Good reference book to learn all aspects of causality violation

In summary, there is a lack of comprehensive books on causality violation in general relativity. Some potential references include Time Machines: Time Travel in Physics, Metaphysics, and Science Fiction by Paul Nahin, Global aspects in gravitation and cosmology by Pankaj S. Joshi, and Techniques of Differential Topology in Relativity by Roger Penrose.
  • #1
chiro
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Hello everyone.

I was wondering if anyone knew any good books of learning the aspects of causality violation in general relativity. I know about Hawking book but that's all. I was wondering if anyone had any references to authors in this area at any level from introductory books that are self contained to books that are up to date in this area.

Thanks

Matthew
 
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  • #2
For an excellent, non-technical reference, have a look at the second edition of Time Machines: Time Travel in Physics, Metaphysics, and Science Fiction by Paul Nahin. This is a wonderful book that is written for the educated layperson.

Physicist (and relativist) Kip Thorne wrote a foreword for the second edition of this book, and here's a quote from this foreword: "It now is not only the most complete documentation of time travel in science fiction; it is also the most thorough review of serious scientific literature on the subject - a review that, remarkably, is scientifically accurate and at the same time largely accessible to a broad audience of nonspecialists."
 
  • #3
George Jones said:
For an excellent, non-technical reference, have a look at the second edition of Time Machines: Time Travel in Physics, Metaphysics, and Science Fiction by Paul Nahin. This is a wonderful book that is written for the educated layperson.

Physicist (and relativist) Kip Thorne wrote a foreword for the second edition of this book, and here's a quote from this foreword: "It now is not only the most complete documentation of time travel in science fiction; it is also the most thorough review of serious scientific literature on the subject - a review that, remarkably, is scientifically accurate and at the same time largely accessible to a broad audience of nonspecialists."

Thanks for that title I've have to check it out. I'm looking for something a little more mathematically inclined however that is targeted towards say a research audience more so than a popular science book.

I know its only early days in this sort of research (since GR only came about in 1915) but given the amount of texts on QM and QFT as well as SR and GR i thought there might be a book on causality violation since a lot of models seem to have that feature especially Kerr black holes, the Tipler cylinder as well as instances with Godels universe.

I'm trying to locate something that is complete and concise and I haven't had much luck doing so. I only know of limited papers on the subject but I'm hoping there's a bright mind out there that has offered their perspective of the subject (Hawking has done a lot of work as has Roger Penrose and that's all I know). Roger and Hawking are brilliant people but getting more perspectives and understanding of the content is my aim.

Once again though thanks for the suggestion I'll have to look into it.
 
  • #6
You also might want look chapter 6 from the book Bangs, Crunches, Whimpers and Shrieks by John Earman. Even though this is a philosophy of science book, it doesn't shy away from using technical mathematics.
 
  • #8
Hey everyone thanks heaps for your replies. Looks like I have enough to keep me busy for a while. Again thanks for the links :)
 

1. What is causality violation?

Causality violation refers to a situation where an event or action appears to have influenced or caused another event or action, but in reality, the two are not causally connected. This concept challenges the fundamental principle of cause and effect in physics.

2. Why is understanding causality violation important?

Understanding causality violation is crucial for scientists, especially in the field of physics and cosmology. It allows us to better understand the fundamental laws of the universe and how they may be violated under certain conditions. It also has implications for our understanding of time and space.

3. Can causality violation occur in real life?

Currently, there is no evidence of causality violation occurring in real life. However, some theories, such as the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, suggest that it may be possible under extreme conditions, such as near a black hole.

4. What are some examples of causality violation?

One example of causality violation is the grandfather paradox, where a person goes back in time and kills their grandfather before their parent is born, thus preventing their own existence. This paradox challenges the idea of cause and effect, as the person's existence would have caused their own time travel, but their time travel would have prevented their existence.

5. What are some good reference books to learn about causality violation?

Some good reference books on causality violation include "The Physics of Time Asymmetry" by Julian Barbour, "Time Travel and Warp Drives" by Allen Everett and Thomas Roman, and "The Arrow of Time" by Sean Carroll. These books cover various aspects of causality violation and provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

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