The Grand Design Unabridged (Audio Download): Amazon.co.uk: Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow, Steve West: Books

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Audio Download
Listening Length: 4 hours and 32 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Random House Audio
Audible Release Date: 7 Sep 2010
Language: English
ASIN: B00427TBDO

Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (123 customer reviews)

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THE FIRST MAJOR WORK IN NEARLY A DECADE BY ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT THINKERS - A MARVELOUSLY CONCISE BOOK WITH NEW ANSWERS TO THE ULTIMATE QUESTIONS OF LIFE

When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is the nature of reality? Why are the laws of nature so finely tuned as to allow for the existence of beings like ourselves? And, finally, is the apparent "grand design" of our universe evidence of a benevolent creator who set things in motion - or does science offer another explanation?

The most fundamental questions about the origins of the universe and of life itself, once the province of philosophy, now occupy the territory where scientists, philosophers, and theologians meet - if only to disagree. In their new book, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow present the most recent scientific thinking about the mysteries of the universe, in nontechnical language marked by both brilliance and simplicity.

In The Grand Design they explain that according to quantum theory, the cosmos does not have just a single existence or history, but rather that every possible history of the universe exists simultaneously. When applied to the universe as a whole, this idea calls into question the very notion of cause and effect. But the "top-down" approach to cosmology that Hawking and Mlodinow describe would say that the fact that the past takes no definite form means that we create history by observing it, rather than that history creates us. The authors further explain that we ourselves are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe, and show how quantum theory predicts the "multiverse" - the idea that ours is just one of many universes that appeared spontaneously out of nothing, each with different laws of nature.

Along the way Hawking and Mlodinow question the conventional concept of reality, posing a "model-dependent" theory of reality as the best w...

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79 of 86 people found the following review helpful

A good summary of our current cosmological understanding 7 Oct 2010

By David Love

Format:Hardcover

Stephen Hawking's new book, "The Grand Design" (written together with Leonard Mlodinow), is his first popular science book for about ten years. It seems to have created quite a stir in the non-scientific press, although in reality the book is very much in line with our latest theories in cosmology. Science began with the ancient Greeks, and the book starts off with a summary of their ideas. After a gap of some 1,400 years, a scientific approach to the Universe was revived by men such as Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Descartes and Newton. Hawking goes on to describe the history of scientific advances since then, and introduces ideas of what is meant by reality and what constitutes a scientific theory. He introduces us to the mysteries of quantum mechanics and relativity, and explains how our understanding of the Big Bang is growing as a result of our studies of the cosmic microwave background radiation.

But the key part of the book comes when Hawking describes something called M-theory, the leading candidate for the "theory of everything" which it is hoped will unite the two (currently incompatible, but highly successful) theories of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Both M-theory and other strands of evidence increasingly point to the conclusion that our Universe is not, after all, the only universe. The implication of these latest theories is that there are billions - and probably an infinite number - of other universes, each with their own physical laws and physical constants. This is the theory of the Multiverse. At a stroke, the theory explains why there are features of our own Universe which make it suitable for life; this is simply because we could only ever have evolved in the tiny minority of universes with the right set of physical laws.

All in all, a fascinating read. If you want to give a mind-blowing Christmas present to somebody, this is the one.

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29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

Mixed content 18 Feb 2011

By CP

Format:Hardcover

"Philosophy is dead", the authors declare very early on, and then roundly prove over the next few chapters why they could have done with the services of a good philosopher. Hawking is known, of course, for his ground-breaking science, but not for his analysis of the history of knowledge or the social progress of our culture. Unfortunately, a substantial part of this book is dedicated to those topics, and makes for a short-sighted and naive read. Once the writing turns to actual science, its value greatly increases: the major elements of relativity and quantum mechanics are summed up simply and clearly, then form the basis for explanations of newer work such as M-Theory. Hawking has written better about his (and others') work, but if you're looking for the most up-to-date and/or easily read version, then this book is worth its very reasonable cover price. It's a short and superficial book, however, so if you're looking for anything in-depth you are likely to be disappointed.

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22 of 25 people found the following review helpful

Almost back to the beginning! 24 Oct 2010

By John

Format:Hardcover

Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow have made yet another stab to popularise the exploration of how the universe began. I read it interspersed with Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw's book "Why does e=mc2" which I found as a lapsed mathematician to be much more readable, understandable and less opinionated than the Hawking/Mlodinow text, which left me feeling strangely empty towards the end, as if they couldn't quite reach the final point they were trying to make: is it because that point is beyond mathematical comprehension? Read both and decide!

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3.5 out of 5 stars

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

great book

I like the part that explain how the mind control reality
and all his worldview is wonderful
I admire him very much it is the best physisst in the world

Published 1 month ago by Patricia Barja

VERY DISAPPOINTING

For a book which is sold on the reputation of Stephen Hawking (whose name on both cover and spine is bigger than the title), this is a very disappointing read. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Barry Gale

an interesting read

This book is an interesting if sometimes difficult read. Some passages need re reading for clarification purposes but if you are interested in our universe this is the book to get... Read more

Published 3 months ago by Mrs. Angela Rimmer

Why???

I was really looking forward to his new book, but why this. This is basically an anti-god book using science as his basis. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Dave OB

Believe this and you will believe anything!

Here' the thing. Any clear thinking person will know that a lot of the conclusions in this book are just deluded fantasies. And therein lies the problem. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Peter

CHRISTMAS GIFT

PURCHASED AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MY OTHER HALF HE HAS BEEN DRIVING ME MAD FOR THIS BOOK

EXCELLENT PURCHASE :-)

Published 5 months ago by The Cupcake Fairy

NOT his usual standard

Since this has a joint authorship one wonders how much is from the pen of Leonard Mlodnow as this is not up to Hawkings usual standard. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Wasjet

Condescending and Disappointing

As a veteran of a Brief History of Time (twice) and a number of other popular science books, I was hoping for great things from this one. Read more

Published 5 months ago by M. W. Hall

Gift Idea

As my brother has become fascinated with the wolrd of physics and our solar system, i thought it would be great gift idea for xmas. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Frankee1214

A bit basic

I bought the book expecting it to be on par with Hawkings' earlier books, but it is predominantly a history of science and suited more to the teenage science student. Read more

Published 5 months ago by PP VAN-BERGEN


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The Grand Design (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

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