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Renowned Oxford scientist and religious scholar challenges the dogmatism of Dawkins and others to give us the thinking person's guide to the intriguing relationship between science and faith
A parallel investigation of both Plato's Timaeusand the contemporary standard Big Bang model of the universe shows that any possible scientific knowledge of the universe is ultimately grounded in irreducible and undemonstrable propositions. These are inventions of the human mind. The scientific knowledge of the universe is entirely composed in a series of axioms and rules of inference underlying a formalized system. There is no logical relationship between the sensible perception of a world of becoming and the formalized system of axioms known as a "scientific explanation." The "irrational gap" between perception and explanation can be appraised historically and identified in three stages: Plato's Timaeus furnishes the first example of a scientific theory dealing with a realm of ideality that cannot be derived from immediate sensible perception; the Big Bang model is constituted on the basis of the purely geometrical notion of symmetry; and in the more recent Algorithmic Theory of Information, the analysis of the purely symbolic language expressing physical reality reveals the level of complexity of any given theory formulated in this language. The result is that the probability of the universe actually conforming with simple mathematics is zero. In a formal system, a theorem contains more information than can be found in the set of axioms of this system, and it remains undecidable. In Aristotle' s language, the theorems that can be proved within a theoretical model are already potentially contained in the system of axioms underlying these theorems.
“With [The Universe Within’s] deeply thoughtful reflections on the place of science in society, on the need to educate the underserved, and on plenty of other topics rarely addressed in this sort of book, Turok takes you where no physicist has gone before. It’s well worth making the journey with him.” — TIME Magazine Winner of the Lane Anderson Award, longlisted for the Charles Taylor Prize, shortlisted for the Libris Award for Non-Fiction and selected as an Amazon.ca Best Book The most anticipated nonfiction book of the season, this year's Massey Lectures is a visionary look at the way the human mind can shape the future by world-renowned physicist Neil Turok. Every technology we rely on today was created by the human mind, seeking to understand the universe around us. Scientific knowledge is our most precious possession, and our future will be shaped by the breakthroughs to come. In this personal, visionary, and fascinating work, Neil Turok, Director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, explores the transformative scientific discoveries of the past three centuries -- from classical mechanics, to the nature of light, to the bizarre world of the quantum, and the evolution of the cosmos. Each new discovery has, over time, yielded new technologies causing paradigm shifts in the organization of society. Now, he argues, we are on the cusp of another major transformation: the coming quantum revolution that will supplant our current, dissatisfying digital age. Facing this brave new world, Turok calls for creatively re-inventing the way advanced knowledge is developed and shared, and opening access to the vast, untapped pools of intellectual talent in the developing world. Scientific research, training, and outreach are vital to our future economy, as well as powerful forces for peaceful global progress. Elegantly written, deeply provocative, and highly inspirational, The Universe Within is, above all, about the future -- of science, of society, of ourselves.
There was immense excitement in the scientific community and among the general public when the COBE space probe sent back data that proved not only that the Big Bang had happened but also that it had happened at more or less exactly the time that astronomers had calculated. Barrow describes these finds and then goes on to explain how they allow us to reach back and shed light upon events at the dawn of time. What does it mean to say that the universe appeared out of nothing? Did it need a beginning, and will it ever end? Why do we think that most of the universe is invisible? The ideas that cosmologists are wrestling with are challenging and extraordinary: here they are explained with unfailing fluency.
The study of the origin and evolution of the universe encompasses many of the most fascinating questions in science. What is our place in the universe? How did everything in it get started, from galaxies and stars, to planets and people? And what does the future hold, for our star, and our universe? Recently, scientists have made remarkable advances in providing concrete answers to these profound questions. The new technologies of observational astronomy, with its ground- and space-based gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared and radio telescopes, is truly producing a new golden age of discovery. This book presents the excitement of these new discoveries in the larger context of cosmic evolution. The distinguished contributors are leading researchers at the cutting edge of these fields, and they also excel in explaining these subjects to the broader public. They offer the latest insights into these rapidly advancing fields, covering the origin and evolution of the universe, the chemical elements, galaxies, the evolution of stars, planets, and biological life. Essential physical concepts are clearly and carefully explained at the introductory college level. Related concepts from chemistry, geology, and biology are organized and integrated into the discussions. An extensive glossary is provided, and mathematical detail has been deliberately kept simple, to make the chapters accessible to anyone with an appreciation of science. The result is stimulating exploration of the frontiers of modern science that will intrigue both amateurs and professionals.
Do you want to learn about the physical origin of the Universe, but don’t have the rest of eternity to read up on it? Do you want to know what scientists know about where you and your planet came from, but without the science blinding you? ‘Course you do – and who better than For Dummies to tackle the biggest, strangest and most wonderful question there is! The Origins of the Universe For Dummies covers: Early ideas about our universe Modern cosmology Big Bang theory Dark matter and gravity Galaxies and solar systems Life on earth Finding life elsewhere The Universe’s forecast
John Brockman brings together the world's best-known physicists and science writers—including Brian Greene, Walter Isaacson, Nobel Prize-winner Frank Wilczek, Benoit Mandelbrot, and Martin Rees—to explain the universe in all wondrous splendor. In The Universe, today's most influential science writers explain the science behind our evolving understanding of the universe and everything in it, including the cutting edge research and discoveries that are shaping our knowledge. Lee Smolin reveals how math and cosmology are helping us create a theory of the whole universe. Benoit Mandelbrot looks back on a career devoted to fractal geometry. Neil Turok analyzes the fundamental laws of nature, what came before the big bang, and the possibility of a unified theory. Seth Lloyd investigates the impact of computational revolutions and the informational revolution. Lawrence Krauss provides fresh insight into gravity, dark matter, and the energy of empty space. Brian Greene and Walter Isaacson illuminate the genius who revolutionized modern science: Albert Einstein. And much more. Explore the universe with some of today's greatest minds: what it is, how it came into being, and what may happen next.
.".. is a worthwhile elementary treatment of the cosmology of the early Universe written with a liveliness and simplicity that will surely encourage students to pursue the subject further.'' John D Barrow Nature, 1989 .".. a superb guide to what is known about cosmology....The authors also leave you with a sense of anticipation and excitement.'' David Hughes New Scientist, 1989 "The book is well written and interesting, particularly in its use of Chinese stories throughout ... The book contains all the standard material found in such texts. The chapters on the thermodynamics of the Universe are particularly good ... this is a first-rate book of its genre and is heartily recommended." Kenneth Dunn Mathematical Reviews, 1993 "The best popular account of the science that explains how the universe can be friendly to life is a book, 'Creation of the Universe', by the Chinese astronomers, Fang Li Zhi and Li Shu Xian. The book was translated into English and published byWorld Scientific Publishing in 1989. Fang Li Zhi is the famous dissident astronomer now living in exile in the United States. I particularly recommend Chapter 6, with the title 'How Order Was Born of Chaos'. This tells the same story that I am telling you today, but with more detail and more depth." Freeman J Dyson Oppenheimer lecture at University of California, Berkeley Mar 2000
Many Christians are threatened by scientific explanations of how the universe was created. But, as Dr. Ross explains, modern science has revealed a design for the universe that is surprisingly compatible with the Biblical account of creation. This book breaks down barriers of communication between faith and science and inspires a greater appreciation and understanding of our Creator.
