The Tao of Physics (?)

ruach1 · 16th January 2006, 03:07 PM

I am currently re-reading "The Tao of Physics" by Fritjof Capra. I continue to find it an incredible read which is informative and enjoyable in some regards. However, some of the statements concerning "chi" energy and the "void" seem to be incompatible with hard science.

So I now find that I am at an impasse with this book. Is "The Tao of Physics" respected by the critical thinking community or not? Does it hold water, or is it a woo related publication?

?

?

I was wondering what the JREF Forum people would like to say about Capra's work.

TobiasTheViking · 16th January 2006, 03:10 PM

chi is total woo. As for void, depends on her definiton of it.

I don't know the book, nor have i heard about it, so i can't offer any opinion on the rest.

I also think(i may be wrong) that tao is woo. Again, depends on her definiton of it.

GrnMtSkeptic · 16th January 2006, 03:24 PM

The book is also total woo. If I recall, he wrote it before the quark was confirmed. The physics he originally used was incompatible with the quarks, and later editions included reasons why the quark doesn't exist (I've heard, I read the original when it first came out and never thought it worthwhile to go back to see how he danced around that.)

ETA: Let me modify that a bit. The section on the physics and the section on the religion were accurate at the time. It was the third section which tries to connect the two that is the woo.

epepke · 18th January 2006, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by ruach1

Is "The Tao of Physics" respected by the critical thinking community or not?

Not.

AmateurScientist · 18th January 2006, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by ruach1

Is "The Tao of Physics" respected by the critical thinking community or not?

Yeah, as epeke says, "not."

The Tao of Pooh, however, is another matter.

AS

Kopji · 18th January 2006, 09:41 PM

Even my wife took the book back for a trade-in, and she's totally woo.

phildonnia · 19th January 2006, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by AmateurScientist

The Tao of Pooh, however, is another matter.

The Te of Piglet, however, represents a return to serious woo.

mechengum · 19th January 2006, 01:29 PM

In the july/august 2005 edition of Skeptical Inquirer, they did a story on Capra.

T'ai Chi · 19th January 2006, 03:24 PM

Try Dancing Wu-li Masters for something from the same genre.

epepke · 19th January 2006, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by T'ai Chi

Try Dancing Wu-li Masters for something from the same genre.

Well, yes, if you really need some sort of phony Oriental hokum with your quantum mechanics, The Dancing Wu-Li Masters is better.

But you can avoid all of the nonsense, just go get the QED in NZ tapes from tuvatrader.com. Or read the book: QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter, if you like books.

Dylab · 19th January 2006, 04:19 PM

I remember reading some woo in "Dancing WU LI masters" but it has been a while. I believe Leon Lederman's book "The God Particle" had something attacking it.

Chris O. · 19th January 2006, 04:49 PM

I read "Wu Li Masters" in my HS physics class, as a recommendation from my teacher. I thought it was interesting. But then at the time I was fairly woo myself

T'ai Chi · 19th January 2006, 05:54 PM

I thought Wu-Li was pretty good.

CurtC · 19th January 2006, 08:41 PM

I read The Tao of Physics about 20 years ago I think. It was an infuriating book to read - lots of woo assertions about parallels between vague eastern mysticism and quantum physics, again and again and again and again. He could have made his point in about ten pages, and it wouldn't even be worth reading that.

ruach1 · 21st January 2006, 10:38 AM

Dancing Wu Li Masters--5

Tao of Physics--0

Dancing Wu Li Masters here I come.

Thank you Forum community

Roboramma · 22nd January 2006, 09:19 PM

Just thought it was worth noting that the only completely positive reviews of the Dancing Wu-Li Masters were from the same poster, and you seem to have counted both of them.

16th January 2006, 03:07 PM	#1
ruach1 Muse Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Afghanistan Posts: 561	The Tao of Physics (?) I am currently re-reading "The Tao of Physics" by Fritjof Capra. I continue to find it an incredible read which is informative and enjoyable in some regards. However, some of the statements concerning "chi" energy and the "void" seem to be incompatible with hard science. So I now find that I am at an impasse with this book. Is "The Tao of Physics" respected by the critical thinking community or not? Does it hold water, or is it a woo related publication? ? ? I was wondering what the JREF Forum people would like to say about Capra's work.
	__________________ "I am an empiricist and as such I can demonstrate empirically the existence of a totality supraordinate to consciousness." C.G. Jung, Collected Works, X, p.463

16th January 2006, 03:10 PM	#2
TobiasTheViking Resident Viking Autist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: With your mother Posts: 6,923	chi is total woo. As for void, depends on her definiton of it. I don't know the book, nor have i heard about it, so i can't offer any opinion on the rest. I also think(i may be wrong) that tao is woo. Again, depends on her definiton of it.
	__________________ He pricked me with his prick that prick - NobbyNobbs Endearingly Obnoxious - Rebecca Watson

16th January 2006, 03:24 PM	#3
GrnMtSkeptic Thinker Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 220	The book is also total woo. If I recall, he wrote it before the quark was confirmed. The physics he originally used was incompatible with the quarks, and later editions included reasons why the quark doesn't exist (I've heard, I read the original when it first came out and never thought it worthwhile to go back to see how he danced around that.) ETA: Let me modify that a bit. The section on the physics and the section on the religion were accurate at the time. It was the third section which tries to connect the two that is the woo.
GrnMtSkeptic Thinker Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 220	Last edited by GrnMtSkeptic; 16th January 2006 at 03:33 PM.

18th January 2006, 06:30 PM	#4
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,950	Originally Posted by ruach1 Is "The Tao of Physics" respected by the critical thinking community or not? Not.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,950	__________________ "It probably came from a sticky dark planet far, far away." - Godzilla versus Hedora "There's no evidence that the 9-11 attacks (whoever did them) were deliberately attacking civilians. On the contrary the targets appear to have been chosen as military." -DavidByron

19th January 2006, 01:29 PM	#8
mechengum New Blood Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3	In the july/august 2005 edition of Skeptical Inquirer, they did a story on Capra.
mechengum New Blood Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3

18th January 2006, 08:00 PM	#5
AmateurScientist JREF Kid Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 5,325	Originally Posted by ruach1 Is "The Tao of Physics" respected by the critical thinking community or not? Yeah, as epeke says, "not." The Tao of Pooh, however, is another matter. AS

18th January 2006, 09:41 PM	#6
Kopji Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mogollon Rim Posts: 7,697	Even my wife took the book back for a trade-in, and she's totally woo.

19th January 2006, 12:20 PM	#7
phildonnia Master Poster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Sac'to CA Posts: 2,339	Originally Posted by AmateurScientist The Tao of Pooh, however, is another matter. The Te of Piglet, however, represents a return to serious woo.

19th January 2006, 03:24 PM	#9
T'ai Chi Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 11,235	Try Dancing Wu-li Masters for something from the same genre.
	__________________ http://www.statisticool.com

19th January 2006, 04:04 PM	#10
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,950	Originally Posted by T'ai Chi Try Dancing Wu-li Masters for something from the same genre. Well, yes, if you really need some sort of phony Oriental hokum with your quantum mechanics, The Dancing Wu-Li Masters is better. But you can avoid all of the nonsense, just go get the QED in NZ tapes from tuvatrader.com. Or read the book: QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter, if you like books.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,950	__________________ "It probably came from a sticky dark planet far, far away." - Godzilla versus Hedora "There's no evidence that the 9-11 attacks (whoever did them) were deliberately attacking civilians. On the contrary the targets appear to have been chosen as military." -DavidByron Last edited by epepke; 19th January 2006 at 04:36 PM.

19th January 2006, 04:19 PM	#11
Dylab Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 313	I remember reading some woo in "Dancing WU LI masters" but it has been a while. I believe Leon Lederman's book "The God Particle" had something attacking it.
Dylab Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 313

19th January 2006, 04:49 PM	#12
Chris O. Critical Thinker Join Date: May 2005 Location: M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-Humpback-Humpback-I Posts: 457	I read "Wu Li Masters" in my HS physics class, as a recommendation from my teacher. I thought it was interesting. But then at the time I was fairly woo myself
	__________________ "Maybe Republicans - like Democrats, like blacks and gays and servicemen and soccer moms and 30-somethings - are not some monolithic force, marching in lockstep to the cadence of their drill sergeant?" -BPSCG "What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence." - Christpher Hitchens

19th January 2006, 05:54 PM	#13
T'ai Chi Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 11,235	I thought Wu-Li was pretty good.
	__________________ http://www.statisticool.com

19th January 2006, 08:41 PM	#14
CurtC Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 4,758	I read The Tao of Physics about 20 years ago I think. It was an infuriating book to read - lots of woo assertions about parallels between vague eastern mysticism and quantum physics, again and again and again and again. He could have made his point in about ten pages, and it wouldn't even be worth reading that.

21st January 2006, 10:38 AM	#15
ruach1 Muse Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Afghanistan Posts: 561	Dancing Wu Li Masters--5 Tao of Physics--0 Dancing Wu Li Masters here I come. Thank you Forum community
	__________________ "I am an empiricist and as such I can demonstrate empirically the existence of a totality supraordinate to consciousness." C.G. Jung, Collected Works, X, p.463

22nd January 2006, 09:19 PM	#16
Roboramma Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shanghai Posts: 7,096	Just thought it was worth noting that the only completely positive reviews of the Dancing Wu-Li Masters were from the same poster, and you seem to have counted both of them.
	__________________ "... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov