Reece's Reviews: A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking

Genre: Non-Fiction: Science and Mathematics

Publishing Info: 1998 Bantom Books

Film Adaptation: Yes, click here for more information.

Overview:
As the title says this book is a brief overview of the current state of theoretical physics circa 1988 as written by one of the field’s brightest minds, Stephen Hawking. It is not so intimidating as it may at first sound as it does not utilize any equations but simply expresses complex ideas in the simplest terms available to the author.

Points of Interest:
Where to begin!? This is a book that should be required reading in my mind as it presents ideas that define the universe we live in as developed by the brightest minds the human species has produced. But before I get ahead of myself let me add this caveat: the book does present very complex ideas and if you are a layperson coming to the subjects of cosmology and theoretical physics then this may be a bit overwhelming. I have a very large interest in the subject and have managed to familiarize myself with many of the topics presented. If you would like to educate yourself a bit about these things (and you should, as they are fascinating!) then I would suggest checking out some TV specials (yes I am breaking a cardinal rule and suggesting that you watch TV) on the subjects of cosmology, quantum physics, and relativity. Do not be intimidated by these subjects! With a little effort you can open doors for your mind that will expand your perspectives on life.

Now, this book in particular does a brilliant job of exploring the big topics of theoretical physics: where did we come from, where are we going and why are we here? Sound familiar? They should, because those are the big questions that every religious and many philosophical systems have attempted to answer since man began painting on cave walls.

The primary difference between most religions’ approach to these questions and science is simply that religions propose to have the answers without verifiable proof, where science presents a theory with available evidence and says, prove me wrong. This fundamental difference is what fascinates me with the topic. Religions are static and unchanging (or at least claim to be) whereas science is dynamic and ever changing, adapting to new information.

Hawking begins by describing some of the models human beings have had of the universe. The model used previously was that of the Earth at the center, with everything else rotating around it. Hawking discusses the idea that the earth had also been thought to be flat, or supported on the back of a giant tortoise as believed by some indigenous peoples.

We now know all of these to be untrue. Hawking then goes on to stress the importance of asking questions and to not simply accept that which has been held as truth but has not been proven to be true. For example we now know that the idea held in western society that the earth was the center of the universe (which the catholic church threatened to excommunicate Galileo for challenging, and another Philosopher, Girodono Bruno, was burned at the stake for the same reason) is no less silly than the idea that it rested on the back of a giant tortoise. Yet this was held to be undeniable truth for centuries. Another example of this resistance to new ideas is the story told by Hawking of a meeting he had with the Pope where he was told to study only the events after the Big Bang (the proposed beginning of the universe) but not the Big Bang itself as this was believed to be the act of creation and forbidden knowledge to man. The Church forbade this because they were afraid of what would be discovered just as they had been afraid of Copernicus’ model of a Universe in which the Earth was not at the center. These ideas challenged doctrine and the uncovering of the Big Bang could have revealed a universe in which there was no room for God as defined in the Bible.

This is an interesting point also because Hawking addresses the difficulty many scientists’ have in reconciling there religious beliefs and scientific knowledge. Einstein for example refused to believe Quantum Physics because it showed us that the universe is fundamentally chaotic. He stated that he would not accept the theory as he felt that God did not play dice. However, we now know that Quantum Physics do dictate the actions of fundamental particles (which is a bit ironic of a statement as fundamental particles are inherently unpredictable!).

One of the structural devices Hawking’s uses throughout the book is to present similar previously held notions at the beginning of a chapter and then to explain how they were overturned and by whom. This creates within the reader a sense that the foundations of science have been laid over many years built up in steps with each proceeding step reliant on the previous. It is also interesting to me that the science community places such a large emphasis on giving credit to those who made the crucial discoveries. It makes me think of the Pyramids of Egypt, these men trying to write their names into history. As for longevity though, I would say that an essential law or equation that defines the universe in which we live would have a far greater impact than a man-made mountain. The mountain fades with time; a fundamental truth will endure and is a hell of a lot more useful to the rest of us.

Hawking also takes pains to mention his contributions to the field and his interactions with his colleagues, which at times are all too human. Even a man humbled by a broken body is not free of his ego! That made me chuckle, but it also colors the book with Hawking’s personality which I found gave it a personal touch lacking in many similar works I have read.

The book does a wonderful job of making understandable such complex topics as singularities, gravity, quantum mechanics, space time, the fundamental laws of the universe and black holes. Hawking’s breaks down the basic mechanics of these complex subjects and explains how they determine the universe we live in. He then goes on to explain how these have led him to construct a model of the universe that he believes to be accurate. The theories and questions he raises should elicit thought in any mind, regardless of personal belief. They are independently verifiable by anyone willing to take the time to understand them, which is what has always drawn my mind to theoretical physics and science and mathematics in general. This does not require any leap of faith, only a verification of facts. An individual is not confined to simply accepting and obeying the laws and origins of the universe but to interact with and help shape the discovering of them. That for me empowers man instead of an unseen deity and makes the journey of life so much more exciting as the emphasis is on the now and not a potential afterlife. In this system man is the key player and star of the show with the present being the critical time, not the past and all of its collected ghosts and myths or a hereafter which may or may not exist.

Hawking addresses this when he discusses the fact that the Universe as far as we know it had to exist exactly the way it does in order to have produced intelligent life capable of observing and questioning it. This proposes some fascinating questions about our place and purpose. Are we here to give order and purpose to a Universe that would otherwise go unappreciated, and unobserved? Perhaps simply existing is the meaning of our lives; perhaps we need to look for no further justification than that to explain our purpose here. These are just some of the many ideas that buzz through my mind when I consider this book.

Some of the possibilities proposed by Hawking in the book will twist your mind into pretzels: infinite alternate dimensions expanding infinitely, multitudes of dimensions beyond the four we operate in that exist all around us yet we are unaware of, just to name a few. This book is a roller coaster ride for your mind.

The conclusion to the book was profound for me as it proposed further models for the universe which are even now being explored. To unify all of physics with a single theory is the ultimate goal. Hawking’s closes with the statement that to achieve the unification of physics would be to understand the mind of God.

Wow, try and go after bigger game than that in a book!

Overall Impression: 3, Wordgasm! This book is so educational and mind expanding that it deserves several readings.
Provoc-O-Meter: 2, This book challenges a lot of commonly held beliefs as to the nature and origin of life and the universe. At the very least it will provoke a lot of thought.
Tylenol Rating: 2, Minor Headache. This book definitely presents some challenging ideas and the only thing stopping it form getting a 3 is the fact that there are no equations in the book.

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