Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04
I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.
String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?
Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22
I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.
I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.
I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!
Amazon.com
There is an ill-concealed skeleton in the closet of physics: "As they are currently formulated, general relativity and quantum mechanics cannot both be right." Each is exceedingly accurate in its field: general relativity explains the behavior of the universe at large scales, while quantum mechanics describes the behavior of subatomic particles. Yet the theories collide horribly under extreme conditions such as black holes or times close to the big bang. Brian Greene, a specialist in quantum field theory, believes that the two pillars of physics can be reconciled in superstring theory, a theory of everything.
Superstring theory has been called "a part of 21st-century physics that fell by chance into the 20th century." In other words, it isn't all worked out yet. Despite the uncertainties--"string theorists work to find approximate solutions to approximate equations"--Greene gives a tour of string theory solid enough to satisfy the scientifically literate.
Though Ed Witten of the Institute for Advanced Study is in many ways the human hero of The Elegant Universe, it is not a human-side-of-physics story. Greene's focus throughout is the science, and he gives the nonspecialist at least an illusion of understanding--or the sense of knowing what it is that you don't know. And that is traditionally the first step on the road to knowledge. --Mary Ellen Curtin
Book Description
"[Greene] develops one fresh new insight after another...In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses,
The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat." --George Johnson, The New York Times Book Review
In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter-from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas-is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.
Green uses everything from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling. Dazzling in its brilliance, unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain,
The Elegant Universe is a tour de force of science writing-a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.
Customer Reviews:
Anyone who is curious about the horizons of theoretical physics will enjoy this book.......2007-08-30
In this brilliantty articulated and refreshingly clear book, Greene, a leading string theorist, relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind the search for the ultimate theory. String theory, as the author vividly and easily describes, reveals a vision of the universe that is sending shock waves through the world of physics. Thrilling and revolutionary ideas such as new dimensions hidden within the fabric of space, black holes transmuting into elementary particles, rips and puncutures in the space time continuum, gigantic universes interchangealbe with minusclule ones, and a wealth of others are playing a pivotal role as physicists use string theory to grapple with some of the deepest questions of the ages.
Almost 5 Stars.......2007-07-19
Although I felt this book was excellent and covered all the bases there were a few areas that lacked for me and I couldn't quite give it 5 stars. The book started out phenomenally and the section on quantum mechanics was the best that I've read. The analogies that Mr. Greene used made the concepts clear and comprehendable but there were a few chapters in the middle where he used no analogies and I found myself completely lost even after re-reading the chapters. I might be too much of a layman for this book and that would certainly not be Mr. Greene's fault. There were additional parts of the book where I found myself easily destracted and those chapters were almost a chore to finish. Over all I think parts of this book are great for readers who are just begining to study this subject but other whole chapters are definately not.
First half zipped along with insight after insight........2007-07-19
First half zipped along with insight after insight. Second half got a bit heavy and bogged down. Overall I'm glad I made it through.
science or science fiction? .......2007-07-08
"Theoretical physicist is the one whose experiments don't work".
So says my friend, an engineer by profession, and The Elegant Universe fully confirms this view - more, since we learn that the theories of modern physics are beyond our technological ability to test them experimentally.
The theories themselves are indeed very elegant, composed with great care for estetics and symmetry, and well illustrated by pictures. Nonetheless, we are left with an impression that most of it is the stuff of phantasy, and just as one calculation will "prove" some idea, another set of equations will "disprove" it with identical claim to "scientific truth". I've put all this terms in quotes because the maybe factor of all proofs is too strong to take the presented theories seriously. The author admits that all the calculations are based on approximations and numerous assumptions, raising from still more approximations and probabilities. And when the result is absurd, the theorists quickly solve the problem by inventing one more spatial dimention, not accessible to our perceptions because it never expanded from its initial state.
Actually, the whole string theory deals with aspects of reality not accessible to our perceptions, and not provable by any experiments. Is it still reality or already a fiction? We don't know, and chances are will never know.
With all this, it is indeed an extremely elegant text, beautifully written and holding our attention all the way to the end. I just wish the author did not say all of the time that string theory had been "discovered", since for all we know theories are not material reality, such as a continent of America or a rare species of a butterfly, and so they cannot be discovered, theories can only be conceived, invented, or created. This lexical misuse is eye-catching due to the prevalence of hypotheses over the facts so stronly visible in string theory.
Crackling and sizzling ! - This one requires some attention and tenacity though........2007-06-27
A good book which covers the below topics
1) Requirement of single physical law which brings together all the four fundamental forces: Electromagnetic, Strong nuclear, weak nuclear and gravity.
2) Disparity between theory of relatively (the world of the big) with quantum mechanics (world of the very small)
2) The need of a higher theory to explain the standard model (Explanation for the disparate mass and charges of the subatomic particles)
3) The concept of 11 dimensional space; Mass and charge of the numerous particles found in atom smashers being a result of frequency of vibrations of strings (closed or open) in different dimensions. Meaning a string vibrating with a certain frequency along one of the hidden 7 pinched up spatial dimensions (also termed calabi Yau spaces) will represent a subatomic particle
4) Membrane theory (2 branes, 3 branes etc)
5) M theory unifying the 5 known strings theories (by the addition of another spatial dimension)
6) Thus everything in this universe including the keyboard you are right now typing on is made up of tiny vibrating strings and below this level there is nothing. A string would be the last divisible entity beyond which it is not possible to divide anymore.
Basically everthing stripped down to strings. This is a book for the reader who doesn't know anything about string theory but wants to learn something. As a general reader, you are not in a position to take a stand for or against string theory, because the person picking up this book will be layman and hence rightly there are no equations, so you have to accept things at face value. If you were more deeply interested you would be a physicist doing his PHD and hence will read more dense and technical books as college courses.
But as a layman, you will also appreciate the paucity of physical evidence to support string theory. Particle physicists consider it the right theory because of its mathematical elegance in it's equations. As a layman, you and I are not able to see this elgance as we dont read equations. So I cant form a real opinion about this but I can say that this book will provide the uninitiated a quick cursory primer on string theory with the help of analogies. But this book wont make you believe or disbelieve string theory but you will become more aquainted with what this hype is all about.
regards, Vikram
Book Description
This book describes how understanding the structure of reality leads to the Theory of Everything Equation. The equation unifies the forces of nature and enables the merging of relativity with quantum theory. The book explains the big bang theory and everything else.
Customer Reviews:
The Real Deal.......2006-09-25
Although Mr. Wheatley is a little verbose in sections, his documentation of Zen Buddhistic Principles found throughout the disciplines of Mathematics, Physics, Theology, etc. forms a nice reference guide for anyone tuned into that wavelength. In particular, his explanation of how Godel's Theorem and Cantor's "Confusion" shed great light on the difference between GOD's Logic and Man's Logic should be a revelation to any undergraduate level math students who encounter these ideas for the first time. Curiously, Mr. Wheatley makes many misstatements about both Zen Buddhism Principles and the Bible, however. For example, by accepting the false biblical teaching of Original Sin, he misses the point that eating the proverbial apple gave Adam and Eve the ability to make Moral Discernments in fulfillment of GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. As proof, read Genesis 1 which states that Man and Woman were made in GOD's Image. Genesis 4 shows that Adam and Eve weren't the first humans on Earth at all, there were plenty of others by then. The allegorical meaning of the story of Eden, then, isn't that Adam and Eve were the first humans on Earth, but they were the first humans with the ability to make Moral Discernments (in GOD's Image). In fact, Moral Discernment is God's Unique Gift to Man, which is the basis of consciousness, not some Math Formula. But because the wages of the resulting, unavoidable sin are Death, many people foolishly try to return to Eden by: (1) living a sinless Life (2) by removing choice altogether by passing and enforcing strict Laws (3) by attempting to do away with Moral Discernment and the resulting consequences for our actions altogether by trying to remove Shame from Shameful actions. GOD is not some ethereal Man-In-Space, but is simply the Totality of all Real Things, The Set of All Real Sets. GOD's Love manifests itself from the amazing sub-atomic relationships that underly this magic Life all the way to the grandest of Macroscopic Scales, the Interconnected Totality itself. The Zen Buddhism connection can be found by simply superimposing the 0 symbol and the symbol for infinity (8 on its side) in Mr. Wheatley's supposedly "new" formulation that 1 = 0 x infinity. Superimposing them gives you the yin-yang symbol. A potential disadvantage of artificially separating the infinity from the zero, however, is that Mr. Wheatley is able to equate the entire expression to be equal to 1. This potentially might obscure the fact that the deepest meaning of the yin-yang symbol is that it is both 2 and 1 AT THE SAME TIME. His overall equation does preserve that important meaning by utilizing a single element on one side of the equation and two elements on the other side of his final TOE equation. This may be hard to see for some at first, however, which could potentially obscure the richest meaning of this beautiful symbol/equation. A much more GODLY TOE, in my opinion, comes from Euler, who discovered that e ^ (i * pi) - 1 = 0. When someone can explain that relationship, then they can say they know GOD.
A life changing experience??.......2005-06-13
This book is an easy read and does succeed in being somewhat thought-provoking. However, I am a little surprised at the awesome, "life changing" experience it apparently was for many of the readers. Wheatley's conclusions were interesting but nothing really new. All of his material should have passed through the mind of any thinking person without the aid of this book.
The reason I gave this book three stars is because he uses unneccessarily wordy ways of describing simple things. Also, the author and many other reviewers insist that Wheatley makes only one assumption. Wrong-his whole theory is one big assumption.
Overall though it was a very interesting and worthy book.
Should be Required Reading for everyone.......2004-06-26
This book will change your life. You will never think the same way you did before reading it.
I have a degree in chemistry and I think this book should be read by everyone in the sciences. Without a doubt, the best book I've ever read. Why and what are two of our best friends
A Very Important Book.......2004-01-26
I must preface my review by stating that I have never been so excited and moved by a book that I have wanted to contact the author. That is what I found myself doing upon reading this book. This book is just what its title says. The author does not "miss a beat" describing in great detail using practically every aspect of scientific knowledge from atomic structure through logic to quantum theory---we are even given a valuable explanation of Love. This text may be challenging to read for those unfamiliar with scientific terminology. And it can also be difficult for those with a science background, such as myself. However, for me it is well worth the work necessary to strive to understand the unfamiliar terminology. (I am continually learning from this book. I am presently on my third reread).
One of the author's main messages is "not" to believe anything without first verifying it with reality, as we know it. He calls it the "Personal Explanation Principle". He indicates that religions are just such belief systems that we as people "fall" victims of; because we do not verify the beliefs with the facts, as we know them, of reality. He gives a very detailed explanation of how the New Testament can be explored using his methodology.
The author methodically and meticulously walks us through his thought processes, which took 30 years to assimilate, of delineating the structure of reality and the nature of consciousness. Included in the "walk" are many of reality's phenomena made revelatory. An example of that, for me, would be the dual nature of light. It's particle/wave duality, which is explained as "functions". Also, when the author took me on the mental journey of "Setness" an exhilaration of the magnificence of life swelled up in me.
To me this is a very important book that should be read by all that are seekers of truth. It is for all those wanting to gain an understanding of the purpose for their existence, wanting to know where life is headed towards, and wanting to know who God is.
This book will enlighten and develop one's mind substantially. You will discover that this is our objective.
And yes, I contacted the author and he responded openly.
Illuminating!!!.......2002-12-30
This is a really great book. It combines philosophy and science in order to tackle a multitude of existential problems. The author's style of writing is fresh and alive, I recommend ths book to anyone interested in expanding the fronteirs of their understanding. Books I also liked are a Universe in an Nutshell by Steven Hawkings and Descent into Illusions by Paul Omeziri.
Book Description
In his first book ever, the father of string theory reinvents our concept of the known universe and mans unique place within it. The beginning of the 21st century is a watershed in modern science, a time that will forever change our understanding of the universe, Leonard Susskind contends. Several decades ago, Susskind introduced the revolutionary concept of string theory to the world of physical science. In doing so, he inspired a generation of physicists who believed that the theory would uniquely predict the properties of our universe. Now, in his first book ever, Susskind argues that the very idea of such an elegant theory no longer suits our understanding of the universe, and that our narrow 20th-century view of a unique universe will have to give way to the much broader concept of a gigantic cosmic landscapea megaverse, pregnant with new possibilities. His other contributions to physics are too numerous to mention, but his recent victory in an argument with Stephen Hawking over the nature of black holes made headlines everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
The Problem With Math.......2007-09-26
Susskind, along with many other, such as Randall Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions makes a serious mistake in leaping to the conclusion that reality corresponds to his mathematical models. Along with other string theorists, they assume that if the math they use to build their models contains some number of additional dimensions, then the real world must contain those dimensions. I see this in much of the literature, including, for example Woit Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law who debunks string theory, but nevertheless seems to accept the idea that if the math contains extra dimensions, reality must also contain those extra dimensions. Susskind really goes off the deep end with this.
A mathematical model is just that - a model. It is the best math we can construct at this point in time to describe the reality we are trying to model. It is not the reality itself. If the string theorists are successful in constructing a model that includes six or seven tiny dimensions, that does not mean that those dimensions actually exist. All it means is that the best model we can currently construct has to include those dimensions in the math. We must remember that much more math will come along. Someday, we may have a math that describes the same reality without the additional dimensions.
That said, if the string theorists can make a prediction that absolutely, positively depends upon those extra dimensions and if that prediction is confirmed by experimental results, then they may have a case. So far, the string theorists have failed utterly to make such a prediction. Even here, a different math may come along. The night is young.
As good as it gets!.......2007-08-27
TCL is popular science writing of the first order: a fascinating, informative, and highly entertaining tour of what rate as some of the most abstruse theories ever conceived. In Susskind's own words (p. 348):
"My main purpose in wiriting this book is not primarily to convince the reader of my own point of view; scientific arguments are best fought on the pages of technical journals and the blackboards of seminar rooms. My purpose is to explain the struggle of ideas that is about to take front-and-center place in the mainstream of science so that ordinary readers can follow the ideas as they unfold and experience the drama and excitement that I feel."
I can heap no greater praise on Susskind than to say that TCL brilliantly achieves his purpose. It is one of the finest pieces of popular science writing that I have ever read. Somewhere in this book Susskind alludes to another book he hopes to write one day. Here's very much hoping he directs that (and other) future efforts to a non-specialist readership. It is very much to the benefit of science and the public when scientists translate their work for the edification of non-scientists. Kudos to Susskind for joining the ranks of the most able popularizers!
Plain English, finally!.......2007-05-07
Choice book, great theorist writes in plain English..I have read 3 times, always something new!
Why is there Something rather than Nothing?.......2007-01-30
Very illuminative book in understanding the present state of the relevant physics and cosmology.
Really, we have no need of intelligent design theory if progress in science goes on.
Although the book is full of analogies and slogans instead of formulas, it provides a good overview of physics and cosmology.
The book is written in a lively way and thought provoking with challenging concepts.
Not Convincing .......2007-01-21
I'm not a physicist, but I could say that my interest in science stemmed from my background as an Engineer in electronics. And no need to go over the scientific aspects mentioned in the book since others have done a good job. Yet, I was surprised at a scientist, or rather the father of the String Theory, and quite knowledgeable in Quantum Mechanics, would treat man as a separate being from the universe. When we say that the universe is fine tuned to suite us, who is "us"? Aren't we a part of this universe in quantum physics perspective? And although I liked his scientific analogy a great deal and I learned a lot, not to say that I completely understood it, but his Anthropic views and conclusions threw me off balance. I'm sure that he has much more explaining to do before he could come to this conclusion. But generally speaking; if you are interested in science of quantum physics, it is a page-turner and the writer's ability to bring the complexities of this field to a layman's lever was amazing. And one more thing; the title was misleading when the writer used the word "illusion" in juxtaposition with"intelligent design"
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The Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings (Series in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)
M.R. Anderson
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This book is a comprehensive survey of the current state of knowledge about the dynamics and gravitational properties of cosmic strings treated in the idealized classical approximation as line singularities described by the Nambu-Goto action. The author's purpose is to provide a standard reference to all work that has been published since the mid-1970s and to link this work together in a single conceptual framework and a single notational formalism. A working knowledge of basic general relativity is assumed. The book will be essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in mathematics, theoretical physics, and astronomy interested in cosmic strings.
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Prime Elements of Ordinary Matter, Dark Matter & Dark Energy: Beyond Standard Model & String Theory
Vladimir, B. Ginzburg
Manufacturer: Universal Publishers
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ASIN: 1581129467 |
Book Description
The book describes a history of the vortex theory. Introduced at the dawn of science almost 2600 years ago, it had passed through five phases of accumulation of its strength by absorbing the discoveries made during the Greek civilization, the Copernicus Revolution, the age of electromagnetism, the atomic age, and the information age. During the first four phases (see Chapters 1 through 12 of this book), the development of the vortex theory followed the same misfortunate pattern. Each time, this theory managed to bring attention of a new generation of brilliant scientists, who were enchanted by a deep physical meaning of its basic concept. But, although they employed the latest advances in science, none of them was able to produce a mathematical tool making the vortex theory practically usable. The fifth phase began in 1993 with the discovery of a unique spacetime spiral element, called the toryx. The toryx is a particular case of a multiple-level dynamic spiral with a poetic name helicola that describes the paths of all moving celestial bodies in our universe. The ability of the toryx to be turned inside out made it perfect for modeling the polarized prime elements of matter. A close offspring of the toryx called the helyx turned out to be ideal for modeling the polarized prime elements of the radiation particles. This discovery led to the development of a new version of the vortex theory called Three-Dimensional Spiral String Theory (3D-SST) outlined in Chapters 13 through 16.
Book Description
This book is intended as a highly readable introductory text on the concepts of astronomy, cosmology, relativity, quantum physics, particle physics, and string theory. From the smallest quantum scales, to the largest cosmic scales, the author uses a broad brush to fill in your understanding of the key ideas in these fields and theories. It is hoped that The Humbled Blue Orb will wet the reader's appetite with its clearly written text and illustrations; prompting them to explore more extensively into these interesting and mysterious areas of science.
Customer Reviews:
Good information, but poor editing makes it difficult at times.......2007-07-14
I know quite a bit about the topics covered in this book, but I always find it good to read material from a variety of sources. That's why I picked this up.
The information is clear (I would imagine this being the case for a novice as well). Klein uses some clever examples to drive home his points and to make some of the complex subjects easier to understand.
However, the editing is downright AWFUL. Taken from the BACK COVER (!!) of the book:
"It is hoped that The Humbled Blue Orb will wet the reader's appetite with its clearly written text and illustration;..."
I assume most of you reading this review will notice that he should have used "whet" instead of "wet." Also, all too often there are typos that make the sentences hard to understand ("as" will be written "at", etc.), and some of the punctuation is just dreadful. I guess that's what happens when authors self-publish!
If you can get by these flaws, then pick up this book as a good primer for the subject.
good content.......2006-06-30
Despite the book losing me at certain points, especially in attempting to drive through all the 'weeds' of particle physics, I overall found this book very readable and enjoyable.
I have read a couple of books similar to this and found this one to be on par with the rest, and even provide some new insights on certain topics.
Recommended - especially for those just getting into the reading topics.
highly readable.......2006-06-16
I have just started reading this type of material and was concerned about the content going over my head. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book relatively easy to read with minimal confusion and good examples and pictures.
I would recommend this book for any budding science reader.
Good Book.......2006-04-21
I just happened to download the e-book version of this to see how it read since I do not normally read science topics.
Despite this, I found it a good book that flowed nicely. Overall, I would definately recommend it for the popular science reader audience.
If there is a second edition, a glossary might be helpful for people who are not familiar with some of the terminology.
great read........2006-04-04
Great read.
Overall I really enjoyed it and found it to be well written.
I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants a high-level overview of Quantum Physics and String Theories.
The illustrations and tables were useful as well, despite them being a bit small at times.
I have read quite a few of these types of books, and I found this book to be just as readable as other books on the topics presented.
Very enjoyable.
Average customer rating:
- It would be easier just to set fire to your money than to order this
- Grade-school prose, very short, yet padded
- Not much real science in this booklet
- Not for the advanced physics reader
- Much better than expected.
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Our Superstring Universe: Strings, Branes, Extra Dimensions and Superstring-M Theory
Jr. L. E. Lewis
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
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Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos
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The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
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The Great Beyond: Higher Dimensions, Parallel Universes and the Extraordinary Search for a Theory of Everything
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Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
ASIN: 0595275893 |
Book Description
This book is intended as an introduction to what soon may prove to be the most important theory of scienceÂ…ever. It is a theory that is still evolving, but it already shows great promise of explaining the most fundamental mysteries of nature. The theory is based on the simple concept of miniscule vibrating strings as the source of all matter and forces in our universe.
Our Superstring Universe begins with the big bang and traces the evolution of matter and force strings as they form and become the building blocks of our evolving universe. Then the focus shifts to the properties of strings and how they fit into the current knowledge of particle physics. The book concludes with discussions of the quest for experimental proof of strings and a look into the sometimes surprising, and always amazing, potential of superstring-M theory.
Customer Reviews:
It would be easier just to set fire to your money than to order this .......2006-07-04
Normally I wouldn't bother wasting any time or effort even mentioning such a pathetic excuse for a book, but then I realized that maybe the one small, positive thing could come out of the mistake I made in ordering this garbage is that I could warn others against making the same error.
I came across this thing while clicking around Amazon searching for books about the universe and particularly string theory. Fascinated by the implications of string theory, I wanted more info, and when "Our Superstring Universe" crept out of the shadows, it actually seemed like a decent choice: a concise, understandable summary of string theory that was up-to-date and professionally done. I emphasize: this is what it SEEMED to be. So I took a chance and ordered it, and when it arrived, the only lesson I got was in how appearances can be deceiving.
First off, I don't know if the author even truly understands the concepts he's writing about. Inventing his own (highly suspect) terminology and glossing over several things he should be explaining in detail (as other reviews have noted), I immediately got the sense that this was not a trustworthy source for information on string theory. Instead, I got the sense that this author realized that string theory is a "hot" field, and he wanted to get in on the action... a lot of science writers have made names for themselves (not to mention getting their books on bestseller lists) in this area.
But wait! As if that isn't bad enough, it gets even worse. The diagrams and illustrations are not only pointless filler material, they look like something a 4th-grader might have printed out from a mid-1980's home computer for a school paper. I am 100% serious. It would be hilarious if not for the fact that I paid good money for what was billed as a cutting-edge book.
The bottom line is this: there are so many excellent books on this subject, as well as webpages devoted to it, that spending good money on "Our Superstring Universe" would be a very foolish move. Buyer Beware!
Grade-school prose, very short, yet padded.......2005-03-16
This little book has 128 pages of text. After some cosmology and particle physics, discussion of string theory commences on pages 53-57, conintuing on 73-102, 110-111, and 115-125, for a total of 48 pages. Subtract maybe another 25% for amateurish diagrams that do nothing but repeat the text, massive white space, and constant repetition, and you end up with about 36 pages of content on the subject of the title of this book.
I'm not sure who the target audience is for this work. It contains no mathematics beyond addition. It contains sentences such as this: "The nine planets of our solar system, in order of distance from the sun are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto." Or: "Dividing by a number greater than one yields a smaller number." What do you think, maybe 5th graders?
The content is necessarily shallow, tossing out buzzwords, with no continuity, no real explanations. Branes are never actually defined. M-theory is never defined beyond being the theory that ties together all the other string theories. Somehow. I wonder what the "M" stands for.
Not much real science in this booklet.......2004-11-01
The pictures and tables are so poor in quality and printing that would have been wiser not to include them.
To make matters worst, the author attempts but completely fails to explain anything in this booklet.
There are websites built and maintained by amateurs and enthusiasts that are far better sources.
If you're looking for good books on M-Theory and related subjects, buy "The Elegant Universe" and "The Fabric of the Cosmos".
Not for the advanced physics reader.......2003-12-09
Probably a fair book for somebody's first book on String Theory, but definitely not for the advanced reader who is looking for new news. The author covers a lot of areas of quantum physics, but not in any real depth or background. In his first section on string theory he barley talks about strings. He introduces the concept well, and discusses the mathematical challenges of the string theory revolutions in more-or-less, introductory terms. Makes use of diagrams, but seemingly to take up space, rather than visual aids.
I read the entire book in about three hours.
Much better than expected........2003-12-02
This book is very well written and it gets right down to the point. It is, also, very clear in concept with only a few points here and there that might have needed a better explanation. This is only an introductory edition, and if more in-depth knowledge is needed I recommend: The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. Overall: VERY GOOD.
Book Description
From the most practical point of view, we really are "star children": the iron in the blood of our veins originated in a stellar explosion billions of years ago. How likely is it that all the myriad conditions for life would come together so precisely? Without positing or denying the existence of a creator behind it all, the answer to that question is humbling and fascinating. Along the way, Michael Mallary summarizes the latest findings in cosmology — including string theory, high-energy physics, and relativity.
Customer Reviews:
God's existence proved based on the presence of Nuclear Weapons?.......2007-06-30
A friend of mine who has a science background was interested that I read this so that we could discuss it. This is one wild roller-coaster ride of a book. The first seven chapters which cover the origins of the universe and of life on our planet are both fascinating and somewhat challenging especially for someone like myself who never studied chemistry. Still, I am an enthusiastic reader of popular science magazines such as Discover, and most of the writing is in the range of someone who likes that sort of thing. Previous reviewers seem a bit confused as to what the author is trying to do. Basically, this is an argument for the existence of God based on the idea that the existence of intelligent humans is highly improbable. The first chapter is a nice summary of the best aspects of the book. Mallary gives "fourteen stepping stones" that get us to intelligent life. Each is on his view highly improbable. When added together, the improbability increases. One example is that there had to be just the right amount of lumpiness in the big bang to provide for the possibility of galaxy formation. The second half of the book is much more essayistic, showing that the author has left his area of expertise. Mallary is quite weak in philosophy, my own area of expertise. He references something he calls "Descartes's Square" on pg. 178. There is no such thing. Try Googling it. Nothing comes up. As far as I can tell, he just made it up. Since he provides no footnote for the idea, there is no way to check it. My hypothesis is that he got Descartes confused with Pascal and constructed his "square" based on Pascal's dilemma, a well-known proof for God's existence based on a gambler's perspective. Also confusing is Mallary's use of the term "anthropic principle." Usually this term is used to refer to a premise in a proof for the existence of God based on design, although some have argued that the so-called fine-tuning of the universe for human intelligence does not imply God's existence. So it would seem that Mallary is an adherent of the anthropic argument for God's existence. However, he seeks to distinguish himself from the anthropic principle in that he takes it to mean the position that the fine-tuning can be explained better by the notion of multiple universes than by the notion of a designing God. Once this is sorted out, Mallary's position begins to make sense. However, his reasoning is fallacious. First, if you win the lottery you might well think: how could this have happened, it was so improbable the result must have been willed by God! That would be bad reasoning. The truth is, someone has to win the lottery. You were just lucky. Second, we know of only one intelligent species so far (humans) and we have a good theory about how it came about: physical and biological evolution. According to modern science it took billions of years of evolution to give rise to humans. But before the Big Bang there was no time for evolution, and so there was no time for the development of an intelligent being capable of shaping the universe. To imagine such a Being and project Him back to the origins of the universe is sheer anthropomorphism. The reader should also be warned that although the first few chapters seem to be on solid ground, the last few wander off into pretty flaky territory. In Chapter 13 Mallary looks for God's signature (as in, the artist's signature) and finds it in the fact that we have just the right amount of Ur235, not so much that anyone could construct a nuclear weapon, and not so little that we would just have to live in a universe in which Nazi philosophy prevails and there are endless wars (I won't even try to explain this one) but only just enough that we could learn how to control ourselves and not blow ourselves up. I would think, rather, that our current perilous position with respect to nuclear proliferation is an argument against the existence of God. At the end of Chapter 13 Mallary even suggests that the very existence of atheists in the universe supports God's existence, as a universe without atheists would be less creative than one with them. There is no clear signature because atheists are needed to complete the picture. As an atheist, I say, thanks but no thanks. There is also a strange argument for the existence of ETs which banks on the idea that they do not show themselves to us because they are so much more advanced. This seems to tie in, in some way, with Mallary's theism. Despite its drawbacks, this book really is a fun read and provided much stimulus for discussion between myself and my friend.
Too much page-filler and lack of evidence.......2006-07-26
Dr. Michael Mallary, a graduate of M.I.T. and Caltech, and former physics professor of Northeastern University has written an interesting book. I liked some parts of this book in that it showed how naturalists contradict themselves. Example? Note the title of the book first "Our IMPROBABLE Universe". The author does a poor job of giving any of this improbableness, the improbabilities of various things occurring, like the beginning of life, are in the impossible range. You would never gamble at casino offering you the same odds.
In contradiction to the title of his book, he says, "The oldest evidence of life is found in rocks that are 3.8 billion years old." And what is his evidence? Here it is, "This is only a few hundred million years after the oldest rocks formed after the Earth's surface solidified." and "This amount of time is less that 12% of the universe. Therefore the introduction of life here seems to have been a very probable event." In other words,
"When the universe was young life probably started by chance, life probably started by chance, because it started when the universe was young, it started when the universe was young, because life probably started by chance" and on and on and on. And again, I thought this was an improbable universe, yet it's a "very probable event" he says in the book.
On page 78 he says that the Miller Experiment (which evolutionists often claim is evidence for evolution, despite that it was shown to be invalid) "has two major problems as a model of the genesis of life on Earth. One modern theory of the Earth's [sic] early atmosphere does not allow for very much ammonia or methane [which the Miller Experiment used]. Another problem with placing this type of chemical system at the genesis point [in other words just before life began and after Earth solidified] is that protein based chemistry may in fact be a relatively late development [meaning proteins weren't in lifeforms until after they were already alive and replicating]. This is because proteins do not have the very fundamental ability (fundamental to all life) to self-replicate."
And "...how the complex the chemical environment of our infant planet was able to produce life is still obscure. Many hypothesis have been proposed but none have acquired the support necessary to develop a scientific concensus. [In other words no theory of how life began has very much support by any scientists for it.]
On page 85 he said, "Just how PNA, RNA, and DNA got together with fatty acids [by chance] to make the first primitive cells may remain the subject of speculation forever. However, as with the details of the Big Bang, there are fragments of information which allow enough perception to appreciate the magnitutde of the complexity of the occurrence."
So the author goes from the universe's existence being "improbable" to life being "very probable" to having a huge "magnitude of... complexity". This is why creationists have no faith in evolutionary theory and why naturalists can't and will never win: they can't get their story straight.
He also gave this interesting evidence that the universe was deliberately made rather then being an accident:
"Is the existence of fissionable materials [in other words materials that can be used to make nuclear explosions (for bombs)] in this universe such a sign post [in other words a sign / evidence that the universe was made]? ... Is it necessary for life to evolve? Is it likely to be in any universe [out of others that could have biological life] merely by accident? In my view the existence of semi-stable uranium and thorium is very suspicious. It looks a lot like a signpost. ... Naturally occurring fissionable material elements do not appear to be necessary for life."
He goes on to explain how if there were a universe where there was a lot stable fissionable material, that life-forms like humans would have destroyed themselves too quickly to get anywhere.
Fascinatingly comprehensive- a "must read".......2004-12-06
This is an impressively comprehensive treatise on the extraordinary evolution of our universe- not just the cosmos, but our planet, our species, and our collective consciousness. In a mere 200 pages, Dr. Mallary walks us through the instantiation of the universe we know, from the first unimaginably short eras of the big bang all the way up to the challenges mankind has been presented in dealing with what that singular bang hath wrought billions of years later. This unified look at the physics of "how" and the philosophy of "why" is an expansion of both fields into a thought-provoking realm beyond the horizons of either, a realm that may catalyze epiphanies about the incredible value of our remarkable home.
The physics in the book is fascinating and presented in language comprehensible to the general public. The philosophic aspects are grounded in common-sense reasoning backed up by science and mathematics. The result is a book that can and should be enjoyed by readers of all mindsets, from physicists to philosophers, including anyone who's ever asked "why are we here?".
Book Description
This invaluable book provides a quick introduction to the rudiments of perturbative string theory and a detailed introduction to the more current topic of D-brane dynamics. The presentation is very pedagogical, with much of the technical detail streamlined. The rapid but highly coherent introduction to the subject is perhaps what distinguishes this book from other string theory or D-brane books. The material is based on mini-courses delivered by the author at various summer schools in theoretical high energy physics, so its actual level has been appropriately tested.
Customer Reviews:
A little short but does its job. .......2004-08-01
From a mathematical perspective, string theory, and its modern metamorphosis, M-theory, is the most complex physical theory ever constructed. From a physical and experimental perspective, these theories completely lack any support. Mathematical elegance and the need for a consistent physical theory have driven the research in string theory, and to this day it remains one of the hottest, if not the most esoteric, topics in theoretical physics. Those physicists with a penchant towards mathematics have joined the ranks of those doing research in string theory. Mathematicians are also benefiting immensely from the insights that string theory offers to myriads of concepts and results in mathematics.
This book gives a very quick overview of the main results in string and M-theory, and would be suitable only for those readers who have had a lot of prior exposure to the subject. There are no in-depth explanations given for the physical and mathematical concepts needed in string and M-theories in the book, and therefore it might be difficult for the newcomer curious about these theories to gain an appreciation of them. The mathematics behind these theories is formidable, requiring years of study to digest, and the insight and motivation behind this mathematics is usually not given in the literature, unfortunately.
After a brief discussion of the history of string theory in chapter 1, and also a very brief discussion of the classical dynamics of strings in chapter 2, the author begins a study of how to quantize the bosonic string in chapter 3. This is done using the familiar canonical quantization of quantum field theory but here applied to the (1+1)-dimensional worldsheet field theory. The mass-shell constraints of classical string dynamics appearing as Virasoro operators are subjected to normal ordering in the quantization procedure. The origin of the bosonic critical dimension of spacetime as 26 is not explained in enough detail that will allow the reader to appreciate it. Also discussed, but only briefly, are the `vertex operators', which have become very important recently, especially in mathematics. In this book vertex operators are introduced as an analogy to the operator-state correspondence that is found in ordinary quantum field theory.
Superstring theory is studied in chapter 4, motivated by the need for eliminating tachyonic states and for including fermions in the spectrum. The Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz (RNS) and light-cone Green-Schwarz formalisms are mentioned as two techniques for dealing with superstrings, but the author only uses the RNS formalism in the book. The role of boundary conditions as the origin of the Ramond (R) and Neveu-Schwartz (NS) sectors is explained very well, but the author leaves to the reader (as an exercise) the canonical quantization of the superstring. The origin of the superstring critical dimension as 10 is thus delegated to the reader. The ubiquitous `GSO projection' is introduced as a device for making the theory of interacting strings consistent, one example being the elimination of tachyonic states. The GSO projection is discussed in both the NS and R sectors. The modular invariance of the bosonic string partition function is left as an exercise for the reader. The author does explain well the origin of `spin structures', i.e. their connection with the introduction of fermions, and the consequent use in the superstring theory to get rid of the tachyonic instability. He gives brief discussions of the five different types of string theories, but restricts himself to only Type II superstrings in the remainder of the book. The origin of the famous `T-duality' for closed strings and its relation to the existence of D-branes in superstring theory is explained very well. The author assigns a very interesting exercise for the reader on showing that T-duality interchanges the definition of normal and tangential derivatives, and therefore exchanges Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions. This exercise, in this reviewer's opinion, should eliminate sometimes held view of T-duality as being somewhat mysterious. D-branes are explained as being essential for superstring theory, in that there are missing R-R charges in the perturbative string states, i.e. the vertex operators for the R-R states only involve the fields. The D-branes are thus nonperturbative states that carry the R-R charges.
D-branes and their (fascinating) relation to gauge theory are discussed in detail in chapter 6, their dynamics in chapter 7, and their R-R couplings in the last chapter. D-branes are described nonperturbatively, with the massless modes of open strings equated to the fluctuations of D-branes. Massless fields are interpreted as a 10-dimensional gauge theory on the D-brane worldvolume. The guage fields have components as U(1) gauge fields on the D-brane as well as scalar field components that describe the fluctuations of the D-brane. The gauge theory is actually, and most interestingly, a dimensional reduction to the D-brane of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. Via a consideration of Wilson lines of the gauge fields, the author shows how T-duality maps gauge fields in open string theory to positions on the D-branes. The dynamics of D-branes is further described in terms of (supersymmetric Yang-Mills) gauge theory, giving the famous AdS/CFT correspondence. This correspondence is quite exciting if one views it from the standpoint of how difficult it is to do nonperturbative calculations in gauge theories. Interactions between D-branes are studied, and the author describes the coincidence (resulting from spacetime supersymmetry) between the D-brane tension and the R-R charge, i.e. that the R-R repulsion between parallel D-branes cancels their gravitational and dilaton attraction. A brief discussion is given of `BPS states' and their relation to D-branes, i.e. that a D-brane is a state that preserves only half of the spacetime supersymmetries. In addition, and similar to the case in gauge field theories where chirality is present, anomalies can arise in D-branes. These arise, as the author shows, on the chiral worldvolume field theory on the intersection of two or more D-branes. Requiring anomaly cancellation will determine completely the coupling between the D-brane and the fields of the R-R sector.
Books:
- The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
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