Masks of the Universe: Changing Ideas on the Nature of the Cosmos, 2nd Edition

In Masks of the Universe, Edward Harrison brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical and religious issues in cosmology and raises thought provoking questions. Philosophical issues dominated cosmology in the ancient world. Theological issues ranked foremost in the Middle Ages; astronomy and the physical sciences have taken over in more recent times. Yet every attempt to grasp the true nature of the universe creates a new "mask," People have always pitied the universes of their ancestors, believing that their generation has at last discovered the "real" universe. Do we now stand at the threshold of knowing everything, or have we created yet another "mask," doomed to fade like those preceding ours? Edward Harrison is Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, and Emeritus Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He worked as a scientist for the Atomic Energy Research Establishment and the Rutherford High Energy Laboratory in England until 1966 when he became a Five College professor at the University of Massachusetts and taught at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith College. He is the author of numerous books, including Cosmology: the Science of the Universe (Cambridge, 2001)

In Masks of the Universe, Edward Harrison brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical and religious issues in cosmology and raises thought provoking questions. Philosophical issues dominated cosmology in the ancient world. Theological issues ranked foremost in the Middle Ages; astronomy and the physical sciences have taken over in more recent times. Yet every attempt to grasp the true nature of the universe creates a new mask, People have always pitied the universes of their ancestors, believing that their generation has at last discovered the real universe. Do we now stand at the threshold of knowing everything, or have we created yet another mask, doomed to fade like those preceding ours? Edward Harrison is Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, and Emeritus Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He worked as a scientist for the Atomic Energy Research Establishment and the Rutherford High Energy Laboratory in England until 1966 when he became a Five College professor at the University of Massachusetts and taught at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith College. He is the author of numerous books, including Cosmology: the Science of the Universe (Cambridge, 2001)

Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Preface......Page 9 1 Introducing the Masks......Page 13 Part I Worlds in the Making......Page 25 2 The Magic Universe......Page 27 3 The Mythic Universe......Page 41 4 The Geometric Universe......Page 57 5 The Medieval Universe......Page 73 6 The Infinite Universe......Page 93 7 The Mechanistic Universe......Page 113 Part II The Heart Divine......Page 133 8 Dance of the Atoms and Waves......Page 135 9 Fabric of Space and Time......Page 153 10 What Then is Time?......Page 175 11 Nearer to the Heart’s Desire......Page 185 12 The Cosmic Tide......Page 205 13 Do Dreams Come True?......Page 225 Part III The Cloud of Unknowing......Page 245 14 The Witch Universe......Page 247 15 The Spear of Archytas......Page 261 16 Ultimum Sentiens......Page 277 17 All That is Made......Page 287 18 The Cloud of Unknowing......Page 301 19 Learned Ignorance......Page 317 Bibliography......Page 323 Index......Page 337 To the ancient Greeks the universe consisted of earth, air, fire, and water. To Saint Augustine it was the Word of God. To many modern scientists it is the dance of atoms and waves, and in years to come it may be different again. What then is the real Universe? History shows that in every age each society constructs its own universe, believing it to be the real and final Universe. Yet each universe is only a model or mask of the unknown Universe. Originally published in 2003, this book brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical, and religious issues in cosmology, raising thought-provoking questions. In every age people have pitied the universes of their ancestors, convinced that they have at last discovered the ultimate truth. Does the modern model stand at the threshold of discovering everything, or will it, like all the rest, come to be pitied? To the ancient Greeks the universe consisted of earth, air, fire and water. To Saint Augustine it was the Word of God. To many modern scientists it is the interaction of atoms and waves, and in years to come it may be different again. What then is the real universe? History shows that in every age society constructs its own universe, believing it to be the real and final one. Yet these are only models, or masks covering what is not understood and not known. This book brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical, and religious issues in cosmology, raising thought provoking questions. In every age people have pitied the universes of their ancestors, convinced that they have at last discovered the full truth. Do we now stand at the threshold of knowing everything, or will our latest model also be rejected by our descendants? Cambridge University Press Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Preface 9 1 Introducing the Masks 13 Part I Worlds in the Making 25 2 The Magic Universe 27 3 The Mythic Universe 41 4 The Geometric Universe 57 5 The Medieval Universe 73 6 The Infinite Universe 93 7 The Mechanistic Universe 113 Part II The Heart Divine 133 8 Dance of the Atoms and Waves 135 9 Fabric of Space and Time 153 10 What Then is Time? 175 11 Nearer to the Heart’s Desire 185 12 The Cosmic Tide 205 13 Do Dreams Come True? 225 Part III The Cloud of Unknowing 245 14 The Witch Universe 247 15 The Spear of Archytas 261 16 Ultimum Sentiens 277 17 All That is Made 287 18 The Cloud of Unknowing 301 19 Learned Ignorance 317 Bibliography 323 Index 337 ISBN-13:,9780521773515 "This book brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical, and religious issues in cosmology, raising thought-provoking questions. In every age people have pitied the universes of their ancestors, convinced that they have at last discovered the ultimate truth. Do we now stand at the threshold of knowing everything, or will our latest model, like all the rest, be pitied by our descendants?"--BOOK JACKET This 2003 book brings together fundamental scientific, philosophical, and religious issues in cosmology, raising thought-provoking questions. In every age people have been convinced that they have discovered the ultimate truth. Does the modern model stand at the threshold of discovering everything, or will it too come to be pitied? In the ancient world philosophical issues dominated cosmology. In the Middle Ages theological issues ranked foremost. In recent times astronomy and the physical sciences have taken over. Do we now stand at the threshold of knowing everything, or have we created yet another mask, doomed to fade like the others?