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  2. Audiobooks
  3. The Accidental Universe

AUDIOBOOK

The Accidental Universe

The World You Thought You Knew

Alan Lightman
4.1
(47)
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Duration
3h 51m
Year
2014
Language
English
Publisher
Blackstone Publishing

About

From the acclaimed author of Einstein's Dreams and Mr. g comes a meditation on the unexpected ways in which recent scientific findings have shaped our understanding of ourselves and our place in the cosmos. With all the passion, curiosity, and precise yet lyrical prose that have marked his previous books, Alan Lightman here explores the emotional and philosophical questions raised by discoveries in science, focusing most intently on the human condition and the needs of humankind. He looks at the difficult dialogue between science and religion, the conflict between our human desire for permanence and the impermanence of nature, the possibility that our universe is simply an accident, the manner in which modern technology has separated us from direct experience of the world, and our resistance to the view that our bodies and minds can be explained by scientific logic and laws. And behind all of these considerations is the suggestion-at once haunting and exhilarating-that what we see and understand of the world is only a tiny piece of the extraordinary, perhaps unfathomable whole.

Related Subjects

  • Astrophysics
  • Physics
  • Science
  • Adult Nonfiction
  • Cosmology
  • Space Science
  • General

Reviews

"Engrossing…Theoretical physicist and novelist Lightman offers insight into the ways that recent scientific discoveries shape our understanding of ourselves and our world…A thoughtful, straightforward collection of essays that invite readers to think deeply about the world around them."
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Theoretical physicist and novelist Lightman presents seven elegantly provocative universe essays that elucidate complex scientific thought in the context of everyday experiences and concerns…Ranging from ancient intuitions and calculations to todays high-tech inquiries, Lightman celebrates our grand quest for knowledge and takes measure of the challenges our discoveries deliver."
Booklist
"As both a novelist and an astrophysicist, the author bridges the cultural divide made famous by C. P. Snow in his iconic 1959 Cambridge lecture, The Two Cultures…He suggests that the mysteries of quantum physics (e.g., the particle/wave duality) become more explainable when we consider the increasing disembodiment of our social world, where virtual reality has become commonplace. A scientific and
Kirkus Reviews

Artists

Alan LightmanAuthor
Bronson PinchotReader

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