Einstein's Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum (Unabridged)
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
A daring new vision of quantum theory from one of the leading minds of contemporary physics
Quantum physics is the golden child of modern science. It is the basis of our understanding of atoms, radiation, and so much else, from elementary particles and basic forces to the behavior of materials. But for a century it has also been the problem child of science: it has been plagued by intense disagreements between its inventors, strange paradoxes, and implications that seem like the stuff of fantasy. Whether it's Schrödinger's cat--a creature that is simultaneously dead and alive--or a belief that the world does not exist independently of our observations of it, quantum theory challenges our fundamental assumptions about reality.
In Einstein's Unfinished Revolution, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin provocatively argues that the problems which have bedeviled quantum physics since its inception are unsolved and unsolvable, for the simple reason that the theory is incomplete. There is more to quantum physics, waiting to be discovered. Our task--if we are to have simple answers to our simple questions about the universe we live in--must be to go beyond quantum mechanics to a description of the world on an atomic scale that makes sense.
In this vibrant and accessible book, Smolin takes us on a journey through the basics of quantum physics, introducing the stories of the experiments and figures that have transformed our understanding of the universe, before wrestling with the puzzles and conundrums that the quantum world presents. Along the way, he illuminates the existing theories that might solve these problems, guiding us towards a vision of the quantum that embraces common sense realism.
If we are to have any hope of completing the revolution that Einstein began nearly a century ago, we must go beyond quantum mechanics to find a theory that will give us a complete description of nature. In Einstein's Unfinished Revolution, Lee Smolin brings us a step closer to resolving one of the greatest scientific controversies of our age.
Customer Reviews
Difficult At Times But Worth It
I listened to this audiobook twice within a single week. It took that much of a commitment before I decided if I really liked it. The subject matter can be difficult at times. It probably wouldn’t be a great choice for someone seeking a concise introduction to quantum physics. But I think it’s an excellent thought-provoker for any lay person who already knows a few quantum physics basics.
I initially disliked the narration. It seemed very much like a British robot was reading the text. By the time I began to listen to the book a second time, I had grown more accepting of the narration. In retrospect, her style is well suited to the book’s subject material.
The author is clear throughout the book that he is a realist (as Einstein was) and not an anti-realist (as Niels Bohr was). I liked this, because I consider myself to be a realist too. Fortunately, Smolin doesn’t appear to let this bias interfere with his presentation of the facts. With regard to Smolin’s potential biases, the book indirectly led me to a string theory physicist, Lubos Motl, and his stinging critiques of Smolin’s work. That was just one of several interesting side-trips I took in search of more detail about issues raised in Smolin’s book. These side-trips were one of the book’s unexpected bonuses.
Smolin is very critical of ‘group think’ and peer pressure within the quantum physics community. He makes many good points about why more intellectual freedom is needed in academia before we can get to a true, fundamental understanding of quantum physics. I found this portion of the book to be excellent.
In the final few chapters Smolin introduces his current thinking about quantum mechanics. He starts from a base built on his own work with loop quantum gravity. He then talks about Leibniz’s monads and his own idea of nads. This leads to his idea of ‘views’ and how views are causally connected and related to non-locality and quantum superposition. He concludes with the idea that time is fundamental and space is emergent. It all gets very confusing. His ideas are interesting but I remain a skeptic about time being fundamental. The good thing is that even Smolin admits skepticism about his own current hypothesis. His main point is that more out-of-the box thinking needs to be encouraged before the underlying fundamentals of quantum physics will be revealed.
It’s an interesting book. I’m glad I bought it.
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