By: Sean Carroll
What listeners say about The Logical Leap
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Timothy
- 07-13-15
Great book
Great listen that is essential for navigating the dominant theories. The narrator's imitated accents seemed unnecessary but otherwise perfect.
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- Hazem Elhady
- 08-20-12
Surprisingly engaging
When I got this book, I had some doubts that it won't be easy to follow. especially that I listen to my audio books while driving through the video game-like traffic of Beijing. But, I was pleasantly surprised to how easy it was to listen to. I studied.., or rather memorized many of these theories at school, but it was intriguing to hear how these theories came about. it is the story behind the theories, and the philosophical presentation of how the theories connected that was very engaging. I also loved how the narrators impersonated the accent of the scientist that he is quoting. i.e. using Italian accent when quoting Amedeo Avogadro.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Eric
- 10-12-10
Quite refreshing
This was quite a refreshing read and I think an excellent start on a reality based philosophy of science. Having read Kuhn and other philosophers of science and thinking "WTF?!" as I was reading them, this book clearly delineates the point where they said good by to reality and why their philosophies seem to wander into relativism and contradiction.
If you are struggling with Kuhn or the nature of science, read this book.
The only thing that I could have done with less of was the constant almost sycophantic mentioning of Rand. I enjoy her philosophy, but this type of almost worshipful behavior is why people classify try to classify objectivism as a cult. Please stop, her ideas stand on their own. No worship is required.
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14 people found this helpful
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- David Stewart
- 01-04-13
Fascinating, profound philosophical work
Would you listen to The Logical Leap again? Why?
This book is a profound exploration of one of philosophy's most challenging problems: The epistemological problem of inductive logic, and the establishment of truths about the material world. Harriman shows, using intensive explorations of the experimental science of Galileo, Newton, Watterston, and other scientists, how scientific laws and theories can be proven. I have listened to it three times, learning new things each time, and deepening my understanding of both the matter of the book, science itself, and logic.
Have you listened to any of Erik Singer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
The narrator does a fantastic job. His pace is perfect, and his inflection is natural. He doesn't seem to be reading.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Adam
- 06-16-17
Physics is dead. Long live physics!
If you can get around Objectivism's irresistible urge to slander Christianity wherever it may be found, blame it for every evil and ignore its every virtue, this book could add much to your understanding of how we have arrived at a place where leading physicist demy the law of identity, the law of causality and the law of non-contradiction.
Trace the effects of logical positivism as relates to modern quantum physics and learn how this sticky subject of inductive logic works with reference to the supposedly hard sciences.
If you don't have a philosophy of science, (and who but philosophers do?) you cannot afford to avoid asking these questions and confronting the history of scientific investigation.
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- Georgio Hernandez
- 09-05-24
Illuminating
Truly illuminating presentation that helps to explain and explore the world around us. Will help me see the world more clearly myself and show the world to my kids!
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- David
- 08-17-10
Wonderful journey through scientific history
This is a very well written and brilliantly conceived book. I am very interested in sciences, and have studied science most of my life, so I found this subject very appealing. However, I think it is still very accessible for those with less of a background in science.
On one hand, it weaves a fantastic journey through the history of great science. Hundreds of years of experiment and discovery that come across so beautifully. This is expertly tied to philosophical references and counterpoints throughout. So beyond a story of the development of what we now consider basic knowledge (which alone would be interesting enough), we also learn about the logical and correct way that people can use observation and experimentation to derive universal truths. We also learn when to dismiss what cannot be true.
The narrator, on the whole, does a great job. He has a good reading voice that is easy to follow and listen to. However, he uses very theatrical accents when reading quotations. No doubt they are very good accents, and suit those figures who first spoke them, but they distract immensely from the information that is being conveyed to the listener. That is my only complaint.
In summary, it's a great combination of amazing science, amazing characters, and valuable lessons of logic and inductive reasoning. I also appreciate that the structure of approach of this subject is related to Ayn Rand's philosophy and reasoning. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in science, history, philosophy, or thinking in general.
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13 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 04-18-11
Interesting but Naive...
As an overview of the inductive scientific method and a selected history of science this was an interesting listen. As a foundation for a philosophy of science, it is weak. As a critique of modern physic theoretical methods it is na??ve.
The author states that ???Theoretical physicists???have rejected causality in favor of chance, logic in favor of contradictions, and reality in favor of fantasy. The science of physics is now riddled with claims that are as absurd as those of any religious cult.??? Well, this is true, but it is not due to improper method or a lack of trying. Experiments have led to this very uncomfortable position. The author justifiably derides string theory, but less justifiably derides quantum theory in general, wondering why Bohm???s quantum theory is not more studied. Bohm???s theory is interesting (and has been studied), but does not have testable differences and is less easily used for predictions, thus it has been set aside (not rejected). Bohm???s theory is just one among myriads of untestable and less practical quantum theories. Great minds (including Einstein???s) have striven for generations to suggest experiments to clarify the quantum world, to little avail. The author generally describes scientific induction (which is interesting) but such induction is only one tool of scientific progress and induction has, in fact, been stymied for generations by a universe that is stranger than we had imagined.
I am a fan of Ayn Rand as a novelist, and a thinker, not quite as a philosopher, and definitely not a scientist. One of the few weaknesses of Rand???s mind was a narrowness of perspective that seems to be reflected in this book. The narration is excellent.
I found "The Trouble with Physics" a more penetrating review of the issues facing modern physics.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Philip G.
- 03-28-15
Interesting stuff, requires a patient listner
I do understand why the narrator found it necessary to imitate the Ayn Rand's Russian accent. I found this annoying and distracting.
The story is dry.
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- Greg Hunter
- 04-27-11
Philosophy is a strong word
Surely there must be some minimum standard for a book to be called philosophy - If The Logical Leap is a book on the Philosophy of Science then Chicken Soup for the Soul is book on Moral Philosophy. David Harriman thanks the Ayn Rand society for funding his writing and thinking (again a rather strong choice of words). Perhaps the Society will get a good return on their investment but in an intellectual sense - as with Chicken Soup - this is a failure of the market. - So we are told that everything can be proven with certainty when based on Sense Perceptions - which are "self evident" - well yes they are evident to the self who perceives them - but that does not mean they are a true representation of reality - nor that the inductive relationships we perceive between them are true or better than all other possible constructs. This book would make an interesting psychological study on Confirmation Bias - it could only be believed if you really really wanted to believe it - or were paid to. I must admit I couldn't finish it - but in the spirit of Ayn Rand I will if someone will pay me (really really well). . .
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6 people found this helpful