Bibliograph

Why does the world exist?, an existential detective story, Jim Holt

Type

Label

Why does the world exist?, an existential detective story, Jim Holt

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Why does the world exist?

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

793973660

Responsibility statement

Jim Holt

Sub title

an existential detective story

Summary

Whether framed philosophically as “Why is there a world rather than nothing at all?” or more colloquially as “But, Mommy, who made God?” the metaphysical mystery about how we came into existence remains the most fractious and fascinating question of all time. Following in the footsteps of Christopher Hitchens, Roger Penrose, and even Stephen Hawking, Jim Holt emerges with an engrossing narrative that traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. As he takes on the role of cosmological detective, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God vs. the Big Bang. Whether interviewing a cranky Oxford philosopher, a Physics Nobel Laureate, or a French Buddhist monk, Holt pursues unexplored and often bizarre angles to this cosmic puzzle. The result is a brilliant synthesis of cosmology, mathematics, and physics<U+2014>one that propels his own work to the level of philosophy itself

Target audience

adult

Classification

Creator