Author : Bernard Carr
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 544 pages
File Size : 12,76 MB
Release : 2007-06-21
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780521848411
Physicists argue from different perspectives for and against the idea of the existence of multiple universes.
Author : Tom Siegfried
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 353 pages
File Size : 43,32 MB
Release : 2019-09-17
Category : Science
ISBN : 067497588X
The award-winning former editor of Science News shows that one of the most fascinating and controversial ideas in contemporary cosmology—the existence of multiple parallel universes—has a long and divisive history that continues to this day. We often consider the universe to encompass everything that exists, but some scientists have come to believe that the vast, expanding universe we inhabit may be just one of many. The totality of those parallel universes, still for some the stuff of science fiction, has come to be known as the multiverse. The concept of the multiverse, exotic as it may be, isn’t actually new. In The Number of the Heavens, veteran science journalist Tom Siegfried traces the history of this controversial idea from antiquity to the present. Ancient Greek philosophers first raised the possibility of multiple universes, but Aristotle insisted on one and only one cosmos. Then in 1277 the bishop of Paris declared it heresy to teach that God could not create as many universes as he pleased, unleashing fervent philosophical debate about whether there might exist a “plurality of worlds.” As the Middle Ages gave way to the Renaissance, the philosophical debates became more scientific. René Descartes declared “the number of the heavens” to be indefinitely large, and as notions of the known universe expanded from our solar system to our galaxy, the debate about its multiplicity was repeatedly recast. In the 1980s, new theories about the big bang reignited interest in the multiverse. Today the controversy continues, as cosmologists and physicists explore the possibility of many big bangs, extra dimensions of space, and a set of branching, parallel universes. This engrossing story offers deep lessons about the nature of science and the quest to understand the universe.
Author : Brian Greene
Publisher : Penguin UK
Page : 502 pages
File Size : 49,28 MB
Release : 2012
Category : Science
ISBN : 0141029811
There was a time when 'universe' meant all there is. Everything. Yet, as Brian Greene's extraordinary book shows, ours may be just one universe among many, like endless reflections in a mirror. He takes us on a captivating exploration of parallel worlds - from a multiverse where an infinite number of your doppelg ngers are reading this sentence, to vast oceans of bubble universes and even multiverses made of mathematics - showing just how much of reality's true nature may be hidden within them.
Author : Max Tegmark
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 434 pages
File Size : 39,32 MB
Release : 2015-02-03
Category : Science
ISBN : 0307744256
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.
Author : Geraint F. Lewis
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 395 pages
File Size : 45,20 MB
Release : 2016-10-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 1316715221
Over the last forty years, scientists have uncovered evidence that if the Universe had been forged with even slightly different properties, life as we know it - and life as we can imagine it - would be impossible. Join us on a journey through how we understand the Universe, from its most basic particles and forces, to planets, stars and galaxies, and back through cosmic history to the birth of the cosmos. Conflicting notions about our place in the Universe are defined, defended and critiqued from scientific, philosophical and religious viewpoints. The authors' engaging and witty style addresses what fine-tuning might mean for the future of physics and the search for the ultimate laws of nature. Tackling difficult questions and providing thought-provoking answers, this volumes challenges us to consider our place in the cosmos, regardless of our initial convictions.
Author : Klaas Kraay
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 254 pages
File Size : 43,59 MB
Release : 2014-11-13
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 1317656598
In recent decades, scientific theories have postulated the existence of many universes beyond our own. The details and implications of these theories are hotly contested. Some philosophers argue that these scientific models count against the existence of God. Others, however, argue that if God exists, a multiverse is precisely what we should expect to find. Moreover, these philosophers claim that the idea of a divinely created multiverse can help believers in God respond to certain arguments for atheism. These proposals are, of course, also extremely controversial. This volume collects together twelve newly published essays – two by physicists, and ten by philosophers – that discuss various aspects of this issue. Some of the essays support the idea of a divinely created multiverse; others oppose it. Scientific, philosophical, and theological issues are considered.
Author : Victor J. Stenger
Publisher : Prometheus Books
Page : 450 pages
File Size : 13,96 MB
Release : 2014-09-09
Category : Science
ISBN : 161614971X
Cosmologists have reasons to believe that the vast universe in which we live is just one of an endless number of other universes within a multiverse—a mind-boggling array that may extend indefinitely in space and endlessly in both the past and the future. Victor Stenger reviews the key developments in the history of science that led to the current consensus view of astrophysicists, taking pains to explain essential concepts and discoveries in accessible terminology. The author shows that science’s emerging understanding of the multiverse—consisting of trillions upon trillions of galaxies—is fully explicable in naturalistic terms with no need for supernatural forces to explain its origin or ongoing existence. How can conceptions of God, traditional or otherwise, be squared with this new worldview? The author shows how long-held beliefs will need to undergo major revision or otherwise face eventual extinction.
Author : David Hutchings
Publisher : SPCK
Page : 226 pages
File Size : 26,4 MB
Release : 2020-01-16
Category : Science
ISBN : 0281081921
'An astonishingly good read, gripping and thought-provoking' William Lane Craig 'If you wanted to understand Stephen Hawking but couldn't face the maths, this is the book for you.' Dr Althea Wilkinson, Jodrell Bank Stephen Hawking kept breaking rules. Given two years to live, he managed another 54. He wrote about quantum cosmology - and sold 20 million books. He could not speak, yet the world recognized his voice. Hutchings and Wilkinson shine light on his extraordinary ideas. The result is a thought-provoking theological commentary and critique of black holes, origins, many universes, and Big Questions. In 'God, Stephen Hawking and the Multiverse', Hutchings and Wilkinson explain the key elements of Stephen Hawking's physical and mathematical theories, consider their philosophical and religious implications, and relate his ideas to traditional Judaeo-Christian concepts of God. This book about Stephen Hawking and God and the relationship between God and science gives a brief but engaging overview of the history of physics and cosmology. Perfect for beginners, 'God, Stephen Hawking and the Multiverse' offers a concise and accessible introduction to Hawking's work and how his contributions to modern physics and cosmology can complement religion. Exploring topics such as gravity, quantum mechanics and general relativity, the authors offer a fresh perspective on the relationship between God and science, providing a balanced and informed commentary on Hawking's work both scientifically and theologically.
Author : Rizwan Virk
Publisher : Bayview Books, LLC
Page : 484 pages
File Size : 33,47 MB
Release : 2021-10-15
Category : Computers
ISBN : 1954872011
Do multiple versions of ourselves exist in parallel universes living out their lives in different timelines? In this follow up to his bestseller, The Simulation Hypothesis, MIT Computer Scientist and Silicon Valley Game Pioneer Rizwan Virk explores these topics from a new lens: that of simulation theory. If we are living in a digital universe, then many of the complexities and baffling characteristics of our reality start to make more sense. Quantum computing lets us simulate complex phenomena in parallel, allowing the simulation to explore many realities at once to find the most "optimum" path forward. Could this explain not only the enigmatic Mandela Effect but provide us with a new understanding of time and space? Bringing his unique trademark style of combining video games, computer science, quantum physics and computing with lots of philosophy and science fiction, Virk gives us a new way to think about not just our universe, but all possible realities!
Author : Simon Friederich
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 215 pages
File Size : 26,70 MB
Release : 2021-01-28
Category : Science
ISBN : 1108487122
At the intersection of physics and philosophy of science, this book outlines the philosophical challenge to theoretical physics in a measured, well-grounded manner. Cosmologists, high energy physicists, and philosophers including graduate students and researchers will find a systematic exploration of such questions in this important book.
