Classical Versus Modern Physics

When I first stepped foot into Physics and Politics on September 5th, 2007, I was not sure what to expect. Yet, as we near the conclusion of week two, I've found that the information being taught by Professor Maleki and Professor Walker to be both educational and incredibly interesting. While I have a limited understanding regarding how physics can have a significant effect on politics and vice versa (most notably the atomic bomb), I look forward to gaining a stonger understanding on how physics and politics effect one another.

Following the first class in which Seyffie and Professor Walker introduced the course, Seyffie put forward his view on classical and modern Physics. I decided to write my first blog on the principles behing classical and modern Physics. Classical physics is based on the principles developed before the rise of quantun theory, including the special theory of relativity as well, while modern physics is defined as the physics since 1900, including relativity and quantum physics.

In contrast to classical physics, modern physics is to some extent a looser term which may refer to just quantum physics or to twentieth and twenty-first century physics in general in which modern physics includes quantum theory and the theory of relativity. Nonetheless the ideas put forward by classical physics helped paved the way for the ideas that were established during the era of modern physics.