The End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe (Buch)

I found the "End of Time" extremely disappointing particularly after reading the recommendations on the back of the book. I never knew Jon Turney, John Gribbin and John Barrow to all be so wrong. This book completely lacks any discussions of what a timeless universe implies, indeed it wasn't until the notes that it was clear what the author meant by it. The "End of Time" is full of pages of argument as to why there is no time, but it's done in a very dull way for the lay reader, and, as the email printed in the notes shows, his thesis has far too many holes to convince more conventional physicists. There was absolutely nothing on what timelessness actually means, no speculation at all (which as a previous reviewer noted may be because there's nothing to predict. A highly worthy but dull book. I shan't be keeping it on my shelf

Now don't get me wrong, I'm used to reading weird stuff. I try to keep an open mind as even the craziest sounding theory could turn out to be right and sometimes you can learn a lot about reading other people's views even if you don't agree with them. But believe me, the theory promoted in this book is the craziest I have yet come accross.
The author says that our idea of time passing is a misperception of our brains. We are actually in a timeless universe, where all is still and unchanging.
I really cannot see how a scientist can put forward such a theory for serious consideration. Although I struggled through the book, I could find nothing of any real interest, nor is there any possible practical application for such a theory if it could ever be tested/proved. All in all I think the author is just engaging in what I call an academic excerise, which is usually the preserve of philosphers. So unless you happen to like that sort of thing, I recommend you give the book a miss.

Humans find it quite easy to grasp the idea of spacial dimensions. This might be because we have eyes, and skin that can feel things. If a clock was conscious, would it find space to be the elusive dimension? The author starts from the premise that time is inherently elusive, and he seeks to resolve this by eliminating it entirely. Inevitably, the notorious dual-slit light interference experiment features centrally in the book, as it does in Professor Deutsch's studies. Both of these quantum physicists are drawn to the multiple worlds (multiverse) theory, in which a virtually infinite number of universes exist simultaneously, 'touching' and affecting each other through the interaction of electromagnetic particles and probabilities. This theory is not accepted by the majority of physicists. Barbour's book is not an easy read; the early parts are far too long, and the conclusions - and the resultant implications - are not really clear at all. Having read the book, I certainly find it easier to imagine the universe existing as a timeless present moment, with no past and no future. Whether this book is on the right track, or merely leading its readers up the garden path, only the 'future' will reveal.

The theme of the book is interesting. His theories of time gives even a non theoretical Physcist the potential to open their minds and excite themselves with wondering thoughts. Dispite this, the Author is so worshipping of his own theory of time he seems to get lost in a fantasy world of his own and gives to many childish metaphors in trying to make the theory imaginable.

This book was difficult to get into the first time. An awful lot is packed in. The first chapters seem to explain the authors general idea, and the rest of the book explains how this fits into other physics theories. This was difficult to start with because you have to take some assumptions at face value until they are explained in full. Having said that, the diagrams are excellent, and the information is ultimately accessable. You may need to read it twice, but it is worth it.