The Laws that Actually Govern the Universe

After my operation in 2006, I got hooked onto Roger Penrose’s The Road To Reality, a book about generally neglected subject of Mathematics. This book is not for invalids or people with weak hearts, at 1049 pages (the bibliography is of 30 odd pages), it takes lot of patience to get through the book. Of course, in my case I had nothing important to do in those days, so it was easy way to forget other body pains.

Once in my school career I actually failed in Mathematics, and for rest of my life, it seems, the subject would puzzle me – and some times amuse. Simple mathematical notions like equivalence class (deals with fractions for the uninitiated) which govern the elementary maths are indeed never explained in school. I recently started explaining some basic concepts to my son around maths - and miserably failed.

I was surprised by the fact that the notion of Mathematical truth (Platonic or otherwise) is not even explained in the schools and colleges. It takes Rs. 810/- and really bulky book to read and understand it. I also realized that several things about maths were not known to me in this age and times. Usually complex sounding concepts like, Canonical quantum gravity, well.. are indeed complex, but make good reading. Especially when it comes to some Indian names (e.g. Abhay Ashtekar in 1986, simplified the equations of general relativity - yes from famous Einstein). While Penrose tries hard to explain the beauty of the mathematics, I think the book is more important for a casual reader to understand the subject of maths. Of course there is quite a bit of Physics in the book (Penrose is a Physicist), and that makes 1049 pages more interesting.

Another book I recently acquired is Stephen Hawking's God Created the Integers - a book describing the history of the mathematics (1160 pages - another example of my courage). The book does not necessarily has lucid description of mathematical concepts, but indeed brings out the fun in the lives of Greek mathematicians. e.g. Archimedes's servants got him against his will to the baths OR that when Diophantus died his friend left a puzzle describing his lifetime. Certain historical facts like Laplace was the teacher of certain Corsican called Napoleon Bonaparte, make the book interesting read (it also proves the fact that studying of maths with great mathematicians is not necessarily a good thing - something that may set you on a wrong path of geography and you spend your retirement in rather protected environment)

These books do not particularly make me maths genius but it certainly helps in knowing that several mathematicians and physicists with their lifetime of research and bulky books and noble prizes haven't been able to find the road to reality OR laws that actually govern the universe - just like me. And I do that without lot of effort or tussled hair.