The End of Physics

By David Lindley

Book Overview

For more than a century physicists have hoped that they were closing in on the Holy Grail of modern science: a unified theory that would make sense of the entire physical world, from the subnuclear realm of quarks and gluons to the very moment of creation of the universe. The End of Physics is a history of the attempts to find such a "theory of everything"; a forceful argument it will never be found; and a warning that the compromises necessary to produce a final theory may well undermine the rules of good science.At the heart of Lindley's story is the rise of the particle physicists and their attempts to reach far out into the cosmos for a unifying theory. Working beyond the grasp of the largest telescopes or the most powerful particle accelerators, and unable to subject their findings and theories to experimental scrutiny, they have moved into a world governed entirely by mathematical and highly speculative theorizing, none of which can be empirically verified. Lindley argues that a theory of everything derived from particle physics will be full of untested--and untestable--assumptions. And if physicists yield to such speculation, the field will retreat from the high ground of science, becoming instead a modern mythology. This would mean the end of physics as we know it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465019765
• ISBN13: 9780465019762
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

One of the Best of its Type

David Lindley's The End of Physics is yet another excellent addition to the growing list of outstanding physics books. Lindley is a long time editor of Science magazine and accomplished author. The book is a lucid and well-written text that provides an overview of recent developments in theoretical physics as well as an examination of what these developments mean. I found the author's discussion of general relativity and inflation to be particularly well handled - better than is often the case in these types of works. Lindley's exception strength, however, is his discussion of contemporary theoretical developments. The quest for a comprehensive "Theory of Everything" has become the Holy Grail of modern physics. The meaning of any such theory, however, has not been the subjected of much popular discussion. Cutting-edge theoretical physics are complex and inundated with esoteric mathematical constructs. These formulations appear to be driven in large part by mathematical expediency rather than empirical evidence; resulting in models seem excessively contrived and ad hoc in nature. Variables appear to be arbitrarily adjusted to account for unwanted variance - leaving something that looks like a modern version of Ptolemy's universal model (a complex intellectual constructs that bare little resemblance to reality). The only shortcoming of the book is its lack of a more direct discussion of philosophical issues pertaining to science. For instance, do mathematical and scientific theories represent reality in some "real" way or are they largely just useful metaphorical constructs. It has been my experience that scientific realism and an associated narrow verificationist view of truth are often unchallenged assumptions of philosophical modernism. Lindley talks around this question; however, a more direct discussion would be instructive. Is science the sole means of acquiring and testing knowledge? Upon examination it appears that we possess a range of logical and moral truths that are not obtained through scientific induction. Regardless of one's view this is an important, and often overlooked, question to ponder. Overall, The End of Physics is an excellent book. It provides a good overview and discussion of modern developments in theoretical physics. I would recommend it to a general audience; however, it may be a bit dense of a starting point for someone with no exposure to quantum theory or cosmology.

I actually read this book

My opinion of this book is quite different from some of the other reviewers. This book is neither a skeptical anti-science nor bizarre anti-Mormon rant. Rather, by considering the history of particle physics and cosmology Lindley shows again and again that scientific theories are only myths at best, unless they are backed up with solid emperical evidence. This evidence comes via experiments. Lindley does not say a "Theory of Everything" is impossible, he simply states that if a "Theory of Everthing" is going to have any meaning, it must be testable through emperical experiments, just like any other theory which science accepts as the best explaination of a given phenomena. In other words, hard work and imagination have gotten science this far and it needs to be applied again in this particular endeavor. There are no shortcuts. Though the book is probably a little dated now, it still provides an excellent format for one to recieve an introduction to particle physics and cosmology. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Who says physics can't be a page-turner?

Are the cosomologists correct, or is it the particle physicists? Does quantum theory really invalidate Einstein's deterministic universe? Is the concept of a 26-dimensional universe credible, or are we as enamored with numerology as those in times of yore? Can science provide us with more than a myth about the creation of the universe? Each new discovery seems to beg more questions. The essence of this book is the tension that Lindley so magically captures--the tension between ideas, between scientists, and between philosophies. Lindley enthusiastically relates the drama; he catches the spirit and the excitement of discovery, as well as anxiety over some difficult unknowns. This book is a thrilling ride through some of the most captivating intellectual territory of the 20th century. Do not be put off by the complex nature of the subject matter; this is one of the most accessible science books that I have read. The energy of the ideas certainly outweighs the challenges presented by the difficult subject matter. This book is a great read for passionate learners.

The Physics of Reality vs. The Physics of Religion

Lindley's fine summary of the current state of physics mentions organized religion a few times. He says that "simplicity is the religion of cosmology." After living the life of an orthodox Mormon for forty years until leaving the fold permanently five years ago I am now comparing my old religion to just another "theory of everything."At least Lindley is free to question and scrutinize his fellow scientists. But in religion there is no check and balance system for reality. For instance Mormonism teaches that the planet named Kolob is the center of universe and domicile of God. This absurd claim is treated with religious fervor in the same as many scientific theories are held sacred and special.From Lindley I learned that skepticism is healthy and that we have a long long way to go before we really start understanding the universe and ourselves in it. Fascinating read. One things seems for sure. We don't know.

popular summary of the current physics and cosmology

For those readers who were attracted to Tim Ferris's "Shebang", "The End of Physics" should provide a more realistic view of the problems in cosmology and particle physics. Although it was written 1992, it is still up to date in every way and in my opinion a better book than "Shebang" for the popular science reader. Ferris is more positive in outlook, less sceptical of the scientific process. Lindley claims more of an insider's view, is more comfortable with the math and and is able to take on some of the really difficult concepts by describing memorable visual models that will be very useful for anyone who may later attempt such uneven attempts at cosmology as Guth's new book on Inflation. Lindley's work trying to describe Higgs fields and quantum mechanics is especially brave. I only wish this book had the kind of budget that would have allowed more diagrams where they were needed(one point off)and it was so well written it could easily have been longer (another point off).However, the strength of the book is in the wise way he describes the scientific-theoretical process itself. In his view, the current theories lack the observational and experimental evidence that we normally expect from the scientific theories, scientists have embraced these theories because they can be so easily adjusted without ever being refuted.We have reached a watershed,perhaps, not an End of Physics where the lack of data may condemn the entire effort to an exercise that may never bear any relationship to reality. It is also very well written.