Why does time pass and space does not? Are there just three dimensions? What is a quantum particle? Nick Huggett shows that philosophy -- armed with a power to analyze fundamental concepts and their relationship to the human experience -- has much to say about these profound questions about the universe. In Everywhere and Everywhen, Huggett charts a journey that peers into some of the oldest questions about the world, through some of the newest, such What shape is space? Does it have an edge? What is the difference between past and future? What is time in relativity? Is time travel possible? Are there other universes? Huggett shows that answers to these profound questions are not just reserved for physics, and that philosophy can not only address but help advance our view of our deepest questions about the universe, space, and time, and their implications for humanity. His lively, accessible introduction to these topics is suitable for a general reader with no previous exposure to these profound and exciting questions.
Some degrees are perceived as "worthless" or "unmarketable" in American culture. Liberal Arts is the big umbrella under which these degrees are gathered: History, Literature, and, chief offender among them all, Philosophy. "What are you going to do with that?" goes the most popular (and arguably rudest-yet-somehow-socially-acceptable) question for undergrads when they announce their degree program around the dinner table at their first Thanksgiving home. Seems if "Science" or "Engineering" or "Technology" isn't right smack in the name of your major, the woeful head-shaking from family is unavoidable. "I guess you could always teach," they inevitably say.
Sometimes the Washington Post or The Atlantic or some other big news outlet will publish articles about "Why Philosophy Matters" and why a Philosophy degree isn't utterly useless. It could be parlayed into a management position, they remind us, or a consulting gig, a law program, civil service, politics, HR... anything that requires critical thinking and communication of the written and/or oral variety. You aren't locked forever into teaching, is the big takeaway. Then there's this Huggett guy, author of Everywhere and Everywhen, who went and got himself a double whammy of unmarketability: Philosophy OF Physics? What're you going to do with that?
Well, Huggett is teaching so maybe not the greatest example. But still. He doesn't HAVE to be, is my point.
3 stars out of 5. The presentation is a little dull but the subject matter is stimulating and thought-provoking, if you can get through the formal academic style.
The author appears to have two goals here: (1) to introduce various contentious issues in philosophy of physics, and (2) to deal with some of those issues (sometimes arguing for certain views and sometimes just mapping the logical and dialectical terrain). I would say he mostly succeeds with (1) and generally fails with (2).
Great introduction of main fields of philosophy of physics and understanding of spacetime. The focus of the book is spacetime geometry (Euclidean and not) and time (in special relativity, but also time travel and arrow of time (McTaggart’s argument)). The lists of futher readings are very helpful.
I would prefer to see more neat explaination on differences between spacetime according to general relativity, special relativity and more on quantum theories (quantum field theories for instance). Nevertheless it is very comprehensive introduction and I recommend it even more than Tim Maudlin’s introduction on spacetime.