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Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary Theories in Quantum Gravity [Paperback]

Craig Callender (Editor), Nick Huggett (Editor)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Paperback: 376 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (Jan 29 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521664454
ISBN-13: 978-0521664455
Product Dimensions: 17 x 24.4 x 2 cm
Shipping Weight: 721 g

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #439,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #46 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Gravity
- #46 in Books > Science > Physics > Gravity

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Review

'... a formidable survey of current research and future possibilities in theories of convergence of particle physics and gravity theory ... recommended to ambitious undergraduate philosophy and physics students as well as graduate students ...'. P. D. Skiff, Choice

'... there is no better resource available to philosophers interested in quantum gravity than Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale ... This volume is mandatory reading for anyone interested in how quantum theory and gravity collide.' Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics

Product Description

The greatest challenge in fundamental physics attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity in a theory of "quantum gravity." The project suggests a profound revision of the notions of space, time and matter. It has become a key topic of debate and collaboration between physicists and philosophers. This volume collects classic and original contributions from leading experts in both fields for a provocative discussion of the issues. It contains accessible introductions to the main and less-well-known known approaches to quantum gravity. It includes exciting topics such as the fate of spacetime in various theories, the so-called "problem of time" in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and the relationship between the interpretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics.

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
Any branch of physics will pose various philosophical questions: for example about its concepts and general framework, and comparison of these with analogous structures in other branches of physics. Read the first page

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Concordance

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4 Reviews

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4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!, Dec 7 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary Theories in Quantum Gravity (Paperback)

Excellent book on variety of topics and approaches to reconciling Quantum Mechanics and General Relitivity. This book is very unique. Even though there are not that many formulas in the book, this book is definitely for the serious and advanced. This book is very thought-provoking. All the contributors to different chapters are experts and there are many references to further readings for the topics discussed.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Canonical Quantization can work., Feb 17 2003

A. Shiekh (Grand Junction, CO, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary Theories in Quantum Gravity (Paperback)

Never quite understood the barrier to quantizing gravity
when one realizes that R^infinity gravity quantizes without
any of the usual barriers (it is renormalizable on the grounds
that all required counter terms are available).
After which it is just a matter of following Einstein's
route to classical gravity, by setting to zero all
renormalized coupling constants, except that associated
with R.
End result, gravity quantized.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale, Dec 20 2002

Joe Zika "Khemprof" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary Theories in Quantum Gravity (Paperback)

Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary theories in quantum gravity edited by Craig Callender and Nick Huggett is a book the gives the reader accessible introductions to the main and sometimes lesser known insight to quantum gravity.

This book was a challenge to read, yes, I must admit. But, that being said, I must say that it helped explain one of the greatest challenges in fundamental physics. How to come up with a plausible theory of quantum gravity out of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Yes, that all encompassing theory of everything aka quantum gravity. Space, time and matter all rolled into one grand theory. The so called problem of time in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics and the relationship between the intrepretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity.

This book is divided into five parts, each of these parts has abstracts written to coorespond to the question at hand in these parts as chapters. These parts are as follows:

Part I: Theories of Quantum Garavity and their Philosophical Dimensions

Part II: Strings

Part III: Topological Quantum Field Theory

Part IV: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of General Relativity

Part V: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

This book not only looks at the physics to these, but also, looks at the philosophy that is concerned with fundamental questions regarding the nature of space, time, and matter. Seventeen authors give this book its body and soul for explaination as to how these fit together. What I particularly liked was the three chapters in "Strings" with "Reflections of the fate of spacetime by Edward Witten, A philosopher looks at string theory by Robert Weingard, and Black holes, dumb holes, and entropy by william G.Unruh.

This book isn't for everyone, but should be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics. And that's the large and the small of it in a nutshell. But there is also a more positive reason for the connection between quantum gravity and the philosophy: many of these issues arising in quantum gravity are genuinely philosophical in nature.

How should we understand general relativity's general covariance... is it a significant physical principle,or is it merely a question about language with which one writes an equation? What is the nature of time and change? Canthere be a theory of the universe's boundry conditions? These are but a few of the questions asked and the explainations of the answers are trying to be resolved.

All, in all, this is a very good read and it will definately tax your brain.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Missing Table of Contents
The book looks interesting and the editors are leading experts in the field of quantum gravity. However, I could not make a purchasing decision since the table of contents is not... Read more

Published on Sep 7 2001