You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
Fundamentalist Christians often use the Bible as a guide to the natural world, which inevitably leads them to reject much of what modern science says about the universe. But what if we were to use modern science as a guide to the Bible? What might a scientific reading of the Bible tell us not only about religion's claims, but also about nature and our place in it? If God really did part the Red Sea, how might he have engineered such a feat? If Jesus really did raise Lazarus from the dead, under what circumstances might it have happened? In this witty and informative book, science writer Clay Farris Naff brings the miracles of the Bible into sharp focus through the lens of modern science. Whether you're a religious skeptic or a true believer, you'll find what comes into view is mind-bending, thought-provoking, and even amusing—and you'll likely be left even more amazed and entranced by the universe we live in.
"A Prelude to Quantum Field Theory offers a short introduction to quantum field theory (QFT), a powerful framework for understanding particle behavior that is an essential tool across many subfields of physics. A subject that is typically taught at the graduate level in most physics departments, quantum field theory is a unification of standard quantum theories and special relativity, which depicts all particles as "excitations" that arise in underlying fields. It extends quantum mechanics, the modern theory of one or few particles, in a way that is useful for the analysis of many-particle systems in the real world. As it requires a different style of thinking from quantum mechanics, which i...
In August/September 1999, a group of 68 physicists from 48 laboratories in 17 countries met in Erice, Italy, to participate in the 37th Course of the International School of Subnuclear Physics. This volume constitutes the proceedings of that meeting. It focuses on the basic unity of fundamental physics at both the theoretical and the experimental level.
This book offers a discussion of the kalām cosmological argument, and presents a defence of a version of that argument after critically evaluating three of the most important versions of the argument. It argues that, since the versions of the kalām cosmological argument defended by Philoponus (c. 490–c. 570), al-Ghazālī (1058– 1111), and the contemporary philosopher, William Lane Craig, all deny the possibility of the existence of an actual infinite, these arguments are incompatible with Platonism and the view that God foreknows an endless future. This conclusion, however, is not a problem for the proponents of the kalām cosmological argument, for the book shows how the argument can...
The Multiverse as Theory in Postmodern Speculative Fictional Narratives considers the concept of the multiverse beyond the immediacy of being merely an excuse or scenario for the development of stories, instead positioning the multiverse as a theoretical method in which speculative fiction narratives can explore diverse issues to bridge ideas across cultural, social, and philosophical analysis. Taking a cross-cultural approach, the book centres around the critical engagements that literary and media texts have with the representations of the multiverse, beyond considering this subject as a mere rhetorical flourish or a passing fad. A diverse and international team of authors engage with the ...
Despite recent strides in neuroscience and psychology that have deepened understanding of the brain, consciousness remains one of the greatest philosophical and scientific puzzles. The second edition of Theories of Consciousness: An Introduction and Assessment provides a fresh and up-to-date introduction to a variety of approaches to consciousness, and contributes to the current lively debate about the nature of consciousness and whether a scientific understanding of it is possible. After an initial overview of the status and prospects of physicalism in the face of the problem of consciousness, William Seager explores key themes from Descartes - the founder of the modern problem of conscious...
In August/September 1999, a group of 68 physicists from 48 laboratories in 17 countries met in Erice, Italy, to participate in the 37th Course of the International School of Subnuclear Physics. This volume constitutes the proceedings of that meeting. It focuses on the basic unity of fundamental physics at both the theoretical and the experimental level.
Radical skepticism endorses the extreme claim that large swaths of our ordinary beliefs, such as those produced by perception or memory, are irrational. The best arguments for such skepticism are, in their essentials, as familiar as a popular science fiction movie and yet even seasoned epistemologists continue to find them strangely seductive. Moreover, although most contemporary philosophers dismiss radical skepticism, they cannot agree on how best to respond to the challenge it presents. In the tradition of the 18th century Scottish philosopher, Thomas Reid, Radical Skepticism and Epistemic Intuition joins this discussion by taking up four main tasks. First, it identifies the strongest arg...
Distant galaxies, dark matter, black holes – elusive, incomprehensible and inhospitable – these are the building blocks of modern physics. But where do we fit in this picture? For centuries, we have separated mind from matter. While physicists have pursued a theory of ‘everything’ with single-minded purpose, the matter of the mind, of human consciousness, has been conveniently sidestepped and ignored – consigned to priests, philosophers and poets. With the ambition of Stephen Hawking, Carlo Rovelli and Brian Cox, Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation sets out a bold new vision for theoretical physics, unrestricted by sleek equations and neat formulations. Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest in quantum mechanics, acclaimed writer Musser offers a new interpretation of human consciousness. From bizarre cognitive phenomena, like lucid dreaming and self-taught synaesthesia, to the latest technological developments in AI, Musser asks: what can physics teach us about what it means to be human?
Covering the Cosmos from before the Big Bang through to the creation of our universe and up to but not including our arrival on stage; our will is not yet imposed, we had no hand, act nor part in its provisions, beyond investigating to understand what has been delivered us. The many aspects of the Cosmos are melded, in a headline driven style, to paint a cohesive picture as well as allowing the reader choose to delve further where they may choose to paint their personal picture. Cosmos – includes; • The creation mechanism for our Universe and why there exists a possible Multiverse. • The creation mechanisms of the galaxies with their diversity of Star types. • The space exploration o...