20世纪的英雄史诗--《基本粒子物理学史》

人类对物理世界中基本物质及其相互作用力的探索,正如派斯(A.Pais)教授所述,至少可以上溯到古希腊的恩培多克勒。与早期希腊自然哲学家相比,恩培多克勒对世界本原问题的解答引进了两种新的概念:比例构成的概念和作用力的概念,他的理论支配了随后两千多年西方人的物质观。下一个重大的转折发生在18世纪末至19世纪,这就是化学元素概念的确立和原子-分子学说的诞生。但派斯教授在这部著作中没有追溯得这么久远,他所讲述的,是从1895年伦琴发现X射线到1983年欧洲核子中心发现W和Z

An Epic Story of a Heroic Period--A Review of Inward Bound of Matter and Forces in the Physical World

This article discusses the book Inward Bound of Matter and Forces in the Physical World, written by the eminent physicist and historian Abraham Pais. Its title is borrowed from C. N. Yang' s review printed on the back cover of the book: The author believes the book is a genuine epic story, which tells us the stirring struggle of modern physics from the discovery of X-ray to the discovery of Z particles. Although the book is mainly focused on the flow of ideas, as we read on we would find as if we are watching an appealing drama one act after another. In the article, the author also points out some translation mistakes which are listed at the end of the paper.