New Theories of Everything
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Description
Published in 1991, John Barrow's Theories of Everything was hailed as "a mind-boggling intellectual adventure" by Publishers Weekly and as "an exhilarating journey...important, engaging, and highly literate" by New Scientist . Now, in New Theories of Everything , Barrow completely updates his classic account of one of the hottest fields in all of science--the search for a cosmic key that will unlock the secrets of the Universe.
Will we ever discover a single scientific theory of everything? How can one theory ever explain a world full of chaos and complexity? In thisstimulating volume, Barrow sheds light on these questions as he presents the reader with the very latest ideas and predictions, ranging from the speculations of Stephen Wolfram about the world as a computer program to recent developments in string theory and M theory, new varieties of complexity, new ideas about the nature of mathematics, and much more. He reveals that the field has changed dramatically. Fifteen years ago, scientists sought a single theory uniquely specifying the constants and forces of nature, but today they envision a vast landscape of different logically possible laws and constants in many dimensions, of which our own world is but a tiny facet of a higher dimensional reality. Equally important, Barrow reflects on the philosophical and cultural consequences of those remarkable new ideas, highlighting their implications for our own place in the universe.
The Theory of Everything has in recent years become the focus of some of the most exciting and imaginative thinking in science. Now fully revised, New Theories of Everything brings the story of this exhilarating quest completely up to date.
Features
* A timely look at a theory that has in recent years become the focus of some of the most exciting research in science.
* Fully revises and updates Barrow's earlier Theories of Everything , bringing the story of the quest right up to date.
* Explores such questions as what has led to our own Universe being realized? Is it unique in supporting life? And how do we test these theories?
* Covers a wide range of topics, from "M-theory," currently the prime candidate for the ultimate explanation, to the anthropic principle and new theories of complexity and computation.
* As a leading cosmologist, John D.Barrow is supremely well-placed to put the quest for the theory of everything in its scientific, historical, and philosophical context.
* Eloquently presents complicated theories in an accessible style, drawing in quotes from literature and philosophy.
Reviews
"A fascinating journey."--Kirkus Reviews
"He acknowledges the limitations of seeking a formula to describe the emotional aspects of experience and the necessity of incorporating these variables into the long-sought-after theory of everything."--Science News
"Recommended for general readers; lower-division undergraduates through faculty." -- Choice
Product Details
272 pages; 25 line illus.; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-280721-2ISBN10: 0-19-280721-8
About the Author(s)
John D. Barrow is Professor of Mathematical Sciences and Director of the Millennium Mathematics Project at Cambridge University, Gresham Professor of Astronomy and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is the author of many highly acclaimed books about modern developments in physics, astronomy, and mathematics, including The Left Hand of Creation, The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, Theories of Everything: The Quest for Ultimate Explanation, Pi in the Sky: Counting, Thinking, and Being , among others.
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