Why Does The World Exist An Existential Detective Story

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Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story

Jim Holt
Why Does the World Exist An Existential Detective Story Book PDF

Author : Jim Holt
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2012-07-16
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780871403278

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Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story by Jim Holt Pdf

The Washington Post Notable Non-Fiction of 2013 “I can imagine few more enjoyable ways of thinking than to read this book.”—Sarah Bakewell, New York Times Book Review, front-page review Tackling the “darkest question in all of philosophy” with “raffish erudition” (Dwight Garner, New York Times), author Jim Holt explores the greatest metaphysical mystery of all: why is there something rather than nothing? This runaway bestseller, which has captured the imagination of critics and the public alike, traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. Holt adopts the role of cosmological detective, traveling the globe to interview a host of celebrated scientists, philosophers, and writers, “testing the contentions of one against the theories of the other” (Jeremy Bernstein, Wall Street Journal). As he interrogates his list of ontological culprits, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God versus the Big Bang. This “deft and consuming” (David Ulin, Los Angeles Times) narrative humanizes the profound questions of meaning and existence it confronts.

Why Does the World Exist?

Jim Holt
Why Does the World Exist Book PDF

Author : Jim Holt
Publisher : National Geographic Books
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2013-04-16
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780871403599

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Why Does the World Exist? by Jim Holt Pdf

The Washington Post Notable Non-Fiction of 2013 “I can imagine few more enjoyable ways of thinking than to read this book.”—Sarah Bakewell, New York Times Book Review, front-page review Tackling the “darkest question in all of philosophy” with “raffish erudition” (Dwight Garner, New York Times), author Jim Holt explores the greatest metaphysical mystery of all: why is there something rather than nothing? This runaway bestseller, which has captured the imagination of critics and the public alike, traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. Holt adopts the role of cosmological detective, traveling the globe to interview a host of celebrated scientists, philosophers, and writers, “testing the contentions of one against the theories of the other” (Jeremy Bernstein, Wall Street Journal). As he interrogates his list of ontological culprits, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God versus the Big Bang. This “deft and consuming” (David Ulin, Los Angeles Times) narrative humanizes the profound questions of meaning and existence it confronts.

Why Does the World Exist

Jim Holt
Why Does the World Exist Book PDF

Author : Jim Holt
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
Page : 321 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2012-07-17
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780871404091

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Why Does the World Exist by Jim Holt Pdf

Expands the search for the origins of the universe beyond God and the Big Bang theory, exploring more bizarre possibilities inspired by physicists, theologians, mathematicians, and even novelists.

When Einstein Walked with Gödel

Jim Holt
When Einstein Walked with G del Book PDF

Author : Jim Holt
Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page : 384 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2018-05-15
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780374717841

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When Einstein Walked with Gödel by Jim Holt Pdf

From Jim Holt, the New York Times bestselling author of Why Does the World Exist?, comes an entertaining and accessible guide to the most profound scientific and mathematical ideas of recent centuries in When Einstein Walked with Gödel: Excursions to the Edge of Thought. Does time exist? What is infinity? Why do mirrors reverse left and right but not up and down? In this scintillating collection, Holt explores the human mind, the cosmos, and the thinkers who’ve tried to encompass the latter with the former. With his trademark clarity and humor, Holt probes the mysteries of quantum mechanics, the quest for the foundations of mathematics, and the nature of logic and truth. Along the way, he offers intimate biographical sketches of celebrated and neglected thinkers, from the physicist Emmy Noether to the computing pioneer Alan Turing and the discoverer of fractals, Benoit Mandelbrot. Holt offers a painless and playful introduction to many of our most beautiful but least understood ideas, from Einsteinian relativity to string theory, and also invites us to consider why the greatest logician of the twentieth century believed the U.S. Constitution contained a terrible contradiction—and whether the universe truly has a future.

Stop Me If You've Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokes

Jim Holt
Stop Me If You ve Heard This A History and Philosophy of Jokes Book PDF

Author : Jim Holt
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2008-07-17
Category : Humor
ISBN : 9780393069440

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Stop Me If You've Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokes by Jim Holt Pdf

“Finally I understand what it is I’ve been laughing at all these years.”—Jimmy Kimmel From the best-selling author of Why Does the World Exist? comes this outrageous, uproarious compendium of absurdity, filth, racy paradox, and gratuitous offensiveness—just the kind of mature philosophical reflection readers have come to expect from the ever-entertaining Jim Holt. Indeed, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This is the first book to trace the evolution of the joke all the way from the standup comics of ancient Athens to the comedy-club Seinfelds of today. After exploring humor’s history in Part One, Holt delves into philosophy in Part Two: Wall Street jokes; jokes about rednecks and atheists, bulimics and politicians; jokes you missed if you didn’t go to a Catholic girls’ school; jokes about logic and existence itself . . . all became fodder for the grand theories of Aristotle, Kant, Freud, and Wittgenstein in this heady mix of the high and low, of the ribald and profound, from America’s most beloved philosophical pundit.

The Mystery of Existence

John Leslie,Robert Lawrence Kuhn
The Mystery of Existence Book PDF

Author : John Leslie,Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2013-04-22
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780470673553

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The Mystery of Existence by John Leslie,Robert Lawrence Kuhn Pdf

This compelling study of the origins of all that exists, including explanations of the entire material world, traces the responses of philosophers and scientists to the most elemental and haunting question of all: why is anything here—or anything anywhere? Why is there something rather than nothing? Why not nothing? It includes the thoughts of dozens of luminaries from Plato and Aristotle to Aquinas and Leibniz to modern thinkers such as physicists Stephen Hawking and Steven Weinberg, philosophers Robert Nozick and Derek Parfit, philosophers of religion Alvin Plantinga and Richard Swinburne, and the Dalai Lama. The first accessible volume to cover a wide range of possible reasons for the existence of all reality, from over 50 renowned thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Leibniz, Hume, Bertrand Russell, Stephen Hawking, Steven Weinberg, Robert Nozick, Derek Parfit, Alvin Plantinga, Richard Swinburne, John Polkinghorne, Paul Davies, and the Dalai Lama Features insights by scientists, philosophers, and theologians Includes informative and helpful editorial introductions to each section Provides a wealth of suggestions for further reading and research Presents material that is both comprehensive and comprehensible

The Upright Thinkers

Leonard Mlodinow
The Upright Thinkers Book PDF

Author : Leonard Mlodinow
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 354 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2016-04-19
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780345804433

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The Upright Thinkers by Leonard Mlodinow Pdf

How did a near-extinct species, eking out a meager existence with stone axes, become the dominant power on earth, able to harness a knowledge of nature ranging from tiny atoms to the vast structures of the universe? Leonard Mlodinow takes us on an enthralling tour of the history of human progress, from our time on the African savannah through the invention of written language, all the way to modern quantum physics. Along the way, he explores the colorful personalities of the great philosophers, scientists, and thinkers, and traces the cultural conditions—and the elements of chance—that influenced scientific discovery. Deeply informed, accessible, and infused with the author’s trademark humor and insight, The Upright Thinkers is a stunning tribute to humanity’s intellectual curiosity and an important book for any reader with an interest in the scientific issues of our day.

Sophie's World

Jostein Gaarder
Sophie s World Book PDF

Author : Jostein Gaarder
Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page : 544 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2007-03-20
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781466804272

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Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder Pdf

One day Sophie comes home from school to find two questions in her mail: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" Before she knows it she is enrolled in a correspondence course with a mysterious philosopher. Thus begins Jostein Gaarder's unique novel, which is not only a mystery, but also a complete and entertaining history of philosophy.

The Sense of an Ending

Julian Barnes
The Sense of an Ending Book PDF

Author : Julian Barnes
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 158 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2011-10-05
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780307957337

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The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes Pdf

BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre. Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

Introducing Philosophy

Robert C. Solomon,Kathleen Marie Higgins,Clancy W. Martin
Introducing Philosophy Book PDF

Author : Robert C. Solomon,Kathleen Marie Higgins,Clancy W. Martin
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2020
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 019093963X

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Introducing Philosophy by Robert C. Solomon,Kathleen Marie Higgins,Clancy W. Martin Pdf

"Introducing Philosophy : A Text with Integrated Readings is a topically organized hybrid textbook, introducing core philosophical problems and the many ways they are, and have been, answered. The authors combine substantial selections from significant works in the history of philosophy with excerpts from current philosophy, clarifying the readings and providing context with their own detailed commentary and explanation. Spanning 2,500 years, the selections range from the oldest known fragments to cutting-edge contemporary essays. The chapters present alternative perspectives-including analytic, continental, feminist, and non-Western viewpoints-alongside the historical works of major Western philosophers; this juxtaposition encourages students to carefully evaluate the theories themselves"--

Serious Talk

John Polkinghorne
Serious Talk Book PDF

Author : John Polkinghorne
Publisher : A&C Black
Page : 132 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 1995-04-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1563381095

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Serious Talk by John Polkinghorne Pdf

Polkinghorne argues that the habits of thought that are natural to the scientist are the same habits of thought that can be followed also in the search for a wider and deeper kind of truth about the world.

The Lost Art of Reading

David L. Ulin
The Lost Art of Reading Book PDF

Author : David L. Ulin
Publisher : Sasquatch Books
Page : 76 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2010-06-01
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 9781570617218

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The Lost Art of Reading by David L. Ulin Pdf

Reading is a revolutionary act, an act of engagement in a culture that wants us to disengage. In The Lost Art of Reading, David L. Ulin asks a number of timely questions - why is literature important? What does it offer, especially now? Blending commentary with memoir, Ulin addresses the importance of the simple act of reading in an increasingly digital culture. Reading a book, flipping through hard pages, or shuffling them on screen - it doesn't matter. The key is the act of reading, and it's seriousness and depth. Ulin emphasizes the importance of reflection and pause allowed by stopping to read a book, and the accompanying focus required to let the mind run free in a world that is not one's own. Are we willing to risk our collective interest in contemplation, nuanced thinking, and empathy? Far from preaching to the choir, The Lost Art of Reading is a call to arms, or rather, to pages.

Why Fish Don't Exist

Lulu Miller
Why Fish Don t Exist Book PDF

Author : Lulu Miller
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2021-04-06
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781501160349

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Why Fish Don't Exist by Lulu Miller Pdf

Nineteenth-century scientist David Starr Jordan built one of the most important fish specimen collections ever seen, until the 1906 San Francisco earthquake shattered his life's work.

True Detective and Philosophy

Jacob Graham,Tom Sparrow
True Detective and Philosophy Book PDF

Author : Jacob Graham,Tom Sparrow
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 231 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2017-11-13
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781119280781

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True Detective and Philosophy by Jacob Graham,Tom Sparrow Pdf

Investigating the trail of philosophical leads in HBO’s chilling True Detective series, an elite team of philosophers examine far-reaching riddles including human pessimism, Rust’s anti-natalism, the problem of evil, and the ‘flat circle’. The first book dedicated to exploring the far-reaching philosophical questions behind the darkly complex and Emmy-nominated HBO True Detective series Explores in a fun but insightful way the rich philosophical and existential experiences that arise from this gripping show Gives new perspectives on the characters in the series, its storylines, and its themes by investigating core questions such as: Why Life Rather Than Death? Cosmic Horror and Hopeful Pessimism, the Illusion of Self, Noir, Tragedy, Philosopher-Detectives, and much, much more Draws together an elite team of philosophers to shine new light on why this genre-expanding show has inspired such a fervently questioning fan-base

The Meaning of Human Existence

Edward O. Wilson
The Meaning of Human Existence Book PDF

Author : Edward O. Wilson
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2014-10-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780871404800

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The Meaning of Human Existence by Edward O. Wilson Pdf

National Book Award Finalist. How did humanity originate and why does a species like ours exist on this planet? Do we have a special place, even a destiny in the universe? Where are we going, and perhaps, the most difficult question of all, "Why?" In The Meaning of Human Existence, his most philosophical work to date, Pulitzer Prize–winning biologist Edward O. Wilson grapples with these and other existential questions, examining what makes human beings supremely different from all other species. Searching for meaning in what Nietzsche once called "the rainbow colors" around the outer edges of knowledge and imagination, Wilson takes his readers on a journey, in the process bridging science and philosophy to create a twenty-first-century treatise on human existence—from our earliest inception to a provocative look at what the future of mankind portends. Continuing his groundbreaking examination of our "Anthropocene Epoch," which he began with The Social Conquest of Earth, described by the New York Times as "a sweeping account of the human rise to domination of the biosphere," here Wilson posits that we, as a species, now know enough about the universe and ourselves that we can begin to approach questions about our place in the cosmos and the meaning of intelligent life in a systematic, indeed, in a testable way. Once criticized for a purely mechanistic view of human life and an overreliance on genetic predetermination, Wilson presents in The Meaning of Human Existence his most expansive and advanced theories on the sovereignty of human life, recognizing that, even though the human and the spider evolved similarly, the poet's sonnet is wholly different from the spider's web. Whether attempting to explicate "The Riddle of the Human Species," "Free Will," or "Religion"; warning of "The Collapse of Biodiversity"; or even creating a plausible "Portrait of E.T.," Wilson does indeed believe that humanity holds a special position in the known universe. The human epoch that began in biological evolution and passed into pre-, then recorded, history is now more than ever before in our hands. Yet alarmed that we are about to abandon natural selection by redesigning biology and human nature as we wish them, Wilson soberly concludes that advances in science and technology bring us our greatest moral dilemma since God stayed the hand of Abraham.