The big picture : on the origins of life, meaning, and the universe itself

Carroll, Sean M. 1966- (author.).

Record details

ISBN: 9780525954828 (hardcover)
Physical Description: print
ix, 470 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Publisher: New York, New York : Dutton, [2016]
Copyright: Â©2016

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

The fundamental nature of reality -- Poetic naturalism -- The world moves by itself -- What determines what will happen next? -- Reasons why -- Our universe -- Time's arrow -- Memories and causes -- Learning about the world -- Updating our knowledge -- Is it okay to doubt everything? -- Reality emerges -- What exists, and what is illusion? -- Planets of belief -- Accepting uncertainty -- What can we know about the universe without looking at it? -- Who am I? -- Abducting God -- How much we know -- The quantum realm -- Interpreting quantum mechanics -- The core theory -- The stuff of which we are made -- The effective theory of the everyday world -- Why does the universe exist? -- Body and soul -- Death is the end -- The universe in a cup of coffee -- Light and life -- Funneling energy -- Spontaneous organization -- The origin and purpose of life -- Evolution's bootstraps -- Searching through the landscape -- Emergent purpose -- Are we the point? -- Crawling into consciousness -- The babbling brain -- What thinks? -- The hard problem -- Zombies and stories -- Are photons conscious? -- What acts on what? -- Freedom to choose -- Billion heartbeats -- What is and what ought to be -- Rules and consequences -- Constructing goodness -- Listening to the world -- Existential therapy.