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On Space and Time
This book gets to the heart of science by asking a fundamental question about its essence: what is the true nature of space and time? Both defy modern physics and scientists find themselves continually searching for answers. This unique volume brings together world leaders in cosmology, particle physics, quantum gravity, mathematics, philosophy and theology, to provide fresh insights into the deep structure of space and time. In an attempt to understand the question, subjects ranging from dark matter to the philosophical and theological implications of spacetime are covered, ensuring that the issue is thoroughly explored. Interesting and thought-provoking answers provide a well-rounded read.
- GenresPhilosophyScience
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 7, 2019
Bang head on table - did I say that? This was a very difficult read and I probably should have shelved it. But, I kept pressing on getting a few nuggets of interesting thoughts. This book had quite a mix of general views on space and time, deep theoretical information as well and religious and philosophical discussions.
I'm not exactly sure what the author's motivation was specifically but I felt like Majid was trying to justify his own theoretical framework on the nature of space and time by mixing in 5 other authors (Andrew Taylor, Alain Connes and Roger Penrose - theoretical physics, and Michael Heller and John Polkinghorne - theologian and philosopher). Clearly, Majid's article was the longest and most dense mathematically and seemed to be his determined view that his approach is correct. The last two articles on God, theology and creation seemed out of place with only 45 pages for both as compared to 236 pages for the other four theoretical authors. Taylor's opening on general cosmology was readable as were Heller's and Polkinghorne's on God's role in creation. But, Penrose, Connes and Majid go too deep.
I would estimate about half to two-thirds of the book was unintelligible for the average reader - noncommutation, Hilbert spaces, conformal geometry, etc. But, some of the general thoughts on what happens to space at the sub-quantum level as being quantized in its own right or the cyclic universe that ages where all matter disappears into black holes finally evaporating into only photons and gravitational waves--something that theoretically could be an equivalent geometrical state as the Big Bang creating a new universe--were interesting.
I won't say much more other than read at your own risk.
I'm not exactly sure what the author's motivation was specifically but I felt like Majid was trying to justify his own theoretical framework on the nature of space and time by mixing in 5 other authors (Andrew Taylor, Alain Connes and Roger Penrose - theoretical physics, and Michael Heller and John Polkinghorne - theologian and philosopher). Clearly, Majid's article was the longest and most dense mathematically and seemed to be his determined view that his approach is correct. The last two articles on God, theology and creation seemed out of place with only 45 pages for both as compared to 236 pages for the other four theoretical authors. Taylor's opening on general cosmology was readable as were Heller's and Polkinghorne's on God's role in creation. But, Penrose, Connes and Majid go too deep.
I would estimate about half to two-thirds of the book was unintelligible for the average reader - noncommutation, Hilbert spaces, conformal geometry, etc. But, some of the general thoughts on what happens to space at the sub-quantum level as being quantized in its own right or the cyclic universe that ages where all matter disappears into black holes finally evaporating into only photons and gravitational waves--something that theoretically could be an equivalent geometrical state as the Big Bang creating a new universe--were interesting.
I won't say much more other than read at your own risk.
July 24, 2017
It was my fault for assuming this book was going to be a guide to space-time for dummies. I wasn't really expecting the depth and technical jargon in the first chapter and realised very quickly that this wasn't the book for me. I slogged through the first chapter and hoped the second would be easier to digest as a result; I was so wrong. I tried to read a later chapter discussing physics and metaphysics, but the moment non-commutative geometry was mentioned, I switched off.
I will likely pick this book up again if and when I understand the topic better.
I will likely pick this book up again if and when I understand the topic better.
June 21, 2015
most of this book was quite thought-provoking and even enlightening, but the unexpected inclusion of Heller & Polkinghorne's thoughts on Christian theology (in the last chapters) was more than a little off-putting
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews