The Art of Insight in Science and Engineering: Mastering Complexity

by Sanjoy Mahajan

Tools to make hard problems easier to solve. In this book, Sanjoy Mahajan shows us that the way to master complexity is through insight rather than precision. Precision can overwhelm us with information, whereas insight connects seemingly disparate pieces of information into a simple picture. Unlike computers, humans depend on insight. Based on the author's fifteen years of teaching at MIT, Cambridge University, and Olin College, The Art of Insight in Science and Engineering shows us how to build insight and find understanding, giving readers tools to help them solve any problem in science and engineering. To master complexity, we can organize it or discard it. The Art of Insight in Science and Engineering first teaches the tools for organizing complexity, then distinguishes the two paths for discarding with and without loss of information. Questions and problems throughout the text help readers master and apply these groups of tools. Armed with this three-part toolchest, and without complicated mathematics, readers can estimate the flight range of birds and planes and the strength of chemical bonds, understand the physics of pianos and xylophones, and explain why skies are blue and sunsets are red. The Art of Insight in Science and Engineering will appear in print and online under a Creative Commons Noncommercial Share Alike license.

Genres: Science, Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Education, Textbooks, Research

408 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2014

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first edition has many annoying typos in the formulae, and several of the figures are missing information. Presumably these defects will be corrected in future editions of this brilliant, soon-to-be-classic text.

[Arturo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book but frustrating. You need to know too much physics to follow and quickly you become demotivated. I think the book is great, but the title is a bit misleading. The author writes well but again I think he misrepresents the skill level you need to enjoy it.

[Mills College Library]

501.9 M2142 2014

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times it was difficult to get the particular insight but once I saw it, the effort was worthwhile. This book is very interesting and I recommend it.