The Tao of Physics is a book on modern physics and Eastern mysticism by Fritjof Capra.

Summary of the Book

Dr. Capra tries to combine two worlds. One of these is deeply rooted in logic and centuries, if not millennia, of research. The other is rooted in the beliefs of men, and is sustained by the stories men passed on from generation to generation. Physics has tried to explain everything that goes on around us with a rational vein but mysticism has often been its strongest impediment. Dr. Capra looks to Eastern mysticism with apprehension, and explains how a trip to India and a chance meeting with Rabindranath Tagore made him change his mind. He explains that Eastern mysticism may also have some answers to physics’ unsolved problems. He looks at Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism to show their parallels with the latest discoveries on the cyclotron. He shows how although physics and mysticism may not need each other, humans may yet need both to survive.

About Fritjof Capra

Fritjof Capra is an Austrian-American physicist, a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California, and a member of the faculty of Schumacher College.

Capra studied at the University of Vienna, earning his Ph.D. in theoretical physics. He has also worked at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Imperial College, London, and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. A polyglot, Dr. Capra speaks German, English, French and Italian. He has also written The Turning Point, Uncommon Wisdom, The Web of Life, and The Hidden Connections.