Rating: 
Summary: The Theory of Everything
Review: I purchased and read The Final Theory after finding the author's website and reading the first chapter that is provided there. This first chapter explains why the author began his search for a Theory of Everything as he locates and explains flaws and contradictions that are found all over Standard Theory. After I saw how clear-cut and unmistakable those errors were, I had to read this book just to see what other ideas were created by a mind capable of breaking past the limitations of Standard Theory.
Since I read The Final Theory, I haven't been able to stop contemplating the implications and abilities of the new theory. The author does an excellent job of explaining the concepts of the new theory and opening the door for your mind to escape from the limitations, contradictions, and complexities that has become Standard Theory. You will begin seeing the world and universe from a much more natural and extensive view.
This book opens the door to understanding all of the forces of nature, from magnetism and electricity to gravity and the forces that are referred to as strong and weak nuclear forces in Standard Theory. Everything is set together in one all-encompasing and easy to understand idea that has infinite applications.
You will spend about a week reading this book, and you will spend the rest of your life extending your understanding of the principle to cover every imanigable phenomena of nature.
Rating:
Summary: Re-inventing Physics
Review: Being a non-scientist, I had feared I might be somewhat overwhelmed by a book purporting to re-evaluate and overturn the theories of Newton, Einstein and others. In the end, my doubts were completely unfounded, as "The Final Theory" turns out to be about as readable, accessible and layman-friendly as a science book can be. Think Simon Singh's "Fermat's Last Theorem" or Jostein Gaardner's "Sophie's World" - albeit with much farther-reaching implications.But don't be fooled by the straightforward style of the book. Prepare for a major perception shift, as Mark McCutcheon takes his audience back to high school physics, then proceeds to tear up the rule book and offer a ground-up universal counter-theory of his own. Sounds grandiose and ambitious? Well, all I'd say is, give the book a chance and work with it - you'll be rewarded with one of the most thought-provoking theses you'll ever read. The author has succeeded in turning conventional physics on its head, and as each new idea is revealed, one is left marvelling at the source of such boundless inspiration. The theories are, to say the least, unorthodox, and effort is certainly required to continually move one's preconceptions away from the accepted norms. However, once you begin to realise there's a completely different and non-conventional starting point here, it all becomes much easier to digest. And what's more it's quite a liberating experience to witness McCutcheon take his analytical knife, apply it to one of the (many) fault lines of classical physics, and cleave his own counter-proposals right through the whole theoretical establishment. Whether you accept expansion theory or not, this is a compulsive and thought-provoking book, which will keep nagging away somewhere beneath your consciousness as you slowly start to realise there might really be something here... A fascinating read, and mandatory fare for anyone who's ever pondered the mysteries of the universe. You'll never watch an apple drop from a tree again, without looking at it in a completely different way.
Rating:
Summary: I am very impressed!
Review: I am very impressed! Quite an interesting perspective on what gravity is, as well as equally compelling answers to the many questions posed on the book's website (www.thefinaltheory.com), and much more. This is more exciting reading than many current explanations of gravity, and physics in general. The theory is very interesting, plausible, explains a lot, surprisingly rational .. very detailed yet very easy to understand at the same time.
A physicist friend of mine used to say nobody knows what electricity is. His integrity as a physicist was showing. He realized science didn't know everything, and he was always looking for answers to what lay in the gaps, and when I read the explanations in this book I knew he was right! I wish he were still alive to see this book.
Although I have a basic understanding of physics, I once asked a physicist at the Science Congress in Denver what kind of class to take to familiarize myself with the latest and more advanced concepts in physics. He advised that I should look for a good teacher, because a good teacher would know they only had one shot to interest students or risk losing them forever. Mark McCutcheon is the teacher I was looking for, and he had only one shot at me, because if this hadn't come together logically and been so interesting I would have wandered away halfway through and lost interest in physics. But this book made more and more sense as I read, showing that every aspect of physics is based on the same new principle that finally explains gravity, making for a very logical, seamless progression ... no odd, special laws or exceptions had to be constructed to account for things that didn't fit, because everything just fits.
Many things will be more plausible now, in the sense that there are far fewer surprises when you get to the destination than with today's science: what is the sun really doing, why do spacecraft speed up when rounding another planet, why do scientists increasingly admit that observations don't fit the prevailing Laws of Physics? Did the Big Bang EVER make sense to you? Has anyone truly known what electricity, or energy in general, is (up to now)? Also, McCutcheon explains things VERY clearly. I would like to see him teaching a class on this subject, and creating a Tutorial online for those wanting to go further. I never expected to "get" the points and the more advanced areas of science so easily and to even be excited about Quantum Physics!
A highly recommended read!
Rating:
Summary: Most Assuredly a Challenging and Worthwhile Read
Review: I finished reading the book on January 21st, 2005, having received it on January 13th. I had a tough time leaving it alone as I went through that rather busy week. The book appealed to and challenged me that much.
I am impressed by the author's obvious intelligence, the breadth of his understanding of today's science and his logical presentation of a surprisingly comprehensive and difficult theory. Kudos to Mark McCutcheon.
Further, I think it would be enormous good fun to be part of an effort that contributes to the testing, validation, clarification, correction, extension, establishment or discrediting of Mark McCutcheon's "Final Theory." I sincerely hope that the rest of us can prove whether his efforts have been worthwhile.
Mark McCutcheon is an audacious author. He is definitely not afraid to challenge the "sacred cows" of existing science and physics Standard Theory. Do yourself a huge favor and DO NOT PERMIT YOURSELF to be one of the close minded, bigoted or self adulating people who will have difficulty being patient and open minded enough to read all the way through the book. Such people will leap to a negative conclusion about the entirety of Mark's "Final Theory" based upon their not understanding or their misunderstanding and negative reaction to some point along the way.
I was tempted to do so, myself. But, as I continued to read I found that later information gave me good reason to be pleased that I had not dismissed the book out of hand. Nevertheless, I found myself highlighting the places where I had issues, as I went.
Mark lays out his theory in a logical step-by-step manner with no overview or preview to give us a look ahead at what is coming (for valid and good reasons). This works very well if you are patient, but otherwise you may be tempted to skim, look or jump ahead. Trust me you will be well rewarded for patiently reading page by page.
Mark fully acknowledges the worth and the obvious workability of the existing Standard Theory in science and physics. But, he challenges Standard Theory where it tells "how" and "what" but not "why." His "Final Theory" gives his explanation of the "why" and in many cases that leads to a new explanation of the "how" and the "what."
A most refreshing intellect is housed within this author's brain.
As you would probably expect, my second reading of the book (currently in progress, since Jan 26, 2005) is proving to be even more interesting, challenging, focusing and clarifying. In many cases the theory looks even better the second time around, but, also, the difficulties and questions stand out in more vivid relief. For those who do as I am doing, reading the book again, I suspect we will find it easy to have focused discussions with intelligent content.
Rating:
Summary: Food for thought
Review: I was stunned by the questions in this book. Take this one for instance "Light slows as it passes through water or
glass, causing it to bend, but how can it
return to light-speed on its own once it exits?" The answers can be pretty confusing. Science is an art of asking questions according to Eugene Savov's Theory of Interaction the Simplest Explanation of Everything because the good question contains half of the answer and easily opens new vistas for research. Mark McCutcheon is a master of asking mind-boggling questions that make us think and see things in a new light. He also gives very interesting answers that point toward a new understanding. Thanks to the author for awaking us from the slumber in which modern science lulls us by neglecting important traits of reality. This book comes at a bargain price if only for the amazing questions. The rest you get for free. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Not for the scientifically meek
Review: In the book THE FINAL THEORY Mark McCutcheon ponders the issues of the true nature of Einstein's E = mc2 equation, asks whether anti-gravity is possible, discusses faster-than-light communication, and presents many interesting arguments that he claims to be groundbreaking. Unfortunately, I can't really make much of a judgment as to whether he is successful or not in his claims because my understanding of science is, well, a bit embarrassing. I'm out of my league here. Perhaps that is the best advice I can give about THE FINAL THEORY -- if you are not a scientist then you will probably feel you are in over your head, as I did. The lay reader may want to start with a much simpler book than this. Perhaps the most critical thing I can say is that Mr. McCutcheon's writing and argument is presented well enough so as to make me want to look further into these areas of science.
Rating:
Summary: Clarity and Careful thought
Review: Its the extra care the author takes with each concept that brings a wonderful focus to the essential. There is, in fact, just the right amount of math in the optional sections. With this work we finally get back to making progress in science, instead of just treading water. A lot of people are going to benefit.
Rating:
Summary: The Read Of A Lifetime!
Review: The Final Theory is an absolutely awe-inspiring and gutsy rethink of everything we believe we know today. One beautifully simple concept does indeed run seamlessly throughout. With undeniable logic the book exposes and solves so many paradoxes and mysteries, finally debunking today's increasingly bizarre and misguided science with straightforward, commonsense language and reasoning. I now feel I finally "get it" after years struggling to make sense of the endless back-flipping, abstractions, hand-waving, and wild conjecturing by today's scientists. With this book you will finally be freed to think for yourself and find true understanding.
Rating:
Summary: A Monumental Achievement!
Review: The ideas in this book absolutely knock me off my feet while being so simple and elegant at the same time, finally resolving all the unanswered questions I had about our universe. With the knowledge I now have I find it very difficult to see the rest of the world locked into such archaic ideas as quantum theory, special relativity, and general relativity. The new ideas presented not only have enormous implications for today's science, but also for our technology, space programs, and society in general -- truly revolutionary stuff! My thanks to the author for finally completing my overall picture of our universe and my place wthin it!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review: This is an edited review. I want to add that what Claton Gulick said in his review is exactly my problem with the expansion theory. The book author needs to explain how he gets a complete orbit from expansion theory?
Previous Review: I found it interesting. At the very least it poses questions on the logic of existing science which I find useful. His theory about the atom and how it effects gravity and pretty much everything else is difficult to fully comprehend. I am trying to understand his basic idea and see how to extropolate it to his examples. He needs to improve his defintion of the crossover effect for sure. It is so new, it takes a few readings to grasp it. I am glad I bought the book. He does write well, but he NEEDS a strategy to explain the core idea as completely as possible. Then we can read the manifestations of these new ideas and decide from there.
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