A groundbreaking treatise by one of the great mathematicians of our
age, who outlines a style of thinking by which great ideas are
conceived.
What inspires and spurs on a great idea? Can we train ourselves to think
in a way that will enable world-changing understandings and insights to
emerge?
Richard Hamming said we can. He first inspired a generation of
engineers, scientists, and researchers in 1986 with "You and Your
Research," an electrifying sermon on why some scientists do great work,
why most don't, why he did, and why you can--and should--too. The Art
of Doing Science and Engineering is the full expression of what "You
and Your Research" outlined. It's a book about thinking; more
specifically, a style of thinking by which great ideas are conceived.
The book is filled with stories of great people performing mighty
deeds--but they are not meant simply to be admired. Instead, they are to
be aspired to, learned from, and surpassed. Hamming consistently returns
to Shannon's information theory, Einstein's theory of relativity, Grace
Hopper's work on high-level programming, Kaiser's work on digital
fillers, and his own work on error-correcting codes. He also recounts a
number of his spectacular failures as clear examples of what to avoid.
Originally published in 1996 and adapted from a course that Hamming
taught at the US Naval Postgraduate School, this edition includes an
all-new foreword by designer, engineer, and founder of Dynamicland Bret
Victor, plus more than 70 redrawn graphs and charts.
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering is a reminder that a capacity
for learning and creativity are accessible to everyone. Hamming was as
much a teacher as a scientist, and having spent a lifetime forming and
confirming a theory of great people and great ideas, he prepares the
next generation for even greater distinction.
