The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Change the World
9.99 €
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The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Change the World
9.99 €
British physicist David Deutsch is not only one of the founders of the theory of quantum computing, but also a philosopher who seeks to reflect on the "eternal questions" of mankind in the context set by the development of science. The core question of this book is: Is there a limit to human progress?
The answer is expressed in the title: we are standing at the beginning of an endless path along which our universal mind will lead us, speculating and criticizing. We embarked on this path during the Enlightenment, but it is easy to stray from it under the influence of erroneous philosophical ideas, to which the author attributes many currents of thought, from positivism to postmodernism, not to mention religion. His Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics is an example of deviation from the path of reason in science. Deutsch sees a reasonable alternative to it in Everett's interpretation, which leads to a picture of the world as a multiverse. But the author's sphere of interest is not limited to science. Based on the ideas of Karl Popper and the concept of reasonable explanation, Deutsch formulates a theory of knowledge, from which he deduces the existence of objective truth in ethics and aesthetics, as well as political principles that promote unlimited progress.
The answer is expressed in the title: we are standing at the beginning of an endless path along which our universal mind will lead us, speculating and criticizing. We embarked on this path during the Enlightenment, but it is easy to stray from it under the influence of erroneous philosophical ideas, to which the author attributes many currents of thought, from positivism to postmodernism, not to mention religion. His Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics is an example of deviation from the path of reason in science. Deutsch sees a reasonable alternative to it in Everett's interpretation, which leads to a picture of the world as a multiverse. But the author's sphere of interest is not limited to science. Based on the ideas of Karl Popper and the concept of reasonable explanation, Deutsch formulates a theory of knowledge, from which he deduces the existence of objective truth in ethics and aesthetics, as well as political principles that promote unlimited progress.
See also:
- All books by the publisher
- All books by the author
- All books in the series Alpina Popular Science