Fear of a Black Universe: An Outsider's Guide to the Future of Physics
Fear of a Black Universe: An Outsider's Guide to the Future of Physics
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Basic Books
Annotation: "Years ago, cosmologist Stephon Alexander received life-changing advice: to discover real physics, he needed to stop memorizing and start taking risks. In FEAR OF A BLACK UNIVERSE, Alexander shows that great physics requires us to think outside the mainstream -- to improvise and rely on intuition. His approach leads him to three principles that shape all theories of the universe: the principle of invariance, the quantum principle, and the principle of emergence. Alexander uses them to explore some of physics' greatest mysteries, from what happened before the big bang to how the universe makes consciousness possible. Drawing on his
 
Reviews: 3
Catalog Number: #287971
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Publisher: Basic Books
Copyright Date: 2021
Edition Date: 2021 Release Date: 08/31/21
Pages: viii, 245 pages
ISBN: 1-541-69963-7
ISBN 13: 978-1-541-69963-2
Dewey: 523.1
LCCN: 2021001977
Dimensions: 25 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A renowned cosmologist argues that empowering scientific outsiders and taking risks on nontraditional ideas will result in transformative science."I hope to convince my readers that diversity in science is not simply a social justice concern, but that it enhances the quality of the science we accomplish." So writes Brown University physics professor Alexander, the 2020 president of the National Society of Black Physicists as well as an electronic musician, at the beginning of this captivating scientific journey. He points out that deviance often results in innovation, and women and minorities often innovate more, leading to a logical conclusion: "Perhaps it is time to value and elevate minorities, thus enabling them to make major contributions, not in spite of their outsider's perspective, but because of it." The author's own contributions include unraveling the mysteries of the early universe and advancing ideas relating to quantum gravity, and he deftly explains these and more in accessible and often personal prose. But it's Alexander's enthusiasm for seriously exploring theories on the frontier of physics that makes this more exciting than most similar books: Are life and the universe truly decoupled? Did the wave function of the universe undergo self-observation at its realization, and was this a form of cosmic proto-consciousness? The author draws on research from a variety of disciplines-physics, cosmology, biology, philosophy-to bolster his compelling arguments. As he shows, the current models of our universe-and the theories scientists use to construct them-may be called into question, requiring creative, interdisciplinary thinking to resolve. This beautiful and surprising book will leave readers wanting to learn more about the author and his mind-bending ideas, and it makes a perfect complement to Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's recent book, The Disordered Cosmos.Lush with ideas and bold in its analysis of the status quo, this book reorients our view of science and the universe.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A renowned cosmologist argues that empowering scientific outsiders and taking risks on nontraditional ideas will result in transformative science."I hope to convince my readers that diversity in science is not simply a social justice concern, but that it enhances the quality of the science we accomplish." So writes Brown University physics professor Alexander, the 2020 president of the National Society of Black Physicists as well as an electronic musician, at the beginning of this captivating scientific journey. He points out that deviance often results in innovation, and women and minorities often innovate more, leading to a logical conclusion: "Perhaps it is time to value and elevate minorities, thus enabling them to make major contributions, not in spite of their outsider's perspective, but because of it." The author's own contributions include unraveling the mysteries of the early universe and advancing ideas relating to quantum gravity, and he deftly explains these and more in accessible and often personal prose. But it's Alexander's enthusiasm for seriously exploring theories on the frontier of physics that makes this more exciting than most similar books: Are life and the universe truly decoupled? Did the wave function of the universe undergo self-observation at its realization, and was this a form of cosmic proto-consciousness? The author draws on research from a variety of disciplines-physics, cosmology, biology, philosophy-to bolster his compelling arguments. As he shows, the current models of our universe-and the theories scientists use to construct them-may be called into question, requiring creative, interdisciplinary thinking to resolve. This beautiful and surprising book will leave readers wanting to learn more about the author and his mind-bending ideas, and it makes a perfect complement to Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's recent book, The Disordered Cosmos.Lush with ideas and bold in its analysis of the status quo, this book reorients our view of science and the universe.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Theoretical physicist Alexander (The Jazz of Physics) searches the far reaches of the cosmos while addressing the experiences of marginalized people in STEM fields in his refreshing survey. He begins by outlining three principles that underlie humans- knowledge of the universe-invariance (about the speed of light and relativity), the quantum principle (about subatomic forces), and the principle of emergence (about how life comes from elements)-before considering more mysterious aspects of the universe such as dark matter and the cosmic biosphere. As he describes different theories, Alexander adds personal anecdotes about his experience as a Black man in science (-Though I had the same technical training as my postdoc peers,- he writes, -my social isolation enabled me to... embrace ideas on the fringes of established knowledge-), his friendships with other scientists, and how he became interested in physics. He argues that one should -never be afraid of even the most absurd ideas, and even to embrace them,- and that minority voices ought be elevated because of the -outsider-s perspective- they bring. Diversity in science, he writes, -is not simply a social justice concern...it enhances the quality of the science we accomplish.- The result is both an excellent work of advocacy and a welcoming introduction to physics. (Aug.)

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Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
Bibliography Index/Note: Includes bibliographical references (pqages 217- 226) and index.
Reading Level: 6.0
Interest Level: 9+

"The rabbit hole gets wrestled here. An old school saying applies: the more you know, the more you don’t know. Dance along this read into the unknown and find out that this book may be the best ever answer to ‘What is soul?'"
—Chuck D, rapper and co-founder of Public Enemy

*Starred Reviews* from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly!
Named a Best Book of 2021 by 
Library Journal, Kirkus, and symmetry Magazine

In this important guide to science and society, a cosmologist argues that physics must embrace the excluded, listen to the unheard, and be unafraid of being wrong.

 
Years ago, cosmologist Stephon Alexander received life-changing advice: to discover real physics, he needed to stop memorizing and start taking risks. In Fear of a Black Universe, Alexander shows that great physics requires us to think outside the mainstream -- to improvise and rely on intuition. His approach leads him to three principles that shape all theories of the universe: the principle of invariance, the quantum principle, and the principle of emergence. Alexander uses them to explore some of physics' greatest mysteries, from what happened before the big bang to how the universe makes consciousness possible. Drawing on his experience as a Black physicist, he makes a powerful case for diversifying our scientific communities. Compelling and empowering, Fear of a Black Universe offers remarkable insight into the art of physics.


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