Physics and Its Fifth Dimension: Society Book by Dietrich Schroeer

Designed as a supplement for introductory physics courses or as the main text for courses on science and society, this book emphasizes the relevance of physics rather than physics itself, thus permitting the student to face science on his own terms rather than those chosen by scientists. The book provides just enough physics to give the student a feeling for what physics is all about and places it in an historical and social context in an effort to illuminate the meaning of history itself. Most importantly, the book gives a continuing examination of the impact of physics on other sciences like geology and biology, on humanistic disciplines such as philosophy and literature, and on societal activities like politics and war.