What will you learn from this book
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Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Yourgrau delves into Einstein's theory of relativity, particularly the implications of the theory for our understanding of time and space.
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The Nature of Time: The book questions the nature of time itself, exploring whether time is an objective reality or merely a human construct.
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Philosophical Perspectives: Yourgrau examines various philosophical perspectives on time, including those of Aristotle, Newton, and Kant, as well as more contemporary thinkers.
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The Arrow of Time: The concept of the "arrow of time," or the asymmetry between past and future, is a central theme of the book, with Yourgrau considering its implications for our experience of time.
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Temporal Paradoxes: Yourgrau discusses various temporal paradoxes, such as the twin paradox and the grandfather paradox, and their significance for our understanding of causality and determinism.
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Quantum Mechanics: The book explores the implications of quantum mechanics for our understanding of time, including the idea of time as an emergent phenomenon from quantum processes.
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The Block Universe: Yourgrau considers the "block universe" model of time, which posits that past, present, and future all exist simultaneously and that our perception of time as flowing is illusory.
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Temporal Experience: The subjective experience of time is examined, including how our perception of time is influenced by factors such as memory, attention, and emotion.
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Temporal Realism: Yourgrau questions the realism of time, considering whether time is an objective feature of the universe or merely a useful abstraction.
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The Mystery of Time: Ultimately, "A World Without Time" grapples with the mystery of time itself, acknowledging that while science and philosophy can shed light on certain aspects of time, the ultimate nature of time remains elusive.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | 0465092934 |
| ISBN-13 | 9780465092932 |
| No of pages | 224 |
| Font Size | Medium |
| Book Publisher | Basic Books |
| Published Date | 28 Dec 2004 |
About Author
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It is a widely known but little considered fact that Albert Einstein and Kurt Gödel were best friends for the last decade and a half of Einstein's life. The two walked home together from Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study every day; they shared ideas about physics, philosophy, politics, and the lost world of German science in which they had grown up. By 1949, Gödel had produced a remarkable proof: In any universe described by the Theory of Relativity, time cannot exist .
Einstein endorsed this result-reluctantly, since it decisively overthrew the classical world-view to which he was committed. But he could find no way to refute it, and in the half-century since then, neither has anyone else. Even more remarkable than this stunning discovery, however, was what happened afterward: nothing. Cosmologists and philosophers alike have proceeded with their work as if Gödel's proof never existed -one of the greatest scandals of modern intellectual history. A World Without Time is a sweeping, ambitious book, and yet poignant and intimate. It tells the story of two magnificent minds put on the shelf by the scientific fashions of their day, and attempts to rescue from undeserved obscurity the brilliant work they did together.