Universal Theory: The Origin and Destination of the Universe: The Origin and Destination of the Universe

Author: Stephen Hawking
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Stephen Hawking is widely recognized as one of the greatest minds in the world—a brilliant theoretical physicist whose work has contributed to the reconstruction and redefinition of the cosmic model. If you imagine sitting in a room listening to Hawking discuss these achievements within the context of history, it might be akin to hearing the voice of Christopher Columbus in the New World. This book brings you close to that experience. The Theory of Everything is a series of lectures by Hawking, consisting of seven iterations, in which he introduces the history of the universe as we know it, perhaps more clearly and concisely than ever before. These lectures not only shine with the brilliance of Hawking's intellect but also reflect his unique wit. When discussing his decade-long research on black holes, he remarked, "It's a bit like looking for a black cat in a coal cellar." Hawking begins with the history of human conceptions of the universe, from Aristotle's determination that the Earth is round to Hubble's discovery of the expanding universe over 2,000 years later, including theories of cosmic origin (such as the Big Bang) and the nature of black holes and spacetime. At the end, he presents the unresolved problems in modern physics, particularly the challenge of integrating all local theories into a "unified theory of everything." He claims, "If we discover the answer to this question, it will be the final triumph of human reason."