Is Farewell to Reality a Valid Critique of Modern Physics?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter RUTA
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Opinions Reality
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Jim Baggott's book, "Farewell to Reality: How Modern Physics has Betrayed the Search for Scientific Truth," critiques the portrayal of modern physics in mass media, particularly highlighting the BBC's promotion of concepts like cosmic holograms and parallel worlds. Baggott argues that these ideas represent "fairy-tale" physics and aims to counteract the misleading narratives surrounding fundamental physics. The book has already sparked significant debate in the UK and is anticipated to do the same in the US upon its release.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of modern physics concepts
  • Familiarity with media representation of scientific ideas
  • Knowledge of critical analysis in scientific literature
  • Awareness of popular science communication methods
NEXT STEPS
  • Read "Farewell to Reality" by Jim Baggott
  • Explore critiques of popular science media, focusing on BBC programming
  • Investigate the concept of cosmic holography in modern physics
  • Study the impact of media on public perception of scientific truths
USEFUL FOR

Scientists, science communicators, educators, and anyone interested in the intersection of physics and media representation.

RUTA
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Messages
1,513
Reaction score
560
Just finished Jim Baggott's book, "Farewell to Realilty: How Modern Physics has Betrayed the Search for Scientific Truth." Anyone here read the book and care to respond?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Jim Baggott has written a very good new book called Farewell to Reality that will soon come out here in the US. It is already out in the UK, where it is stirring up some debate, and perhaps the US will soon see something similar.

In the preface, Baggott explains that he was motivated to write the book by the experience of watching this BBC program, which featured a combination of serious science with revelations about how we’re all part of a cosmic hologram, there’s an infinity of parallel worlds, and various other examples of what he refers to as “fairy-tale” physics. In the last decade or so there have been a large number of such mass media efforts promoting highly dubious ideas about fundamental physics, and Baggott decided that in his next book he’d try and do something to counter this. I think he’s succeeded admirably: the BBC and other such organizations should atone for their sins by sending copies of the book to their viewers...

more: http://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress/?p=6002

Sounds good. I'll keep my eye open for it.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
3K
  • · Replies 34 ·
2
Replies
34
Views
8K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
15
Views
5K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
7K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
2K