The Janus Point: A New Theory of Time

Description

A solution to one of the most profound questions in physics - what is time? - with ground-breaking implications for the origin of the universe In The Janus Point renowned physicist Julian Barbour presents a major new solution to one of the most profound questions in physics - what is time? - with ground-breaking implications for the origin and destiny of our universe. 'Both a work of literature and a masterpiece of scientific thought' Lee Smolin Time is perhaps the greatest mystery in physics. Despite the fact that the fundamental laws of physics don't distinguish between past and future, we do. And so, for over a century, the greatest minds have sought to understand why time seems to flow in one direction, ever forward. In The Janus Point, Julian Barbour, author of the classic The End of Time, offers a radically new answer- it doesn't. Most physicists believe that the second law of thermodynamics, and the increase of disorder that it describes, forces an irreversible, unidirectional flow of time. Barbour shows why that argument fails and demonstrates instead that our universe isn't heading for disorder; rather, it emerged from it. At the heart of his argument is a new vision of the Big Bang that Barbour calls the Janus Point, from which time flows in two directions, its currents driven by the expansion of the universe and the growth of order in the galaxies, planets, and life itself. Monumental in vision and scope, The Janus Point is not just a new theory of time- it's a hopeful argument about the destiny of our universe. While most physicists predict that the universe will become mired in disorder, Barbour sees the possibility that order - the stuff of life - can grow without bound.

Julian Barbour is a former Visiting Professor in Physics at the University of Oxford and author of the highly regarded The Discovery of Dynamics and the bestseller The End of Time. His papers have been published in the world's most prestigious scientific journals, including Nature, Proceedings of the Royal Society and Physical Review Letters and he has made numerous appearances on national radio, television and in various documentaries. The Janus Point is his first book in twenty years and the culmination of five decades' work.

Julian Barbour is a profound and original thinker with the boldness to tackle some of nature's deepest problems. He is also a fine writer, and this renders his book - despite its conceptual depth - accessible to anyone who has pondered the mysteries of space and time -- Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and former President of the Royal Society With a rare humanity and a perspective based on a lifetime of study, Barbour writes a book that is both a work of literature and a masterpiece of scientific thought -- Lee Smolin, author of The Trouble with Physics The origin of the arrow of time is arguably the most important conceptual problem in cosmology, and the prospect that it can be solved in a universe where time flows "backward" in the far past is as exciting as it is provocative. In this engaging book, Julian Barbour conveys this excitement admirably -- Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to Here The Janus Point shows history-in-the-making: a project to recast the foundations of all of cosmology, gravity, thermodynamics and the arrow of time. The book has given me a lot to ponder. As Gauss said of Riemann's habilitation lecture, '[it] exceeded my expectations' -- Bill Unruh, Professor of Physics at University of British Columbia Julian Barbour has no peer when it comes to explaining scientific ideas in a way that is accessible without being simplistic -- Neal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash Julian Barbour has discovered an unexpected and remarkably simple feature of Newtonian dynamics that is the basis of his seductive and eloquently presented explanation of the history of the universe, even time itself -- Michael Victor Berry, Professor of Physics (Emeritus) at Bristol University This delightful, provocative book is a cosmic physics adventure, enlivened with history and poetry -- Theodore A. Jacobson, Professor of Physics at University of Maryland Julian Barbour has a complete mastery of the history of ideas yet a remarkable lightness and clarity in explaining what are profound concepts. The Janus Point is controversial and gripping, an extraordinary introduction to his view of the universe -- Pedro G. Ferreira, author of The Perfect Theory Barbour takes on fundamental questions, offering a new perspective - illustrated with lucid examples and poetically constructed prose - on how the Universe started (or more precisely, how it did not start) and where it may be headed. This book is an engaging read, which both taught me something new about meat-and-potatoes physics and reminded me why asking fundamental questions can be so fun -- Matthew Johnson * Science * A closely argued, substantive take on one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of physics, written by someone who has wrestled with not only the physics, but also the history and philosophy relevant to his subject. What's more, Barbour's approach, unlike many in the popular science game, is to publish only when he thinks he has something worth saying. That alone is enough to make him worth listening to -- Michael Brooks * Nautilus * Julian Barbour is one that rare breed, an optimistic scientist, and his engrossing The Janus Point not only turns accepted thinking about the universe on its head...but also suggests our very understanding of the nature of time needs to be reappraised * Choice * Any reader willing to engage with Barbour's ideas will come away enlightened -- Sidney Perkowitz * Physics World *