Why Does the World Exist : An Existential Detective Story

Holt, Jim

ISBN 10: 0871404095 / ISBN 13: 9780871404091

Published by Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2012

About this Item

Ships from the UK. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects.

Seller Inventory # 1093357-6

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Why Does the World Exist : An Existential Detective Story
• Publisher: Liveright Publishing Corporation
• Publication Date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0871404095
• ISBN 13: 9780871404091
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition.
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

Whether framed philosophically as "Why is there a world rather than nothing at all?" or more colloquially as "But, Mommy, who made God?" the metaphysical mystery about how we came into existence remains the most fractious and fascinating question of all time. Following in the footsteps of Christopher Hitchens, Roger Penrose, and even Stephen Hawking, Jim Holt emerges with an engrossing narrative that traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. As he takes on the role of cosmological detective, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God vs. the Big Bang. Whether interviewing a cranky Oxford philosopher, a Physics Nobel Laureate, or a French Buddhist monk, Holt pursues unexplored and often bizarre angles to this cosmic puzzle. The result is a brilliant synthesis of cosmology, mathematics, and physics--one that propels his own work to the level of philosophy itself.

About the Author

Jim Holt, a prominent essayist and critic on philosophy, mathematics, and science, is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Book Review and the New York Review of Books. He lives in New York City.