Other Worlds: Space, Superspace, and the Quantum Universe (Penguin science) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

I learned quantum theory in college 15 years ago. Reading this book, I gained insights I never had back then. If you want a clear non-technical introduction to the subject, this book is for you. It stretches the mind with possibilities such as alternate universes.

I really enjoy reading Paul Davies' books. Davies is a nice departure from many science writers who cannot come to a non-physicist level when explaining a concept. In down-to-earth terms, he explains anti-matter and how Einstein's theories explain much about time and space.

The reason I don't give this book 5 stars is that it is one of Davies' earlier writings (originally published in 1980). I think he's improved over the years, and one of the best reads I've had from Davies is his "The Last Three Minutes." "Other Worlds" is a great read, but it never seems to achieve it's objective. At the onset, you're expecting to learn how alternate existences and parallel universes may exist or at least be explained mathematically, and if they do exist, what is their physical representation. To me, however, the whole point of the book is lost in deep explanations regarding electron paths and variances along those paths, etc. How these variances apply to "Other Worlds" is never clearly explained. At least to me.

Still, it's a Davies book, and they're very interesting to read. He puts scientific principles in layman's terms without insulting one's intelligence. Overall, I recommend this book, even though I'd recommend reading some of his later works first.

Enjoy!

"Facing up to ... a superspace in which myriads of worlds are stitched together in a curious overlapping, wavelike fashion, the concrete world of daily life seems light years away. ... one is bound to wonder to what extent superspace is real." Paul Davies

Davies Temporal Gymnastics:

Paul Davies suggests that in a closed-time world, the past would also be the future. He thus opens up a prospect of temporal paradoxes, more frequently visited by science fiction writers, since H.G. Wells. But, if time joins up with itself similarly to a snake swallowing its tail, he proposes it would not be possible to distinguish forwards or backwards in time, just as he has explained, that there is no distinction between left and right hands in a Möbius-type space. Prof. Davies concludes, "Whether or not we would notice such bizarre properties of time is not clear. Perhaps our brains, in an attempt to order our experiences in a meaningful way, would be unaware of these temporal gymnastics."

Holes with Teeth?

As a Mathematical physicist, he expresses his Möbius-style thoughts, "Although edges and holes in space and time might seem like a mad mathematician's nightmare, they are taken very seriously by physicists, who consider that such structures may very well exist. Although there is no evidence for the mangling of space-time, there seems a strong suggestion that space or time might develop 'edges' which have borders, or Cauchy-Reinmann type contours, "so that rather than tumbling unsuspectingly off the edge of creation, we should be painfully and, it turns out, suicidally aware of our impending departure."

The Anthropic Principle:

Cosmologists use what they call the Copernican principle, that the universe looks exactly the same, whatever your position. We on earth do not have a privileged position. While Copernicus rejected the idea that the earth was the center of the universe, he accepted the idea that the sun was. The anthropic principle is supposed to limit the Copernican principle, which can be used to `explain,' or at least reduce or surprise at some of the more astonishing features of the cosmos. It does this by taking as basic that we are intelligent carbon based life forms, and then asking what is necessary in cosmological terms for the existence of such life forms. (www.ucl.ac.uk/sts)

Davies Keystone Proposition:

As articulate lecturers, of great universities tradition, Paul Davies render an exhilarating tour of cosmic integration, of 'Space, Superspace, and the Quantum Universe,' shedding light on the grand questions of human existence. His keystone proposition, leads to the more likely conclusion, that our carbon-based life was not arrived at coincidentally, but that the universe was 'intelligently designed for man.' Yet, the persuasive writers, and outstanding scientists own personal view of cosmic events, clearly supported argument of compelling address and outstanding guideline for 'intelligent design' skeptics and advocates.

From Physics to Metaphysics:

After a preface, prologue, Paul Davies starts with Einstein's comment, and proceeds on the concept of perception, supporting his case with scientific facts of subatomic chaos, quantum, and superspace before he turns to metaphysical implications, asking questions on the nature of reality, mind and matter, through the anthropic principle to ask, "Is the universe an accident?"

What do you think?

Asimov's Review:

Dr. Davies describes the deepest aspect of quantum theory in a way that is at once luminously clear and tremendously exciting. No one can read it without feeling the thrill of probing the universe to its very core."