Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes
by Alex Vilenkin
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alex VilenkinEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-07-10
ISBN: 0809067226
Number of pages: 248
Publisher: Hill and Wang
Book Reviews of Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes
Book Review: CAUSE AND EFFECT AND JOB SECURITY
Summary: 5 Stars
Initially I became interested in modern physics and cosmology because I wanted to find out what was wrong with the universe. I was very much disheartened about all the cruelty toward our non-human earthlings, and I was at a loss to explain it all. In fact I was horrified and thought that the universe is just one big philosophical flux and no more--this was back when I was 16. I began thinking very very deeply about the meaning of existence, the universe's role in it and the extreme suffering of beings that come into existence ONLY to experience life as torture by another living being--HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? and I was thinking how utterly unfair this was. I was thinking about experiments on animals mostly--and I heard of very horrid things. Why did this happen and what kind of a universe was I in anyway??!!! In the meantime, I found it FUN to learn about the universe because ironically, it took me worlds away from all the troubles here on earth. I want books to challenge me even though I have no background in high level math. Some concepts can be hard to grasp and sometimes I have to read the difficult parts twice over--but I LOVE THAT. That's what I want.
In the early 90's I DARED TO disagree with "His Highness" Stephen Hawking when I just didn't see an eventual end to the discovery in physics at all (the ULTIMATE unification theory that would have ended need for further study because we would be the ultimate beings in the universe to GET IT ALL!!!--yeah right!!!!) as I thought he did, and I didn't see that the Big Bang was THE ULTIMATE beginning of everything, and I disagreed that the universe will end altogether and that will be the end of that, period. Our particular universe may end or not end, but that is CERTAINLY NOT THE WHOLE STORY OR THE END OF THE STORY!!!--I thought, and I was so happy to read in one of the science magazines RECENTLY that he admitted he was WRONG!!! HA! I told you so!!!! There were HUGE pieces missing from that scientific philosophy back then and I just knew it. It was simple logic for me. Then even further back when I was very young I saw that there were other pieces missing in this cold, mathematical scientific world and the imperfect sciences that involve math. Something spiritual was VERY MUCH missing and I am not a religious person. Then I read in Discovery magazine (I really think that was the magazine) that had an article (if you want to search for it I THINK it was Sept. of 2003, 2004, or 2005--I think) that stated that math cannot lead to ultimate truth because that was mathematically proven!!! HA!! HA!! once again!!
Then I read up on what the Dalai Lama said: that the universe has no beginning or no end because of cause and effect--Buddhist theory. Here's something even stranger that I read in one of the books from the Dalai Lama that has the original Buddhist texts from long ago: That there are multiple universes and a universe system! I believe it is in "Practicing Wisdom." How far ahead are they than us Westerners that just came to terms that the earth revolves around the sun! I think this is astonishing. Wasn't it Plato that said our soul has been pre-existing in all eternity and is just as eternal in the other direction? (by the way our non-human friends are just as eternal and spiritual as we are.)
Then just now recently all these new discoveries seem to prove there may be multiple universes and that the inner workings of the universe system is in a way out of time (or eternal)--with no beginning or end. The Buddhists are correct.
This book is a good challenge to read, and I love authors that can put physics talk and difficult mathematical concepts to writing. That is certainly a challenge to do. It is not a long book and there is not a whole lot of writing, but the intent is to GET TO THE POINT of certain concepts and discoveries. It is obvious that the author is effortlessly explaining everything, but for the reader it is not always necessarily easy reading all of the time. This book is for the inquisitive and the eager to soak up new knowledge and concepts.
I enjoyed stretching my mind. The challenge is to SEE BEYOND the evident. What do you see BEYOND anything? Beyond anything is more and beyond that is even more. Beyond an angry person is a frightened person (because anger is fear), beyond the sun is the galaxy and so forth and so on. When you stop seeing BEYOND what is immediately available, that is YOUR personal limit, not THE limit. Get the picture? This seeing ONE MORE BEYOND will never end. There is no end or beginning to the UNIVERSE SYSTEM because of cause and effect.
Should scientists speculate? With caution--YES! YES! YES! That's what it's all about. You KNOW FOR SURE, you have NOT reached the end of the line. What is beyond your present position!???? It will always be that way. The universe is a mixture of math and science AND PHILOSOPHY. That's my opinion! When you think you have got it, wait a while and your concept might change. Here's my point: If I (or you) might think this universe is purposeless and life is senseless and you might see and hear of endless and UTTERLY SENSELESS AND IRRATIONAL cruelty and hatred, you must remember that you ARE a small piece of the universe gazing and judging ITSELF. So how can that be? We will never find all the answers to very deep deep questions here on earth, and I have been born into a universe that I judge at times very badly and I want to see true justice, and the end of pain and so forth and so on, but in the end where there is no end, science will take us where no man has gone before!!!
So you see, scientists, you have your work cut out for you. You have a NEVER ENDING horizon in front of you to study and ponder upon. My opinion of bringing God into the picture for scientists IS: IF YOU THINK THAT THIS IS THE CASE beforehand--Okay--BUT NOT to please the public. I think that is very limiting. I think that because of no beginning or end (hence no "CREATION" the picture is FAR MORE AWESOME and IMMENSE and MYSTERIOUS than we can ever comprehend. Didn't Einstein say that the human mind cannot understand the universe?
Well, scientists: here are some goals: Where does Ego come from? Evil? is evil a force? It replicates so where does it come from? Where does Love come from at the most fundamental levels out there in the universe? David Bohm stated that there is a never ending explicate and implicate order and MEANING is the key word. I think he was correct.
I saw a picture of muscle tissue invaded by viruses and that tissue had "captured" immune cells by surrounding them with a sugary substance--warfare at a fundamental level??? Where does Ego come from at the most fundamental level!??? Violence? superficiality, cruelty, love, irrationality? You see, even Dolphins gossip, some birds who don't have to worry about food (in rainforests and elsewhere) do nothing much else all day long but show off how pretty they are and how clever they are--(sound familiar?) They like to show off that they have some special skills and talents that other birds don't have--one bird does a moon dance with sexy hip movement, another transforms into batman, another builds WEALTH in his nest--he wants to show off his wealth--that he's wealthier than the next bird (sound familiar?), another builds "skyscrapers" (bird style of course--AND HE EVEN DECORATES IT!!!)--AND HE EVEN PARADES IN FRONT OF IT SHOWING OFF HIS BEAUTY!! They all want to be acknowledged, chosen, accepted and ADMIRED so much like us humans--superficiality in it's purest form. Cruelty exists all over but humans are really good at this one. Compassion for other beings exists not only in humans but in non humans as well. Where does all this come from at the most fundamental level? Of course we are not there Y E T! But I am waiting to know ALL THE DETAILS.
Hurray for the new discoveries, hurray for imaginary numbers, hurray for the Buddhists and their deeply committed philosophy on compassion and love of knowledge. Somehow, it all fits in.
I, one of the masses, will be waiting for new developments. I want to know if string theory is correct or if there is something even more awesome and mysterious. I am waiting. You guys with the brains do your jobs and study and let us know. However, I would like to conclude that in the end, we humans are too small to claim knowledge of it all. We don't know the inner most workings of the universe system. As far as we know we could be in one type of existence and universe and there could be other universes with other physical and spiritual laws. THE MOST INTELLIGENT CONCLUSION one can make after all the data is put on the table is to be humble enough to simply say "I don't know." I can only suggest that since we are ultimately at the mercy of such forces we cannot explain or dominate, I would just lead a very good life--you never know.
Tell your dog how clever he is and show him that you admire him!
Summary of Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes
A Leading Figure in the Development of the New Cosmology Explains What It All Means
Among his peers, Alex Vilenkin is regarded as one of the most imaginative and creative cosmologists of our time. His contributions to our current understanding of the universe include a number of novel ideas, two of which--eternal cosmic inflation and the quantum creation of the universe from nothing--have provided a scientific foundation for the possible existence of multiple universes.
With this book--his first for the general reader--Vilenkin joins another select group: the handful of first-rank scientists who are equally adept at explaining their work to nonspecialists. With engaging, well-paced storytelling, a droll sense of humor, and a generous sprinkling of helpful cartoons, he conjures up a bizarre and fascinating new worldview that--to paraphrase Niels Bohr--just might be crazy enough to be true.
Among his peers, Alex Vilenkin is regarded as one of the most imaginative and creative cosmologists of our time. His contributions to our current understanding of the universe include a number of novel ideas, two of which--eternal cosmic inflation and the quantum creation of the universe from nothing--have provided a scientific foundation for the possible existence of multiple universes.
With this book--his first for the general reader--Vilenkin joins another select group: the handful of first-rank scientists who are equally adept at explaining their work to nonspecialists. With engaging, well-paced storytelling, a droll sense of humor, and a generous sprinkling of helpful cartoons, he conjures up a bizarre and fascinating new worldview that--to paraphrase Niels Bohr--just might be crazy enough to be true.
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