The Cosmic Dancers: Exploring the Physics of Science Fiction

by Amit Goswami, Maggie Goswami

A study of the interrelationship of science and science fiction discusses the impact of science fiction writings on physics in terms of theoretical explanations of the problems of space, time, mind, reality, and other phenomena

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

292 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1985

About the author

Amit Goswami is a nuclear physicist and member of The University of Oregon Institute for Theoretical Physics since 1968. Dr. Goswami is a revolutionary in a growing body of renegade scientists who in recent years have ventured into the domain of the spiritual in an attempt both to interpret the seemingly inexplicable findings of their experiments and to validate their intuitions about the existence of a spiritual dimension of life.

He became best known as one of the interviewed scientists featured in the 2004 film What the Bleep Do We Know!? , the recent documentary Dalai Lama Renaissance , and stars in the 2009 documentary The Quantum Activist .

Please visit www.AmitGoswami.org for the latest events and information.

Reviews

[Silvio Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this book is an introduction to physics and astronomy using examples from science fiction. The explanations are quite non-technical without being unusually clear, and the jokes are lame. I probably didn't need another review of basic force and acceleration concepts, but I can never have enough explanations of relativity, at least until I actually understand one. The books quoted from make an impressive catalog of science fiction with interesting settings. What I really disliked was the frequent intrusion of Goswami's idea that modern physics is close to finding the key to psychology, parapsychology, and spirituality. It's implausible at best and when he tries to explain it more fully in the final chapter ("Mysticism in Science Fiction and the Modern Physics") he just gets incoherent.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blend of literature and science fiction with the science portrayed in science fiction. Masters of science fiction such as Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur Clarke, Ursula Le Guin, and others contributed to the author.

[colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

read 08.16.85