Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe in Science and Inquiry

Dec 02, 2021 David Rubenstein rated it liked it

Shelves: astronomy, science, history, audiobook, biology, physics, religion, mythology

Every chapter is interesting, but this book seems to go in circles. I just cannot figure out what the author intended for the overall theme. Brian Greene is a well-known author and physicist. He delved into so many different subjects--it was hard to keep track what he was ultimately driving at.

The beginning of the book was about the beginning of time, about the laws of thermodynamics and entropy, and the structure of DNA. So far so good. Then the book diverges into religion, philosophy, consciou ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

Mar 05, 2020 Charlene rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy, physics

"It is likely that you don't consider yourself to be a steam engine or perhaps even a physical contraption. I, too, only rarely use those terms to describe myself." ~ Brian Greene

The above quote and so many others make me swoon over Brain Greene books. This book was filled with such phrases from beginning to end.

From the perspective of the entropic universe, Greene tries to understand the evolution of living things and, in particular, the evolution of human brains, which are capable of contempl "It is likely that you don't consider yourself to be a steam engine or perhaps even a physical contraption. I, too, only rarely use those terms to describe myself." ~ Brian Greene

The above quote and so many others make me swoon over Brain Greene books. This book was filled with such phrases from beginning to end.

From the perspective of the entropic universe, Greene tries to understand the evolution of living things and, in particular, the evolution of human brains, which are capable of contemplating this vast universe in which we live. He makes some nice connections between the buildup of energy and the release of entropy when discussing human brains and when discussing sleep. Energy is taken in, it builds up, and it must be released (entropy) to its surroundings in order to take in more energy. He contemplated how much thought the universe could absorb, which was an interesting question even if it was not answered.

Greene has a style of writing that conveys a deep sense of awe. However, despite how much I love Greene and his awe, I cannot say I love discussions of Frank Jackson's Mary seeing the color red for the first time (the qualia/knowledge argument). If Mary never actually saw red, then of course she did not have all the physical information. If Mary had been taught every single physical thing there is about the color red, but she was color blind, she could *not* have known every *physical* thing about the color red. When she has the surgery, that is a physical change* to her eyesight. She physically can see red after the surgery. So, despite having been taught *almost* every physical thing, she only learns something new because a *new physical thing* has been added to her experience. If she had all the knowledge about the color red, including all the neuroscience that was relevant to seeing the color red, she would not be color blind. She would not need surgery. If she did need surgery, it would involve a physical change, and would not result in an epiphenomenal/ unexplainable experience where there is something non-physical about seeing the color red. Though I have not enjoyed Nagel's later work, do still I think it's very helpful to think about what it's like to be a bat. That is a far more helpful discussion than Mary seeing the color red. I am also not that fond, anymore, of thinking about Boltzmann brains. One day we will understand the underlying laws that give rise to emergence and complexity and we will stop talking about Boltzmann brains. I would like to be alive then and listen to discussions that move way beyond this, but I think those talks will take place long after my life is extinguished.

Overall, despite my crabbiness about the philosophical debates discussed in this book (debates I used to love just about as much as I love life itself but am now less enamored with) reading Greene ignites so much wonder and curiosity in my soul (which is itself a physical thing). I highly recommend this book if you love thinking about the universe, consciousness, AI consciousness, entropy, and evolution. ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

May 17, 2020 Cassandra Kay Silva rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science

I have read most of Brain Greens works. I am a layman of physics and perhaps not the best to comment on the mathematical side of anything but I guess I fit the typical pop science consumer market. Generally, our "types" love the cold hard facts sprinkled with the way those facts could relate to grand ideas. I suppose that this is what we look for in this genre. If that is what you are after this is not what you will find with this book. I find this book fascinating because it really shows the au ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2022 bup rated it it was amazing

Shelves: consciousness, trying-to-get-theoretical-physics, nonfiction-books-are-300-pages-rule, our-dying-planet, i-m-better-than-you, science, 2022

Thank you, Brian Greene. I never thought a book about cosmological physics would help get me closer than books by Daniel Dennett, Stephen Pinker and others to getting consciousness, but here we are.

If you want to understand anything, have Brian Greene write a book about it. General relativity, quantum physics, existential dread, you name it.

So what's this book about? It's the universe's life story, and the life story of how life and self-awareness came to be, and what happens for the next 10^10^ ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2022 Erica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2022

As with all Greene books, this one took me a long time to get through. I love his writing but it is not something light that I can pick up for a quick read when I have a minute. This one left me with a bit of existential dread. Maybe not the type of book you should take on vacation and read pool side, however, that's exactly where I finally finished it off. ...more

Like · see review