Time: A Very Short Introduction
- Downloads：8632
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-03-03 08:52:03
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Jenann Ismael
- ISBN：0198832664
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
What is time？ What does it mean for time to pass？ Is it possible to travel in time？ What is the difference between the past and future？ Until the work of Newton， these questions were purely topics of philosophical speculation。 Since then we've learned a great deal about time， and its study has moved from a subject of philosophical reflection to instead became part of the subject matter of physics。
This Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the current physical understanding of the direction of time， from the Second Law of Thermodynamics to the emergence of complexity and life。 Jenann Ismael charts the line of development in physical theory from Newton， via Einstein's Theory of Relativity， to the current day。 Einstein's innovations led to a vision of time very different from the familiar time of everyday sense。 In this new vision， time is one of the dimensions in which the universe is extended alongside the spatial dimensions。 The universe appears as a static block of events， in which there is no more a difference between past and future than there is between east and west。 Discussing the controversy and philosophical confusion which surrounded the reception of this new vision， Ismael also covers the contemporary mixture of statistical mechanics， cognitive science， and phenomenology that point the way to reconciling the familiar time of everyday sense with the vision of time presented in Einstein's theories。
Very Short Introductions: Brilliant， Sharp， Inspiring
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area。 These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly。 Our expert authors combine facts， analysis， perspective， new ideas， and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable。
This Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the current physical understanding of the direction of time， from the Second Law of Thermodynamics to the emergence of complexity and life。 Jenann Ismael charts the line of development in physical theory from Newton， via Einstein's Theory of Relativity， to the current day。 Einstein's innovations led to a vision of time very different from the familiar time of everyday sense。 In this new vision， time is one of the dimensions in which the universe is extended alongside the spatial dimensions。 The universe appears as a static block of events， in which there is no more a difference between past and future than there is between east and west。 Discussing the controversy and philosophical confusion which surrounded the reception of this new vision， Ismael also covers the contemporary mixture of statistical mechanics， cognitive science， and phenomenology that point the way to reconciling the familiar time of everyday sense with the vision of time presented in Einstein's theories。
Very Short Introductions: Brilliant， Sharp， Inspiring
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area。 These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly。 Our expert authors combine facts， analysis， perspective， new ideas， and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable。
Reviews
Geoff Allen
，
It might have been better to call this book 'The Metaphysics of Time: A Very Short Introduction'。 Other readers seem to have been disappointed that it doesn't mention the history of clocks – or different cultural， mythical or literary treatments of time。 Instead， it is a book about the *nature* of time。 What is the metaphysical structure that underpins relationships like past/future and earlier/later？ Ismael is thoroughly successful at addressing this question。The first three-quarters of the boo It might have been better to call this book 'The Metaphysics of Time: A Very Short Introduction'。 Other readers seem to have been disappointed that it doesn't mention the history of clocks – or different cultural， mythical or literary treatments of time。 Instead， it is a book about the *nature* of time。 What is the metaphysical structure that underpins relationships like past/future and earlier/later？ Ismael is thoroughly successful at addressing this question。The first three-quarters of the book examines time as it's described by physics。 This is the correct place to look for answers about the nature of time， and the answers can be counterintuitive。 Ismael often reminds us that physics has the power to override our pre-scientific intuitions。The last quarter of the book discusses time as it is experienced by humans。 Ismael does a wonderful job of connecting physics with experience。 She writes evocatively about music， memories and relationships – with vivid images of hiking and basketball， letters and restaurants – parents caring for young children and then children caring for elderly parents。Ismael unites these two lenses: the nature of time as described by physics， and the nature of time as experienced by humans。 It's the same question – about the metaphysical structure of time – addressed from different perspectives。 Ismael's treatment of time might have been sterile， since it relies so heavily on physics， but her aim is to account for the structuring of events that we experience。'What physics tells us about time， if it is correct， has to answer ultimately to our own experience。' （p。81）Some of the material is unavoidably complex， but the metaphysical nature of time is unavoidably complex。 And we don't fully understand it yet。 Ismael highlights the strengths and gaps in our knowledge。 。。。more
Uriel Aceves
，
Disclaimer: I studied physicsIt really feels like the author does know what she talks about but she doesn't understand anything about it， and this lack of understanding is replaced by cumbersome， obscure， messy and terrible writing。 The author claims to discuss the development of time from Newton to Einstein。 By chapter 2 you are already at Einstein's era。 But why start with Newton at all？ Is there nothing to say before Newton？ How did we come up with minutes of 60 seconds， hours of 60 minutes， Disclaimer: I studied physicsIt really feels like the author does know what she talks about but she doesn't understand anything about it， and this lack of understanding is replaced by cumbersome， obscure， messy and terrible writing。 The author claims to discuss the development of time from Newton to Einstein。 By chapter 2 you are already at Einstein's era。 But why start with Newton at all？ Is there nothing to say before Newton？ How did we come up with minutes of 60 seconds， hours of 60 minutes， and so on。 No civilization used time before Newton？ The train of thought of the author is so bad that sometimes you read several pages without knowing where are they leading， or what's the point of them。 And more often than not， when you figure out what was the point， you realize that the text was just going in circles， rambling around something that could have been clarified in one sentence。 Most of the examples and analogies used to illustrate some concepts are terrible， and unnecessary。 For instance， there is a boat example where she goes around with a poorly written and confusing example just to say "if A and B are moving they will have a different record or perception about which events are simultaneous"。 。。。more
Nora
，
Audiobook
Yasser Maniram
，
Thought provoking although some of those thoughts are so abstract and relative to a concept that is lucid that it really makes you think。
Harry
，