5:30 - 7:30
In 2020 we read from the anthology What's the Matter?: Readings in Physics.
Great Books Discussion Group covers topics which enlarge our understanding of the ideas shaping our culture and gain a deeper appreciation for what it means to be human.
For more information or to obtain a copy of an upcoming reading, please contact Brian Cunningham: briancnngham@gmail.com or (415) 567-1457.
2020 Reading List: What's the Matter?: Readings in Physics.
Mar. 5: "The Mechanical Equivalent of Heat" (13pp.) by James Prescott Joule
Apr. 2: "Introduction of Electric Currents" & "On the Physical Lines of Magnetic Force" (21pp.) by Michael Faraday
May 1: "The Science of Electromagnetism," "Electricity and Electromotive Force" & "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field" (31pp.) by James Clerk Maxwell
Jun. 4: "Quantum Behavior" (18pp.) by Richard Feynman
Jul. 2: "The Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Theory" (14pp.) by Werner Heisenberg
Aug. 6: "Quantum Perplexity and Debate" (12pp.) by John Polkinghorne
Sep. 3: "Beautiful Theories: Symmetry and Mathematics" (23pp.) by Steven Weinberg
Oct. 1: "Why Physics Is the Easiest Science: Effective Theories" (14pp.) by Gordon Kane
Nov. 5: "Metaphor in Science" (12pp) by Alan Lightman
Dec. 3: "The Scientist’s Responsibilities" (6pp.) by Albert Einstein
Book Clubs
Read, discuss ideas and connect through the many book clubs hosted by SFPL.