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It is not clear what your requirement is: actual understanding of thermodynamics (nobody does, just learn the equations); or the History of thermodynamics. For
by robthebrew 5y ago
It is not clear what your requirement is: actual understanding of thermodynamics (nobody does, just learn the equations); or the History of thermodynamics.
For the former, some scientific/math literacy is required. Eg: https://imechanica.org/files/An%20introduction%20to%20thermodynamics.pdf https://imechanica.org/files/An%20introduction%20to%20thermo...
For the history I have no clue: I am a pragmatic scientist and learn the current functioning models. (till they break).
- pliptvo 5y agoCould you explain what you mean by no one understanding thermodynamics? As in Maxwell, Einstein, Wiener, and so on - none of them understood thermodynamics? I think at stake here is what you mean by understanding. And what is a 'pragmatic scientist'? Someone who doesn't take interest in the reasons things are as they are, but only operatively that they are as they are?
- robthebrew 4y agoSorry for that late reply. My Thermodynamics Prof, Max McGlashan (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-professor-max-mcglashan-1253267.html)said https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-professor... this to me personally. It has been many decades since I used thermodynamics in any no-trivial way, so I am no expert: but in chemistry (not physics) you just learn the rules to get results. That is the pragmatism: I was never researching thermodynamics, but using the theories to advance Chemistry.