|
Books > Science & Mathematics > Astronomy, space & time > Time (chronology)
'This is a thought-provoking book that would be of interest to
anyone wanting to ponder the concept of time, and to develop more
critical thinking skills that may be useful when reading popular
science books or articles.'IEEE Electrical Insulation MagazineThe
aim of this book is to explain in simple language what we know
about time and about the history of time. It is shown that the
briefest (as well as the lengthiest) history of time can be
described in one or two pages.The second purpose of the book is to
show that neither entropy, nor the Second Law of Thermodynamics has
anything to do with time. The third purpose is to educate the lay
reader how to read popular science books, critically. Towards this
goal, detailed reviews of four books on time are presented.There
are many popular science books on Time, on the beginning of Time
and the end of Time. This book is unique in the following two
senses:
Time is central to our lived experience of the world. Yet, as this
book reveals, it is startlingly difficult to reconcile the way we
seem to experience time with many of the theories presented to us
in physics and metaphysics. This comprehensive and accessible
introduction guides the unfamiliar reader through difficult
questions at the intersection of the metaphysics and physics of
time. It starts with the assumption that physics and metaphysics
are inextricably connected, and that each can, and should, shed
light on the other. The authors explore a range of views about the
nature of time, showing how different these are from the way we
typically think about time and our place in it. They consider such
questions as: whether time travel is possible, and, if it is,
whether we can change the past; whether there is a single moment
that is objectively present; whether time flows or is static; and
whether, ultimately, time exists at all. An Introduction to the
Philosophy of Time will appeal to students of physics and
philosophy who want both a comprehensive overview of the area and
enough depth to allow for rigorous discussion. The book's detailed
readings and exercises will challenge students and provide a clear
roadmap for further study.
What is time? The 5th-century philosopher St Augustine famously
said that he knew what time was, so long as no one asked him. Is
time a fourth dimension similar to space or does it flow in some
sense? And if it flows, does it make sense to say how fast? Does
the future exist? Is time travel possible? Why does time seem to
pass in only one direction? These questions and others are among
the deepest and most subtle that one can ask, but Introducing Time
presents them - many for the first time - in an easily accessible,
lucid and engaging manner, wittily illustrated by Ralph Edney.
|
|