Mathematics Audiobooks | Science & Technology

The Man from the Future: The Visionary Life of John von Neumann

Brought to you by Penguin. An exhilarating new biography of John von Neumann: the lost genius who invented our world The smartphones in our pockets and computers like brains. The vagaries of game theory and evolutionary biology. Self-replicating moon bases and nuclear weapons. All bear the fingerprints of one remarkable man: John von Neumann. Born in Budapest at the turn of the century, von Neumann is one of the most influential scientists to have ever lived. His colleagues believed he had the fastest brain on the planet - bar none. He was instrumental in the Manhattan Project and helped formulate the bedrock of Cold War geopolitics and modern economic theory. He created the first ever programmable digital computer. He prophesied the potential of nanotechnology and, from his deathbed, expounded on the limits of brains and computers - and how they might be overcome. Taking us on an astonishing journey, Ananyo Bhattacharya explores how a combination of genius and unique historical circumstance allowed a single man to sweep through so many different fields of science, sparking revolutions wherever he went. Insightful and illuminating, The Man from the Future is a thrilling intellectual biography of the visionary thinker who shaped our century. 'A sparkling book, with an intoxicating mix of pen-portraits and grand historical narrative. Above all it fizzes with a dizzying mix of deliciously vital ideas. . . A staggering achievement' Tim Harford © Ananyo Bhattacharya 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Ananyo Bhattacharya (Author), Nicholas Camm (Narrator)

Audiobook

Logic, Philosophy & Psychoanalysis

This volume contains monologues and dialogues in which the most basic questions of psychoanalysis, philosophy, and logic are given clear and cogent answers. Table of Contents: 30 Laws of Logic Different Kinds of Mathematical Functions: A Dialogue Functions, Bijections, and Mapping-relations What is Logic? Outline of a Theory of Knowledge Determinism, Indeterminism, and Personal Freedom A Dialogue Neurosis vs. Psychosis What determines whether one is happy? Compulsive Work Stuttering How men and women are different One learns from adversity, not from failure Does everybody want money? The #1 Rule of Writing Lack of Coordination Mental Illness: The Ultimate Litmus Test The #1 Rule of Business Honesty and Integrity A Dialogue Anger A Dialogue What is Bullshit? A Short Treatise on Causality Part 1: Causality and Continuity Part 2 : Causation and Explanation Part 3: Causation and Counterfactual Truth Part 4: Program-causation Part 5: The four different kinds of causes involved in the development of mental illness Part 6: Singular Causation Obsessions and Compulsions A Dialogue concerning OCD Writing Animated Dialogues as Self-Analysis: A Dialogue Neurotic Anxiety as Rational Fear: A Dialogue Agency Analyticity Anomalous Monism Bullshit Two Kinds of Insanity Ignorance of the Future Justice Proof that Time-Travel is Impossible Rationality vs. Intelligence: A Dialogue

J.-M. Kuczynski (Author), J.-M. Kuczynski (Narrator)

Audiobook

How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking

The Freakonomics of math-a math-world superstar unveils the hidden beauty and logic of the world and puts its power in our hands. The math we learn in school can seem like a dull set of rules, laid down by the ancients and not to be questioned. In How Not to Be Wrong, Jordan Ellenberg shows us how terribly limiting this view is: Math isn't confined to abstract incidents that never occur in real life, but rather touches everything we do-the whole world is shot through with it. Math allows us to see the hidden structures underneath the messy and chaotic surface of our world. It's a science of not being wrong, hammered out by centuries of hard work and argument. Armed with the tools of mathematics, we can see through to the true meaning of information we take for granted: How early should you get to the airport? What does "public opinion" really represent? Why do tall parents have shorter children? Who really won Florida in 2000? And how likely are you, really, to develop cancer? How Not to Be Wrong presents the surprising revelations behind all of these questions and many more, using the mathematician's method of analyzing life and exposing the hard-won insights of the academic community to the layman-minus the jargon. Ellenberg chases mathematical threads through a vast range of time and space, from the everyday to the cosmic, encountering, among other things, baseball, Reaganomics, daring lottery schemes, Voltaire, the replicability crisis in psychology, Italian Renaissance painting, artificial languages, the development of non-Euclidean geometry, the coming obesity apocalypse, Antonin Scalia's views on crime and punishment, the psychology of slime molds, what Facebook can and can't figure out about you, and the existence of God. Ellenberg pulls from history as well as from the latest theoretical developments to provide those not trained in math with the knowledge they need. Math, as Ellenberg says, is "an atomic-powered prosthesis that you attach to your common sense, vastly multiplying its reach and strength." With the tools of mathematics in hand, you can understand the world in a deeper, more meaningful way. How Not to Be Wrong will show you how.

Jordan Ellenberg (Author), Jordan Ellenberg (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Prime Number Conspiracy: The Biggest Ideas in Math from Quanta

These stories from Quanta Magazine map the routes of mathematical exploration, showing readers how cutting-edge research is done, while illuminating the productive tension between conjecture and proof, theory and intuition. Listeners of The Prime Number Conspiracy, says Quanta editor-in-chief Thomas Lin, are headed on 'breathtaking intellectual journeys to the bleeding edge of discovery strapped to the narrative rocket of humanity's never-ending pursuit of knowledge.' Quanta is the only popular publication that offers in-depth coverage of the latest breakthroughs in understanding our mathematical universe. It communicates mathematics by taking it seriously, wrestling with difficult concepts and clearly explaining them in a way that speaks to our innate curiosity about our world and ourselves. Listeners of this volume will learn that prime numbers have decided preferences about the final digits of the primes that immediately follow them (the 'conspiracy' of the title); consider whether math is the universal language of nature (allowing for 'a unified theory of randomness'); discover surprising solutions (including a pentagon tiling proof that solves a century-old math problem); ponder the limits of computation; measure infinity; and explore the eternal question 'Is mathematics good for you?'

Thomas Lin (Author), Bob Souer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Fibonacci Sequence

The Fibonacci sequence is a great way by which the different patterns can be noticed and understood. The Fibonacci sequence is used by a number of mathematicians, philosophers, architects, etc. The Fibonacci sequence was also used for the creation of some great buildings. The Fibonacci sequence is an amazing technique and probably the only one technique, which is present in a number of domains such as mathematics, art, architecture, etc. The Golden Ratio is directly related to nature, which makes it even more interesting and easy going. It has not only appeared in the man-made things but it is also involved in a number of natural things. This came as a surprise to everyone, who is involved in the development of the mankind, educational and academic regions. The Fibonacci sequence is an ancient technique which is still famous and used in a variety of forms. The spiral of the Fibonacci, the sequence and the numbers play a great role in the studies of different arenas.

Introbooks, Introbooks Team (Author), Andrea Giordani, Introbooks (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry

What do Bach's compositions, Rubik's Cube, the way we choose our mates, and the physics of subatomic particles have in common? All are governed by the laws of symmetry, which elegantly unify scientific and artistic principles. Yet the mathematical language of symmetry—known as group theory—did not emerge from the study of symmetry at all, but from an equation that couldn't be solved.For thousands of years mathematicians solved progressively more difficult algebraic equations, until they encountered the quintic equation, which resisted solution for three centuries. Working independently, two great prodigies ultimately proved that the quintic cannot be solved by a simple formula. These geniuses, a Norwegian named Niels Henrik Abel and a romantic Frenchman named Évariste Galois, both died tragically young. Their incredible labor, however, produced the origins of group theory.The first extensive, popular account of the mathematics of symmetry and order, The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved is told not through abstract formulas but in a beautifully written and dramatic account of the lives and work of some of the greatest and most intriguing mathematicians in history.

Mario Livio (Author), Tom Parks (Narrator)

Audiobook

Isaac Newton's New Physics

Isaac Newton (1642-1727) achieved momentous breakthroughs in three areas: mathematics (the calculus), a theory of colors, and gravitational attraction. His first insights in each of these areas occurred during the "wonder years" of 1665-66, when retreat from the plague isolated Newton at Woolsthorpe. Newton's theory of "fluxions", along with independent work by Leibniz, created the methods of modern calculus. Building on the analytic geometry of Rene' Descartes, these techniques allow us to reason about the infinitely small and infinitely small and infinitely large in a mathematically rigorous way. Newton also revised Descartes' theory of light to show that white light is composed of different rays, each associated with a specific angle of refraction and a specific color. Newton also invented the reflection telescope, and considered his work on light to be his first great success. The famous theory of gravitation was built on the foundation of Galileo's laws of terrestrial motion and Kepler's laws of celestial motion. Newton described the inverse-square law of gravitation (F=1/r2); his famous Principia of 1686 included three famous laws: 1. Bodies continue in motion or at rest unless changed by a force. 2. Force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma). 3. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Newton also provided the universal law of gravitation (F=Gm, m2/r2) and showed that the gravitational force (the factor G in this equation) is constant for all bodies.

Dr. Gordon Britian, Gordon Brittan (Author), Edwin Newman (Narrator)

Audiobook

What's Your Future Worth?: Using Present Value to Make Better Decisions

We weigh every significant decision based on how it will affect our future. But when it comes to figuring that out, we mostly make the process up as we go along. While financial professional Peter Neuwirth can't help you actually predict the future, he can offer a simple, systematic way to make much better guesses about it-and so make better decisions. Neuwirth offers an accessible, step-by-step guide to using the powerful concept of Present Value-which allows you to determine the value today of something that might happen in the future-to evaluate all of the outcomes that might arise from choosing one path as opposed to another. Using examples that anyone can relate to, Neuwirth walks you through the process. Your old refrigerator doesn't work as well as it used to-should you buy a new one right away or muddle through for a while? You're offered a great discount on a service you don't need at the moment but eventually will-buy the service now or wait? With just a little math and some common sense, you can compare future costs and benefits with present costs and benefits and make "apples to apples" comparisons. This book will be indispensable for anyone who has ever had to figure out whether to stick with an awful job or follow his or her bliss, fix that old car or buy a new one, increase 401(k) contributions or keep the same take-home pay, and a thousand other decisions.

FSA Peter Neuwirth, Peter Neuwirth (Author), Don Hagen (Narrator)

Audiobook

Smart Change: Five Tools to Create New and Sustainable Habits in Yourself and Others

An insightful guide that shows how habits of behavior are formed, and how we can transform bad habits into positive behaviors in ourselves and others. Smart Change explores the psychological mechanisms that form and maintain habits in individuals and groups and offers real, accessible and actionable advice for changing habits. In an engaging narrative, Markman covers a wide range of habits, from individual behaviors like eating better and exercising regularly to work-related behaviors such as learning effectively and influencing customers' purchases. He proposes that there are five effective tools to help individuals change behavior and to help people influence the habits of the people around them: -Tame the "Go" system: Identify the triggers of habits, replace old behaviors with new ones and generate specific plans to deal with obstacles. -Harness the "Stop" system: Learn to deal with stress and other factors that hinder the development of new and positive habits. -Optimize your goals. Determine the course of behavior change and how to successfully incorporate those changes for the long term. -Manage your environment: Change your surroundings to dramatically reduce poor behavior and habits. -Engage your Neighbors: To affect other people's behavior, understand the shared culture that creates a mutual dependency, and allows neighbors and colleagues to have a profound positive influence on the behavior of other members of their community.

Art Markman (Author), Sean Pratt (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Formula: How Algorithms Solve all our Problems ... and Create More

What if everything in life could be reduced to a simple formula? What if numbers were able to tell us which partners we were best matched with - not just in terms of attractiveness, but for a long-term committed marriage? Or if they could say which films would be the biggest hits at the box office, and what changes could be made to those films to make them even more successful? Or even who out of us is likely to commit certain crimes, and when? This may sound like the world of science-fiction, but in fact it is just the tip of the iceberg in a world that is increasingly ruled by complex algorithms and neural networks. In The Formula, Luke Dormehl takes you inside the world of numbers, asking how we came to believe in the all-conquering power of algorithms; introducing the mathematicians, artificial intelligence experts and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who are shaping this brave new world, and ultimately asking how we survive in an era where numbers can sometimes seem to create as many problems as they solve.

Luke Dormehl (Author), Daniel Weyman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bohr y la teoría cuántica en 90 minutos

Los descubrimientos de Niels Bohr en el campo de la teoría cuántica llevaron a avances monumentales en la física y en nuestra comprensión de la estructura atómica. Bohr ganó el premio Nobel por su labor en 1922 y sus ideas, aún hoy, siguen impulsando a la física hacia nuevos descubrimientos. ¿Pero qué es la teoría cuántica? La mayoría de nosotros no entendemos ni los conceptos más básicos aunque en ella reside la clave para comprender realidades tan complejas como los agujeros negros o la bomba atómica. Bohr y la teoría cuántica presenta un brillante relato de la vida y obra de Bohr, y ofrece una explicación clara y accesible del significado e importancia de su descubrimiento y de lo que implica para nuestras vidas y para el futuro.

Paul Strathern (Author), Juan Manuel Rodríguez (Narrator)

Audiobook

Calling Bullshit: The Art of Scepticism in a Data-Driven World

Brought to you by Penguin. We think we know bullshit when we hear it, but do we? A spotter's guide to bullshit in the wild from two brilliantly contrarian scientists The world is awash in bullshit, and we're drowning in it. Politicians are unconstrained by facts. Science is conducted by press release. Start-up culture elevates hype to high art. These days, calling bullshit is a noble act. Based on a popular course at the University of Washington, Calling Bullshit gives us the tools to see through the obfuscations, deliberate and careless, that dominate every realm of our lives. In this lively guide, biologist Carl Bergstrom and statistician Jevin West show that calling bullshit is crucial to a properly functioning social group, whether it be a circle of friends, a community of researchers, or the citizens of a nation. Through six rules of thumb, they help us recognize bullshit whenever and wherever we encounter it -- even within ourselves -- and explain it to a crystal-loving aunt or casually racist grandfather. Calling Bullshit is a modern handbook to the art of scepticism. © Carl T. Bergstrom, Jevin D. West 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Carl T. Bergstrom, Jevin D. West (Author), Patrick Zeller (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mathematics Audiobooks in Science & Technology