Fashion Faith And Fantasy In The New Physics Of The Universe

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Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe

Author : Roger Penrose
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 1400880289
Total Pages : 520 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (8 download)

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Book Synopsis Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe by : Roger Penrose

Download or read book Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe written by Roger Penrose and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2016-09-13 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the world's leading physicists questions some of the most fashionable ideas in physics today, including string theory What can fashionable ideas, blind faith, or pure fantasy possibly have to do with the scientific quest to understand the universe? Surely, theoretical physicists are immune to mere trends, dogmatic beliefs, or flights of fancy? In fact, acclaimed physicist and bestselling author Roger Penrose argues that researchers working at the extreme frontiers of physics are just as susceptible to these forces as anyone else. In this provocative book, he argues that fashion, faith, and fantasy, while sometimes productive and even essential in physics, may be leading today's researchers astray in three of the field's most important areas—string theory, quantum mechanics, and cosmology. Arguing that string theory has veered away from physical reality by positing six extra hidden dimensions, Penrose cautions that the fashionable nature of a theory can cloud our judgment of its plausibility. In the case of quantum mechanics, its stunning success in explaining the atomic universe has led to an uncritical faith that it must also apply to reasonably massive objects, and Penrose responds by suggesting possible changes in quantum theory. Turning to cosmology, he argues that most of the current fantastical ideas about the origins of the universe cannot be true, but that an even wilder reality may lie behind them. Finally, Penrose describes how fashion, faith, and fantasy have ironically also shaped his own work, from twistor theory, a possible alternative to string theory that is beginning to acquire a fashionable status, to "conformal cyclic cosmology," an idea so fantastic that it could be called "conformal crazy cosmology." The result is an important critique of some of the most significant developments in physics today from one of its most eminent figures.

Cycles of Time

Author : Roger Penrose
Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0307596745
Total Pages : 307 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (75 download)

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Book Synopsis Cycles of Time by : Roger Penrose

Download or read book Cycles of Time written by Roger Penrose and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2011-09-06 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Nobel prize-winner Roger Penrose, this groundbreaking book is for anyone "who is interested in the world, how it works, and how it got here" (New York Journal of Books). Penrose presents a new perspective on three of cosmology’s essential questions: What came before the Big Bang? What is the source of order in our universe? And what cosmic future awaits us? He shows how the expected fate of our ever-accelerating and expanding universe—heat death or ultimate entropy—can actually be reinterpreted as the conditions that will begin a new “Big Bang.” He details the basic principles beneath our universe, explaining various standard and non-standard cosmological models, the fundamental role of the cosmic microwave background, the paramount significance of black holes, and other basic building blocks of contemporary physics. Intellectually thrilling and widely accessible, Cycles of Time is a welcome new contribution to our understanding of the universe from one of our greatest mathematicians and thinkers.

Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe

Author : Roger Penrose
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691178534
Total Pages : 520 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (911 download)

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Book Synopsis Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe by : Roger Penrose

Download or read book Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe written by Roger Penrose and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-05 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the world's leading physicists questions some of the most fashionable ideas in physics today, including string theory What can fashionable ideas, blind faith, or pure fantasy possibly have to do with the scientific quest to understand the universe? Surely, theoretical physicists are immune to mere trends, dogmatic beliefs, or flights of fancy? In fact, acclaimed physicist and bestselling author Roger Penrose argues that researchers working at the extreme frontiers of physics are just as susceptible to these forces as anyone else. In this provocative book, he argues that fashion, faith, and fantasy, while sometimes productive and even essential in physics, may be leading today's researchers astray in three of the field's most important areas—string theory, quantum mechanics, and cosmology. Arguing that string theory has veered away from physical reality by positing six extra hidden dimensions, Penrose cautions that the fashionable nature of a theory can cloud our judgment of its plausibility. In the case of quantum mechanics, its stunning success in explaining the atomic universe has led to an uncritical faith that it must also apply to reasonably massive objects, and Penrose responds by suggesting possible changes in quantum theory. Turning to cosmology, he argues that most of the current fantastical ideas about the origins of the universe cannot be true, but that an even wilder reality may lie behind them. Finally, Penrose describes how fashion, faith, and fantasy have ironically also shaped his own work, from twistor theory, a possible alternative to string theory that is beginning to acquire a fashionable status, to "conformal cyclic cosmology," an idea so fantastic that it could be called "conformal crazy cosmology." The result is an important critique of some of the most significant developments in physics today from one of its most eminent figures.

Shadows of the Mind

Author : Roger Penrose
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 9780195106466
Total Pages : 484 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (64 download)

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Book Synopsis Shadows of the Mind by : Roger Penrose

Download or read book Shadows of the Mind written by Roger Penrose and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1994 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the author's thesis that consciousness, in its manifestation in the human quality of understanding, is doing something that mere computation cannot; and attempts to understand how such non-computational action might arise within scientifically comprehensive physical laws.

Quantum Theory, Groups and Representations

Author : Peter Woit
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319646125
Total Pages : 668 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (196 download)

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Book Synopsis Quantum Theory, Groups and Representations by : Peter Woit

Download or read book Quantum Theory, Groups and Representations written by Peter Woit and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-11-01 with total page 668 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This text systematically presents the basics of quantum mechanics, emphasizing the role of Lie groups, Lie algebras, and their unitary representations. The mathematical structure of the subject is brought to the fore, intentionally avoiding significant overlap with material from standard physics courses in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. The level of presentation is attractive to mathematics students looking to learn about both quantum mechanics and representation theory, while also appealing to physics students who would like to know more about the mathematics underlying the subject. This text showcases the numerous differences between typical mathematical and physical treatments of the subject. The latter portions of the book focus on central mathematical objects that occur in the Standard Model of particle physics, underlining the deep and intimate connections between mathematics and the physical world. While an elementary physics course of some kind would be helpful to the reader, no specific background in physics is assumed, making this book accessible to students with a grounding in multivariable calculus and linear algebra. Many exercises are provided to develop the reader's understanding of and facility in quantum-theoretical concepts and calculations.

Consciousness and the Universe: Quantum Physics, Evolution, Brain & Mind

Author : Sir Roger Penrose
Publisher : Science Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9781938024306
Total Pages : 824 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (243 download)

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Book Synopsis Consciousness and the Universe: Quantum Physics, Evolution, Brain & Mind by : Sir Roger Penrose

Download or read book Consciousness and the Universe: Quantum Physics, Evolution, Brain & Mind written by Sir Roger Penrose and published by Science Publishers. This book was released on 2017-11-26 with total page 824 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: List Price: $48.007" x 10" (17.78 x 25.4 cm) Black & White on White paper828 pagesScience PublishersISBN-13: 978-1938024511 ISBN-10: 1938024516 BISAC: Science / Physics / Quantum TheoryIs consciousness an epiphenomenal happenstance of this particular universe? Or does the very concept of a universe depend upon its presence? Does consciousness merely perceive reality, or does reality depend upon it? Did consciousness simply emerge as an effect of evolution? Or was it, in some sense, always "out there" in the world? These questions and more, are addressed in this special edition.

Flat Space Cosmology

Author : Eugene Terry Tatum
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1627343393
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (273 download)

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Book Synopsis Flat Space Cosmology by : Eugene Terry Tatum

Download or read book Flat Space Cosmology written by Eugene Terry Tatum and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This compilation based upon recent peer-reviewed journal publications encapsulates how the Flat Space Cosmology model (FSC) has become the primary competitor to the inflationary standard model of cosmology. New ideas concerning black holes, dark energy and dark matter are presented and shown to correlate extremely well with astronomical observations. Anyone who follows the fast-changing science of cosmology, has an interest in the latest developments, and would like to know how it is that our universe appears to follow equations one would ordinarily expect for a time-reversed black hole (!), may find this book to be fascinating. Cosmology is the study of how the universe has changed over the great span of time (roughly 14 billion years). Later centuries will look back upon the period from 1990-2030 as a ‘Golden Age’ of theoretical and observational cosmology. It is highly likely that we are on the verge of a deeper understanding of the most mysterious energy (‘dark energy’) and matter (‘dark matter’) comprising the majority of energy and matter in the universe. Some of the material presented in this book is on the cutting edge of dark energy and dark matter theoretical work. This book summarizes, for the first time, the groundbreaking publications of two cosmologists, one from the United States and the other from India, from 2015 thru 2020. During this highly productive period, the authors stealthily published their papers in six different peer-reviewed scientific journals, so that the model could be quietly explored in all aspects before bringing it all together in a single book. This is that book!

Quantum Legacies

Author : David Kaiser
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022681999X
Total Pages : 357 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (268 download)

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Book Synopsis Quantum Legacies by : David Kaiser

Download or read book Quantum Legacies written by David Kaiser and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2022-06-16 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Physicists have grappled with quantum theory for over a century. They have learned to wring precise answers from the theory's governing equations, and no experiment to date has found compelling evidence to contradict it. Even so, the conceptual apparatus remains stubbornly, famously bizarre. Physicists have tackled these conceptual uncertainties while navigating still larger ones: the rise of fascism, cataclysmic world wars and a new nuclear age, an unsteady Cold War stand-off and its unexpected end. Quantum Legacies introduces readers to physics' still-unfolding quest by treating iconic moments of discovery and debate among well-known figures like Albert Einstein, Erwin Schrèodinger, and Stephen Hawking, and many others whose contributions have indelibly shaped our understanding of nature"--

Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge

Author : Niels Bohr
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1787208931
Total Pages : 97 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (872 download)

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Book Synopsis Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge by : Niels Bohr

Download or read book Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge written by Niels Bohr and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2017-01-12 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of articles, which were first published in 1958 and written on various occasions between 1932 and 1957, forms a sequel to Danish physician Niels Bohr’s earlier essays in Atomic Theory and the Description of Nature (1934). “The theme of the papers is the epistemological lesson which the modern development of atomic physics has given us and its relevance for analysis and synthesis in many fields of human knowledge. “The articles in the previous edition were written at a time when the establishment of the mathematical methods of quantum mechanics had created a firm foundation for the consistent treatment of atomic phenomena, and the conditions for an unambiguous account of experience within this framework were characterized by the notion of complementarity. In the papers collected here, this approach is further developed in logical formulation and given broader application.”

Our Mathematical Universe

Author : Max Tegmark
Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0307744256
Total Pages : 434 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (77 download)

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Book Synopsis Our Mathematical Universe by : Max Tegmark

Download or read book Our Mathematical Universe written by Max Tegmark and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2015-02-03 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist. Fascinating from first to last—this is a book that has already prompted the attention and admiration of some of the most prominent scientists and mathematicians.

Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics

Author : Thanu Padmanabhan
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319134434
Total Pages : 302 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (191 download)

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Book Synopsis Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics by : Thanu Padmanabhan

Download or read book Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics written by Thanu Padmanabhan and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-02-17 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses a fascinating set of questions in theoretical physics which will both entertain and enlighten all students, teachers and researchers and other physics aficionados. These range from Newtonian mechanics to quantum field theory and cover several puzzling issues that do not appear in standard textbooks. Some topics cover conceptual conundrums, the solutions to which lead to surprising insights; some correct popular misconceptions in the textbook discussion of certain topics; others illustrate deep connections between apparently unconnected domains of theoretical physics; and a few provide remarkably simple derivations of results which are not often appreciated. The connoisseur of theoretical physics will enjoy a feast of pleasant surprises skilfully prepared by an internationally acclaimed theoretical physicist. Each topic is introduced with proper background discussion and special effort is taken to make the discussion self-contained, clear and comprehensible to anyone with an undergraduate education in physics.

Einstein's Miraculous Year

Author : Albert Einstein
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691122288
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (911 download)

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Book Synopsis Einstein's Miraculous Year by : Albert Einstein

Download or read book Einstein's Miraculous Year written by Albert Einstein and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2005-04-17 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After 1905, physics would never be the same. In those 12 months, Einstein shattered many cherished scientific beliefs with five great papers that would establish him as the world's leading physicist. On their 100th anniversary, this book brings those papers together in an accessible format.

Ending Aging

Author : Aubrey de Grey
Publisher : Macmillan + ORM
ISBN 13 : 1429931833
Total Pages : 452 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (299 download)

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Book Synopsis Ending Aging by : Aubrey de Grey

Download or read book Ending Aging written by Aubrey de Grey and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2007-09-04 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: MUST WE AGE? A long life in a healthy, vigorous, youthful body has always been one of humanity's greatest dreams. Recent progress in genetic manipulations and calorie-restricted diets in laboratory animals hold forth the promise that someday science will enable us to exert total control over our own biological aging. Nearly all scientists who study the biology of aging agree that we will someday be able to substantially slow down the aging process, extending our productive, youthful lives. Dr. Aubrey de Grey is perhaps the most bullish of all such researchers. As has been reported in media outlets ranging from 60 Minutes to The New York Times, Dr. de Grey believes that the key biomedical technology required to eliminate aging-derived debilitation and death entirely—technology that would not only slow but periodically reverse age-related physiological decay, leaving us biologically young into an indefinite future—is now within reach. In Ending Aging, Dr. de Grey and his research assistant Michael Rae describe the details of this biotechnology. They explain that the aging of the human body, just like the aging of man-made machines, results from an accumulation of various types of damage. As with man-made machines, this damage can periodically be repaired, leading to indefinite extension of the machine's fully functional lifetime, just as is routinely done with classic cars. We already know what types of damage accumulate in the human body, and we are moving rapidly toward the comprehensive development of technologies to remove that damage. By demystifying aging and its postponement for the nonspecialist reader, de Grey and Rae systematically dismantle the fatalist presumption that aging will forever defeat the efforts of medical science.

The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

Author : Brian Greene
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN 13 : 0393058581
Total Pages : 447 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by : Brian Greene

Download or read book The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory written by Brian Greene and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2003-09-30 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduces the superstring theory that attempts to unite general relativity and quantum mechanics.

The Little Book of Black Holes

Author : Steven S. Gubser
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 1400888298
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (8 download)

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Book Synopsis The Little Book of Black Holes by : Steven S. Gubser

Download or read book The Little Book of Black Holes written by Steven S. Gubser and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-25 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dive into a mind-bending exploration of the physics of black holes Black holes, predicted by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity more than a century ago, have long intrigued scientists and the public with their bizarre and fantastical properties. Although Einstein understood that black holes were mathematical solutions to his equations, he never accepted their physical reality—a viewpoint many shared. This all changed in the 1960s and 1970s, when a deeper conceptual understanding of black holes developed just as new observations revealed the existence of quasars and X-ray binary star systems, whose mysterious properties could be explained by the presence of black holes. Black holes have since been the subject of intense research—and the physics governing how they behave and affect their surroundings is stranger and more mind-bending than any fiction. After introducing the basics of the special and general theories of relativity, this book describes black holes both as astrophysical objects and theoretical “laboratories” in which physicists can test their understanding of gravitational, quantum, and thermal physics. From Schwarzschild black holes to rotating and colliding black holes, and from gravitational radiation to Hawking radiation and information loss, Steven Gubser and Frans Pretorius use creative thought experiments and analogies to explain their subject accessibly. They also describe the decades-long quest to observe the universe in gravitational waves, which recently resulted in the LIGO observatories’ detection of the distinctive gravitational wave “chirp” of two colliding black holes—the first direct observation of black holes’ existence. The Little Book of Black Holes takes readers deep into the mysterious heart of the subject, offering rare clarity of insight into the physics that makes black holes simple yet destructive manifestations of geometric destiny.

On the Future

Author : Martin Rees
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691231060
Total Pages : 280 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (912 download)

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Book Synopsis On the Future by : Martin Rees

Download or read book On the Future written by Martin Rees and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-10-05 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A provocative and inspiring look at the future of humanity and science from world-renowned scientist and bestselling author Martin Rees Humanity has reached a critical moment. Our world is unsettled and rapidly changing, and we face existential risks over the next century. Various outcomes—good and bad—are possible. Yet our approach to the future is characterized by short-term thinking, polarizing debates, alarmist rhetoric, and pessimism. In this short, exhilarating book, renowned scientist and bestselling author Martin Rees argues that humanity’s prospects depend on our taking a very different approach to planning for tomorrow. The future of humanity is bound to the future of science and hinges on how successfully we harness technological advances to address our challenges. If we are to use science to solve our problems while avoiding its dystopian risks, we must think rationally, globally, collectively, and optimistically about the long term. Advances in biotechnology, cybertechnology, robotics, and artificial intelligence—if pursued and applied wisely—could empower us to boost the developing and developed world and overcome the threats humanity faces on Earth, from climate change to nuclear war. At the same time, further advances in space science will allow humans to explore the solar system and beyond with robots and AI. But there is no “Plan B” for Earth—no viable alternative within reach if we do not care for our home planet. Rich with fascinating insights into cutting-edge science and technology, this accessible book will captivate anyone who wants to understand the critical issues that will define the future of humanity on Earth and beyond.

The Zoomable Universe

Author : Caleb Scharf
Publisher : Scientific American / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN 13 : 0374279748
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (742 download)

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Book Synopsis The Zoomable Universe by : Caleb Scharf

Download or read book The Zoomable Universe written by Caleb Scharf and published by Scientific American / Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2017-10-17 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An epic, full-color visual journey through all scales of the universe In The Zoomable Universe, the award-winning astrobiologist Caleb Scharf and the acclaimed artist Ron Miller take us on an epic tour through all known scales of reality, from the largest possible magnitude to the smallest. Drawing on cutting-edge science, they begin at the limits of the observable universe, a scale spanning 10^27 meters—about 93 billion light-years. And they end in the subatomic realm, at 10^-35 meters, where the fabric of space-time itself confounds all known rules of physics. In between are galaxies, stars and planets, oceans and continents, plants and animals, microorganisms, atoms, and much, much more. Stops along the way—all enlivened by Scharf’s sparkling prose and his original insights into the nature of our universe—include the brilliant core of the Milky Way, the surface of a rogue planet, the back of an elephant, and a sea of jostling quarks. The Zoomable Universe is packed with more than 100 original illustrations and infographics that will captivate readers of every age. It is a whimsical celebration of discovery, a testament to our astounding ability to see beyond our own vantage point and chart a course from the farthest reaches of the cosmos to its subatomic depths—in short, a must-have for the shelves of all explorers.