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Our Mathematical Universe

Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality is a 2014 nonfiction book by the Swedish-American cosmologist Max Tegmark. Written in popular science format, the book interweaves what a New York Times reviewer called "an informative survey of exciting recent developments in astrophysics and quantum theory" with Tegmark's mathematical universe hypothesis, which posits that reality is a mathematical structure.[1] This mathematical nature of the universe, Tegmark argues, has important consequences for the way researchers should approach many questions of physics.

Our Mathematical Universe:
My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
Hardcover edition
AuthorMax Tegmark
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectPhysics
GenreNon-fiction
PublisherKnopf
Publication date
January 7, 2014
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pages432
ISBN978-0307599803
Professor Max Tegmark, author of Our Mathematical Universe

Summary edit

Tegmark, whose background and scientific research have been in the fields of theoretical astrophysics and cosmology, mixes autobiography and humor into his analysis of the universe. The book begins with an account of a bicycle accident in Stockholm in which Tegmark was killed—in some theoretical parallel universes, though not in our own.[2]

The rest of the book is divided into three parts.[3] Part one, "Zooming Out," deals with locating ourselves in the cosmos and/or multiverse. Part two, "Zooming In," looks for added perspective from quantum mechanics and particle physics. Part three, "Stepping Back," interweaves a scientific viewpoint with Tegmark's speculative ideas about the mathematical nature of reality. By the end of the book, Tegmark has hypothesized four different levels of multiverse.

According to Andrew Liddle, reviewing the book for Nature:[4]

The culmination that Tegmark seeks to lead us to is the “Level IV multiverse”. This level contends that the Universe is not just well described by mathematics, but, in fact, is mathematics. All possible mathematical structures have a physical existence, and collectively, give a multiverse that subsumes all others. Here, Tegmark is taking us well beyond accepted viewpoints, advocating his personal vision for explaining the Universe.

Reception edit

Reviews of the book have generally praised Tegmark's writing and exposition of established physics, while often criticizing the content and speculativeness of his new "mathematical universe" hypothesis.

In a very positive review, Clive Cookson in The Financial Times wrote that "physics could do with more characters like Tegmark" and that his book "should engage any reader interested in the infinite variety of nature."[5] Giles Whitsell in The Times described the book as "mind-bending."[6] Peter Forbes in The Independent praised the last chapter of the book, on the risks of extinction humanity faces, as "wise and bracing".[7]

Brian Rotman, writing for the The Guardian, was unconvinced by Tegmark's conclusions but also wrote that the book is "at the cutting edge of cosmology and quantum theory in friendly and relaxed prose, full of entertaining anecdotes and down-to-earth analogies."[8] Similarly, cosmologist Andrew Liddle, in Nature, summarized:[4]

This is a valuable book, written in a deceptively simple style but not afraid to make significant demands on its readers, especially once the multiverse level gets turned up to four. It is impressive how far Tegmark can carry you until, like a cartoon character running off a cliff, you wonder whether there is anything holding you up.

Criticism edit

Mathematical physicist Edward Frenkel, writing for The New York Times, alleged that the meaning of Tegmark's hypothesis "is a big question, which is never fully answered" and said that parts of the book "[pretend] to stay in the realm of science" while actually espousing "science fiction and mysticism."[9] In a positive review, cosmologist Andreas Albrecht, writing for SIAM Review, criticized Tegmark's proposed test of the "mathematical universe" hypothesis (the hypothetical identification of physical phenomena which cannot be described mathematically) as meaningless.[10] In a review written for The Wall Street Journal, physicist Peter Woit said that the problem with Tegmark's proposal is "not that it's wrong but that it's empty" and "radically untestable."[11] In Physics Today, Francis Sullivan particularly praised Tegmark's explanation of the theory of inflation but criticized his purportedly physical application of Emile Borel's theorem on normal numbers, and regarded his overall argument as circular.[12] In New Scientist, Mark Buchanan contrasted what he saw as the "uninhibited speculation" in parts of Tegmark's book with his earlier "hard, empirical" work which established him as a physicist.[13]

In The New York Times, science writer Amir Alexander concluded that the book is "brilliantly argued and beautifully written" and "never less than thought-provoking," although Tegmark's hypothesis is "simply too far removed from the frontiers of today's mainstream science" to judge its legitimacy.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Frenkel, Edward (Feb 14, 2014). "Ad Infinitum 'Our Mathematical Universe,' by Max Tegmark". New York Times Book Review. Retrieved May 2, 2014. [The book] can be divided into two parts, different as day and night. One, by Dr. Tegmark, is an informative survey of exciting recent developments in astrophysics and quantum theory. The other, by Mr. Tegmark, is a discussion of his controversial idea that reality itself is a mathematical structure.
  2. ^ a b Alexander, Amir (April 21, 2014). "If It's Possible, It Happened: 'Our Mathematical Universe': A Case for Alternate Realities". New York Times. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  3. ^ Tegmark, Max (2014). Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0307599803.
  4. ^ a b Liddle, Andrew (January 1, 2014). "Physics: Chasing Universes". Nature. 505 (7481): 24–25. Bibcode:2014Natur.505...24L. doi:10.1038/505024a. S2CID 4405709.
  5. ^ Cookson, Clive (January 3, 2014). "'Our Mathematical Universe', by Max Tegmark". The Financial Times.
  6. ^ Whitsell, Giles (January 25, 2014). "Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark". The Times.
  7. ^ Forbes, Peter (January 24, 2014). "Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark, book review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  8. ^ Rotman, Brian (January 31, 2014). "Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark – review". The Guardian. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  9. ^ Frenkel, Edward (February 14, 2014). "Ad Infinitum". The New York Times.
  10. ^ Albrecht, Andreas (March 2015). "Featured Review: Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark". SIAM Review. 57 (1): 153–157. JSTOR 24248526.
  11. ^ Woit, Peter (January 17, 2014). "Book Review: 'Our Mathematical Universe' by Max Tegmark". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  12. ^ Sullivan, Francis (2014). "Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality". Physics Today. 67 (7): 51–52. Bibcode:2014PhT....67g..51S. doi:10.1063/PT.3.2453.
  13. ^ Buchanan, Mark (January 15, 2014). "When does multiverse speculation cross into fantasy?". New Scientist.

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Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality is a 2014 nonfiction book by the Swedish American cosmologist Max Tegmark Written in popular science format the book interweaves what a New York Times reviewer called an informative survey of exciting recent developments in astrophysics and quantum theory with Tegmark s mathematical universe hypothesis which posits that reality is a mathematical structure 1 This mathematical nature of the universe Tegmark argues has important consequences for the way researchers should approach many questions of physics Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of RealityHardcover editionAuthorMax TegmarkCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSubjectPhysicsGenreNon fictionPublisherKnopfPublication dateJanuary 7 2014Media typePrint hardback Pages432ISBN978 0307599803Professor Max Tegmark author of Our Mathematical Universe Contents 1 Summary 2 Reception 2 1 Criticism 3 ReferencesSummary editTegmark whose background and scientific research have been in the fields of theoretical astrophysics and cosmology mixes autobiography and humor into his analysis of the universe The book begins with an account of a bicycle accident in Stockholm in which Tegmark was killed in some theoretical parallel universes though not in our own 2 The rest of the book is divided into three parts 3 Part one Zooming Out deals with locating ourselves in the cosmos and or multiverse Part two Zooming In looks for added perspective from quantum mechanics and particle physics Part three Stepping Back interweaves a scientific viewpoint with Tegmark s speculative ideas about the mathematical nature of reality By the end of the book Tegmark has hypothesized four different levels of multiverse According to Andrew Liddle reviewing the book for Nature 4 The culmination that Tegmark seeks to lead us to is the Level IV multiverse This level contends that the Universe is not just well described by mathematics but in fact is mathematics All possible mathematical structures have a physical existence and collectively give a multiverse that subsumes all others Here Tegmark is taking us well beyond accepted viewpoints advocating his personal vision for explaining the Universe Reception editReviews of the book have generally praised Tegmark s writing and exposition of established physics while often criticizing the content and speculativeness of his new mathematical universe hypothesis In a very positive review Clive Cookson in The Financial Times wrote that physics could do with more characters like Tegmark and that his book should engage any reader interested in the infinite variety of nature 5 Giles Whitsell in The Times described the book as mind bending 6 Peter Forbes in The Independent praised the last chapter of the book on the risks of extinction humanity faces as wise and bracing 7 Brian Rotman writing for the The Guardian was unconvinced by Tegmark s conclusions but also wrote that the book is at the cutting edge of cosmology and quantum theory in friendly and relaxed prose full of entertaining anecdotes and down to earth analogies 8 Similarly cosmologist Andrew Liddle in Nature summarized 4 This is a valuable book written in a deceptively simple style but not afraid to make significant demands on its readers especially once the multiverse level gets turned up to four It is impressive how far Tegmark can carry you until like a cartoon character running off a cliff you wonder whether there is anything holding you up Criticism edit Mathematical physicist Edward Frenkel writing for The New York Times alleged that the meaning of Tegmark s hypothesis is a big question which is never fully answered and said that parts of the book pretend to stay in the realm of science while actually espousing science fiction and mysticism 9 In a positive review cosmologist Andreas Albrecht writing for SIAM Review criticized Tegmark s proposed test of the mathematical universe hypothesis the hypothetical identification of physical phenomena which cannot be described mathematically as meaningless 10 In a review written for The Wall Street Journal physicist Peter Woit said that the problem with Tegmark s proposal is not that it s wrong but that it s empty and radically untestable 11 In Physics Today Francis Sullivan particularly praised Tegmark s explanation of the theory of inflation but criticized his purportedly physical application of Emile Borel s theorem on normal numbers and regarded his overall argument as circular 12 In New Scientist Mark Buchanan contrasted what he saw as the uninhibited speculation in parts of Tegmark s book with his earlier hard empirical work which established him as a physicist 13 In The New York Times science writer Amir Alexander concluded that the book is brilliantly argued and beautifully written and never less than thought provoking although Tegmark s hypothesis is simply too far removed from the frontiers of today s mainstream science to judge its legitimacy 2 References edit Frenkel Edward Feb 14 2014 Ad Infinitum Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark New York Times Book Review Retrieved May 2 2014 The book can be divided into two parts different as day and night One by Dr Tegmark is an informative survey of exciting recent developments in astrophysics and quantum theory The other by Mr Tegmark is a discussion of his controversial idea that reality itself is a mathematical structure a b Alexander Amir April 21 2014 If It s Possible It Happened Our Mathematical Universe A Case for Alternate Realities New York Times Retrieved May 2 2014 Tegmark Max 2014 Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark Alfred A Knopf ISBN 978 0307599803 a b Liddle Andrew January 1 2014 Physics Chasing Universes Nature 505 7481 24 25 Bibcode 2014Natur 505 24L doi 10 1038 505024a S2CID 4405709 Cookson Clive January 3 2014 Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark The Financial Times Whitsell Giles January 25 2014 Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark The Times Forbes Peter January 24 2014 Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark book review The Independent Archived from the original on 2022 05 24 Retrieved June 8 2014 Rotman Brian January 31 2014 Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark review The Guardian Retrieved May 2 2014 Frenkel Edward February 14 2014 Ad Infinitum The New York Times Albrecht Andreas March 2015 Featured Review Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark SIAM Review 57 1 153 157 JSTOR 24248526 Woit Peter January 17 2014 Book Review Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark Wall Street Journal Retrieved May 2 2014 Sullivan Francis 2014 Our Mathematical Universe My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality Physics Today 67 7 51 52 Bibcode 2014PhT 67g 51S doi 10 1063 PT 3 2453 Buchanan Mark January 15 2014 When does multiverse speculation cross into fantasy New Scientist Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Our Mathematical Universe amp oldid 1215634027, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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