Only a Theory


Book Description

Evaluates the debate between advocates for evolution and intelligent design which occured during the 2005 Dover evolution trial, dissecting the claims of the intelligent design movement and explaining why the conflict is compromising America's position a




Mapping the Origins Debate


Book Description

This unique textbook by Gerald Rau surveys the six predominant models currently used to explain the origins of creation, of life, of species and of humans. Alongside his judicious account of the debate as a whole, Rau equips students with critical tools for evaluating the individual philosophies of science in play.




Assholes


Book Description

In the spirit of the mega-selling On Bullshit, philosopher Aaron James presents a theory of the asshole that is both intellectually provocative and existentially necessary. What does it mean for someone to be an asshole? The answer is not obvious, despite the fact that we are often personally stuck dealing with people for whom there is no better name. Try as we might to avoid them, assholes are found everywhere—at work, at home, on the road, and in the public sphere. Encountering one causes great difficulty and personal strain, especially because we often cannot understand why exactly someone should be acting like that. Asshole management begins with asshole understanding. Much as Machiavelli illuminated political strategy for princes, this book finally gives us the concepts to think or say why assholes disturb us so, and explains why such people seem part of the human social condition, especially in an age of raging narcissism and unbridled capitalism. These concepts are also practically useful, as understanding the asshole we are stuck with helps us think constructively about how to handle problems he (and they are mostly all men) presents. We get a better sense of when the asshole is best resisted, and when he is best ignored—a better sense of what is, and what is not, worth fighting for.




Theory and Reality


Book Description

How does science work? Does it tell us what the world is “really” like? What makes it different from other ways of understanding the universe? In Theory and Reality, Peter Godfrey-Smith addresses these questions by taking the reader on a grand tour of more than a hundred years of debate about science. The result is a completely accessible introduction to the main themes of the philosophy of science. Examples and asides engage the beginning student, a glossary of terms explains key concepts, and suggestions for further reading are included at the end of each chapter. Like no other text in this field, Theory and Reality combines a survey of recent history of the philosophy of science with current key debates that any beginning scholar or critical reader can follow. The second edition is thoroughly updated and expanded by the author with a new chapter on truth, simplicity, and models in science.




Why String Theory?


Book Description

Physics World's 'Book of the Year' for 2016 An Entertaining and Enlightening Guide to the Who, What, and Why of String Theory, now also available in an updated reflowable electronic format compatible with mobile devices and e-readers. During the last 50 years, numerous physicists have tried to unravel the secrets of string theory. Yet why do these scientists work on a theory lacking experimental confirmation? Why String Theory? provides the answer, offering a highly readable and accessible panorama of the who, what, and why of this large aspect of modern theoretical physics. The author, a theoretical physics professor at the University of Oxford and a leading string theorist, explains what string theory is and where it originated. He describes how string theory fits into physics and why so many physicists and mathematicians find it appealing when working on topics from M-theory to monsters and from cosmology to superconductors.




Not Even Wrong


Book Description

At what point does theory depart the realm of testable hypothesis and come to resemble something like aesthetic speculation, or even theology? The legendary physicist Wolfgang Pauli had a phrase for such ideas: He would describe them as "not even wrong," meaning that they were so incomplete that they could not even be used to make predictions to compare with observations to see whether they were wrong or not. In Peter Woit's view, superstring theory is just such an idea. In Not Even Wrong , he shows that what many physicists call superstring "theory" is not a theory at all. It makes no predictions, even wrong ones, and this very lack of falsifiability is what has allowed the subject to survive and flourish. Not Even Wrong explains why the mathematical conditions for progress in physics are entirely absent from superstring theory today and shows that judgments about scientific statements, which should be based on the logical consistency of argument and experimental evidence, are instead based on the eminence of those claiming to know the truth. In the face of many books from enthusiasts for string theory, this book presents the other side of the story.




Final Theory


Book Description

When his physicist mentor is murdered for his possible knowledge about Einstein's Unified Field Theory, physics professor David Swift is swept up by a violent struggle for control of the information and its staggering potential.




The Final Theory


Book Description

A key unresolved issue lies at the heart of our science -- the quest of Aristotle, Newton, Einstein, Hawking and many others, now widely known as the Theory of Everything. This ultimate understanding is expected to transform science and resolve its many mysteries -- all via one single overlooked principle in nature that will explain, simplify and unify everything. This quest has produced theories such as Special Relativity, General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, enormous investments in powerful particle accelerators and space telescopes, and such recent pursuits as "Dark Matter" and "Dark Energy." But enormous problems remain: these theories, projects and pursuits are all completely separate and frequently incompatible, presenting unresolved abstractions, speculation, paradoxes and mysteries that often even violate our laws of physics, upon closer examination. As a result, the Theory of Everything continues to elude us, with no clear way forward. The Final Theory clearly shows why this is the case, exposing centuries of well-intentioned but misguided scientific thought that has locked us into an erroneous and highly troubled energy-based science that has taken us far off track. It corrects the errors in our scientific legacy, showing that energy is actually a misunderstanding of the unifying principle we have sought for centuries -- a principle that is active all around us, producing all known phenomena such as gravity, light, electricity and magnetism. This new understanding replaces both Newton's "gravitational force" theory and Einstein's "warped space-time" General Relativity Theory, while also overturning such theories as Special Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. In their place is a single simple principle that finally demystifies, explains and unifies everything. Read The Final Theory and judge for yourself whether the Theory of Everything has finally arrived!




String Theory and the Scientific Method


Book Description

String theory has played a highly influential role in theoretical physics for nearly three decades and has substantially altered our view of the elementary building principles of the Universe. However, the theory remains empirically unconfirmed, and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. So why do string theorists have such a strong belief in their theory? This book explores this question, offering a novel insight into the nature of theory assessment itself. Dawid approaches the topic from a unique position, having extensive experience in both philosophy and high-energy physics. He argues that string theory is just the most conspicuous example of a number of theories in high-energy physics where non-empirical theory assessment has an important part to play. Aimed at physicists and philosophers of science, the book does not use mathematical formalism and explains most technical terms.




A Theory of the Drone


Book Description

The Parisian research scholar and author of Manhunts offers a philosophical perspective on the role of drone technology in today's changing military environments and the implications of drone capabilities in enabling democratic choices. 12,500 first printing.