Description
Book SynopsisThought-provoking and controversial, Lawless Universe is a complement to, even an antidote for, books that create the misimpression that science can explain everything.
Trade ReviewDr. Rosen knocks down the structure of good science and rebuilds it for the reader, brick by brick, beginning with the most basic differences between objectivity and subjectivity. And through topics that might otherwise leave readers feeling adrift-like quantum theory, metaphysics, and the anthropic principle-Dr. Rosen proves a calm, conscientious guide who sticks by the reader's side. GW Magazine/GW Today 2011
Table of ContentsPreface
1. Objective or Subjective: That Is the Question
Objective and Subjective
The Objective Outer World: Reality
Our Subjective Inner Worlds: Fantasies
Objective or Subjective?
Objective Truth
Subjective Truth
Logical Truth
Dealing with the Subjective
Dealing with the Objective
2. The Science of Nature and the Nature of Science
Preliminaries
Science
Nature
Reproducibility
Predictability
Law
3. Theory: Explanation, Not Speculation
Theory
Logical Implication and Objective Truth
Generality and Fundamentality
Naturality
Causation
Simplicity and Unification
Beauty
Falsifiability
An Archetypal Example
4. Is Science the Whole Story?
Science and Metaphysics
Transcendence and Nontranscendence
5. Our Unique Universe
The Lawless Universe
Cosmology
6. Nature's Laws
Realism and Idealism
Reductionism and Holism
Observer and Observed
Quasi-Isolated System and Surroundings
Initial State and Law of Evolution
Extended Mach Principle
Whence Order?
7. Facing the Universe
Human Science
Anthropic Principle
Whence Order? (Again)
Space and Time
8. The Hunt for Reality
Metaphysical Positions
Objective Reality
Perceived Reality
Partially Hidden Reality
Transcendent Reality
Coda
Glossary
Combined Bibliography
Index
