There is no question that advancements in science - especially in physics - have radically changed our concept of nature, revolutionising our view of the universe, even of reality itself. Rosen argues, though, that the material universe in its entirety lies beyond science. Anyone who claims otherwise, who proposes a scientific Theory of Everything to explain all aspects and phenomena of nature, only misleads and misinforms. Taking science - and the scientific method - down a peg, Rosen asserts that any understanding of the whole universe, if it is to be found at all, can come only from outside science, from non-scientific modes of comprehension and insight. He believes that popularisers of science - think Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins - are mistaken when they declare that science is on the verge of unlocking all the secrets of the universe. Perhaps without realising it, they have crossed into the realm of metaphysics in an attempt to explain the unexplainable. In Lawless Universe Rosen explores just how far science can go in comprehending nature. He considers the separate - but entangled - domains of science and metaphysics and examines the all-too-often ignored boundary between the objective and the subjective. Thought-provoking and controversial, Lawless Universe is a complement to, even an antidote for, books that create the misimpression that science can explain everything.
Preface 1. Objective or Subjective: That Is the Question Objective and Subjective The Objective Outer World: Reality Our Subjective Inner Worlds: Fantasies Objective or Subjective? Objective Truth Subjective Truth Logical Truth Dealing with the Subjective Dealing with the Objective 2. The Science of Nature and the Nature of Science Preliminaries Science Nature Reproducibility Predictability Law 3. Theory: Explanation, Not Speculation Theory Logical Implication and Objective Truth Generality and Fundamentality Naturality Causation Simplicity and Unification Beauty Falsifiability An Archetypal Example 4. Is Science the Whole Story? Science and Metaphysics Transcendence and Nontranscendence 5. Our Unique Universe The Lawless Universe Cosmology 6. Nature's Laws Realism and Idealism Reductionism and Holism Observer and Observed Quasi-Isolated System and Surroundings Initial State and Law of Evolution Extended Mach Principle Whence Order? 7. Facing the Universe Human Science Anthropic Principle Whence Order? (Again) Space and Time 8. The Hunt for Reality Metaphysical Positions Objective Reality Perceived Reality Partially Hidden Reality Transcendent Reality Coda Glossary Combined Bibliography Index
