The Anthropic Cosmological Principle

by Frank J. Tipler and John D. Barrow

Book Overview

Ever since Copernicus, scientists have continually adjusted their view of human nature, moving it further and further from its ancient position at the center of Creation. But in recent years, a startling new concept has evolved that places it more firmly than ever in a special position. Known as the Anthropic Cosmological Principle, this collection of ideas holds that the existence of intelligent observers determines the fundamental structure of the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192821474
• ISBN13: 9780192821478
• Release Date: August 1988
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 736 Pages
• Weight: 2.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

VERY hard going, but perhaps one of the best books Ive ever read.

I studied engineering, so I understand a little logic, maths and physics, but this book was WAY over my head. Having said that, it was simply the best book Ive ever read. I don't mean "best" in the sense of the most exciting, or most interesting (and it was, very), or greatest read, as it was a very, very, hard read and took me over a month to plough through. I mean "best" in the sense that the authors deserve some kind of nobel or something for putting all that knowledge in the same space. I was just gobsmacked by the amount of information, backed by science and written in a relatively clear way, the authors managed to cram into this book. I am truly in awe of their knowledge and the massive amount of thought that went into organizing this book. What little I actually managed to grasp profoundly affected the way I think. This is the kind of book that every human being interested in what the hell hes doing here should (try to) read, scientists and ID/creationists alike. To my laymans eye it seems to be an honest and unbiased book that doesnt push the God/no-God issue one way of the other. It's not a religion bashing book like Dawkins stuff, it just "tells it like it is", using observations made by science (maths, physics, biology) to put together a case in a clear, logical way. Its complete, well thought out, well presented and seems to cover every angle of the "life the universe and everything" debate. Like another post says, this book should be famous but isnt. It really should. It should be mandatory reading for every student of philosophy, theology and science in the world. Like I said, "gobsmacked" is about the only word that I can use to describe this book. It just left me with my mouth (and mind) open.

One of the most important books of the last 20 years.

I have been working my way through this for years. It's one of those books where I have to sit back and think after every half page. I'm in the last chapters and this is one of a few books which have caused me to deeply re-evaluate my philosophy. The first chapters on the history of philosophy and cosmology alone should be required reading for any one serious about philosophy and science. Talk about out-of-the-box, yet rigorous, thinking!! How is it that something so unbelievably improbable as us exists? What are the scientific and cosmological implications of the fact that we actually do exist? Why are most scientists uncomfortable with this book? It challenges their narrow world-view. Why are most engineers I've raised these issues with more open to them than the scientists? Because they, having built real systems, know how astonishing it is that this world exists and they aren't comfortable with the glib answers given by conventional scientific ideology.

Fabulous read

I have read a lot of science books dealing with cosmology, consciousness, experimental physics, and philosophy. To explore the possibilities of Anthropic Principle with these authors has been really fantastic. Great historical perspective gained with so many 'new' ideas. It's hard to believe it is some 14 years since written as there seems to be so many places to go with this nugget of balast - it all seems fresh and interesting.I want to buy 2 more copies - but all outlets say 'out of stock'-Hope it's available again soon!!

This Book Should be Famous but Isn't.

This book is a revolutionary treatise on cosmology and the fate of the human species. It is frankly the most breathtaking book I have ever read, more exhilarating than Penrose's "Road to Reality" or than related efforts by Victor Stengers, John Barrow writing alone, Lee Smolin, or Eric Chaisson. I agree with the reviewer who asserts that this book's breadth of erudition is astounding. While quite technical in parts, other parts are definitely within the grasp of anyone who learned high school science well and is comfortable with algebra. There is much here beyond physics: chemistry, earth science, and biology. The book also contains a superb and lengthy discussion of many fascinating topics in the history and philosophy of science. This discussion remains valuable regardless of the future evolution of our understanding of cosmology. This is the book John Wheeler would have liked to have written but did not. Among the suprising topics included in this book are: *A detailed discussion of the large number coincidences of Eddington and Dirac; *An extensive discussion of the handful of dimensionless constants that ground modern physics: fine structure (137), ratio of the rest masses of the proton to that of the electron (1836), the coupling constant for gravitation (at most 10^-39), etc; *An anthropic defense of the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics against the Copenhagen interpretation; *The most extensive discussion I know of why why our universe has 4 dimensions, 3 of space and 1 of time; *A chapter on biochemistry and the biosphere. In it, Barrow and Tipler agree that because photosynthesis has very gradually increased the fraction of the atmosphere made of oxygen, that fraction will, within a few hundred million years, reach a level such that vegetation will ignite spontaneously, making continued life on earth impossible; *A chapter on why we are probably the only intelligent species in the Milky Way (Simon Conway Morris's "Life's Solution" concurs), and why it is our fate to colonise our home galaxy. The above and more should have led to a cover story in Time or Newsweek. It did not, even though at the time of first publication, Tipler was nowhere near as controversial as he since became. Barrow and Tipler incline to the Big Crunch. If Perlmutter et al are correct, so that it is the case that the expansion of the universe is accelerating and that there is not enough mass in the universe to reverse the process, then the Big Crunch is in trouble. Also, the other great visionary among modern physicists, Freeman Dyson, has been known to disagree with Tipler. This book was written 20 years ago and has its share of typos. Would the authors please give us a thoroughly revised second edition?

Excellent-A profound look past the dogmas of modern physics.

Two respected physicists take a chance with their professional reputations by presenting a text that is simultaneously lucid, brilliant, mathematically sound, and honest (gasp!). This is a work in both physics and biology. It centers around the "Anthropic Principle"-roughly, that our existence necessarily puts some constraints on the evolution of the universe. Indeed, as Barrow and Tipler elucidate, these restrictions can be signifigant. As someone privileged to study under the latter physicist, I can personally attest to the convinction with which Tipler adheres to his beliefs, in the face of contemporary animadversion. Most importantly though, underlying this whole work are some very important concerns about philosophy of science (although maybe the authors might reel back at the notion of any sort of "philosophy" in their work). Perhaps this is for you, the future reader, to determine. My highest recommendation.