Cosmology: The Science of the Universe

by Edward Harrison

Cosmology: The Science of the Universe is a broad introduction to the science of modern cosmology, with emphasis on its historical origins. The first edition of this best-selling book received worldwide acclaim for its lucid style and wide-ranging exploration of the universe. This eagerly awaited second edition updates and greatly extends the first with seven new chapters that explore early scientific cosmology, Cartesian and Newtonian world systems, cosmology after Newton and before Einstein, special relativity, observational cosmology, inflation and creation of the universe. All chapters conclude with a section entitled Reflections containing provocative topics that will foster lively debate. The new Projects section, also at the end of each chapter, raises questions and issues to challenge the reader.

Genres: Physics, Science, Nonfiction, Astronomy, Textbooks, Philosophy, Space

578 pages, Hardcover

First published March 16, 2000

Reviews

[Antonin Sulc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for someone who is not an expert in this domain but wants to better understand what has been happening in the past hundreds of years of research in this domain.

This book is really good in several ways. It is not too academic, but also not too popular. So you don't get overwhelmed by equations, but at the same time, there are some, which are easy to understand but you don't get overwhelmed by the theoretical justifications by complex formulas.

I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in this topic.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive, from a scientific perspective, and provocative from a philosophical perspective.

[Mike Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind-expanding!
Harrison introduces each topic with historical references, which I found helpful when attempting, pages later, to come to grips with the hugely difficult concepts that form our modern model of the universe.
I read this in connection with an introductory seminar. In his syllabus, distributed before the first meeting, the teacher carefully pared away content that he thought likely to be beyond the grasp of the students and left many topics for lecture and discussion. Used in that way, this was an ideal introduction.

[Hangci Du · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following is from the email I sent to my supervisor after I finished reading this book:


In the past few days, I have finished reading Cosmology by Edward Harrison. This terrific book greatly broadened my horizons.

Also, I got an clear overview of the cosmology field nowadays. I think, the cosmology research has encountered bottlenecks now, just as George Ellis said “We are unable to obtain a model of the universe without some specifically cosmological assumptions that are completely unverifiable”(“Cosmology and verifiability” , 1975). So sometimes we cannot definitely say the direction that we are in is right. Maybe it takes us a very long time before we find what we are doing is meaningless. Or, what we are doing can never be proved or disproved. The situation is just like what Particle Physics experienced in the last decades of 20th century.

Maybe what I am to say next is a little crazy, but I think it is a serious and important topic.

The last chapter of Edward’s cosmology “Life in the Universe” aroused my interest deeply. In fact I think the Fermi Paradox is a key to a new field, which we can combine Sociology, Ethology, Psychology together. I have some knowledge in these fields, and my next plan is to read The Self-Organizing Universe by Erich Jantsch.

[Eppursimuov3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is first of all a book about science, as its title implies – physical cosmology in particular. But what makes this book so unique is that Edward Harrison does not shy away from delving into the metaphysics arising out of the study of our universe. He makes good use of the ‘Reflections’ and ‘Projects’ section at the end of each chapter to allow the reader to ponder such questions. Starting from the beginning, when humans first began pondering about the universe, Harrison details the history of cosmology and the revolutions that have reshaped it – right up to the present world of observational cosmology. Thus, one finds a good mix of history and philosophy in and among the science that is being discussed. An excellent and thoughtful textbook on cosmology for non-physics majors.

[Dave Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written and clear, enriched with delightful historical and philosophical perspectives, and largely free of mathematics that would be burdensome to the non-mathematician.

When progressing to the concepts of curved space-time, spherical geometry, and hyperbolic space, though, my brain started to hurt. I might come back to try again but for now my limit has been reached. I have no doubt, though, that when I'm ready to try again to wrap my head around the topic this will be the book I reach for.