GOD AND THE NEW PHYSICS

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Summary: Informative physics? Yes. Finding the Christian God? No
Review: As a freshman physics major at Rice University and a Christian, I picked up God and the New Physics over Christmas break with a gift certificate simply looking for an enjoyable, and possibly stimulating read. God and the New Physics provided much, much more, however. Paul Davies does an excellent job of presenting complex physics theories and concepts without using any math (so far as I can remember from the book). Do not let this deceive you. God and the New Physics is not an easy read. The concepts, though presented simply, were challenging to understand. Quantum mechanics, the theory of relativity, the very nature of time; all these made the book difficult to understand. When a concept "clicked," though, the sense of accomplishment was great. So, if you are looking for an informative, well written guide to many physical phenomena with a thought provoking side, pick up this book.
I felt that Davies' book had one major flaw. The book sets out in search of God, and in particular, the Christian God. Davies whole book is based on proving through physics, that God either 1) exists, or 2) does not exist. Davies reaches the conclusion (spoiler coming up) that the best we can hope for is a natural god. One who cannot be both omniscient and omnipresent. Davies god is more like the "universal mind" in the holistic sense. In concluding this, Davies ignores one key premise of Christianity. God is supernatural. Thus He will, and does, transcend the laws of physics. By trying to prove the existence of a supernatural God through natural, physical laws, Davies has prevented himself from reaching the very conclusion that he set out to make! Throughout the book, Davies speaks of circular arguments. With the way he approached this book, he has created one himself. If you start out with only physical laws trying to prove the existence of a deity, then you will only prove the existence of a natural deity. To find a supernatural God, the God of Christianity, you must look beyond the laws of physics, and beyond the laws of quantum mechanics, because the Christian God will not operate in accordance with physical laws.
Overall, this is a good book. Davies knows physics extremely well, and it shows throughout this book as he addresses a whole gamut of physics concepts...

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Summary: A great discussion of how physics may lead to God
Review: I found this book fascinating. Although Davies states that 'Science may offer a surer path to God that Religion' he states this only because science with its rational approach to the subject may more readily be accepted by some than by faith. Davies does, however, finally state that although the universe may have been created in the 'Big Bang' by itself without any so-called 'Prime Mover'; that is, if quantum gravity acts in the manner that quantum physics works at the atomic level. Given this, he then makes the statement that the mathematics that describe the universe must have been in place for this to occur. Davies is of the same mind as Einstein here in that God would be necessary to create the mathematics that created the universe.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Not even a mention of the de-Broglie - Bohm interpetation of qm which is causal interpetation using all the same equation of qm and thus agreeing 100% with copenhagen interpetation which professor Davies evangelizes. I suggest the author read "speakable and unspeakable in qm" by J.S. Bell and "the quantum theory of motion" by Peter Holland. Oh but then professor Davies would have nothing to write about that is mystical.

But to not even mention this interpetation is intellectually dishonest.

Rating:
Summary: Stimulating, new, original, and provocative
Review: Paul Davies is an interesting chap; having met the man himself I'm intrigues by his complex personality and his theories. While it is obvious he has a somewhat combative attitude towards organized religion, it must be kept in mind that his treatment of the subject is quite generous for a scientist, let alone a quantum physicist. He postulates a theory that the New Physics, and current science in general, might point in certain directions as to how a Prime Mover, Other, or "God" might play a role in the universe's formation and the philosophical implications of the current laws of physics. He is by no means a "creationist" or a proponent of "creation science". Such dualistic thinking is something he rightfully avoids. What is stimulating about Davies is his quixotic pairing of open-minded pragmatism, a la William James, and yet his refreshingly no-BS attitude when it comes to institutionalized belief systems. He may be an open-minded scientist who is willing to admit the probability of a force or Creator, but nowhere does he let this fall into the kind of New Agey "new paradigm" language which insists that science now proves God exists and that an enlightened paradise is around the corner. If anything his hypothetical "conversation" between an evangelical Christian and an agnostic is rollickingly amusing and refreshingly dry; his pointed Anglic wit can often shine through in his writing. If you are the defensive type, then this book might not be for you; but Davies is a true sportsman and he comes to play hardball. And BOY is there hardball...there's a reason there's a "Dr." in front of his name. His discussions of physics, complexity and quantum mechanics are clearly written but can make even the most attentive mind spin once or twice. Davies has no religious agenda to press; I believe in another day and age he would have been called a "Deist". He represents an open-minded strain of physicists but yet is appropriately cautious and reserved on those topics which his profession has taught him to view with skepticism. Davies is not a man concerned with religion; he is a man concerned with ultimate causes and ends as well as ultimate questions, and he thinks current physics research provides hints to both. Whether one reads a specific religious meaning into that, he lets the reader decide, but he merely does his job as a quantum physicist, and does it well. A worthy supplement to the library of any open-minded individual eager to expand their horizons.

Rating:
Summary: More questions than answers, or do I need to read it again?
Review: Paul Davies retains - as much as possible - his simplistic and comprehensible writing style, even in this book where philosophical, theological and physics concepts intertwine.
Finishing the last page of this book, I was left with a feeling that I now had more questions than answers (which is most surely the purpose of this book).
Davies takes the concepts of modern physics and cosmology, like how the Universe started, quantum fluctuations in vacuo, etc., and elaborates on them, to show how the concept of God - in whatever form he may take - can be introduced in a theory for the whole Cosmos.
Davies shows how the beginning, the ongoing life, and the end of the Universe can be explained with or without the existence of a God, and why a God is or is not necessary for all these processes to take place.
However, Davies does not provide any direct or straight-forward answers, and it is not likely that he would. After touching and elaborating each of the aforementioned topics, he left me with a distinct impression that now I have so much more knowledge, and I should do my own thinking (and maybe believing) on whether there is a God and how he would fit into the Cosmos, as we know it today.
It certainly gives a great topic to talk about with friends, and it's a must-read for all you out there who are looking for answers to the greatest of the world's mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic !
Review: Paul Davies' work is absolutely wonderful. I found this to be a great companion to Hawking's work. I felt Davies to be an easier read than Hawking - but much more enlightening as to the presence of the creator than one gets with Hawking. If this were to combined with his later works, like The Mind of God, into one expanded volume I would definitely give it 10 stars. I've gone through 3 copies of this already - having lent the previous one's out only never to return- a small price to pay to turn others on to such an excellent author. Davies is one of my favorite authors and this is one of his weaker books - but great nonetheless, a good place to start and a moving read.

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Summary: Looking for God (and not through a telescope...)
Review: Paul Davies, a professor of theoretical physics, has written extensively both for the scientific and the popular audiences on topics of current interest in physics and cosmology. In particular, he concentrates on issues to do with quantum theories, relativity and beginning/end of the universe issues.

In his book 'God and the New Physics', Davies continues a new tradition in which physicists particularly and scientists more generally write about their fields in philosophical, nearly theological terms discussing first causes, ultimate meanings, and the place of God and humanity in the overall scheme of the universe. Our understanding of the universe has changed dramatically in the last century, having been a fairly stable image for the past several hundred years. This has understandably made the philosophic and anthropomorphic considerations of the universe change dramatically as well.

'Science and religion represent two great systems of human thought. For the majority of people on our planet, religion is the predominant influence over the conduct of their affairs. When science impinges on their lives, it does so not at the intellectual level, but practically, through technology.'

Davies explores first the idea of genesis of the universe, exploring the intricacies of the big bang theory. This is a theory that has difficulties philosophically, that a purely scientific approach does not have an answer to, not least of which because it isn't asking the same question. Essentially, according to the big bang theory, the universe began as a singularity, essentially an infinitely small point from which all space and time (and all that is in it) emerged in an explosion-like phenomenon. Davies explores problems associated with conventional thinking around this unconventional theory -- what is the first event? what is the first event after the big bang? what is the purpose? what is the cause?

It is a bizarre twist of quantum theories that causes and effects are not neatly, logically arranged along timelines which we have become accustomed to. Thus, can the universe be considered to be self-causing?

'The fact that modern cosmology has provided hard physical evidence for the creation is a matter of great satisfaction to religious thinkers. However, it is not enough that a creation simply occurred. The Bible tells us that God created the universe. Can science throw any light at all on what caused the big bang?'

Alas -- even with exotic causality strains and quantum mechanisms which may remove the need for a first cause (as Davies tends to argue, using modern science essentially to refute already largely-refuted cosmological arguments for the existence of God), it does not adequately explain why there is a universe at all, that would have as part of its nature not needing a first-cause.

In the course of his discussion of the ideas of theoretical physics and traditional religious views, Davies explores the mind/matter connexion, the nature and direction of time, the scientific and philosophic issues around free will and determinism, and the idea of what nature truly is (and isn't).

Near the end of the book, Davies recaps the argument thus far:

'In spite of the spectacular success of modern science, it would be foolish to suppose that the fundamental questions concerning the existence of God, the purpose of the universe, or the role of mankind in the natural and supernatural scheme has been answered by these advances. Indeed, scientists themselves have a wide range of religious beliefs.'

There are no easy answers here. This book is not intended to settle anything, but rather to help clarify the issues in the debate, particularly in an era where there is as much misconception over what modern science really means as there is over what religious interpretations really mean. This is not a book for the intellectually timid. There is a presumption of scientific literacy in all of Davies' work; one needn't be a rocket scientist (or theoretical physicist), but those intimidated at basic algebra will most likely not benefit from this volume.

'I am sometimes asked whether the insight which physicists have gained into the inner workings of nature through the study of fundamental processes throws any light on the nature of God's plan for the universe, or reveals the struggle between good and evil. It does not. There is nothing good or evil about the way quarks are united into protons and neutrons, or the absorption and emission of quanta, the bending of spacetime by matter, the abstract symmetries that unite the fundamental particles, and so on.'

That having been said, many of the philosophical and theological questions remain unanswered, but now have a new element to be considered. Davies' work helps to reframe questions.

Rating:
Summary: Old but relevant all the same
Review: The book is old for the average work of non-fiction and positively ancient for a work of science, but it is nothing if not durable. God and the New Physics, written in 1983, still holds up well despite the passage of time and the amazing new findings in cosmology. When I realize that Paul Davies was in him mid-thirties when he was penning this major work of philosophy and physics, it makes me wonder at how little I did with my life!

Anyone hoping for a scientific justification for a specific religion or for God in general will be disappointed. Although the author puts up a variety of possible cosmological points that might do so, he generally comes to the conclusion that they do not. The work is a superb examination of a variety of philosophical issues that plague even the average thinking person: How did the universe begin, did God create the universe, why does it exist at all, what is life, what is the mind, what is the soul, what is the self, does free will exist? He also discusses scientific issues that have baring on religion: what is time, what is matter, did the universe arise by accident or design, what is chaos, how will the universe end?

Any student of theology or philosophy would do well to be acquainted with this book. Certainly every point is covered with regard to the existence of God and the meaning/purpose of life. The key scientific facts are lucidly put forth in a way that even the least math minded can understand them. For the blindly faithful, the book will do little to effect your point of view. It certainly won't bring about any change in your religious affiliation since no specific religion is endorsed. For those who are undecided or complete unbelievers, the book will not make you feel closer to a personal God if you don't already, but it may give you a sense of awe, a feeling of gratitude for the amazing universe of which you find yourself a part.

Although the author does not say so specifically, science cannot prove the nonexistence of a deity any more than the religious person can prove his existence. God is essentially a non-testable, non-falsifyable, non-repeatable entity, a matter of faith and belief and therefore of choice. For the faithful, he needs no explanation or justification. For most scientists, God is a non-issue. Science is a method, one of examining nature, of finding out how it works, of putting together a description of its principles. As technology and understanding advance, that description changes. In essence, science is a self-correcting picture of reality. The author reveals this admirably.

Anyone with an interest in cosmology will be find the book a little dated if they have already done any reading on the topic. Black holes have become an accepted phenomenon, the Hubble Telescope has allowed more detailed visualization of space, the universe is now believed to be speeding up rather than slowing down its expansion, etc. Still the basics are there and presented in a very readable, understandable form. Although those with more interest in physics than in theology might find other more recent books on the topic more to the point, there is no doubt that Davies has produced an amazing presentation.

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Summary: "Philosophy starts with wonder at the world"--Aristotle
Review: The Milesian Schools some 2,500 years ago cast aside creation-myths and tried to abstract ultimate principles from simple observation. After reading this book, one might conclude we are no closer than they in gleaning the "final answers" about the beginning and ultimate nature of the universe...Although this book is very speculative in places, it has excellent discussions of the competing cosmological theories contemporary physics has given us. Davies does not bow to any brand of Positivist skepticism when asking the big metaphysical questions--which could be a fault, depending on your views. In any case, this book inspires wonder and elicits those ultimate questions, and is a tremendous introduction to cosmology.

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Summary: God and the new physics is very interesting book
Review: This book is very interesting and help me to grasp the existence of GOD as what has been described in my Holy Quran, my religion, Islam. Paul has thoroughly explained what the "Big Bang" , Matter,Anti-matter, Life, Supernatural Power, the omnipotence of God and others are all about. Such as the occurence of Big Bang, it was already thoroughly explained in the Quran that "Allah (God) created Earth and Universe which used to be in "one unity" and Allah had separated each other. The omnipotence of God is frequently stated in the Quran as well.
It amazes me that Quran was stated by Allah long time ago, about 6th century that no even one person understood about New Physics at that time, just at the beginning of 20th century the Very-Truth of Quran has just been proved by the Astronomers or high educated people. The above-mentioned Allah statements are the only few examples from a lot of the-very-truth-of-Allah-statements-in-the-Quran. In summary, the Holy Quran as the Holy Book of my religion, Islam has proved the truth of everything on Earth and Universe, everyhuman thought of the right things that Allah, the omnipotent has created Earth,Universe,Space, Time and everything between Earth and Universe and Humans to always do the right things. I recommend to all of the people around the world to read this interesting book for enhancing their knowledge in search of God and to Paul Davies to read Quran for comparison