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Brian Greene's book The Hidden Reality is a tour de force of one of the most controversial areas of modern science - the possibility that there are multiple universes... Greene's ability as a populariser has matured with each new publication and this latest offering is his best yet (Alastair Gunn Sky at Night )
Exciting and rewarding ... captures and engages the imagination ... Greene has a gift for elucidating big ideas (New York Times )
If extraterrestrials landed tomorrow and demanded to know what the human mind is capable of accomplishing, we could do worse than to hand them a copy of this book (New York Times Book Review )
The book serves well as an introduction to the multiverse and will open up many people's eyes (John Gribbin )
Every chapter opens level after level of previously unimaginable, mind-expanding realities (Oliver Sacks )
Exciting and rewarding ... captures and engages the imagination ... Greene has a gift for elucidating big ideas (New York Times )
If extraterrestrials landed tomorrow and demanded to know what the human mind is capable of accomplishing, we could do worse than to hand them a copy of this book (New York Times Book Review )
The book serves well as an introduction to the multiverse and will open up many people's eyes (John Gribbin )
Every chapter opens level after level of previously unimaginable, mind-expanding realities (Oliver Sacks )
Product Description
There was a time when 'universe' meant all there is. Everything. Yet, as Brian Greene's extraordinary book shows, ours may be just one universe among many, like endless reflections in a mirror. He takes us on a captivating exploration of parallel worlds - from a multiverse where an infinite number of your doppelgängers are reading this sentence, to vast oceans of bubble universes and even multiverses made of mathematics - showing just how much of reality's true nature may be hidden within them.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you ever wonder what possessed the medieval world to defend and embrace the Ptolemaic view of the cosmos against all comers until the time of Copernicus and for some time thereafter, then this book should provide many people with that same level of discomfort that the defenders of Ptolemy must have felt when faced with the idea of a heliocentric cosmos. It is relatively easy to be wise after the event and scorn the ignorance and stubborness of Ptolemy's guard; even Einstein found the idea of an expanding universe (which is what his original equations told him was happening) to be unacceptable; at least until Hubble provided him with the proof. In a similar vein, Brian Greene's The Hidden Reality takes one on a mind-expanding journey through contemporary versions of Parallel Universes held within the community of astrophysicists and mathematicians who spend their time delving into such matters. At first blush, one might be foregiven for thinking that such concepts are to be taken no more seriously than the world of Alice in Wonderland; at least in terms of their representing our 'Hidden Reality.' However, Greene leads us through each proposal in a clear and concise manner to reveal such concepts as:
The Quilted Multiverse
The Inflationary Multiverse
The Brane Multiverse
The Cyclic Multiverse
The Landscape Multiverse
The Quantum Multiverse
The Holographic Multiverse
The Simulated Multiverse
The Ultimate Multiverse
Along the way, ideas from quantum mechanics and string theory are addressed, along with consideration in the final chapter to the question of the Limits to scientific enquiry about these concepts; most of which might prove impossible to ever actually 'test' in a scientific manner.
This book is not an easy read, although given the nature of the concepts under discussion this is hardly surprising. However, Greene manages to provide a relatively clear explanation of the concepts, without resorting to the need to drown the reader in complex equations and mathematics. At the same time, anyone with a reasonable grasp of scientific methodology and some background in physics and mathematics will probably find this a fascintating read. To really get to grips with the subject matter would involve a more careful rereading and study of the contents, but for an overview of the ideas an initial diligent read will suffice.
Certainly, I should recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out about current thinking and ideas around this subject. I totally disagree that this book could have been reduced to 20 pages and that the remaining 95% is waffle as suggested by one other reviewer. This is not light reading, but nor is it waffle. Indeed, it is impressive precisely because it keeps focused throughout and ties the varoius ideas together in a coherent and meaningful manner. Above all, even if you regularly read books about philosopy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology, science fiction relating to parallel universes, newtonian and quantum mechanics the ideas in this book will certainly provide some stimulating and entertaining food for thought.
The Quilted Multiverse
The Inflationary Multiverse
The Brane Multiverse
The Cyclic Multiverse
The Landscape Multiverse
The Quantum Multiverse
The Holographic Multiverse
The Simulated Multiverse
The Ultimate Multiverse
Along the way, ideas from quantum mechanics and string theory are addressed, along with consideration in the final chapter to the question of the Limits to scientific enquiry about these concepts; most of which might prove impossible to ever actually 'test' in a scientific manner.
This book is not an easy read, although given the nature of the concepts under discussion this is hardly surprising. However, Greene manages to provide a relatively clear explanation of the concepts, without resorting to the need to drown the reader in complex equations and mathematics. At the same time, anyone with a reasonable grasp of scientific methodology and some background in physics and mathematics will probably find this a fascintating read. To really get to grips with the subject matter would involve a more careful rereading and study of the contents, but for an overview of the ideas an initial diligent read will suffice.
Certainly, I should recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out about current thinking and ideas around this subject. I totally disagree that this book could have been reduced to 20 pages and that the remaining 95% is waffle as suggested by one other reviewer. This is not light reading, but nor is it waffle. Indeed, it is impressive precisely because it keeps focused throughout and ties the varoius ideas together in a coherent and meaningful manner. Above all, even if you regularly read books about philosopy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology, science fiction relating to parallel universes, newtonian and quantum mechanics the ideas in this book will certainly provide some stimulating and entertaining food for thought.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've read his two previous books and if anyone can explain String theory to a numpty lorry driver this man has taught me a heck of a lot.I really enjoyed it and I've read quite a few popular quantum theory books now including Feynman, Gribbin, lovely Lisa Randall and even had a bash with L.Susskind. This book (and his others) are definitly worth the time, I would soon get bored and dump it if it was "95 per cent waffle"
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Personally, I found this to be a clear and carefully presented explanation of what actually leads researchers to these apparently bizarre 'universes', and the main message seems to be to trust good results without worrying TOO much about the implications of, eg 'many-worlds', models. After all, scientists have been in this boat for decades over the peculiar implications of quantum physics - some ponder the 'real' meaning of it all, while others accept it as giving the most accurate results and predictions to date, and 'get on with the job'. Maybe one day we'll find out!
The care Brian Greene takes in explaining the various models may appear a bit tedious for those already well in the know, but they are necessary, and very helpful for those enquiring into unfamiliar topics. I think he does a very good job of encouraging his reader not to give up with a 'what complete rubbish' conclusion, but to be prepared to take the ideas for their own merit. He makes it fairly clear what is more or less main-stream or outlandish, and he gives the option to skip ahead of some detailed passages. It is also interesting to read his current assessment (still reasonably positive, but none the less measured) of string theory which is/was dear to his heart. He does make a plea to trust that the maths may still represent reality even though it is very reluctant to become an experimental testable theory - then he throws in a very interesting section or two about possible ways coming up of verifying or rebutting it, after all.
The only thing that slightly worries me is the sense of deja-vu I got from a couple of the 'state of the theory' tables and the many-worlds diagrams of the probabilities of where a particle may be found in Manhatton (was it?). They felt quite familiar yet the book is apparently a new release (copyright 2011), so I can't have read it already and forgotten (that has happened!) yet I couldn't find them in his other two main books I have read.
Quite stimulating, I thought.
The care Brian Greene takes in explaining the various models may appear a bit tedious for those already well in the know, but they are necessary, and very helpful for those enquiring into unfamiliar topics. I think he does a very good job of encouraging his reader not to give up with a 'what complete rubbish' conclusion, but to be prepared to take the ideas for their own merit. He makes it fairly clear what is more or less main-stream or outlandish, and he gives the option to skip ahead of some detailed passages. It is also interesting to read his current assessment (still reasonably positive, but none the less measured) of string theory which is/was dear to his heart. He does make a plea to trust that the maths may still represent reality even though it is very reluctant to become an experimental testable theory - then he throws in a very interesting section or two about possible ways coming up of verifying or rebutting it, after all.
The only thing that slightly worries me is the sense of deja-vu I got from a couple of the 'state of the theory' tables and the many-worlds diagrams of the probabilities of where a particle may be found in Manhatton (was it?). They felt quite familiar yet the book is apparently a new release (copyright 2011), so I can't have read it already and forgotten (that has happened!) yet I couldn't find them in his other two main books I have read.
Quite stimulating, I thought.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we...
The JBS Haldene quote which Greene refers to in this book has never been more apt. This is Greene's third book and the most accessible to the layman although extended mathematical... Read more
Published 21 days ago by paperbackliker
book
I slipped this in the parcel for my Grand-daughter to make a round figure for posting. She tells me she has thoroughly enjoyed it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Marilyn S
Waste of Time
95% waffle. You will have to look hard to discover the facts which you need to know. All the useful parts of the book could be condensed into 20 pages.
Published 2 months ago by B. Colyer
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