Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Atria Books (2012), Edition: First Edition, 224 pages
Description
"Internationally known theoretical physicist and bestselling author Lawrence Krauss offers provocative, revelatory answers to the most basic philosophical questions: Where did our universe come from? Why is there something rather than nothing? And how is it all going to end? Why is there something rather than nothing?" is asked of anyone who says there is no God. Yet this is not so much a philosophical or religious question as it is a question about the natural world--and until now there has not been a satisfying scientific answer. Today, exciting scientific advances provide new insight into this cosmological mystery: Not only can something arise from nothing, something will always arise from nothing. With his wonderfully clear arguments and wry humor, pioneering physicist Lawrence Krauss explains how in this fascinating antidote to outmoded philosophical and religious thinking. As he puts it in his entertaining video of the same title, which has received over 675,000 hits, "Forget Jesus. The stars died so you could be born." A mind-bending trip back to the beginning of the beginning, A Universe from Nothing authoritatively presents the most recent evidence that explains how our universe evolved--and the implications for how it's going to end. It will provoke, challenge, and delight readers to look at the most basic underpinnings of existence in a whole new way. And this knowledge that our universe will be quite different in the future from today has profound implications and directly affects how we live in the present. As Richard Dawkins has described it: This could potentially be the most important scientific book with implications for atheism since Darwin"--Provided by publisher. "Authoritatively presents the most recent evidence that explains how our universe evolved--and the implications for how it's going to end"--Provided by publisher.… (more)
Media reviews
Where, for starters, are the laws of quantum mechanics themselves supposed to have come from? Krauss is more or less upfront, as it turns out, about not having a clue about that. He acknowledges (albeit in a parenthesis, and just a few pages before the end of the book) that everything he has been
...
And I guess it ought to be mentioned, quite apart from the question of whether anything Krauss says turns out to be true or false, that the whole business of approaching the struggle with religion as if it were a card game, or a horse race, or some kind of battle of wits, just feels all wrong — or it does, at any rate, to me. When I was growing up, where I was growing up, there was a critique of religion according to which religion was cruel, and a lie, and a mechanism of enslavement, and something full of loathing and contempt for everything essentially human. Maybe that was true and maybe it wasn’t, but it had to do with important things — it had to do, that is, with history, and with suffering, and with the hope of a better world — and it seems like a pity, and more than a pity, and worse than a pity, with all that in the back of one’s head, to think that all that gets offered to us now, by guys like these, in books like this, is the pale, small, silly, nerdy accusation that religion is, I don’t know, dumb.
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talking about simply takes the basic principles of quantum mechanics for granted....
And I guess it ought to be mentioned, quite apart from the question of whether anything Krauss says turns out to be true or false, that the whole business of approaching the struggle with religion as if it were a card game, or a horse race, or some kind of battle of wits, just feels all wrong — or it does, at any rate, to me. When I was growing up, where I was growing up, there was a critique of religion according to which religion was cruel, and a lie, and a mechanism of enslavement, and something full of loathing and contempt for everything essentially human. Maybe that was true and maybe it wasn’t, but it had to do with important things — it had to do, that is, with history, and with suffering, and with the hope of a better world — and it seems like a pity, and more than a pity, and worse than a pity, with all that in the back of one’s head, to think that all that gets offered to us now, by guys like these, in books like this, is the pale, small, silly, nerdy accusation that religion is, I don’t know, dumb.
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A Universe From Nothing isn’t going to win any converts, nor is it particularly useful for debating with atheists, as the science sounds so fanciful. But as bizarre as the spontaneous creation and destruction of particles might seem, Krauss argues that there’s scientific proof of the
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phenomenon, which makes it better than any creation myth. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member ambrs57
I won't go into any detail, as there are plenty of other reviews that give more of an overview. My only comment, and it's difficult to say this without being snarky or sarcastic, is that Krause simply never answers the question. Or rather, he pulls a bait and switch which is very typical of
The basic issue is that instead of offering a theory of how the universe came into being from nothing, he changes the definition of nothing, thus avoiding the question entirely. So let's set the record straight. The definition of the word "nothing" in the historical discourse is this: nothing means absolute non-being, the utter lack of existence of anything, including space, time, matter, energy, vacuums, or anything else of any imaginable existence and substance whatsoever. So when Krauss speaks of quantum fluctuations in nothing, he is actually talking about SOMETHING. Krauss redefines the word "nothing" to mean something which is already there, presumably existing eternally, and in this something (empty space or whatever) another something that is already there begins to fluctuate. OK, well where did these things come from then? How did they get there? Why is there THAT something, rather than true nothing (non-being)?
Once this move is made, the entire book sinks into the quicksand of irrelevance. It may be that the physics it contains is interesting in its own right. But so far as resolving the question he promises to address, it has nothing whatever to say. So I leave this book with one star, which is more generous than it deserves. Really, the only point of this book is to serve as an illustration of fallacious argumentation in an introduction to logic class. Or perhaps it can be a warning to scientists that if they are going to play in the philosophers' playground, then they should at least understand the basic questions at stake. Or better yet, why don't they stick to what they know and leave the philosophy to those who are trained to do it. It's no wonder Richard Dawkins approves the book. After all, he's the poster boy for a scientist who demonstrates utter incompetence in his attempts to address philosophy of religion (i.e. The God Delusion). If anyone wants to see an intelligent discussion of these issues, well, I would strongly urge you to not waste your time with scientists doing amateur philosophy. Really, it's just down right embarassing.
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amateurs who deign to write about the big questions of metaphysics, but merely succeed in displaying their ignorance, or even worse, their dishonesty. Whether Krauss is merely incompetent or just dishonest, I cannot say. What I can say is that not only does he not answer the question, he doesn't even address the question,. Instead he commits an equivocation fallacy that renders his entire book irrelevant. If anything, this is a superb example of why having a PhD in one field means zero in when it comes to writing in another field. And make no mistake, the question of why there is something rather than nothing is not a question of physics. It is a question of metaphysics. It is a philosophical and theological question. The physical sciences simply do not have, and by their very nature cannot possibly have, the tools required to answer it. Krauss may be a very fine physicist, but his mistakes in this book are unworthy of a freshman philosophy major.The basic issue is that instead of offering a theory of how the universe came into being from nothing, he changes the definition of nothing, thus avoiding the question entirely. So let's set the record straight. The definition of the word "nothing" in the historical discourse is this: nothing means absolute non-being, the utter lack of existence of anything, including space, time, matter, energy, vacuums, or anything else of any imaginable existence and substance whatsoever. So when Krauss speaks of quantum fluctuations in nothing, he is actually talking about SOMETHING. Krauss redefines the word "nothing" to mean something which is already there, presumably existing eternally, and in this something (empty space or whatever) another something that is already there begins to fluctuate. OK, well where did these things come from then? How did they get there? Why is there THAT something, rather than true nothing (non-being)?
Once this move is made, the entire book sinks into the quicksand of irrelevance. It may be that the physics it contains is interesting in its own right. But so far as resolving the question he promises to address, it has nothing whatever to say. So I leave this book with one star, which is more generous than it deserves. Really, the only point of this book is to serve as an illustration of fallacious argumentation in an introduction to logic class. Or perhaps it can be a warning to scientists that if they are going to play in the philosophers' playground, then they should at least understand the basic questions at stake. Or better yet, why don't they stick to what they know and leave the philosophy to those who are trained to do it. It's no wonder Richard Dawkins approves the book. After all, he's the poster boy for a scientist who demonstrates utter incompetence in his attempts to address philosophy of religion (i.e. The God Delusion). If anyone wants to see an intelligent discussion of these issues, well, I would strongly urge you to not waste your time with scientists doing amateur philosophy. Really, it's just down right embarassing.
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LibraryThing member Scotland
Parts of this book just went 'whoosh' over my head, still I think I walked away learning quite a bit. The big detractor in the book is Kraus's constant attack on religion. I picked up this book to learn more about cosmology, physics, and the history of science, the latter is a topic I enjoy very
Finally, Richard Dawkins Afterward at the end warrants taking half a star away from my ratings. I had the audio book, I believe Dawkings was reading it himself, and I had to eject the CD before my stomach did something foul.
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much. If I wanted to entertain a debate on the sustainability of religion, I would have read somethng on that topic. Finally, Richard Dawkins Afterward at the end warrants taking half a star away from my ratings. I had the audio book, I believe Dawkings was reading it himself, and I had to eject the CD before my stomach did something foul.
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LibraryThing member ljhliesl
The author reads his own work. He sounds like Anderson Cooper but does not always articulate clearly, instead slurring or eliding syllables. Being mealy-mouthed my own self, I sympathize, but I'm not an audiobook reader for a reason.
The universe is flat. It exists because nothingness is unstable.
The universe is flat. It exists because nothingness is unstable.
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There was something about the total gravity or total energy in the universe equaling zero too but my brain glazed over like a doughnut. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nodosaurus
Laurence Krauss is a theoretical physicist doing work in cosmology and teaching at the Arizona State University. He is doing research into the nature of General Relativity, dark matter, and nuclear physics. In this book, he discusses the beginning and end of the universe, bringing to light the
He does a good job of discussing complex physics in terms that anyone can understand. The book goes into details about how empty space has energy and its consequences, touching on string theory, extra dimensions. Dr. Krauss walks us through his argument on why nothing is unstable, so there must be something. Its enough to warp the mind!
The book is entertaining and enlightening. You will walk away with a better understanding of our universe, even if it doesn't have practical applications.
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current theories as to why there is anything, why the physical laws are as they are, and what will come of it all. He does a good job of discussing complex physics in terms that anyone can understand. The book goes into details about how empty space has energy and its consequences, touching on string theory, extra dimensions. Dr. Krauss walks us through his argument on why nothing is unstable, so there must be something. Its enough to warp the mind!
The book is entertaining and enlightening. You will walk away with a better understanding of our universe, even if it doesn't have practical applications.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Lawrence M. Krauss has attempted to answer the question of why is there something rather than nothing. I.e., how did our universe evolve? He claims that religion and theology have been at best irrelevant, because positing a god does not solve the problem of “Who created the creator?” He has a
“The purpose of this book is simple. I want to show how modern science, in various guises, can address and is addressing the question of why there is something rather than nothing: The answers that have been obtained—from staggeringly beautiful experimental observations, as well as from the theories that underlie much of modern physics—all suggest that getting something from nothing is not a problem. Indeed, something from nothing may have been required for the universe to come into being. Moreover, all signs suggest that this is how our universe could have arisen.”
Krauss first develops the arguments concerning the “big bang,” which is currently accepted by the vast majority of scientists and cosmologists. He then proceeds to explain that quantum physics requires that “virtual particles” pop in and out of existence all the time. He argues that modern physics views what we might call “nothing” as a seething field of virtual particles required by Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. He also discusses dark matter and dark energy before explaining the possibility of many universes (the “multiverse”) unlike our own coming into existence through natural processes.
Krauss doesn’t actually claim that he has the definitive answer to why there is something rather than nothing. Rather, he avers he is presenting an alternative to a theological approach, which he believes is more intellectually satisfying, even if not dispositive:
“In this sense, science, as physicist Steven Weinberg has emphasized, does not make it impossible to believe in God, but rather makes it possible to not believe in God. Without science, everything is a miracle. With science, there remains the possibility that nothing is. Religious belief in this case becomes less and less necessary, and also less and less relevant."
Those of you hoping to find a definitive answer to why there is a universe rather than nothing may be disappointed by this book. But then you would probably be disappointed by every book written on that deeply troublesome topic. I found this book to be stimulating and provocative, and I highly recommend it.
(JAB)
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different agenda:“The purpose of this book is simple. I want to show how modern science, in various guises, can address and is addressing the question of why there is something rather than nothing: The answers that have been obtained—from staggeringly beautiful experimental observations, as well as from the theories that underlie much of modern physics—all suggest that getting something from nothing is not a problem. Indeed, something from nothing may have been required for the universe to come into being. Moreover, all signs suggest that this is how our universe could have arisen.”
Krauss first develops the arguments concerning the “big bang,” which is currently accepted by the vast majority of scientists and cosmologists. He then proceeds to explain that quantum physics requires that “virtual particles” pop in and out of existence all the time. He argues that modern physics views what we might call “nothing” as a seething field of virtual particles required by Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. He also discusses dark matter and dark energy before explaining the possibility of many universes (the “multiverse”) unlike our own coming into existence through natural processes.
Krauss doesn’t actually claim that he has the definitive answer to why there is something rather than nothing. Rather, he avers he is presenting an alternative to a theological approach, which he believes is more intellectually satisfying, even if not dispositive:
“In this sense, science, as physicist Steven Weinberg has emphasized, does not make it impossible to believe in God, but rather makes it possible to not believe in God. Without science, everything is a miracle. With science, there remains the possibility that nothing is. Religious belief in this case becomes less and less necessary, and also less and less relevant."
Those of you hoping to find a definitive answer to why there is a universe rather than nothing may be disappointed by this book. But then you would probably be disappointed by every book written on that deeply troublesome topic. I found this book to be stimulating and provocative, and I highly recommend it.
(JAB)
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LibraryThing member speljamr
A good overview of the current knowledge of cosmology. It sums up why something does spring up from nothing and how the universe needs no creator to exist. Since this is meant to be a book that the layman can understand, there does not seem to be any end notes or further reading list. I was a
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little disappointed in that as I frequently use such lists to find my next book and expand on a subject. Show Less
LibraryThing member Devil_llama
This is a good explanation of the state of knowledge on the Big Bang and the origin of the universe. Krauss begins by defining nothing, which seems intuitively easy, but is actually a source of much dissent between scientists, philosophers, and theologians. He then takes us on a trek back through
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time, to discover what we know about the earliest history of the universe, and also how we learned it. This takes us back at least to Aristotle, and then brings us all the way into the contemporary physics lab, complete with relativity and string theory. The main problem with the book is that Krauss speaks in a great deal of scientific jargon which could lose the non-scientifically trained unless they're willing to put a lot of work into understanding it; and these are the people that probably need to read this book the most. He does include illustrative examples that help to clarify some of the most difficult points, but these are usually tucked in neatly after a complex explanation that will have caused many readers to give up in frustration and despair. Overall, the audience is probably a small subset of the educated readers, because of the amount of work required. That being said, Krauss makes a very good stab at answering the question why is there something rather than nothing, and in fact, concludes that something may very well be inevitable, as nothing may be unstable. In other words, the answer to why is there something rather than nothing is there has to be. Recommended for readers who are well grounded in scientific terminology and comfortable with physical science; otherwise, it might be better to look for the Cliff's Notes. Show Less
LibraryThing member calibrary1
Book review by Mitch, posted by CA Library:
"A Universe From Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss is an interesting read. The book is a mystery but gives you facts about the universe and how it was created. The book talks about Albert Einstein's gravity experiment.
The story starts with Albert Einstein's
The book doesn't fully answer the questions. You need to think about what the questions are telling you and make a prediction.
I enjoyed the book but it is a little boring in some of the beginning parts. The ending about the way the earth got here is very fascinating and exciting. If you are not interested in astronomy, this is not a book for you. There is another book called The Everyday Astronomy Book that may be more interesting. Overall, I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars."
"A Universe From Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss is an interesting read. The book is a mystery but gives you facts about the universe and how it was created. The book talks about Albert Einstein's gravity experiment.
The story starts with Albert Einstein's
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gravity experiment. Then the book talks about the Big Bang and how it affects us now. The book also asks interesting questions like ""Why is there something rather than nothing?"" Another question is ""Is earth going to disappear as abruptly as it got here?"" The book doesn't fully answer the questions. You need to think about what the questions are telling you and make a prediction.
I enjoyed the book but it is a little boring in some of the beginning parts. The ending about the way the earth got here is very fascinating and exciting. If you are not interested in astronomy, this is not a book for you. There is another book called The Everyday Astronomy Book that may be more interesting. Overall, I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars."
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LibraryThing member Achromatic
A Universe from Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss
Modern physics and the Cosmological Argument - why anything exists at all. Pleasant, interesting and non-obnoxious.
Popular science books can vary a lot in tone and content. This one manages to be both informative in summarising both the history of and
One of the main themes is the book is explaining what current cosmology and particle physics propose as the origins of the universe and why there is a universe at all, rather than nothing, and so it’s partially being put forward as a pop-atheism book, and this was my main worry picking it up. I was pleasantly surprised to find it avoided being off-putting in the way many authors on this topic can be, that is, smug to the point of making the alleged goal of such books, deprogramming, unlikely.
I’m not sure how convincing it was on explaining why anything at all exists; I may be giving it a second read, but I have been looking for some targeted layman discussion of this point for some time and it hit the elusive spot. Of course, it’s difficult to evaluate the quality of a summary without knowing the content being discussed; but it comes off as reasonably thorough for a piece that avoids any mathematics. I’d recommend having a look if you like this sort of thing.
Modern physics and the Cosmological Argument - why anything exists at all. Pleasant, interesting and non-obnoxious.
Popular science books can vary a lot in tone and content. This one manages to be both informative in summarising both the history of and
Show More
modern cosmological theories while also being smooth, interesting reading.One of the main themes is the book is explaining what current cosmology and particle physics propose as the origins of the universe and why there is a universe at all, rather than nothing, and so it’s partially being put forward as a pop-atheism book, and this was my main worry picking it up. I was pleasantly surprised to find it avoided being off-putting in the way many authors on this topic can be, that is, smug to the point of making the alleged goal of such books, deprogramming, unlikely.
I’m not sure how convincing it was on explaining why anything at all exists; I may be giving it a second read, but I have been looking for some targeted layman discussion of this point for some time and it hit the elusive spot. Of course, it’s difficult to evaluate the quality of a summary without knowing the content being discussed; but it comes off as reasonably thorough for a piece that avoids any mathematics. I’d recommend having a look if you like this sort of thing.
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LibraryThing member datrappert
Krauss does a marvelous job of explaining how we know what we know about the universe. For example, his explanation of how we know the universe is expanding is the clearest I have ever read. Which isn't to say that everything here is clear--this is complicated stuff, and sometimes the explanations
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are pretty complicated, but at least they are clear for the most part. There is also a good deal of repetition in the book, which, given the complexity of the subject matter, isn't such a bad thing. However, at times the book reads more like a collection of articles than an integrated whole. Some of the best parts of the book are the descriptions of scientists and how they made, and continue to make their discoveries. And then there is the frightening description of how the universe will appear after the stars that are racing away from us being to do so at greater than the speed of light--yes, it is possible and it will happen. As Krauss points out, we are lucky to live in the universe at a time when it is possible to actually figure out things about the universe that our distant descendants may be clueless about. On the down slide, sometimes Krauss goes a little out of his way to thumb his nose at religion, which seems unnecessary and a bit impolite. Any religious person reading this book deserves a little more sympathy; after all, if they read with an open mind, the myths of their faith's creation story are going to explode with the force of the big bang! Show Less
LibraryThing member coffyman
Some interesting information, but way too technical for the average person.
LibraryThing member DLMorrese
4.5 stars, really. The summary of the physics about how 'something' can come from 'nothing' is quite interesting. Kraus does let himself vent a bit more than necessary about the lack of basic scientific understanding in the American populace and the apparent desire of some religious extremists to
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perpetuate that ignorance. I understand his dismay, but it seems pointless to argue with them. They are like cranky old men yelling at the sunrise because they want to sleep a bit longer. Well, Okay. They can do that, but the sun is going to come up anyway. A preference for scientific explanations over supernatural ones already exists, but the process of science and its findings are not getting the exposure they deserve. Arguing with fundamentalists is less important now than calmly and clearly explaining science. The latter is what I think modern science writers should focus on. Carl Sagan was expert at this. Show Less
LibraryThing member slsmith101
I won't rehash what others have said much better than I could, but I will say that I found this book fascinating. Having never studied physics, I am a long way from understanding everything in this book, but I now have a much better idea of how the universe came to exist than I did before I read
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it. Who would have thought a book on cosmology and particle physics would be such a page turner! Show Less
LibraryThing member Razinha
A wonderful, very readable book...makes cosmology accessible to anyone (without the math, of course). Krauss sprinkles a few digs (on the First cause argument: "These issues have been debated and discussed for millennia, by brilliant and not-so-brilliant minds, many of the latter making their
Apparently, there is a lot of nothing, and it is the strangest of quantities in our universe.
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current living by debating them") and humor ("...Edwin Hubble, who continues to give me great faith in humanity, because he started out as a lawyer and then became an astronomer.")Apparently, there is a lot of nothing, and it is the strangest of quantities in our universe.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
This book is on the one hand a delight, and on the other hand a disappointment.
It's a lively and interesting look at current physics--or at least, physics as of 2011; developments have continued. Krauss gives us a clear, interesting, and compelling account of the current scientific understanding of
And if my references to "this universe" and "our universe" seem a bit strange, well, Krauss also describes why it's likely there's more than one universe.
This is all challenging material, and Krauss makes it worth the work to pay careful attention. That's a vital skill in a good science popularizer--and we need more good science popularizers. Children taught in school that science is a matter of rote memorization to pass a test are at far too high a risk of becoming adults who think science is a matter of belief and ideology--and that scientists are just being narrow-minded when they insist climate change is real, or that so-called "creation science" is simply, factually false, and not anything like real science. They will, in short, be at risk of becoming adults who think science is a liberal conspiracy out to undermine decent moral and religious values, and wreck our economy and way of life.
Where we run into trouble in this book is that Krauss thinks he has not not just make the science clear, but also make it clear that, in his mind, which he takes to be objective fact, of course you are totally free to believe in God, but "God" is completely unnecessary... He's far too polite, reasonable, and probably a totally nice guy, to say that only fools believe in God.
He doesn't seem to understand, as many other atheist or agnostic scientists do understand, that religion and science are not about the same things. (Granted, there are religious believers who make the same mistake, aided and abetted by poor quality science education in the schools.) No, Mr. Krauss, I don't need to know your views on God, or your views on my belief in God, to be a fascinated and receptive audience for your explication of the physics and cosmology you've devoted your professional life to doing such good work in. I'm not interested in what Christopher Hitchens had to say; if I were, I would read his books to find out, not yours. There's no need to quote him repeatedly in a books I'm reading because I want to know about the physics and cosmology you're writing about.
Seriously.
Now, I do need to say that there was not so much of this stuff that it prevented me from enjoying the book and learning from it. And I'm well aware that what annoyed me will make this book more attractive to some readers. If so, great! Enjoy! I don't write these reviews to discourage anyone from reading something they'll enjoy. My hope is, in fact, that even if you disagree with my judgments, you'll still be able to recognize in my reviews books you'll enjoy even if I dislike them, and books you won't enjoy even if I love them.
In any case, I did enjoy A Universe From Nothing. I just would have enjoyed it a bit more if he'd stayed on topic better.
So, on the whole, recommended.
I bought this book.
It's a lively and interesting look at current physics--or at least, physics as of 2011; developments have continued. Krauss gives us a clear, interesting, and compelling account of the current scientific understanding of
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how our universe came into existence, how matter and energy can come from nothing, and why such exotic concepts as dark matter are fundamental to understanding how this universe works the way it does and why we are even able to exist.And if my references to "this universe" and "our universe" seem a bit strange, well, Krauss also describes why it's likely there's more than one universe.
This is all challenging material, and Krauss makes it worth the work to pay careful attention. That's a vital skill in a good science popularizer--and we need more good science popularizers. Children taught in school that science is a matter of rote memorization to pass a test are at far too high a risk of becoming adults who think science is a matter of belief and ideology--and that scientists are just being narrow-minded when they insist climate change is real, or that so-called "creation science" is simply, factually false, and not anything like real science. They will, in short, be at risk of becoming adults who think science is a liberal conspiracy out to undermine decent moral and religious values, and wreck our economy and way of life.
Where we run into trouble in this book is that Krauss thinks he has not not just make the science clear, but also make it clear that, in his mind, which he takes to be objective fact, of course you are totally free to believe in God, but "God" is completely unnecessary... He's far too polite, reasonable, and probably a totally nice guy, to say that only fools believe in God.
He doesn't seem to understand, as many other atheist or agnostic scientists do understand, that religion and science are not about the same things. (Granted, there are religious believers who make the same mistake, aided and abetted by poor quality science education in the schools.) No, Mr. Krauss, I don't need to know your views on God, or your views on my belief in God, to be a fascinated and receptive audience for your explication of the physics and cosmology you've devoted your professional life to doing such good work in. I'm not interested in what Christopher Hitchens had to say; if I were, I would read his books to find out, not yours. There's no need to quote him repeatedly in a books I'm reading because I want to know about the physics and cosmology you're writing about.
Seriously.
Now, I do need to say that there was not so much of this stuff that it prevented me from enjoying the book and learning from it. And I'm well aware that what annoyed me will make this book more attractive to some readers. If so, great! Enjoy! I don't write these reviews to discourage anyone from reading something they'll enjoy. My hope is, in fact, that even if you disagree with my judgments, you'll still be able to recognize in my reviews books you'll enjoy even if I dislike them, and books you won't enjoy even if I love them.
In any case, I did enjoy A Universe From Nothing. I just would have enjoyed it a bit more if he'd stayed on topic better.
So, on the whole, recommended.
I bought this book.
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LibraryThing member pgiunta
Counted among the best of contemporary science popularizers, Dr. Lawrence Krauss presents an edifying and eminently readable guide through the scientific theories of cosmogony, as well as the history of scientific research and discovery on the topic, all to answer the question, “Is there truly
An award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Krauss explains various theories and evidence including the Big Bang versus steady state theory, cosmic inflation, particle physics, string theory (of which he is not necessarily a proponent), dark energy, dark matter, cosmic microwave background radiation, the “cosmic jerk” effect on the accelerating universe, and much more. He also spends several pages pondering whether cosmologists and astronomers trillions of years from now will be able to ascertain the true origins of the universe once it has expanded to a point where so much physical evidence may no longer be available.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that an underlying theme of Krauss’s book is the dismissal of theology and all Creation myths as possessing any factual basis for the origin of the universe—a point which Krauss touches on sporadically at various points.
One aspect that I enjoy as much as the science is learning about the history of scientific theories and discovery. As the book unfolds, Krauss—like Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku, and others—takes the time to offer brief anecdotes and background information on several of the notable physicists, mathematicians, astronomers, and cosmologists who have contributed to our knowledge of the universe over the past century.
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such a thing as nothing?”An award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Krauss explains various theories and evidence including the Big Bang versus steady state theory, cosmic inflation, particle physics, string theory (of which he is not necessarily a proponent), dark energy, dark matter, cosmic microwave background radiation, the “cosmic jerk” effect on the accelerating universe, and much more. He also spends several pages pondering whether cosmologists and astronomers trillions of years from now will be able to ascertain the true origins of the universe once it has expanded to a point where so much physical evidence may no longer be available.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that an underlying theme of Krauss’s book is the dismissal of theology and all Creation myths as possessing any factual basis for the origin of the universe—a point which Krauss touches on sporadically at various points.
One aspect that I enjoy as much as the science is learning about the history of scientific theories and discovery. As the book unfolds, Krauss—like Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku, and others—takes the time to offer brief anecdotes and background information on several of the notable physicists, mathematicians, astronomers, and cosmologists who have contributed to our knowledge of the universe over the past century.
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LibraryThing member PDCRead
Krauss has written a book for the lay reader about the latest developments in theoretical physics, explaining how the big bang was created from nothing, and has gone onto create all the things that make up the visible universe.
He goes on to explain how the universe is expanding, and the methods
He goes on to explain how the universe is expanding, and the methods
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that they use to ascertain its size, and some of the latest theories, but quantum physics has always been a bit beyond me, and this book has confirmed that I am out of my depth with a lot going on in theoretical physics at the moment. Show Less
LibraryThing member clifforddham
Presenty, the essential question.
Bestselling author and acclaimed physicist Lawrence Krauss offers a paradigm-shifting view of how everything that exists came to be in the first place.
“Where did the universe come from? What was there before it? What will the future bring? And finally, why is
One of the few prominent scientists today to have crossed the chasm between science and popular culture, Krauss describes the staggeringly beautiful experimental observations and mind-bending new theories that demonstrate not only can something arise from nothing, something will always arise from nothing. With a new preface about the significance of the discovery of the Higgs particle, A Universe from Nothing uses Krauss’s characteristic wry humor and wonderfully clear explanations to take us back to the beginning of the beginning, presenting the most recent evidence for how our universe evolved—and the implications for how it’s going to end.
Provocative, challenging, and delightfully readable, this is a game-changing look at the most basic underpinning of existence and a powerful antidote to outmoded philosophical, religious, and scientific thinking.
(Misses the effective understanding of religious experience)
Bestselling author and acclaimed physicist Lawrence Krauss offers a paradigm-shifting view of how everything that exists came to be in the first place.
“Where did the universe come from? What was there before it? What will the future bring? And finally, why is
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there something rather than nothing?”One of the few prominent scientists today to have crossed the chasm between science and popular culture, Krauss describes the staggeringly beautiful experimental observations and mind-bending new theories that demonstrate not only can something arise from nothing, something will always arise from nothing. With a new preface about the significance of the discovery of the Higgs particle, A Universe from Nothing uses Krauss’s characteristic wry humor and wonderfully clear explanations to take us back to the beginning of the beginning, presenting the most recent evidence for how our universe evolved—and the implications for how it’s going to end.
Provocative, challenging, and delightfully readable, this is a game-changing look at the most basic underpinning of existence and a powerful antidote to outmoded philosophical, religious, and scientific thinking.
(Misses the effective understanding of religious experience)
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LibraryThing member fpagan
A not-too-long exposition on scientific cosmology, culminating in what that discipline and fundamental physics in general now have to say about the subtitular question, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" For example, there is the proposition that (in a certain technical sense)
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nothingness is unstable and the theoretical finding that the genesis of a universe (perhaps in the context of a multiverse) need not violate conservation of energy. Although he rightly considers it to be devoid of validity, Krauss also describes the supernaturalistic approach to the subtitular question; his reward for this courtesy was post-publication excoriation from elements of the myth-and-mysticism crowd. The moral I'm tempted to draw: don't bother giving space to the views of theologians -- they're not worth it. Show Less
LibraryThing member steve02476
Very readable, but I still certainly don't understand everything. I had to keep saying to myself "well, if you say so" - but I think that's just inevitable given the topic.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
224 p.; 6 inches
ISBN
145162445X / 9781451624458