This is one of the hardest books I've ever read.It was rewarding, though.Price wrote the book explicitly for philosophers and physicists.Frankly, it was nice to see a book written thus with all the condescendingattitudes that these two (?) spheres of knowledge have had towards eachother in this day and age.This book belongs in the same prestigious realmas the books on physics & philosophy that were written by WernerHeisenberg and Sir James Jeans earlier this century.I would like to seemore books of this type in the future.As you might have guessed,the book deals with the nature of time.It is HIGHLY recommended thatanyone attempting grapple with this intellectual Godzilla have a generalunderstanding of quantum mechanics (if, that is, anyone really DOESunderstand QM) and some background in thermodynamics and relativity wouldnot hurt, either.This book is not for those who think of books byDanielle Steele as intellectually stimulating.
The book deals with theentropy "problem" of how it is that matter ever got to its lowentropy state after the big bang, since (apparently) high entropy (heatdeath) is its natural state.Price tours some potential (althoughsometimes far fetched) answers to this query.
For me, the mostfascinating facet of the book was its discussion of the idea of advancedaction as a solution to the nonlocality "problem" in QM.It'samazing for me to think that two entangled photons could already KNOW thatthe other's spin is going to change at such-and-such a time due to theirtravelling at the speed of light.Although Price did not invent thisconcept, he supports it (compellingly) and also objects to the normalcriticism that either we can have relativity or free will, but not both.Atruly fascinating concept for physicists and philosophers alike.
So,if you want a wild and engrossing intellectual ride, this book is for you.
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