Symmetry 2000

Editors:
Istvan Hargittai ([email protected], Budapest Technical University, Hungary)
and Torvard C. Laurent ([email protected], University of Uppsala, Sweden).
Portland Press: London, January 2002, Hardbound. 627pp. GBP 110. ISBN 1-85578-149-2

Shu-Kun Lin

Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI), Saengergasse 25, CH-4054 Basel (New Address: MDPI, Matthaeusstrasse 11, CH-4057 Basel), Switzerland
Tel.: +41 79 322 3379, E-mail: [email protected], URL: http://www.mdpi.org/lin/

Received: 1 February 2002 / Published: 27 February 2002

There are three kinds of book on symmetry. The first kind is the description on the observation of symmetry phenomena. The second kind is group theory, mathematical method characterizing symmetry. The third kind is that of Rosen's [2] where the relationship between symmetry and other concepts is considered. My own research interest is also of the third kind: relating symmetry to structural stability and process irreversibility [3]. I believe the third kind of topic is the future of symmetry study.

I am glad to read this book [4] edited by Hargittai [5] and Laurent. This is an excellent book belonging mainly to the first kind.

References and Notes

1. Editor's Note: The brief summary and the contents of the books are reported as provided by the author or the publishers.
   Authors and publishers are encouraged to send review copies of their recent books of potential interest to readers of Entropy to the Editor-in-Chief
   (Dr. Shu-Kun Lin, MDPI, Saengergasse 25, CH-4054 Basel (New Address: MDPI, Matthaeusstrasse 11, CH-4057 Basel), Switzerland. Tel. +41 79 322 3379, E-mail: [email protected]).
   Some books will be offered to the scholarly community for the purpose of preparing full-length reviews.
2. (a) Rosen, J. Symmetry in Science; Springer: New York, 1995.
   (b) Rosen, J. A Symmetry Primer for Scientists; Wiley: New York, 1983.
   (c) A book review: Lin, S.-K. Entropy 1999, 1, 53-54. (http://www.mdpi.org/entropy/htm/e1030053.htm).
3. Lin, S. -K. The Nature of the Chemical Process. 1. Symmetry Evolution - Revised Information Theory, Similarity Principle and Ugly Symmetry. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2001, 2, 10-39 (downloadable at http://www.mdpi.org/lin/lin-rpu.htm).
4. The URL for the book is http://www.portlandpress.co.uk/books/isbn/1855781492.htm
5. The website for the biography of Hargittai is http://www.symmetry.org/people/