An Outsider's Guide to the Future of Physics
Starred review from June 14, 2021
Theoretical physicist Alexander (The Jazz of Physics) searches the far reaches of the cosmos while addressing the experiences of marginalized people in STEM fields in his refreshing survey. He begins by outlining three principles that underlie humans’ knowledge of the universe—invariance (about the speed of light and relativity), the quantum principle (about subatomic forces), and the principle of emergence (about how life comes from elements)—before considering more mysterious aspects of the universe such as dark matter and the cosmic biosphere. As he describes different theories, Alexander adds personal anecdotes about his experience as a Black man in science (“Though I had the same technical training as my postdoc peers,” he writes, “my social isolation enabled me to... embrace ideas on the fringes of established knowledge”), his friendships with other scientists, and how he became interested in physics. He argues that one should “never be afraid of even the most absurd ideas, and even to embrace them,” and that minority voices ought be elevated because of the “outsider’s perspective” they bring. Diversity in science, he writes, “is not simply a social justice concern...it enhances the quality of the science we accomplish.” The result is both an excellent work of advocacy and a welcoming introduction to physics.
September 1, 2021
Dark matter remains a mystery to physicists, but scientists regardless make assumptions based on known physics, rather than accepting the unknown or a deviation from the known. Theoretical physicist Alexander (Brown Univ.; The Jazz of Physics) proposes that this attitude is the field's major flaw, which keeps it from accepting ideas from outsiders and makes scientists play it safe. His book promises to be frank and sometimes controversial: he encourages creativity in theoretical physics and challenges the idea that science is purely mathematical. He aims to inspire readers who feel unwelcome in scientific communities (drawing on his own experience as a Black man in STEM) and prove to academe that diversity is better for everyone and every field. In engaging and accessible writing, Alexander explains how physics is inflected by non-science disciplines, including art, philosophy, sociology, and psychology. He also looks at the past, present, and future of physics in relation to theory (the principle of invariance of light, the quantum superposition principle, the principle of emergence). VERDICT An interesting and thorough collection of thought experiments for physicists, cosmologists, and aspiring scientists who want to think outside the box. The book will especially appeal to readers of popular science.--Cate Triola, Capella Univ., Minneapolis
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from June 15, 2021
A renowned cosmologist argues that empowering scientific outsiders and taking risks on nontraditional ideas will result in transformative science. "I hope to convince my readers that diversity in science is not simply a social justice concern, but that it enhances the quality of the science we accomplish." So writes Brown University physics professor Alexander, the 2020 president of the National Society of Black Physicists as well as an electronic musician, at the beginning of this captivating scientific journey. He points out that deviance often results in innovation, and women and minorities often innovate more, leading to a logical conclusion: "Perhaps it is time to value and elevate minorities, thus enabling them to make major contributions, not in spite of their outsider's perspective, but because of it." The author's own contributions include unraveling the mysteries of the early universe and advancing ideas relating to quantum gravity, and he deftly explains these and more in accessible and often personal prose. But it's Alexander's enthusiasm for seriously exploring theories on the frontier of physics that makes this more exciting than most similar books: Are life and the universe truly decoupled? Did the wave function of the universe undergo self-observation at its realization, and was this a form of cosmic proto-consciousness? The author draws on research from a variety of disciplines--physics, cosmology, biology, philosophy--to bolster his compelling arguments. As he shows, the current models of our universe--and the theories scientists use to construct them--may be called into question, requiring creative, interdisciplinary thinking to resolve. This beautiful and surprising book will leave readers wanting to learn more about the author and his mind-bending ideas, and it makes a perfect complement to Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's recent book, The Disordered Cosmos. Lush with ideas and bold in its analysis of the status quo, this book reorients our view of science and the universe.
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