Auyang (1995), Sunny Y., , Oxford University Press 1995 Jacket: 'Quantum field theory (QFT) combines quantum mechanics with Einstein's special theory of relativity and underlies elementary particle physics. This book presents a philosophical analysis of QFT. It is the first treatise in which the philosophies of space-time, quantum phenomena and particle interactions are encompassed in a unified framework.' 
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Davies (1992), Paul, The Mind of God: Science and the Search for Ultimate Meaning, Penguin Books 1992 'Paul Davies' "The Mind of God: Science and the Search for Ultimate Meaning" explores how modern science is beginning to shed light on the mysteries of our existence. Is the universe - and our place in it - the result of random chance, or is there an ultimate meaning to existence? Where did the laws of nature come from? Were they created by a higher force, or can they be explained in some other way? How, for example, could a mechanism as complex as an eye have evolved without a creator? Paul Davies argues that the achievement of science and mathematics in unlocking the secrets of nature mean that there must be a deep and significant link between the human mind and the organization of the physical world. . . . ' 
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Dirac (1983), P A M, The Principles of Quantum Mechanics (4th ed), Oxford UP/Clarendon 1983 Jacket: '[this] is the standard work in the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, indispensible both to the advanced student and the mature research worker, who will always find it a fresh source of knowledge and stimulation.' (Nature)  
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Feynman (2002), Richard, Feynman Lectures on Gravitation, Westview Press 2002 ' The Feynman Lectures on Gravitation are based on notes prepared during a course on gravitational physics that Richard Feynman taught at Caltech during the 1962-63 academic year. For several years prior to these lectures, Feynman thought long and hard about the fundamental problems in gravitational physics, yet he published very little. These lectures represent a useful record of his viewpoints and some of his insights into gravity and its application to cosmology, superstars, wormholes, and gravitational waves at that particular time. The lectures also contain a number of fascinating digressions and asides on the foundations of physics and other issues. [zero-energy universe, pp 9 - 10[ ' 
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Hobson (2006), M. P., and G. P. Efstathiou, A. N. Lasenby, General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists, Cambridge University Press 2006 'After reviewing the basic concept of general relativity, this introduction discusses its mathematical background, including the necessary tools of tensor calculus and differential geometry. These tools are used to develop the topic of special relativity and to discuss electromagnetism in Minkowski spacetime. Gravitation as spacetime curvature is introduced and the field equations of general relativity derived. After applying the theory to a wide range of physical situations, the book concludes with a brief discussion of classical field theory and the derivation of general relativity from a variational principle.'  
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Kaku (2021), Michio, The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything, Doubleday 2021 ' This is the story of a quest: to find a Theory of Everything. Einstein dedicated his life to seeking this elusive Holy Grail, a single, revolutionary 'god equation' which would tie all the forces in the universe together, yet never found it. Some of the greatest minds in physics took up the search, from Stephen Hawking to Brian Greene. None have yet succeeded. In The God Equation, renowned theoretical physicist Michio Kaku takes the reader on a mind-bending ride through the twists and turns of this epic journey: a mystery that has fascinated him for most of his life. He guides us through the key debates in modern physics, from Newton's law of gravity via relativity and quantum mechanics to the latest developments in string theory.  
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Weinberg (1995), Steven, The Quantum Theory of Fields Volume I: Foundations, , Cambridge University Press 1995 Jacket: 'After a brief historical outline, the book begins anew with the principles about which we are most certain, relativity and quantum mechanics, and then the properties of particles that follow from these principles. Quantum field theory then emerges from this as a natural consequence. The classic calculations of quantum electrodynamics are presented in a thoroughly modern way, showing the use of path integrals and dimensional regularization. The account of renormalization theory reflects the changes in our view of quantum field theory since the advent of effective field theories. The book's scope extends beyond quantum elelctrodynamics to elementary partricle physics and nuclear physics. It contains much original material, and is peppered with examples and insights drawn from the author's experience as a leader of elementary particle research. Problems are included at the end of each chapter. ' 
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Wilczek (2008), Frank, The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces, Basic Books 2008 ' In this excursion to the outer limits of particle physics, Wilczek explores what quarks and gluons, which compose protons and neutrons, reveal about the manifestation of mass and gravity. A corecipient of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics, Wilczek knows what he’s writing about; the question is, will general science readers? Happily, they know what the strong interaction is (the forces that bind the nucleus), and in Wilczek, they have a jovial guide who adheres to trade publishing’s belief that a successful physics title will not include too many equations. Despite this injunction (against which he lightly protests), Wilczek delivers an approachable verbal picture of what quarks and gluons are doing inside a proton that gives rise to mass and, hence, gravity. Casting the light-speed lives of quarks against “the Grid,” Wilczek’s term for the vacuum that theoretically seethes with quantum activity, Wilczek exudes a contagious excitement for discovery. A near-obligatory acquisition for circulating physics collections.' --Gilbert Taylor  
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Albert Einstein (1915), The Field Equations of Gravitation, ' In two recently published papers I have shown how to obtain field equations of gravitation that comply with the postulate of general relativity, i.e., which in their general formulation are covariant under arbitrary substitutions of space-time variables. [. . .] With this, we have finally completed the general theory of relativity as a logical structure. The postulate of relativity in its most general formulation (which makes space-time coordinates into physically meaningless parameters) leads with compelling necessity to a very specific theory of gravitation that also explains the movement of the perihelion of Mercury. However, the postulate of general relativity cannot reveal to us anything new and different about the essence of the various processes in nature than what the special theory of relativity taught us already. The opinions I recently voiced here in this regard have been in error. Every physical theory that complies with the special theory of relativity can, by means of the absolute differential calculus, be integrated into the system of general relativity theory — without the latter providing any criteria about the admissibility of such physical theory' back

Alex Lo (2025_01_22), My Take | Why old school foreign policy elites despise Donald Trump, ' Many people had expected that the first order of business for Donald Trump would have been to toughen already severe tariffs on China, thus broadening the trade war he initiated and Joe Biden expanded. But, upon his return to the White House, the president decided to go after two of his closest neighbours and allies – Canada and Mexico. . . . Even if his accusations were true, his threatened tariffs of up to 25 per cent by February 1 look like a clear breach of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The trade pact was a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) which Trump unilaterally ripped up in his first term. . . . When it comes to control, trade treaties such as the USMCA typically contain an “Investor-State Dispute Settlement” (ISDS) that heavily favours the biggest multinationals, most of which are American. More than 3,300 such agreements have been concluded worldwide. . . . States have been sued under ISDS for trying to combat tax evasion and money laundering (Uzbekistan and Bolivia); strengthen environment protection and enforcement (Canada and Romania); address climate change and limit extraction of fossil fuels (the Netherlands and Canada); regulate the price, quality and provision of water and energy (Estonia, Argentina and Guatemala); regulate public healthcare, products and services (the Slovak Republic); and mitigate the effects of historic discrimination (South Africa). . . . Besides outright invasions and subversion, these are peaceful means by which the American empire exercises global dominance. Old school foreign policy elites prefer such “rules-based” methods, which I will call “mediated dominance”, rather than naked power projection, which Trump clearly favours. Whether he understands all this, and his more competent advisers surely do, Trump is undermining the very tools the US has used for years to influence and dominate other countries.' back

Aquinas, Summa, I, 3, 7, Is God altogether simple?, 'I answer that, The absolute simplicity of God may be shown in many ways. First, from the previous articles of this question. For there is neither composition of quantitative parts in God, since He is not a body; nor composition of matter and form; nor does His nature differ from His "suppositum"; nor His essence from His existence; neither is there in Him composition of genus and difference, nor of subject and accident. Therefore, it is clear that God is nowise composite, but is altogether simple. . . . ' back

Cherylann Mollan (2025_01_19), India's pioneering female anthropologist who challenged Nazi race theories, ' Born in British-ruled India, and at a time when women didn't have many rights or freedoms, Karve did the unthinkable: she pursued higher studies in a foreign country, became a college professor and India's first female anthropologist. She also married a man of her choosing, swam in a bathing suit, drove a scooter and even dared to defy a racist hypothesis of her doctorate supervisor - a famous German anthropologist named Eugen Fischer. Her writings about Indian culture and civilisation and its caste system are ground-breaking, and are a part of the curriculum in Indian colleges. Yet she remains an obscure figure in history and a lot about her life remains unknown. A new book titled Iru: The Remarkable Life of Irawati Karve, written by her granddaughter Urmilla Deshpande and academic Thiago Pinto Barbosa, sheds light on her fascinating life, and the many odds she braved to blaze an inspiring trail for the women, and men, who came after her. . . . When Irawati decided to pursue a doctorate in anthropology in Berlin, despite her biological father's objections, she found support in Paranjpye and her husband, Dinkar Karve, a professor of science. She arrived in the German city in 1927, after a days-long journey by ship, and began pursuing her degree under the mentorship of Fischer, a celebrated professor of anthropology and eugenics. At the time, Germany was still reeling from the impact of World War One and Hitler had not yet risen to power. But the spectre of anti-Semitism had begun raising its ugly head. Irawati bore witness to this hate when she found out one day that a Jewish student in her building had been murdered. In the book, the authors describe the fear, shock and disgust Irawati felt when she saw the man's body lying on the footpath outside her building, blood oozing across the concrete. Irawati wrestled with these emotions while working on the thesis assigned by Fischer: to prove that white Europeans were more logical and reasonable - and therefore racially superior to non-white Europeans. This involved meticulously studying and measuring 149 human skulls. Fischer hypothesised that white Europeans had asymmetrical skulls to accommodate larger right frontal lobes, supposedly a marker of higher intelligence. However, Irawati's research found no correlation between race and skull asymmetry. "She had contradicted Fischer's hypothesis, of course, but also the theories of that institute and the mainstream theories of the time," the authors write in the book. ' back

Chris Lunday (2025_01_19), Leaked memo reveals alarming German warnings over Trump, ' Donald Trump’s return to the White House has Germany’s diplomatic corps bracing for what it sees as a deliberate dismantling of United States democratic norms. A confidential memorandum written by Andreas Michaelis, Germany's ambassador to the U.S., warns of an agenda of “maximum disruption” that could redefine the American constitutional order. The document, obtained by Reuters and addressed to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, outlines stark concerns about the erosion of democratic norms under Trump’s second administration. Advertisement Advertisement Michaelis describes Trump’s vision as one focused on the “maximum concentration of power with the president at the expense of Congress and the [U.S.] states.” According to the document, key democratic institutions, including the legislature, law enforcement and the media, risk an erosion of their independence and could be “misused as a political arm.” The memo also highlights the involvement of Big Tech companies, which Michaelis claims could be granted “co-governing power",' back

David Hilbert (1925), On the Infinite, ' We encounter a completely different and quite unique conception of the notion of infinity in the important and fruitful method of ideal elements. The method of ideal elements is used even in elementary plane geometry. The points and straight lines of the plane originally are real, actually existent objects. One of the axioms that hold for them is the axiom of connection: one and only one straight line passes through two points. It follows from this axiom that two straight lines intersect at most at one point. There is no theorem that two straight lines always intersect at some point, however, for the two straight lines might well be parallel. Still we know that by introducing ideal elements, viz., infinitely long lines and points at infinity, we can make the theorem that two straight lines always intersect at one and only one point come out universally true. These ideal "infinite" elements have the advantage of making the system of connection laws as simple and perspicuous as possible. Another example of the use of ideal elements are the familiar complex-imaginary magnitudes of algebra which serve to simplify theorems about the existence and number of the roots of an equation.' back

Felix Schilk (2025_01_21), Elon Musk and the narratives of decadence that link all anti-democratic movements , ' The idea of decadence – moral decline triggered by excessive indulgence – informs many parts of everyday sense-making, especially cultural criticism. . . . Decadence is a useful double-edged sword as a narrative. It frames the masses as sluggish and in need of discipline. The corrupt elites, meanwhile, simply need to be replaced. It bemoans the erosion of authority and draws on the premise that every society rests upon eternal hierarchies. Too much freedom, fun and flexibility, the story goes, jeopardises order and, thus, prosperity. . . . According to American anthropologist Janet Roitman, who delved into what she calls the “politics of crisis”, such a narrative “cannot be taken as a description of a historical situation nor can it be taken to be a diagnosis of the status of history”. Instead, she elaborates, it is a “necessarily political denunciation”. Every crisis narrative necessarily strengthens the call for redeemers. “The 2024 election is the last shot to save America,” claims Donald Trump. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” reposts Musk. It’s a scaleable story. [. . .] The “digital town square” that X claims to be, for instance, is a signifier of the feudal public sphere. Musk’s digital reenactment of ancient Rome’s aesthetics reflects the far-right desire for an American Caesar. Oswald Spengler’s Decline of the West, the most influential book in pre-fascist Germany, promoted the very same idea. Musk’s philosophy appears to be that men shall submit to the CEO-king’s long-term ambition. To conquer space, colonise Mars, and merge human brains into one singular artificial intelligence, the individual and its needs become negligible. And that’s what the decadence narrative is all about in the first place.' back

Greg Grandin (2025_01_21), Trump Dreams of a New American Empire, But Mr. Trump is also harking back to the founders, many of whom similarly thought the United States had to expand to thrive. “Extend the sphere,” wrote James Madison in 1787; increase the “extent of territory,” and you’ll diffuse political extremi' Donald Trump won the White House twice on a promise to close the border. Now he waxes poetic about reopening the frontier — whose “spirit,” he said yesterday in his second Inaugural Address, “is written into our hearts.” This month, he talked about buying Greenland from Denmark, annexing Canada, retaking the Panama Canal and renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. “What a beautiful name,” Mr. Trump said, pronouncing the phrase with a decided stress on its last syllable: A-mer-i-CA, not A-MER-i-ca. This expansionist turn is surprising for a politician best known for wanting the nation to hunker down behind a border wall. But Mr. Trump is smart. He knows, it seems, that the angry, inward-looking nationalism that first won him office can be self-destructive, as it was during his besieged first term. These calls, then — to make America not just great but also greater in size — tap into a more invigorating strain of patriotism: a vision of a United States that is forever growing, forever moving outward. Mr. Trump’s recent remarks have electrified his base, with MAGA enthusiasts using social media to circulate battle plans to sesm and stave off class warfare. “The larger our association,” said Thomas Jefferson in 1805, speaking of his Louisiana Purchase, “the less will it be shaken by local passions.” In the years that followed, the United States moved across the continent with dizzying speed, citing the doctrine of conquest as it took Indian and Mexican land, reaching the Pacific and then seizing Hawaii, Puerto Rico and other islands. Mr. Trump is tapping into this social and intellectual history, promising to “pursue our Manifest Destiny into the stars” — even “to Mars.” But he does so in that witchy style he has perfected, which makes conventional ideas sound outlandish.. . . According to Politico, a number of wealthy Trump supporters, especially in tech, see Greenland as valuable not for its minerals or strategic position but as a spiritual solution to our current malaise, a way of restoring a sense of purpose to a country adrift.' back

Jack Jenkins (2025_01_22), After eyebrow-raising sermon to Trump, Bishop Budde beset with criticism and praise, ' WASHINGTON (RNS) — On the morning of the presidential inauguration, the Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde pretty much had the structure of her sermon for the next day finished. The Episcopal bishop of Washington had ruminated on it ever since she was announced in October as the preacher for the interfaith prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral that traditionally concludes the presidential inauguration festivities. Budde had decided to focus on three values she believes are important for national unity: honoring the inherent dignity of every human being, honesty and humility. But as she watched Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday (Jan. 20) and the executive orders he signed immediately after, she realized she needed to add something else. “I found myself thinking, there’s a fourth thing we need for unity in this country — we need mercy,” she told RNS in an interview on Wednesday. “We need mercy. We need compassion. We need empathy. And after listening to the president on Monday, I thought, I wasn’t going to just speak of it in general terms.” back

Jeffrey Nicholls (1967), How universal is the universe?, ' 61 The future is beyond our comprehension, but we can get an idea of it and speed its coming by studying what we already have. Contemplating the size and wonder of the universe as it stands in the light of its openness to the future must surely be a powerful incentive to men to love God. We have come a long way since the little world of St Thomas. Ours is open to all things, even participating in god. This is what I mean by universal. ' back

Luis Gómez Romero (2025_01_22), Trump’s war on migrants could make an enemy of the country he needs most: Mexico, ' On his first day in office, Donald Trump launched his second term with a barrage of executive orders. Unsurprisingly, many could have a major impact on Mexico, which shares a 3,145-kilometre border with the US and more than 200 years of diplomatic and economic ties. Yet, this deep interdependence has not stopped Trump from making Mexico a prime target of his divisive political rhetoric. He entered the public arena in 2015 by condemning Mexicans as dangerous “rapists” and criminals who were “bringing drugs” into the US. He also vowed to build “a great, great wall” along the border – one he claimed Mexico would pay for – to stop undocumented immigrants. During his second presidential campaign, Trump doubled down on his anti-Mexico rhetoric and agenda. He threatened mass deportations of undocumented migrants residing in the US, sweeping tariffs of over 200% on Mexican vehicle imports and sending special forces into Mexico to attack drug cartels. Trump’s executive orders are now putting these threats into action. Among the most concerning: designating migrant crossings as a national emergency directing the military to prioritise sealing the Mexico-US border reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which would require asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their claims are assessed starting the process to designate drug cartels as terrorist organisations, and enacting new tariffs on Mexican imports. Though largely symbolic, the order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” further strains bilateral relations.. . . . Sheinbaum has advised Mexicans to “keep their heads cool”. But as Trump continues to exert pressure on Mexico, it will become increasingly difficult for her to convince the Mexican public of the benefits of maintaining a cooperative relationship with the US. The potential deterioration of relations between Mexico and the US could signal a new era in which brute force, paradoxically, will diminish American influence in the international community. back

Lynsey Chutel (2025_01_07), The Voice of South Africa’s First Post-Apartheid Generation, ' At a gala dinner held soon after South Africa’s most contested election since the end of apartheid, a singer reminded the gathered politicians how to do their jobs. “I want to implore you to think of the people of this country, and to think about why you have been chosen,” the singer, Thandiswa Mazwai, told the political elite at the June gala, put on by the Independent Electoral Commission in Johannesburg to mark the release of the vote’s final results. Many of those listening were members of the African National Congress, the long-governing party that had just suffered stinging losses at the polls, a rebuke from voters frustrated by corruption and mismanagement after three decades of the A.N.C. being in charge. Then, Ms. Mazwai, after her brief spoken remarks, burst into a set of songs whose lyrics, rather than offering light entertainment, instead doubled down on her determination to call out political malpractice. She sang of “fools for leaders” and “thieves” who “should leave Parliament.” Chastising her influential audience is unlikely to cost Ms. Mazwai any future gigs — she’s simply too popular to cancel. At 48, she has performed for South Africans — from everyday fans to Nelson Mandela — for 30 years, as long as the country has been a multiracial democracy. With her music reaching a wide audience and often containing sharp social commentary, Ms. Mazwai has emerged as the voice of a generation born during apartheid’s violent twilight: the first group of Black South Africans to enjoy the freedoms of a democratic South Africa but also to be confronted with its disappointments. Image Ms. Mazwai, wearing a red skirt, sings into a microphone outside. She is surrounded by other performers — men, women and children — who are wearing mostly red. Ms. Mazwai performing at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg during the opening ceremony for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted by South Africa. Credit...Christof Koepsel/Getty Images In a country that holds dear the right to protest after the crushing rule of the apartheid regime, Ms. Mazwai has used her mezzo-soprano voice to amplify South Africa’s struggles, just as her predecessors — activist performers like Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela — did during apartheid. “I don’t take my job lightly,” she told the politicians that night. “My calling is to sing the people’s joy, to sing the people’s sadness.” Born in 1976, a year when an uprising by school children and the brutal response by the apartheid police roiled South Africa, Ms. Mazwai’s life has been marked by political turmoil.' back

Meinard Kuhlmann (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), Quantum Field Theory, ' Quantum Field Theory (QFT) is the mathematical and conceptual framework for contemporary elementary particle physics. In a rather informal sense QFT is the extension of quantum mechanics (QM), dealing with particles, over to fields, i.e. systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom. (See the entry on quantum mechanics.) In the last few years QFT has become a more widely discussed topic in philosophy of science, with questions ranging from methodology and semantics to ontology. QFT taken seriously in its metaphysical implications seems to give a picture of the world which is at variance with central classical conceptions of particles and fields, and even with some features of QM.' back

Nick Marsh & Riaz Sohail (2024_09_21), Pakistan police shoot dead blasphemy suspect, ' Dr Shahnawaz Kanbhar was killed "just by chance" in shootout with officers who did not know it was him, according to a local police chief in Sindh province Niaz Khoso Dr Kanbhar had gone into hiding on Tuesday after being accused of insulting Islam’s prophet Muhammad and sharing blasphemous content on social media. He is the second blasphemy suspect in Pakistan to be shot dead in the space of a week. . . .. The killing of Dr Kanbhar comes a week after an officer opened fire inside a police station in the south-western city of Quetta, fatally wounding another suspect who was being held on accusations of blasphemy.' back

Nick Whiterod & Sylvia Zukowski (2025_01_24) , The world’s second largest freshwater crayfish was once plentiful in Australia’s longest river – we’re bringing it back, ' Murray crayfish once thrived in the southern Murray-Darling Basin. The species was found everywhere from the headwaters of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers in the Australian Alps all the way down to Wellington in South Australia. For thousands of years, First Nations people managed harvesting sustainably. But crayfish stocks crashed after European settlement. This was partly due to commercial and recreational harvest, which began in the late 1860s. At its peak in 1955, 15 tonnes of Murray crayfish were taken from the river in New South Wales and sent to markets in Melbourne and Sydney. In South Australia, the commercial fishery was unsustainable by the 1960s and the species was no longer targeted. In the 1980s, Murray crayfish became a protected species in the state. But the damage was done. Over-harvesting was not the only problem. Murray crayfish prefer free-flowing, oxygen-rich water, so they suffered from efforts to regulate river flows using dams and weirs. Poor water quality, including pollution from pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, made matters worse. Murray crayfish disappeared from South Australia sometime in the past 40 years. Targeted surveys over a five-year period couldn’t find them anywhere in the state. . . . Reintroduction programs require ongoing commitment if they are to be successful. Extra crayfish will need to be added to the reintroduced population over the coming years. The reintroduced population will continue to be monitored to ensure numbers are increasing and the range expanding. It will remain protected from fishing by local fisheries authorities. If successful, further reintroductions may be undertaken into other parts of South Australia.' back

Russell, Burridge, Markham, Blatman & Osborne (2025_01_23), Prisons don’t create safer communities, so why is Australia spending billions on building them?, ' Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show prisoner numbers are growing in every Australian state and territory — except Victoria. Nationally, our per capita imprisonment rate outpaces Canada, the United Kingdom and all of Western Europe. Annual operating and capital costs for the nation’s prisons have surpassed A$6 billion annually — more than double what they were a decade ago. As of January, the Northern Territory hit a grim milestone. More than 1% of the territory’s total population is now incarcerated in adult prison. This is the first time this has happened in any Australian jurisdiction. ./ . Our calculations show that since 2000, 37 new prisons were built in Australia, with a combined capacity for 14,071 people. Many of these new prisons replace older facilities that were located in major city centres. . . . For example, built at a cost of $1.1 billion, the maximum-security Western Plains Correctional Centre near Geelong has sat empty for the past two years. This is largely thanks to a declining prison population in Victoria. . . . Decades of prison expansion have created an immense burden on public spending but have not reduced recidivism rates. In Australia, 42% of people released from prison will return within two years. Three in five adult prisoners have been incarcerated at least once before. Research suggests the experience of imprisonment has, at best, no effect on the rate of reoffending. At worst, it can result in a greater rate of recidivism. . . . These effects are particularly acute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who are subjected to one of the highest rates of policing and incarceration in the world. The hyper-incarceration of First Nations people reflects a long history of the use of imprisonment as a tool of colonial control. It results in more children being separated from their families, reduced access to housing, education and health care.' back

Timothy W. Ryback (2025_01_08), How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days, ' Ninety-two years ago this month, on Monday morning, January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed the 15th chancellor of the Weimar Republic. In one of the most astonishing political transformations in the history of democracy, Hitler set about destroying a constitutional republic through constitutional means. What follows is a step-by-step account of how Hitler systematically disabled and then dismantled his country’s democratic structures and processes in less than two months’ time—specifically, one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours, and 40 minutes. The minutes, as we will see, mattered. . . . By January 1933, the fallibilities of the Weimar Republic—whose 181-article constitution framed the structures and processes for its 18 federated states—were as obvious as they were abundant. Having spent a decade in opposition politics, Hitler knew firsthand how easily an ambitious political agenda could be scuttled. He had been co-opting or crushing right-wing competitors and paralyzing legislative processes for years, and for the previous eight months, he had played obstructionist politics, helping to bring down three chancellors and twice forcing the president to dissolve the Reichstag and call for new elections. . . . Joseph Goebbels, who was present that day as a National Socialist Reichstag delegate, would later marvel that the National Socialists had succeeded in dismantling a federated constitutional republic entirely through constitutional means. Seven years earlier, in 1926, after being elected to the Reichstag as one the first 12 National Socialist delegates, Goebbels had been similarly struck: He was surprised to discover that he and these 11 other men (including Hermann Göring and Hans Frank), seated in a single row on the periphery of a plenary hall in their brown uniforms with swastika armbands, had—even as self-declared enemies of the Weimar Republic—been accorded free first-class train travel and subsidized meals, along with the capacity to disrupt, obstruct, and paralyze democratic structures and processes at will. “The big joke on democracy,” he observed, “is that it gives its mortal enemies the means to its own destruction".' back