Leonard Mlodinow

How did a near-extinct species, eking out a meager existence with stone axes, become the dominant power on earth, able to harness a knowledge of nature ranging from tiny atoms to the vast structures of the universe? Leonard Mlodinow takes us on an enthralling tour of the history of human progress, from our time on the African savannah through the invention of written language, all the way to modern quantum physics. Along the way, he explores the colorful personalities of the great philosophers, scientists, and thinkers, and traces the cultural conditions—and the elements of chance—that influenced scientific discovery.Deeply informed, accessible, and infused with the author’s trademark humor and insight, The Upright Thinkers is a stunning tribute to humanity’s intellectual curiosity and an important book for any reader with an interest in the scientific issues of our day.

With the born storyteller's command of narrative and imaginative approach, Leonard Mlodinow vividly demonstrates how our lives are profoundly informed by chance and randomness and how everything from wine ratings and corporate success to school grades and political polls are less reliable than we believe.By showing us the true nature of chance and revealing the psychological illusions that cause us to misjudge the world around us, Mlodinow gives us the tools we need to make more informed decisions. From the classroom to the courtroom and from financial markets to supermarkets, Mlodinow's intriguing and illuminating look at how randomness, chance, and probability affect our daily lives will intrigue, awe, and inspire.

Leonard Mlodinow, the best-selling author of The Drunkard’s Walk and coauthor of The Grand Design (with Stephen Hawking), gives us a startling and eye-opening examination of how the unconscious mind shapes our experience of the world and how, for instance, we often misperceive our relationships with family, friends, and business associates, misunderstand the reasons for our investment decisions, and misremember important events.Your preference in politicians, the amount you tip your waiter—all judgments and perceptions reflect the workings of our mind on two levels: the conscious, of which we are aware, and the unconscious, which is hidden from us. The latter has long been the subject of speculation, but over the past two decades researchers have developed remarkable new tools for probing the hidden, or subliminal, workings of the mind. The result of this explosion of research is a new science of the unconscious and a sea change in our understanding of how the subliminal mind affects the way we live.Employing his trademark wit and lucid, accessible explanations of the most obscure scientific subjects, Leonard Mlodinow takes us on a tour of this research, unraveling the complexities of the subliminal self and increasing our understanding of how the human mind works and how we interact with friends, strangers, spouses, and coworkers. In the process he changes our view of ourselves and the world around us.

As a young physicist, Leonard Mlodinow looked for guidance from his mentor, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. Drawing on transcripts from their meetings during their time together at Cal Tech, Mlodinow shares Feynman's provocative thoughts and observations. At once a moving portrait of a friendship and an affecting account of Feynman's final, creative years, this book celebrates the inspiring legacy of one of the greatest thinkers of our time.

Through Euclid's Window Leonard Mlodinow brilliantly and delightfully leads us on a journey through five revolutions in geometry, from the Greek concept of parallel lines to the latest notions of hyperspace. Here is an altogether new, refreshing, alternative history of math revealing how simple questions anyone might ask about space -- in the living room or in some other galaxy -- have been the hidden engine of the highest achievements in science and technology. Based on Mlodinow's extensive historical research; his studies alongside colleagues such as Richard Feynman and Kip Thorne; and interviews with leading physicists and mathematicians such as Murray Gell-Mann, Edward Witten, and Brian Greene, Euclid's Window is an extraordinary blend of rigorous, authoritative investigation and accessible, good-humored storytelling that makes a stunningly original argument asserting the primacy of geometry. For those who have looked through Euclid's Window, no space, no thing, and no time will ever be quite the same.

We’ve all been told that thinking rationally is the key to success. But at the cutting edge of science, researchers are discovering that feeling is every bit as important as thinking in this "lively exposé of the growing consensus about the limited power of rationality and decision-making" ( The New York Times Book Review ).You make hundreds of decisions every day, from what to eat for breakfast to how you should invest, and not one of those decisions would be possible without emotion. It has long been said that thinking and feeling are separate and opposing forces in our behavior. But as Leonard Mlodinow, the best-selling author of Subliminal, tells us, extraordinary advances in psychology and neuroscience have proven that emotions are as critical to our well-being as thinking. How can you connect better with others? How can you make sense of your frustration, fear, and anxiety? What can you do to live a happier life? The answers lie in understanding your emotions. Journeying from the labs of pioneering scientists to real-world scenarios that have flirted with disaster, Mlodinow shows us how our emotions can help, why they sometimes hurt, and what we can learn in both instances. Using deep insights into our evolution and biology, Mlodinow gives us the tools to understand our emotions better and to maximize their benefits. Told with his characteristic clarity and fascinating stories, Emotional explores the new science of feelings and offers us an essential guide to making the most of one of nature’s greatest gifts.

This “vivid and compelling account” ( The Wall Street Journal ) opens not only the inner workings of one of physics’ greatest minds, but also a view into an extraordinary friendship and the human capacity to overcome insurmountable challenges.A BEST SCIENCE BOOK OF 2020 ( The Telegraph, The Guardian )A BEST BOOK OF 2020 ( New Statesmen )One of the most influential physicists of our time, Stephen Hawking touched the lives of millions. Recalling his nearly two decades as Hawking’s collaborator and friends, Leonard Mlodinow brings this complex man into focus in a unique and deeply personal portrayal. We meet Hawking the genius, who pours his mind into uncovering the mysteries of the universe—ultimately formulating a pathbreaking theory of black holes that reignites the discipline of cosmology and paves the way for physicists to investigate the origins of the universe in completely new ways. We meet Hawking the colleague, a man whose illness leaves him able to communicate at only six words per minute but who expends the effort to punctuate his conversations with humor. And we meet Hawking the friend, who can convey volumes with a frown, a smile, or simply a raised eyebrow. Mlodinow puts us in the room as Hawking indulges his passion for wine and curry; shares his feelings on love, death, and disability; and grapples with deep questions of philosophy and physics. Whether depicting Hawking’s devotion to his work or demonstrating how he would make spur of the moment choices, such as punting on the River Cam (despite the risk the jaunt posed), or spinning tales of Hawking defiantly urinating in the hedges outside a restaurant that doesn’t have a wheelchair accessible toilet, Mlodinow captures his indomitable spirit. This moving account of a friendship offers us invaluable lessons from one of physics’ greatest practitioners about life, the universe, and the ability to overcome daunting obstacles.

Mlodinow đã chỉ ra một loạt những sự việc thường nhật mà mỗi người trong chúng ta ai cũng bắt gặp trên thực tế lại không đáng tin cậy như chúng ta vẫn nghĩBộ não của chúng ta, cho dù có nạp được vào bao nhiêu kiến thức đi chăng nữa, cũng vô cùng kém cỏi trong việc giải thích những sự kiện mang tính ngẫu nhiên và xác suất. Khi phải đối mặt với các tình huống đòi hỏi phải có khả năng nắm bắt trực quan các sự kiện mang tính tỷ lệ, ngay cả các nhà khoa học hay toán học lừng danh nhất cũng cảm thấy lúng túng.Giả sử, bạn muốn tính toán xác suất khi tung một đồng xu, bạn có thể nhận được câu trả lời xác đáng từ nhà toán học vĩ đại thế kỷ XVIII, Jean Le Rond d’Alembert, đó là: có ba khả năng, 0, 1 hoặc 2 ngửa. Vậy tỷ lệ cho các trường hợp tương tự là 1 ăn 3. Nhưng Leonard Mlodinow lại có cách diễn giải khác.Trong tác phẩm "Khôn ngoan không lại với giời", ông cho rằng trên thực tế, phải có bốn khả năng, đó là: ngửa-ngửa, ngửa-sấp, sấp ngửa và sấp-sấp. Như vậy, xác suất sẽ là, 25% cho 0 và 2, 50% cho 1. Mlodinow kết luận rằng, bất cứ ai tham gia cá cược tung đồng xu sẽ bị lột sạch nếu cứ ngang bướng tin vào lý thuyết của d’Alembert.Ví dụ trên chỉ là một trong rất nhiều những ví dụ được Leonard Mlodinow đưa ra để giải thích cho chúng ta thấy bằng cách nào mà những hiện tượng mang tính ngẫu nhiên, thay đổi cũng như xác suất có thể ảnh hưởng tới cuộc sống hàng ngày.Bên cạnh đó, ông còn chỉ ra nguyên nhân vì sao chúng ta lại hiểu sai ý nghĩa của mọi thứ, từ một cuộc trò chuyện bình thường cho tới những trở ngại tài chính lớn. Bằng ngôn ngữ đơn giản và sống động, Mlodinow đã chỉ ra một loạt những sự việc thường nhật mà mỗi người trong chúng ta ai cũng bắt gặp trên thực tế lại không đáng tin cậy như chúng ta vẫn nghĩ, chẳng hạn như tiêu chuẩn đánh giá các loại rượu, các cuộc thăm dò chính trị hay hệ thống cho điểm tại các trường học. v.v…Dưới ngòi bút của ông, người đọc có điều kiện nhìn nhận bản chất thực của sự thay đổi và vén bức màn tâm lý ảo ảnh đang che khuất tâm trí chúng ta cũng như khiến chúng ta đánh giá sai thế giới xung quanh.Mlodinow cũng mang đến một cái nhìn tươi mới hơn về ý nghĩa thực sự ẩn giấu đằng sau mỗi sự việc cũng như cách thức đưa ra những quyết định đúng đắn dựa trên bản chất thực sự của vấn đề. Từ lớp học tới phòng xử án, từ thị trường tài chính cho tới các siêu thị, từ phòng khám đa khoa tới phòng Bầu dục, những kiến thức mà Mlodonow mang đến cho chúng ta chắc chắn sẽ vô cũng hấp dẫn, tuyệt diệu và đầy cảm hứng.

史蒂芬·霍金是当代最有影响力的物理学家之一,他的著作和生平事迹影响了无数人。2021年1月8日是霍金诞辰80周年,作为出版了霍金所有中文简体版的出版商,湖南科学技术出版社在这个特殊的时间点推出纪念版套装。套装包括由霍金挚友撰写的回忆录,在书中,我们会看到霍金倾尽全力,尝试揭开宇宙的神秘面纱,最终提出了开创性的黑洞理论,并重燃人们对宇宙学的兴趣。在书中,我们也会看到朋友眼里的霍金--由于疾病缠身,他只能以每分钟6个单词的速度交流,然而即便如此,与他交谈,仍能不时感受到他的幽默。套装中还包括纪念版台历、由查理斯·泰维斯设计的霍金拼图。

Siempre nos han dicho que pensar racionalmente es la clave del éxito. Pero las más recientes investigaciones científicas demuestran que sentir es tan importante como pensar.¿Cómo conectarse mejor con los demás? ¿Cómo dar sentido a nuestra frustración, miedo y ansiedad? ¿Qué podemos hacer para vivir una vida más feliz? Las respuestas se encuentran en la comprensión de nuestras emociones. Mlodinow nos muestra cómo estas nos pueden ayudar, por qué a veces duelen y qué podemos aprender en ambos casos.Contada con su característica claridad, sentido del humor y por medio de fascinantes historias, Emocional explora la nueva ciencia de los sentimientos y nos ofrece una guía esencial para aprovechar al máximo uno de los mayores regalos que la naturaleza nos ha dado.Incluye varios cuestionarios muy sencillos de aplicar y que resultan de gran utilidad para un primer acercamiento a nuestro perfil emocional y psicológico. Este instrumento permite al lector establecer un parámetro y, si está interesado u obtiene un resultado sorprendente, buscar la ayuda de un especialista, con la finalidad de encausar de manera positiva sus emociones y potenciar así su inteligencia emocional.

Leonard Mlodinow, a close friend and colleague, pens a poignant memoir, 'Stephen A Memoir of Friendship and Physics'. It explores their personal and professional bond, emphasizing Hawking's intellectual prowess and ALS struggles. The book shares intimate tales of their collaborative work on revolutionary theories, along with Hawking's wit, tenacity, and spirit. It provides a singular view of one of history's most brilliant physicists.