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Product Description
An extraordinary and challenging synthesis of ideas uniting Quantum Theory, and the theories of Computation, Knowledge and Evolution, Deutsch's extraordinary book explores the deep connections between these strands which reveal the fabric of realityin which human actions and ideas play essential roles.
About the Author
DAVID DEUTSCH's research in quantum physics has been influential and highly acclaimed. He is a member of the Quantum Computation and Cryptography Research Group at the Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford University, and now lives and works in Oxford.
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First Sentence
I remember being told, when I was a small child, that in ancient times it was still possible for a very learned person to know everything that was known. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I remember being told, when I was a small child, that in ancient times it was still possible for a very learned person to know everything that was known. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a small child, David Deutsch wanted to learn everything. This does not mean that he wanted to know everything but that he wanted to understand everything that could be understood. To this end, Deutsch recognises four strands to a deep understanding of the fabric of reality: quantum physics, epistemology, computation and genetical evolution.
The particular theories Deutsch proposes in these subjects are: the parallel universes or many worlds interpretation; Karl Popper's hypothetico-deductive model; Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, specifically in the gene-centric interpretation given it by Richard Dawkins (the selfish gene school); and, in regard to computation, the Church-Turing conjecture of universal computation, universal virtual reality based on universal computation, Deutsch's own theory of quantum computation and artificial intelligence.
A wilder application of computation to physical reality is Frank Tippler's theory of the omega point, a state reached in the last moments of the collapsing universe, where the minds of all previous people can be resurrected.
The Fabric of Reality is altogether an excellent book, marred only by David Deutsch's insistence that anyone who doubts the many worlds interpretation does not understand quantum theory properly (and his strong hint that we are retarded by lack of imagination or honesty).
The particular theories Deutsch proposes in these subjects are: the parallel universes or many worlds interpretation; Karl Popper's hypothetico-deductive model; Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, specifically in the gene-centric interpretation given it by Richard Dawkins (the selfish gene school); and, in regard to computation, the Church-Turing conjecture of universal computation, universal virtual reality based on universal computation, Deutsch's own theory of quantum computation and artificial intelligence.
A wilder application of computation to physical reality is Frank Tippler's theory of the omega point, a state reached in the last moments of the collapsing universe, where the minds of all previous people can be resurrected.
The Fabric of Reality is altogether an excellent book, marred only by David Deutsch's insistence that anyone who doubts the many worlds interpretation does not understand quantum theory properly (and his strong hint that we are retarded by lack of imagination or honesty).
37 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have read innumerable books and science magazine articles on quantum theory, relativity, astrophysics, astrononmy, string theory, etc, as well as a great deal of more generally related science.
I am not a trained scientist, simple a well informed non-specialist with an interest in these areas, and I would have to say that this is the best written book of its type I have come across. It deals with extremely deep concepts across an enormous range of different but related areas of study, and I found myself at times almost shocked at the superb skill with which the author is able to deliver new concepts and arguments so cleanly and simply. The chapter that deals with quantum theory and the many-worlds hypothesis alone stands out as a masterpiece of elegance and simplicity when compared with many other works that attempt to deal with this issue.
Rather than delighting and wallowing in the apparent paradoxes that quantum theory implies for the macroscopic world (as so many authors do), Deutsch simply points out that irrespective of our inability to understand and resolve those paradoxes, the conclusions at least are clear and unarguable, and this is where he starts the real work of philosophical integration that is the books theme.
The rate at which new ideas in this book are delivered can leave one stunned at times, and I must recommend this book without any hesitation at all.
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Deutsch uses concepts from evolution, epistemology, quantum mechanics and computers to challenge our accepted view of reality. His central tenets seem to me to be:
1. Our intuition about reality sucks e.g. you may think you're standing still but in fact you're moving with the earth.
2. Science is all about explanations and the best explanations should be adopted even if unprovable at least until a better explanation comes along. In the famous experiment where light passing through two slits behaves like waves rather than particles, Deutsch argues there are shadow photons interacting with the real ones to produce the wave effect. This is unprovable with present technology but Deutsch argues it's the only (or best) explanation.
3. From shadow photons Deutsch moves on to assert that we must "inescapably" live in a multiple universe reality and that we interact with other "us"-es in other universes. In fact Deutsch writes as if it is a fact that every possible action I could take or should have taken in the past must be or must have been acted out by some version of me in some universe. He doesn't say if I am the one acting out something someone else in another universe chose not to do.
4. There's no such thing as mathematical proof so we shouldn't trust scientists (ok, this is harsh but that's how I read it). We should trust Deutsch instead.
5. Since it's possible to even think about time travel it must be physically possible. Then follows a long indulgence on the practicalities of time travel. Here's my take: if I eat a huge huge slice of chocolate cake which I really shouldn't have eaten and then time travel to before eating the cake to stop myself eating the cake - does the cake travel in my stomach with me? What happens at the point when instead of eating the cake I give it to my neighbour who eats it? Deutsch's explanations are not clear enough for me to say if the cake then travels from my stomach to my neighbour's. Or maybe that happens in a different universe.
I must admit that Deutsch writes a lot of powerful mind provoking stuff and I tried hard not to be unsettled by any of it. To no avail, I'm afraid. His arguments are striking but I couldn't help feeling here's someone who's thought long and hard about existence and who's finally come up with one answer which being too esoteric he stuffs into a scientific framework. Maybe that's what they all thought about Einstein. Having been religious once before, I'm nervous about being led up the garden path again by a guru who convinces me not to trust my intuition but only to have faith in his explanation. And yet my intuition says something as heavy as an aircraft should not be up in the sky. What to do?
1. Our intuition about reality sucks e.g. you may think you're standing still but in fact you're moving with the earth.
2. Science is all about explanations and the best explanations should be adopted even if unprovable at least until a better explanation comes along. In the famous experiment where light passing through two slits behaves like waves rather than particles, Deutsch argues there are shadow photons interacting with the real ones to produce the wave effect. This is unprovable with present technology but Deutsch argues it's the only (or best) explanation.
3. From shadow photons Deutsch moves on to assert that we must "inescapably" live in a multiple universe reality and that we interact with other "us"-es in other universes. In fact Deutsch writes as if it is a fact that every possible action I could take or should have taken in the past must be or must have been acted out by some version of me in some universe. He doesn't say if I am the one acting out something someone else in another universe chose not to do.
4. There's no such thing as mathematical proof so we shouldn't trust scientists (ok, this is harsh but that's how I read it). We should trust Deutsch instead.
5. Since it's possible to even think about time travel it must be physically possible. Then follows a long indulgence on the practicalities of time travel. Here's my take: if I eat a huge huge slice of chocolate cake which I really shouldn't have eaten and then time travel to before eating the cake to stop myself eating the cake - does the cake travel in my stomach with me? What happens at the point when instead of eating the cake I give it to my neighbour who eats it? Deutsch's explanations are not clear enough for me to say if the cake then travels from my stomach to my neighbour's. Or maybe that happens in a different universe.
I must admit that Deutsch writes a lot of powerful mind provoking stuff and I tried hard not to be unsettled by any of it. To no avail, I'm afraid. His arguments are striking but I couldn't help feeling here's someone who's thought long and hard about existence and who's finally come up with one answer which being too esoteric he stuffs into a scientific framework. Maybe that's what they all thought about Einstein. Having been religious once before, I'm nervous about being led up the garden path again by a guru who convinces me not to trust my intuition but only to have faith in his explanation. And yet my intuition says something as heavy as an aircraft should not be up in the sky. What to do?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Do some checking to see if this is really what you want
I looked to this book for additional descriptions of the usual topics of string theory, multi-dimensions, the origin of the universe and quantum theory. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ofeliawotsits
Hard work
I am a great fan of science and philosophy books and they make up a good 30 - 50% of my library. The topics covered here; quantum theory, virtual reality etc, all pique my interest... Read more
Published 3 months ago by DiscoDave181
Is the author such an apparently open-minded physicist as expected...
I read this book after reading the author's article in a recent book "Many Worlds?--Everett, Quantum Theory, and Reality (2010). Read more
Published 8 months ago by Masayoshi Ishida
dull, author is a scientist, not a writer
i like everything that deutsch likes - popper, multirverse theory, scientific realism... yet i did not like this book. Read more
Published 11 months ago by asp
Hypothetico-Deductive Logic
If you're more used to theoretical science books with recommendations from Yoga magazine and popular self-help gurus then this will be the hate filled heresy of a madman. Read more
Published 17 months ago by nicholas hargreaves
Opinion presented as fact.
I am familiar with most of the basic concepts in `The Fabric of Reality' but found much of this book quite difficult to follow, so I cannot recommend it for beginners. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Richard J. Taylor
Stopped reading by the third chapter
What I read of this book I didn't like one bit, it was dull, boring and too one sided.
All other theories were disregarded and it was Deutsch's that were 'obviously'... Read more
All other theories were disregarded and it was Deutsch's that were 'obviously'... Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2009 by Mr. A. M. Lockyer
Fascinating and fun, although maybe best not read in isolation.
'The Fabric of Reality' is a grandstanding tour of evolutionary theory, computing, quantum physics and theory of knowledge which aims at nothing less than drawing key strands from... Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2009 by Brian Flange
Dont be put off by the age of this book
This is one of the few books that I have ever read that has fundamentally changed the way I think. For that it deserves 5 stars. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2009 by DP
Should be on the popular science shelf of every bookshop
An inspiring and thought provoking work that sits in the upper echelons of quality along with books like The Selfish Gene. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2008 by Mr. David J. Boden
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