Buy new:
$16.95
FREE delivery: Thursday, April 25 on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, April 25 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 6 hrs 35 mins
In Stock
$$16.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$16.95
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Thursday, April 25 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 6 hrs 35 mins
Used: Like New | Details
Sold by LuxuryMerchandise (Veteran Owned)
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Like New
Comment: We ship items same day! 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Comes with tracking, 24/7 customer service and free no-hassle returns.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Hans Reichenbach
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Direction of Time (Dover Books on Physics)

by Hans Reichenbach (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 72 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$16.95","priceAmount":16.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2F29SOciPJ%2Fymem7HS3nlwNlC4FNVQPfq6MXQL9dCf7Hp7u3AvOUIB4HFruIJkn3xm%2BgU2evMd2mEvmQeFowPiZxnDcAYWIvcc%2FI3uuHuu3dtYJi57WKjSNCc5FVV%2FR2iANlLNTnDqkY%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$14.41","priceAmount":14.41,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"41","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2F29SOciPJ%2Fymem7HS3nlwNlC4FNVQPfqfkUKbf8OgY1AbVWVY%2FpfIgeH22bp%2FfiyVvh5VS4YNVkpNW%2F8AEb243g4O1KhwVXxB3nT1ZKMdoXrrpa2iQmcvqblUuHFNDShiJqlk6xCKsdkGBynm9lYMK889JPi%2BGiThTx8823YrHFuLAlZHrGQD5lykt%2FM4or4","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Ever a source of philosophical conjecture and debate, the concept of time represents the beating heart of physics. This final work by the distinguished physicist Hans Reichenbach represents the culmination and integration of a lifetime's philosophical contributions and inquiries into the analysis of time. The result is an outstanding overview of such qualitative, or topological, attributes of time as order and direction.
Beginning with a discussion of the emotive significance of time, Reichenbach turns to an examination of the time order of mechanics, the time direction of thermodynamics and microstatistics, the time direction of macrostatistics, and the time of quantum physics. He offers coherent explanations of the analytic methods of scientific philosophy in the investigation of probability, quantum mechanics, the theory of relativity, and causality — methods that he not only applies here but also helped to develop and refine.
Physics Today observed that "For a generation Professor Reichenbach has worked as almost no other man to bring to the interpretation of modern physics the critical and reflective thinking of a trained philosopher. Most physicists who retain an interest in philosophy, and many who wanted simply to understand physics, have read some of the earlier books of Reichenbach. This one is . . . the best by a good deal." Introduction. Appendix. Index.

Previous page
  1. ISBN-10
    0486409260
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0486409269
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    July 2, 1999
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    5.51 x 0.59 x 8.27 inches
  7. Print length
    304 pages
  8. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Frequently bought together

The Direction of Time (Dover Books on Physics)
$16.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Philosophy of Space and Time (Dover Books on Physics)
$25.00
Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25
Only 15 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Philosophic Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (Dover Books on Physics)
$10.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25
Only 12 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications (July 2, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0486409260
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486409269
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.59 x 8.27 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 72 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Hans Reichenbach

Hans Reichenbach

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
72 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Matthew Rapaport
5.0 out of 5 stars A great overview of the subject from 4 different directions!
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
I have now read 3 of Dr. Reichenbach's books published on Kindle. All three illustrate the author's deep understanding of and appreciation for the modern foundations of physics. In this particular volume (the last book Dr. Reichenbach wrote and published after his death) the Dr. falls mid way (in a philosophical sense) between his even more philosophical exploration of space and time together ("The Philosophy of Space & Time") and his more technical exploration of quantum mechanics in "Philosophic Basis of Quantum Mechanics". In this book, Reichenbach is concerned to show how the direction of time can be derived from physics and he derives it in 4 different ways, from thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and the observation (in the macro-world) of marks, or history. He shows how each of these derivations is consistent with all the others. Indeed their consistency is in part based on an assumption common to each approach, that the over-all thermodynamic world-line of the universe throws off "branches" and that each of these branches proceeds semi-independently taking a course that, in general, but not in every particular, follows that of the general thermodynamic arrow.

In these days it is said that every equation one puts in a book halves your readership. If that were the case Reichenbach would have about 2 readers in the world here and that goes double for the previous "quantum mechanics" book. But one can read past the equations (Indeed it makes the book go much faster if you do) and still get at what the author is trying to convey. Because of Reichenbach's place in the history of physics and philosophy of science he is able to focus on his subject with a level of detail that is simply glossed over in more modern treatments. As with the other two books, Reichenbach is very much at pains to point out that the assumptions and definitions we bring to the examination of physical phenomena do very much affect how we interpret our conclusions. Modern writers simply ignore this for the sake of explicating their particular point of view, but Reichenbach takes pains to explain the difference that the alternatives make. The next time I read Penrose, Stapp, Greene, Thomas, and others I'm going to understand them a lot better thanks to Reichenbach.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Nacho1947
5.0 out of 5 stars About time, but not only
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
In this posthumous book, Professor Reinchenbach examines exhaustively the notion of time as a physical reality and its relationship with entropy. In my opinion, there is another aspect that he discusses and that may be more meaningful and perhaps may be not be rightfully appreciated. I believe that his excellent critic of determinism in classical physics as it is understood even today may be the best contribution of his book. He concludes in chapter III.11: "We are allowed to regard even the evolution of the universe as a genuine probability chain, in which each successive step is a matter of chance, whereas the sequence as a whole is governed by statistical laws as dependable as the so-called strict causal laws of physics." It has always been risky to doubt determinism in classical physics. Reichenbach took such risk and made a valuable contribution to a better understanding of a probabilistic determinism in classical physics . Thanks to Mrs. Reichenbach for having made this publication possible.
Helpful
 Report
Jose G. Hernandez Cortes
3.0 out of 5 stars Hardcore reading and math skills needed!
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
The book is not clear or Im terrible at math. Eithet way, I found myself realizing tharmt only a portion of what I read was processed. That portion however was interesting.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Muzaffer Muctehitzade
4.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2001
It is a beautiful but exterememly difficult book. It covers the concept of time and direction of time from the beginning up to current thinking. Author, being one of the founding fathers of philosophical quantum theory first introduces a good understanding of Thermodaynamics and Statiastical Physics and defines the order of events to lead into statistical definition of arrow of time. A lot of difficult concepts from Classsical Statistical Physics, Probability Theory, Relativity and Mathematical Logic as well as a good understanding of Quantum Physics is assumed to be in the bag of the reader, after all this book is not a Popular Science book. Although the author claims that knowledge of derivations of the formulas used are not critical to understand this study yet time to time the language and logic becames exteremely difficult. This is a must read book in this subject, may be many times or time and time over after increasing the understanding in other subjects that only tools in this book.
19 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Paolo Bagnasco
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece
Reviewed in Italy on August 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
A great book about time from one of the greatest philosophers of XX century. Needs some effort from the reader (the author writes very clearly but the subject is not an easy one).
One person found this helpful
 Report
Pizza
5.0 out of 5 stars In depth but accessible
Reviewed in Germany on July 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
One of the best analytical minds writing prose with a few formulas, amazing
Report
André Gargoura
3.0 out of 5 stars Rather deceptive !
Reviewed in France on March 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Reichenbach's previous book "Space & Time" already contained confused and confusing parts but, here, "confusion" becomes rapidly "indigestion", e.g. sections 12, 14 and 27, due to the use of his esoteric concept of space lattice, state lattice, branch system and their associated chaotic notations...

My comments about "Space & Time" were quite positive... here, I am rather reserved, even though Reichenbach's treatment of most of the basic concept remains globally exceptional : this is unfortunate and may be partly due to a poor translation...
Report
Lino
2.0 out of 5 stars Demasiado técnico
Reviewed in Spain on July 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
Hay que manejar matemáticas para seguir al autor.
Report
Robert Pritchard
5.0 out of 5 stars What you bring to the party matters
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
An extraordinary and highly
detailed account of the nature of time itself: no small feat! This is a quite remarkable book, the contents of which are hard to review fairly as people will come to it differing vastly in their ability to understand it. Purely cosmetically it’s just fine and I concur with other reviewers that the old print typeface is really enjoyable, the paper is good quality etc - but that’s not why you’re reading reviews I’m guessing. If you’re considering this book, then what’s really important is what it communicates and in what manner. The important question is ‘will I understand, and therefore be able to appreciate, this book?’

Speaking as someone keenly interested in maths and physics but with no formal studies in either beyond A-level/college, this text is right at the top end of what I can handle. I enjoyed it immensely and no doubt will again, but with the caveat that it was a real exercise in concentration and determination at times. I’m a prolific reader, and I’ll generally tough things out, so the fact that I almost didn’t make it through this one should hopefully prepare you for what’s in store. That said, if the formal proofs are beyond you, they are usually accompanied by explanations in plain English which help you along.

In short, it’s really thorough, the writing is stylistically easy and enjoyable to read, and if you’ve got an undergrad or higher grasp
of the subject matter and don’t panic when you see a page-full of equations, then you’ll certainly get a great deal out of it.
If not, then don’t be put off necessarily, but be warned!

A hard-going, hard science, highly worthwhile read.
One person found this helpful
 Report