Dear Professor Dyson: Twenty Years Of Correspondence Between Freeman Dyson And Undergraduate Students On Science, Technology, Society And LifeDwight E Neuenschwander World Scientific, 15 mrt 2016 - 436 pagina's Freeman Dyson has designed nuclear reactors and bomb-powered spacecraft; he has studied the origins of life and the possibilities for the long-term future; he showed quantum mechanics to be consistent with electrodynamics and started cosmological eschatology; he has won international recognition for his work in science and for his work in reconciling science to religion; he has advised generals and congressional committees. An STS (Science, Technology, Society) curriculum or discussion group that engages topics such as nuclear policies, genetic technologies, environmental sustainability, the role of religion in a scientific society, and a hard look towards the future, would count itself privileged to include Professor Dyson as a class participant and mentor. In this book, STS topics are not discussed as objectified abstractions, but through personal stories.The reader is invited to observe Dyson's influence on a generation of young people as they wrestle with issues of science, technology, society, life in general and our place in the universe. The book is filled with personal anecdotes, student questions and responses, honest doubts and passions. |
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3 A Hexagonal Mountain Three Reasons to Hate Science Three Reasons to Love It | 37 |
4 Martha and Mary Advice to Young People Choosing Their Lifes Work | 57 |
5 Engines with Souls Discussions about Our Machines | 84 |
6 Steered from Afar Conversations about Identity and Conformity | 103 |
7 The Swamp Angel Letters on Ends and Means | 116 |
8 Rapid Rupture Letters about Nuclear Weapons | 138 |
12 The Chainsaw and the White Oak Letters about the Environment | 222 |
13 Why Should I Care? Discussions about Values and Ethics | 248 |
14 Playing God Letters on Genetic Engineering | 266 |
15 Bonds of Kinship Thoughts on Relationships | 286 |
16 Two Windows Letters on Science and Religion | 311 |
17 Doubt and Faith More Letters on Science Religion and Honesty | 328 |
18 Dreams of Earth and Sky Thoughts on Meaning | 349 |
19 Family First Letters on Priorities | 372 |
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2001 Dear Dwight 2001 Dear Professor American answer April asked atomic bomb baby become big bang Bomber cars cell civilization cloning Cosmic Costa Rica Dear Dwight Dear Professor Dyson discussion Disturbing the Universe dream Dwight and students Earth Edward Teller Einstein energy engineering ethics fission Freeman Dyson friends galaxy genetic grandchildren Happy Christmas human hydrogen bomb Imme important letter lives look machine Manhattan Project means million mind mother motorcycle nature Neuenschwander neutrons never November nuclear fission nuclear weapons Oklahoma Oppenheimer person physics Pirsig planet Princeton problem questions Richard Feynman Robert Oppenheimer Robert Pirsig science and religion scientific scientists semester silence solar soul Soviet space stars story STS class STS students talk tell Teller temperature Thank things thought tion understand Warm regards wonderful writing wrote young