Phase Change: The Computer Revolution in Science and Mathematics

Don't let the low sales rank fool you. This is one of the most important books in recent years.

Robertson presents an important new perspective on the history of science in this book. We all know that computers have vastly increased our ability to study the universe around us, as well as the universe of mathematics, but Robertson puts this revolution into a wider context, as part of an ongoing process that occurs whenever our ability to observe the universe increases significantly. The invention of the telescope, for example, brought about a large quantitative change in our ability to see. However, the result in astronomy is more than just quantitative, more than just the ability to see more things in the sky, but a fundamental change in the insights that are available to us in that field.Robertson's great insight in this book is that the telescope is only one example of this phenomenon in the history of science.

The author generalizes the meaning of "phasechange" to describe any event for which it is nearlyimpossible to forecast the behavior of a system afterthe event from a knowledge of the behavior of a systembefore the event. He points out that such events inscience and mathematics frequently involve theinvention of a technology that allows us to observesomething that could not be observed before. Hefurther argues that "phase changes" cause paradigmshifts. Examples of inventions that have caused phasechanges are the telescope in astronomy, the microscopein biology, and the computer in every field. Hisarguments are very good, and although I was skeptical,I was convinced. Even if you are not convinced by hisarguments, the book is enormously interesting for thehistory and overview it gives of mathematics,astronomy, physics, biology, and other sciences. Iwas very impressed that one person could grasp theessential features of so many different fields. Inaddition, he expresses the ideas and history so wellthat I found it enormously interesting, even in thefields I am already familiar with. Chapter 8 is more controversial, and althoughI did not agree with everything he says, I wasfascinated to read his views. I found my mind beingstretched in enjoyable ways. I highly recommend this book to anyone who haseven the slightest interest in science, and also toanyone who is interested in learning more about thecomputer revolution.