Long-Term Goals

justonemoreperson wrote:

Manners73 wrote:
Thought that was quite good. Then I thought I'd challenge myself and read Stephen hawking brief history of time. I understood about 20% of it but I loved that 20%

I did the same and got about 20%. Read it again a couple of years later and managed to get about half way through before my brain started screaming.

Fascinating stuff.

I liked the bit about the black holes and space men getting sucked in and turned into spaghetti.

@Reaper I'd love to travel with ya.

Manners73 wrote:@Reaper I'd love to travel with ya.

Unless you plan on coming to Australia for a holiday, ain't gonna happen. Could be fun if you did though.

justonemoreperson wrote:

Manners73 wrote:Thought that was quite good. Then I thought I'd challenge myself and read Stephen hawking brief history of time. I understood about 20% of it but I loved that 20%

I did the same and got about 20%. Read it again a couple of years later and managed to get about half way through before my brain started screaming.
Fascinating stuff.

You're both too smart for me. I've never attempted that book.

Brief history of time is just a pop-sci book. Very few equations. You should give it a read Eight. I'm sure you'll find it interesting.

solemnlysworn wrote:Brief history of time is just a pop-sci book. Very few equations. you should give it a read Eight. I'm sure you'll find it interesting.

Are you being cute, SS, or do you really think it's something I might be able to handle?
I'm crap at math and physics isn't my forte.
I don't mind working hard at what I'm reading as long as I'm not absolutely lost and it's all flying over my head -- I think that's been my concern re this book.
Have you read it? Did you glean more than 20%?

It's for a general audience, non-specialists with no knowledge of science assumed. I'm sure you'll manage. Like I said, the number of equations are kept to a minimum. There are lots of pretty pictures and diagrams

-- Tue Nov 05, 2019 4:46 am --

You've also got your husband there who can lend a hand where need be

solemnlysworn wrote:It's for a general audience, non-specialists with no knowledge of science assumed. I'm sure you'll manage. Like I said, the number of equations are kept to a minimum. There are lots of pretty pictures and diagrams

"pretty pictures and diagrams" - that made me laugh. About my style when it comes to heady intellectually-demanding sustained scientific writing.

If this is the case, why did jomp/manners only grab 20%? I consider them more intelligent than me.

You've also got your husband there who can lend a hand where need be

God knows he tries. He'd be pleased if I'd read this and discuss with him. And if he started in on one of this tangents, I'd just begin to tell him why so-and-so did what he did, in great detail, and drive him mad.

I'm going to ask him right now if he's read this, and his impression.

I'm sure we all have different aptitudes and strengths and capacity for sustained interest. I'm not sure that one person getting through a book will mean much

Eight wrote:

justonemoreperson wrote:

Manners73 wrote:Thought that was quite good. Then I thought I'd challenge myself and read Stephen hawking brief history of time. I understood about 20% of it but I loved that 20%

I did the same and got about 20%. Read it again a couple of years later and managed to get about half way through before my brain started screaming.
Fascinating stuff.

You're both too smart for me. I've never attempted that book.

I found that not worrying about the parts that I don't understand helps. Just powered through and enjoyed the bits I did understand.

Manners73 wrote: I found that not worrying about the parts that I don't understand helps. Just powered through and enjoyed the bits I did understand.

That would be my approach as well. Unless I am bored to tears or am totally lost, I can usually find bits of interest in most everything.

Asked husband, SS. He said he read it some time ago. Liked it. Got a bit too interested in me mentioning I might read it.
Said he'd recommend these:
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
and The Order of Time by same author