The Frontiers Collection

Series Editors: Dragoman, D., Dragoman, M., Elitzur, A.C., Silverman, M.P., Tuszynski, J., Zeh, H.D.

The books in this collection are devoted to challenging and open problems at the forefront of modern physics and related disciplines, including philosophical debates. In contrast to typical research monographs, however, they strive to present their topics in a manner accessible also to scientifically literate non-specialists wishing to gain insight into the deeper implications and fascinating questions involved. Taken as a whole, the series reflects the need for a fundamental and interdisciplinary approach to modern science. It is intended to encourage active physicists in all areas to ponder over important and perhaps controversial issues beyond their own speciality. Extending from quantum physics and relativity to entropy, time and consciousness, the Frontiers Collection will inspire readers to push back the frontiers of their own knowledge.
 

Relativity and the Nature of Spacetime
by Vesselin Petkov
Springer 2005. ISBN 3-540-23889-1

Back cover text:
The most important question addressed in this book is "what is the nature (the ontological status) of spacetime?" or, equivalently, "what is the dimensionality of the world at the macroscopic level?" The answer to this question is developed via a thorough analysis of relativistic effects and explicitly asking whether the objects involved in those effects are three-dimensional or four-dimensional. This analysis clearly shows that if the world and the physical objects were three-dimensional, none of the kinematic relativistic effects and the experimental evidence supporting them would be possible. The implications of this result for physics, philosophy, and our entire world view are discussed.

My review:
I was disappointed by this book. It gave a solid argument for the four-dimensionality of spacetime based on a detailed and competent formal presentation of special relativity, but it was preaching to the converted for me. This argument took up the first five chapters, just over half the book, and would count as a very good doctoral thesis in the philosophy of physics. But the applicability of the conclusion stands or falls with how well it fits in with quantum theories, which seem to force us beyond the deterministic classical world, and with string theories that postulate additional hidden dimensions. Petkov briefly considers quantum theory in a thoroughly unsatisfactory sixth chapter and then launches into an equally unsatisfactory general discussion of scientific methodology. The rest of the book is devoted to patchy treatments of a few more advanced topics which I skipped. As I see it, only a quantum multiverse of the sort that David Deutsch advocates can embed the picture of spacetime that Petkov advocates into a quantum context. But that introduces so much deeper philosophical obscurity that it puts any spotlight on special relativity in the shade.
 

Information and Its Role in Nature
by J. G. Roederer
Springer 2005. ISBN 3-540-23075-0

Back cover text:
Information and Its Role in Nature presents an in-depth interdisciplinary discussion of the concept of information and its role in the control of natural processes. After a brief review of classical and quantum information theory, the author addresses numerous central questions, including: Is information reducible to the laws of physics and chemistry? Does the Universe, in its evolution, constantly generate new information? Or are information and information-processing exclusive attributes of living systems, related to the very definition of life? If so, what is the role of information in classical and quantum physics? In what ways does information-processing in the human brain bring about self-consciousness? Accessible to graduate students and professionals from all scientific disciplines, this stimulating book will help to shed light on many controversial issues at the heart of modern science.

My review:
I enjoyed reading this book. It presents a delightfully clear and accurate overview of the role of information in classical physics, quantum physics, the evolution of life, and the neurophysics of the brain. The overall argument is not so much hammered home as suggested and hinted at, so Roederer leaves plenty of room for a reader to disagree. This is just as well, since I did disagree. Roederer believes that the concept of information that emerges from the various branches of physics is insufficient to explain its role in the natural history of life and mind. In particular, he proposes that meaning and purpose are integral to information more fully considered, so that meaningful information helps living beings to achieve their purposes. Unfortunately, the proposal is useless without a clearer picture of meaning and purpose than the book provides. These concepts require some very careful philosophical refinement before they can do serious work in science. in the absence of that refinement, Roederer succeeds only in making it seem plausible that the concept of information that emerges in contemporary physics is not yet enough for a full story of life and mind. On that much I can agree. As to what more we need, I think there is scope for radical new ideas.
 

Quo Vadis Quantum Mechanics?
edited by A. Elitzur, S. Dolev, N. Kolenda
Springer 2005. ISBN 3-540-22188-3

My review