The Grand Design
by Stephen Hawking & Leonard Mlodinow (Random House/Struik, R235)
Why is there something rather than nothing? Why this particular set of laws and not some other? Why do we exist? These are the ultimate questions of life, the universe and actually everything and these are the issues addressed in the new book by the wheelchair-bound megabrain Stephen Hawking and his writing partner Leonard Mlodinow.
Without the use of any equations or advanced maths and using clear language and frequent dry humour, the book highlights the shortfalls of Newton’s laws of motion and gravity and Einstein’s theories of general and special relativity as they apply to sub atomic particles (and consequently the very early universe), thereby leading us into the somewhat new and frankly bizarre field of quantum physics.
It has been said of quantum physics that no one fully understands it but, and I quote, “it agrees completely with all observation, it has never failed a test and it has been tested more than any other theory in science”.
Using the so-called “M Theory” a sort of combination of various scientific theories which apply at different stages in nature, the book shows how the principles of quantum physics would seem to predict that the universe would self-create as opposed to requiring a “God to light the touch paper” who, indecently, would also have to self-create.
Not an easy read, but certainly a worthwhile and probably important read.
Those who feel there should be more to life than rugby and Facebook will thoroughly enjoy the mental stretch. – Dave Wicks