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The concept of time has fascinated man since the dawn of history.
What is the nature of time? Does it circle with the seasons, or does it stretch
on irreversibly into eternity? Does it have a beginning and end? Can it be divided
infinitely, or is it in some way indivisible? Such are some of the questions that
have baffled scientists and philosophers. Now Richard Morris, author of Dismantling
the Universe and Evolution and Human Nature, offers a fascinating overview
of the major attitudes toward time which have informed Western thought.
Centering on scientific conceptions of time, Dr. Morris opens
his study by comparing the cyclical theories of time, which dominated the ancient
world, with the theory of linear time, which evolved out of the Judeo-Christian
tradition. He distinguishes between the medieval notion of 'time under eternity'
and the more scientifically fruitful concept of abstract time, which is thought
of as stretching on indefinitely in a uniform pattern. A
section is devoted to the revolutionary realization by Galileo that velocity is
a function of time, the insight that opened the door to modern mechanics. Following
sections discuss calculus and the idea of determinism, and the notion of evolutionary
time, which first developed in the eighteenth century and found fruition in the
theories of Darwin. Morris also analyzes the impact of technology on attitudes
toward time, including the invention of the clock and the advent of the factory.
Over half the book is devoted to modern scientific discussions
of time, from Einstein's theory of relativity to the notion of entropy, to cosmological
theories of time and the question of whether time has a beginning and end. A chapter
is devoted to the 'five arrows of time,' including a fascinating discussion of
the difference between the 'arrows' of physics and psychology, where a subjective
'now,' or present moment, reigns, which is unknown to physics. Time's
Arrows is a brilliant exploration into some of the most intriguing questions
ever raised by the human mind. Along the way Dr. Morris offers illuminating discussions
of the life and thought of many of the greatest minds in the Western tradition,
from Aristotle to Newton to Leibniz to Einstein. Here is the most readable and
accessible book ever written on the complex theories of time, by an acknowledged
master in the art of scientific explanation. Written with utter authority, it
makes available in nontechnical terms the major scientific attitudes toward time.
Richard Morris holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics and is
the author of five previous books on science. He lives in San Francisco.
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