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The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World

David Deutsch

4.1 · Rating details · 3,355 Ratings · 311 Reviews

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Hardcover, 487 pages

Published July 21st 2011 by Viking (first published March 1st 2011)

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Oct 11, 2011 Andy added it

I am not sure that another book has influenced my thinking quite as much as The Beginning of Infinity.

As I read through Deutsch's many provocative assertions, I often reacted with instinctive scorn and disbelief. But with only a few exceptions, I found myself within a few pages not only persuaded but convinced of the utter obviousness of his ideas.

The specific assertions in this book are important not because of the claims they make relevant to that field, but because they are meta-assertions wh ...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Gendou rated it did not like it

Shelves: non-fiction, quantum-physics, philosophy, physics

Summary: Lose, philosophical rambling, plus an insightful take on Many Worlds.

Author's favorite word: parochial

I'm trying to be more positive in my reviews. Here are the good parts:
* Plausible story of the evolution of the technology of numerals.
* Refutation of anthropic reasoning for being a bad explanation.
* Introduction to infinite set theory using the idea of Infinity Hotel.
* Refutation of the Precautionary Principle for being pessimism.
* A clever, made-up tale of Socrates and Hermes on epis ...more

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May 23, 2017 Mohammed-Makram rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: science

لا يخطو الرجل فى نفس النهر مرتين
فلا النهر يظل نفس النهر
و لا الرجل نفس الرجل

أيوه يعنى ايه المطلوب و ايه معنى العنوان الغريب ده
بداية اللانهاية

اتقل شوية و احتمال تعرف بعد ما توصل لنص الكتاب

صبرنى يا رب

الكلام ده بيفكرك بحاجه :)

ماذا حدث ليتغيير العالم هذا التغير فى مائتى سنة كما لم يتغير فى الاف السنين قبل ذلك
بدا ان العالم لن يتطور ابدا و ظلت حالة الركود تلك لمئات السنين ثم بدأت نزعات نقدية لكل الأساطير المؤسسة لهذا الركود العلمى و الثقافى
كانت الثورة فلسفية نقدية قبل ان تكون علمية عندما حل الشك محل ا
لا يخطو الرجل فى نفس النهر مرتين
فلا النهر يظل نفس النهر
و لا الرجل نفس الرجل

أيوه يعنى ايه المطلوب و ايه معنى العنوان الغريب ده
بداية اللانهاية

اتقل شوية و احتمال تعرف بعد ما توصل لنص الكتاب

صبرنى يا رب

الكلام ده بيفكرك بحاجه :)

ماذا حدث ليتغيير العالم هذا التغير فى مائتى سنة كما لم يتغير فى الاف السنين قبل ذلك
بدا ان العالم لن يتطور ابدا و ظلت حالة الركود تلك لمئات السنين ثم بدأت نزعات نقدية لكل الأساطير المؤسسة لهذا الركود العلمى و الثقافى
كانت الثورة فلسفية نقدية قبل ان تكون علمية عندما حل الشك محل اليقين و رغم ذلك لم يكن هذا كافيا. فعند هدم سلطة ما لابد أن تحل مكانها سلطة جديدة. فإذا كانت السلطة الجديدة قمعية كسابقتها فلن يحدث تقدم أبدا.
نشأت من هنا سلطة التجربة بديله لسلطة الميثولوجيا أو الأساطير و كان شرطها الوحيد هو اطلاق سلطة العقل فى الافتراض و التجريب و الاستنتاج و التطبيق ثم توالت الأحداث بتسارع لم يستطيع ادراكه من تخلف عن فرضياته الأساسية التى تتمثل فى اطلاق النقد لما مضى من افكار و اطلاق الحرية للفكر العصرى النابع عن منطق أرضى لا شأن له بالغيبيات أيا كان مصدرها.

فكرتان شائعتان يفترض المؤلف خطأهما
الأولى ان الإنسان هو غثاء كيميائى فى كوكب عادى فى مجرة عادية فى الكون الواسع
الثانية هى أن المحيط الحيوى للإنسان هو صاحب الفضل فى وجوده و استمراره
لم اقتنع بحجج المؤلف فى دحض هاتان الفرضيتان

و كما يقول آينشتين: أنا و قلمى أذكى منى بلا قلمى.

ربما بعد ان نتمكن من بناء مستعمرات فضائية فى الكون الفسيح كما يتوقع الكاتب و يقول انها مسألة وقت ... أقول ربما ارانى راكبا الحافلة الفضائية مناديا السائق:
ايوه يا اسطى على ايدك هنا ... ايوه على اى جمب لو سمحت ... و انزل المحطة المدارية لأقابل صديقى القادم من المريخ للبحث عن عمل لدينا فى كوكب زحل

يدخلنا الكاتب فى مقابلات منطقية بين فريقين
الفريق الذى يقول بوجود خالق او اكثر و الفريق الذى ينكر وجود خالق. و رغم انه ينتصر دائما للفريق الثانى الا ان قراءة الحجج المنطقية للفريقين هى متعة بحد ذاتها.
الحجة الاولى هى انه لا مخلوق بدون خالق و يرى انها تأكل نفسها بنفسها فلو طبقنا نفس المنطق على الخالق لاختل منطق الحجه و لعدنا من حيث بدأنا.
الحجة الثانية و هى الأقوى حجة التصميم الذكى للكون الذى به من الثوابت الكونية و القوانين الفيزيائية ما لو نقص احداها او زاد قدر انمله لاختل الكون و ما تواصلت الحياة او ما نشأت اصلا و يرد على ذلك بأنه رؤية ضيقة جدا للأحداث و يغير قليلا من الجملة لتصبح هكذا
اذا زادت الثوابت او نقصت قدر انمله لما نشأ الكون و لا تكونت حياة بالصورة التى نعرفها و لاتخذ الأمر مسار اخر مختلف
صراحة لم تقنعنى حجته و استدلالاته عليها فقد جاءت بفاصل طويل من الرغى الغير مثمر

إلى اللانهائية و ما بعدها

حتى منتصف الكتاب مش فاهم العنوان بيعبر عن ايه

الفصل السادس بعنوان القفزه نحو العمومية هو الأروع حتى الان حيث يبحث فى نشأة اللغة و الأرقام و الحسابات و من ثم الحاسبات

لا ازال اتذكر برنامج الكمبيوتر اليزا الذى ابهرنى فى منتصف التسعينات اذ كان يتجاوب مع محادثاتك و مجيبا على اسئلتك و سائلا اياك عن بعض تفاصيل كلامك و كأنه صديق قديم أو معالج نفسى رغم انه كان برنامج بدائى من برامج نظام تشغيل دوس. لم أكن أدرى وقتئذ أنه برنامج للذكاء الصناعى تم تصميمه فى بداية الستينات لاثبات ان الالات يمكنها ان تجارى الإنسان فى التفكير.

هو يؤمن تماما باللانهاية كما نؤمن نحن بالقيامة و البعث و الحساب و الجزاء
لن تقف أى حدود أمام الإنسان و سيكون هذا الكون بكل ما فيه طوع بنانه و هذا هو معنى بداية اللانهاية

المفتاح الأول للتقدم نحو اللانهاية هو النقد أما الثانى فهو التفاؤل

و هذا الفصل من أروع فصول الكتاب رغم انه فى الفلسفة الا انه مفهوم بشكل واضح

ان لم تصدق فكرة تعدد الأكوان كما وردت فى الكتاب فأنت لم تشاهد مسلسل الكبير قوى

و أخيرا لمن يسأل عن معنى بداية اللانهاية
انا لا اعرف معنى بداية اللانهايه
انا كنت فى الحمام ساعتها
و لكن إليك الخلاصة
تنمية الروح النقدية
تشجيع التغيير
التجريب الناتج عن الفكر و المنتهى باستنتاجات تمهد لتطبيقات عملية او مزيد من التجريب
البحث عن اللانهائية فى كل شىء

يعنى اى حاجه تجيب اخرها و تعصرها و تصبر معاها للآخر لحد ما تلاقى ملهاش اخر

هذه هى بعض معانى اللانهاية فى الكتاب و يدعمها بالطبع الأمل فى غد افضل و اكثر قابلية لإدارة المخاطر و اكثر تأقلما مع هذا الكائن الذى يظن نفسه سيد الكون ...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Rachel rated it liked it

Can you give a book a one AND a four? This book has me split. I didn't really like it, but I did make it through and give myself credit for that (although I skipped the sections where he plays like Socrates...weird...how did his editor let that through?). And even though I didn't like it, it made me think in directions I hadn't gone before. That's worth a lot.

The author is prideful and arrogant and really rather strange, But he is good at explaining bizarro physics concepts that are on the surf ...more

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Nov 06, 2013 Blair rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-physics, philosophy, zzz-own-on-paper, philosophy-of-science, must-read-books, subjectivism

This book is about rational optimism. For the past few hundred years in the West, science and logical thinking have been changing things for the better. The author believes we are just beginning an era of continual progress that has no bound.

His key idea is that science is defined by seeking explanations for the universal laws that govern reality. Explanations go beyond simply describing what we observe, or “instrumentalism”. A good explanation has “reach” – it explains not only what we see, but ...more

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May 06, 2012 Anastasia Hobbet rated it it was amazing

David Deutsch is brilliant, iconoclastic, and so sure of himself that it takes my breath away. No political correctness here! And no homage to that creaky old ideal of writing within your own speciality. But then he's a cosmologist, so what's not within his specialty?! Accordingly, this book is about absolutely everything. It includes critiques of contemporary science fiction, conversations between Socrates and his adherents, trips into intergalactic space, and a thorough discussion about the pr ...more

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Oct 09, 2016 Nabeel Hassan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

كتاب يطرح الكثير من الأفكار الفيزيائية و العلمية و الفلسفية، يطرح فكرة اللانهاية عن طريق نقض الكثير من النظريات التي تروج لعكس المعنى و يحاول أن يفسر سبب ردائة النظرية بطريقته الخاصة.
أسهب في شرح فندق اللانهاية الذي يراها تفسير غير جيد، تبحث في التفائل و التشائم في المواضيع نفسها و ذكر تاريخ علمي للكثير من النظريات و كيف كان تأثير التفسيرات الجيدة و غير الجيدة.
كتاب لربما يراه الكثير بأنه خيالي أكثر من واقعي و مع أن الكاتب ينتقد التفائل المفرط و لكني أراه متفائل جداً في أمور مازلت غامضة مثل الذكاء ...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Nick Black rated it really liked it

Recommended to Nick by: Scott Aaronson

Shelves: she-blinded-me-with-science

fascinating, but not everything i was hoping for. i'm surprised to see this book being used as one of the required texts for scott aaronson's 6.893 Philosophy and Theoretical Computer Science this fall, a course which i would happily give up either testicle to attend. seriously, stop reading whatever crap you're reading and go through that reading list. it's a who's who of everything that matters.
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picked it up today. can't wait.
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Dr. Deutsch wrote one hell of a PhD dissertation back in the da ...more

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Nov 19, 2011 rmn rated it it was ok

Shelves: non-fiction-science

Who knew that the beginning of infinity was also the start of boring, I mean really, what a crappy way to have to spend infinity.

Anyway, this book is dryly written (despite what the back of the book jacket says) and confusingly uneven with some parts being informative and some being so incomprehensible that they would likely put somnambulists to sleep.

As far as I can tell, the author has a valid thesis which is that human intelligence can solve any problems we face as long as people remain open ...more

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Sep 29, 2016 Mohamed al-Jamri rated it really liked it

Shelves: popular-science-recommendations, favorites

هل هناك حد للتقدم البشري؟ وهل سنصل في يوم ما إلى أقصى ما يمكن الوصول له لتدخل حضارتنا بعد ذلك في مرحلة من الجمود؟ يحاول ديفيد دويتش، الفيزيائي من جامعة «أكسفورد» والمتخصص في مجال «الحوسبة الكمومية» أن يقنعنا بأن الإجابة على هذه الأسئلة هي لا، فالتقدم البشري لا نهاية له. «بداية اللانهاية: تفسيراتٌ تُغَيِّر وجه العالَم» هو ثاني كتاب للمؤلف، يتطرق في فصوله الثمانية عشر إلى مواضيع علمية وفلسفية مركزاً على أهمية «التفسيرات الجيدة» ليس فقط في العلم، بل في كل مجالات المعرفة البشرية. يقدم دويتش في هذا ا هل هناك حد للتقدم البشري؟ وهل سنصل في يوم ما إلى أقصى ما يمكن الوصول له لتدخل حضارتنا بعد ذلك في مرحلة من الجمود؟ يحاول ديفيد دويتش، الفيزيائي من جامعة «أكسفورد» والمتخصص في مجال «الحوسبة الكمومية» أن يقنعنا بأن الإجابة على هذه الأسئلة هي لا، فالتقدم البشري لا نهاية له. «بداية اللانهاية: تفسيراتٌ تُغَيِّر وجه العالَم» هو ثاني كتاب للمؤلف، يتطرق في فصوله الثمانية عشر إلى مواضيع علمية وفلسفية مركزاً على أهمية «التفسيرات الجيدة» ليس فقط في العلم، بل في كل مجالات المعرفة البشرية. يقدم دويتش في هذا الكتاب العميق نظرة متفائلة حول قدرة البشرية على الوصول للتقدم اللانهائي عن طريق صناعة المعرفة والتي تتم بفعل التفسيرات الجيدة والثقافة النقدية والتفاؤل بأن التقدم ممكن.

في البداية يقوم الكاتب بطرح أفكاره الخاصة حول «الإبيستيمولوجيا» أو «نظرية المعرفة» والمُلهَمة بشكل كبير من أفكار الفيلسوف النمساوي كارل بوبر. ينتقد الكاتب الفكر التجريبي ويقول أنه رغم كونه مفيداً في وقت ما من أجل تحريرنا من الأفكار الدوغمائية، فإنه وضع سلطة جديدة مكان القديمة، وأطروحته حول كون الحواس مصدر المعرفة غير صحيحة، فكل مشاهدة محمّلة بالنظرية. إن مصدر المعرفة هو العقل والتفكير، والتجربة هي سبيل لاختبار الفرضيات لا مصدر للأفكار الجديدة. في المقابل يطرح الكاتب فكرة «اللامعصومية» التي تقوم على أساس إنكار وجود مصادر سلطوية للمعرفة، وعلى أن تفسيراتنا للواقع، مهما كانت ممتازة فإنها تحتوي على بعض الأخطاء جنباً إلى جنب مع الحقائق، ولذلك هناك حاجة مستمرة لتغيير تفسيراتنا نحو الأفضل، ولن يكون هناك تقسير نهائي يتوقع عنده البحث. هذا المذهب ضروري للبدء في نمو معرفي غير محدود.

حدثت «القفزة نحو اللانهاية» مرة واحدة فقط في تاريخ البشرية، ففي بداية التاريخ كانت الأسطورة هي السائدة، وشهدت الحضارة موجات تقدم تبعتها موجات تخلف كما حصل في اليونان والحضارة الإسلامية، فما هو المميز هذه المرة؟ لم يكن ظهور العلم الحديث في فراغ، بل كان جزءاً من حركة فكرية أكبر هي «التنوير» والتي جلبت التقدم في مجالات أخرى كالسياسة وعلم الأخلاق. التنوير في الأساس تغيّر فلسفي وثورة ضد السلطة فيما يختص بالمعرفة، فقبله كان يُعتقد أننا نعرف كل شيءٍ يمكن معرفته، وبذلك لم يكن هناك دافع لمعرفة المزيد. يذكرني كلام الكاتب هنا بما قاله يوفال هراري في كتابه «العقال: موجز تاريخ البشرية» حيث يذكر أن أحد أهم إنجازات التنوير هو «اكتشاف الجهل». تميّزت حركة التنوير بطرح تفسيرات جديدة، وتطوير تقليد نقدي، وعدم التسليم للسلطات المعرفية، والتفاؤل بحدوث التقدّم والسعي لتحقيقه.

والتفاؤل هذا، موضوعٌ يخصص له الكاتب فصلاً بحد ذاته، فهو يرى أن التفاؤل هو الإيمان بالتقدم وزيادة المعرفة وأن مصدر كل الشرور هو الجهل. كانت هناك تحذيرات تشاؤمية كثيرة عن مصير البشرية الأسود على مدى التاريخ، وارتبطت هذه التحذيرات بمبدأ الوقاية من المخاطر. فمالثوس مثلاً حذّر من زيادة عدد السكان أسرع من الموارد مما سيؤدي للمجاعات والحروب، ولكن خطأ مالثوس كما هو خطأ المتشائمين الآخرين هو أنهم لم يأخذوا بعين الاعتبار أننا لا يمكن لنا توقع النتائج المستقبلية واحتمالاتها، لذلك أخطأ تنبؤه وازدادت قدرتنا على إنتاج المواد الغذائية بفعل تقدم العلوم والتكنولوجيا. لا يمكن لنا معرفة المشاكل المستقبلية، فضلاً عن الحلول اللازمة لها. إن زيادة المعرفة هو ما يمكن أن يحمينا من المستقبل المجهول، وهو ما يعني أن أي مشكلة ستكون محدودة ومؤقتة، ولو كان لدى الناس في الماضي مقدار أكبر من المعرفة لتمكنوا من تجنب الكثير من الكوارث، وهو ما يعني أننا اليوم -وبفعل تراكم المعرفة- في أكثر القرون أماناً لحد الآن. «المشكلات حتمية، ولكنها قابلة للحل» هذا ما يؤكده الكاتب، بل ويطلب منّا كتابته على الحجر!

ينتقد الكاتب «مبدأ العادية» الذي يقول بأنه لايوجد شيء مميز في الإنسان والأرض والنظام الشمسي، هذا المبدأ الفلسفي تطوّر بفعل الاكتشافات العلمية التي أظهرت أن الأرض ليست مركز الكون وأن البشر تطوّروا من كائنات أكثر بدائية وأنهم يشتركون مع بقية الكائنات في الأصل. يتجلى هذا المبدأ بوضوح في كلام العالم الفيزيائي ستيفين هوكنج الذي قال أن «الجنس البشري ليس سوى حثالة كيميائية على كوكب متوسط الحجم، يدور حول نجم عادي جداً في ضاحية خارجية ضمن مجرة واحدة من مئات المليارات من المجرات». من المفترض أن يخرجنا هذا المبدأ من ضيق أفقنا البشري ليفتح أمامنا آفاق الكون الواسع، ولكن الكاتب بعتبره ضيّق الأفق، فالبشر -وأي كيان ذكي آخر يستطيع صناعة المعرفة التفسيرية- مميزون في الكون بأمور كثيرة، أهما قدرتهم غير المحدودة على صنع المعرفة. إن المعرفة تؤدي للسيطرة والتحكم، وبالتالي فالمعرفة الصحيحة تجعل كل شيء ممكناً طالما لم يكن محظوراً وفقاً لقوانين الفيزياء. إن هذا يعني أن البشر كما غيروا سطح الأرض بمعرفتهم فإنهم سيتمكنون في المستقبل من إحداث تغييرات كبيرة على مستوى الكون.

حجم الكتاب كبير –حوالي 500 صفحة- وكمية الأفكار فيه كبيرة وعميقة، ولم أذكر منها في هذه المساحة البسيطة سوى النزر اليسير. ينتقد الكاتب وبثقة كبيرة عدداً كبيراً من المفاهيم التي يعتبرها خاطئة كـ«التجريبية»، «الاستقرائية»، «الوضعية»، «الاختزالية»، «النسبية» و«ما بعد الحداثية» وغيرها، وينقد كذلك أفكار عدد كبير من العلماء مثل ستيفين هوكنج، ريتشارد دوكنز، ريتشارد فاينمان، توماس أديسون وحتى مخرج الأفلام الوثائقية ديفيد أتينبارا. لا اعتقد أن أحداً سلم من انتقاداته سوى الفيلسوف كارل بوبر! هل يبدو هذا كثيراً؟ نعم، وهناك الكثير من الأفكار الثقيلة التي يطرحها الكاتب كذلك، كثير منها لم يستطع حسب تقديري شرحها بشكل وافي. يحسب له استخدام الأمثلة والتجارب الفكرية لتبسيط أفكاره قدر الإمكان وكذلك توضيح المصطلحات المستخدمة وتلخيص كل فصل في نهايته. كان هناك فصل خاص أيضًا لخّص فيه مفاهيم كثيرة بطريقة أدبية استعار فيها طريقة أفلاطون الحوارية وهو أكثر فصل نال إعجابي. لا أرى أن فكرة الكتاب الأساسية أطروحة علمية، بل هي أقرب إلى أن تكون نظرة فلسفية ومزاج مبني على إطلاع وتفكير عميق على مختلف المنتجات الحضارية البشرية، خصوصاً العلمية منها.
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Mar 17, 2018 Steven Williams rated it liked it

In this book the author David Deutsch argues that there is no or can be no end to how far we can, or other sentient creatures, can go in furthering our explanations of the universe. This is our knowledge will continue to grow with out bounds. He explains why explanations are the key element in our gaining knowledge, and not the standard true justified belief of epistemology. He attempts to show how induction and empiricism fail to describe our knowledge acquisition. He believes science is practi ...more

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Jan 15, 2012 David rated it really liked it

This is a very interesting introduction to modern research in computational complexity and its often intriguing applications to physics, cosmology and even philosophy.

The part that struck me the most was his chapter on "Optimism". He argues that we are in the midst of an explosion of scientific knowledge and technology that may well continue for many years into the future, yielding a world that is far more advanced than anything we can imagine at the present time. He then argues further that th ...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Ed van der Winden rated it it was amazing

I cannot stress the importance of this book enough. This book is about the power and potential of explanations and therefore also of our potential as a species, as the people who are able to create these explanations. Deutsh's book is an incredibly lucid and powerful explanation in itself and I will even go as far as to conclude that with this book Deutsch has become the most important philosopher of our time!
Do yourself a favor and read this book! Deutsch's book is not technical and understanda ...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Gary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science

I finished this book a month ago and at first I wasn't sure what I thought of it. But a month has gone by and I still think about it. In fact I think about it a lot.

Some other reviewer mentioned that his favorite word was "parochial" which made me laugh because it does seem to be true. And I finally had to look it up in the dictionary because he only gave a one sentence definition of "parochial" that I thought was lacking. And by that I mean I didn't understand it. I looked it up online. I wish I finished this book a month ago and at first I wasn't sure what I thought of it. But a month has gone by and I still think about it. In fact I think about it a lot.

Some other reviewer mentioned that his favorite word was "parochial" which made me laugh because it does seem to be true. And I finally had to look it up in the dictionary because he only gave a one sentence definition of "parochial" that I thought was lacking. And by that I mean I didn't understand it. I looked it up online. I wish I had done it more towards the beginning of the book instead of the end. I was wishfully thinking that I would understand it from context. Oh well.

There are entire chapters that seem a little pointless, some kind of rambling, and the multiverse chapter I gave up on half way through and skipped to the next chapter.

The first two or three chapters though... wow. The first two chapters were amazing. I will be re-reading them again until it really sinks in. The question of "how do we know what we know?" is tackled, in the sense of he ran at it full speed, tackled it, slammed into the ground and pummeled it. It was first rate stuff.

One part that stuck with me was the two plaques. "Problems are inevitable" and "all problems are soluble" has stuck with me. Setting arbitrary limits to the potential of human knowledge also really struck a chord with me. In fact over the last month I've found myself repeating ideas that I picked up in this book during conversations. I yelled "Don't set arbitrary limits to human knowledge!" over a beer at a bar the other night. It was all a bit pretentious. I might as well have been wearing a beret.

The parts at the end of the chapter, especially the "Meanings of infinity encountered in this chapter" and his definitions were kind of silly. At least it felt silly to me. In fact lots of it felt silly. And yet, I gave it five stars, because I haven't read a book in a long time that has stuck with me like this one has.

It is big, but not expensive. It is at times annoying, but so what. Actually that reminds me. Some reviews have complained about the manner in which the author seemed to discredit other ideas, theories, books and authors. But I liked it. To me it's like this: If you are right, and you can argue you right-ness, then why pussyfoot around it? If you have an argument to make then make it. If it is bad manners to say "You are wrong and this is why" then that is a problem with manners, as far as I'm concerned. If you think you are right, then say so, and then be prepared to back it up. This he did. There is nothing to be gained by starting each sentence with "With all due respect", etc.

For example, he ripped into a book which I haven't read, but I know a lot of people who have, and who consider it to be in their top ten. I won't say the name, but it rhymes with "Buns, Perms, and Peel" and boy oh boy David Deutsch did not pull any punches. But thing is, he doesn't just say "This idea is crap." He follows up with a wickedly good argument as to why the idea is crap. I won't be able to read Buns, Perms, and Feel now because the premise has already been set up, examined, and knocked-the-*&^%-out by Deutsch. It's sassy. I like it. I like some attitude. Deutsch has a brain on him and he comes out swinging. Those parts were actually my favorites.

As a whole, this book is equal parts flawed, silly, sassy, and downright brilliant. It is a gonzo combination. I wish more books were like this. ...more

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May 20, 2012 Diarmid rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, science, philosophy

David Deutsch is a Fellow of the Royal Society and and expert on the quantum theory of computation based at Oxford University. Physics and an understanding of the laws of physics are at the core of this book, but it is just as much a work of philosophy, dealing as it does with progress and human society. Deutsch's contention is that the laws of reality can be known and will provide endless opportunity for investigation and the expansion of knowledge, that the principles of the scientific method David Deutsch is a Fellow of the Royal Society and and expert on the quantum theory of computation based at Oxford University. Physics and an understanding of the laws of physics are at the core of this book, but it is just as much a work of philosophy, dealing as it does with progress and human society. Deutsch's contention is that the laws of reality can be known and will provide endless opportunity for investigation and the expansion of knowledge, that the principles of the scientific method established since the Enlightenment allow us to discover the laws of reality, and that there is no limit to human progress. Deutsch makes his argument brilliantly, and there is a great deal of speculation about optimism, memes, and the nature of intellectual progress that provides a new perspective on our society and where it might go, but the book as a whole is strangely unsatisfying.

It is difficult to find fault with the arguments in the book, but it feels like Deutsch's view is ultimately lacking, that it looks at only one aspect of human progress and underplays others. For example, Deutsch references Jared Diamond's brilliant 'Guns, Germs and Steel' in it's examination of why indigenous societies in America were defeated and destroyed by European colonialism. Diamond's argument is based on resources and their effect of human development, which slowed and limited development in the Americas and allowed Europe to progress faster. Deutsch argues that a lack of resources does not present a barrier to human progress, as Enlightenment thinking will allow any lack of resources to be overcome or avoided, and will in fact change how resources are defined. The civilisations now in America have the same resources as the indigenous civilisations, but are vastly wealthier and more advanced because they use resources differently. The problem is that Deutsch claims that all pre-Enlightenment societies suffered from the same limitations, yet European societies were able to overtake and overwhelm indigenous societies. Medieval Spain was profoundly unscientific and riddled with the sort of ideas that Deutsch identifies as a barrier to progress, but was able to overwhelm the Incan empire and the other civilisations of the Americas. Deutsch argues that progress is based on a certain way of thinking, and that societies without that way of thinking are static and incapable of progress, yet that argument seems to be unable to address why pre-Enlightenment Europe managed to advance and overtake other areas of the world.

On the other side of the coin, Deutsch argues that a society which uses Enlightenment thinking is capable of unstoppable and infinite growth. He does identify instances of other societies that have developed the same way of thinking, most obviously classical Athens, but he never really explains why these societies did not carry on progressing while arguing that our society will. In the end, no matter how brilliant Deutsch's argument it feels too simplistic to explain the complexities of human progress and the reasons why societies rise and fall, and thus inadequate to predict how our society will progress and how we will overcome the problems and threats that face us over the next decades. Deutsch's views on progress are fascinating and his views on optimism refreshing, but his argument as a whole feels ultimately slightly ephemeral and sophist, beautiful but not wholly practical. ...more

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Feb 21, 2017 محمود أغيورلي rated it really liked it · review of another edition

مقتطفات من كتاب بداية اللانهاية للكاتب ديفيد دويتش
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على مرِّ تاريخ البشر، لم يتحقَّق التقدم بالسرعة التي تجعله ملحوظًا، ولا بالثبات الذي يدعم استمراره عبر أجيالٍ عديدةٍ إلا مرة واحدة. ولقد تزامنَتْ بدايته مع اندلاع الثورة العلمية تقريبًا، ولا يزال متواصِلًا حتى الآن، وتضمَّنَ تطوُّراتٍ لم تقتصرفقط على الفهم العلمي، بل امتدتْ أيضًا لتشمل التكنولوجيا والمؤسسات السياسية والقِيَم الأخلاقية والفنون وسائر مناحي الرخاء الإنساني.
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إن العالم المادي ليس فقط أكبر وأعنف كثيرًا ...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Tiffoknee the 3rd Conner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: indispensable

It's not often that I feel comfortable giving a book 5 stars. While I recognize that ranking books with stars is a decidedly arbitrary way to judge quality, if it will encourage other people to give this book the time it deserves, then 5 stars it is.

There are so many good things to say about The Beginning of Infinity. I'll offer up some of the more unoriginal phrases of praise: Thought-provoking, eye-opening, original, insightful, erudite, and written in clear, accessible prose. I saw this book It's not often that I feel comfortable giving a book 5 stars. While I recognize that ranking books with stars is a decidedly arbitrary way to judge quality, if it will encourage other people to give this book the time it deserves, then 5 stars it is.

There are so many good things to say about The Beginning of Infinity. I'll offer up some of the more unoriginal phrases of praise: Thought-provoking, eye-opening, original, insightful, erudite, and written in clear, accessible prose. I saw this book on the 2011 Notable Books list in The New York Times and put it in my wishlist as soon as I read the blurb. I've been on a reading kick trifecta in which I have found myself interested in reading anything I can about neuroscience, economics, and physics. Science in general has been on the top of my lists of late. I can't say why exactly. I am right crap at math and didn't study a hard science during university. Nevertheless, I have fallen in love with the stuff.

Deutsch is a professor of physics at Oxford University, but his intellectual reach is impressive. If this book is any indication, Deutsch is probably one of the most learned authors I have ever read. The central theme of the book is that knowledge and progress are intertwined with an ability to ask good questions. Without this tradition of criticism and a continued examination of facts there can be no progress, and without progress humanity itself would not exist. Deutsch points to the Enlightment as the place in human history where this powerful, intellectual transformation and tradition of criticism originated, but he manages to do so without writing an off-putting screed about the superiority of the West and dismissal of "The Rest". The only "superior" in this narrative is knowledge. While there have been other periods of creative burst which have mirrored or predated the Enlightment, they were missing vital components which prevented them from becoming true building blocks in the "beginning of infinity". These other periods were without a tradition of criticism. Criticism creates creativity; criticism cultivates creativity; criticism creates culture--without criticism, societies cannot evolve and become great. It sounds simple enough, but in Deutsch's hands this deceptively simple argument is deftly composed, and any and all forays into what might initially seem like misguided tangents, are firmly fleshed out. You are learning something new on every page.

Deutsch writes convincingly of the need to seek good explanations for answers, rather than rely on superstition or bad logic. He rejects relativism, empiricism, and behaviorism, among other things, in the name of good, critical thinking. And what's most fascinating about this is that Deutsch takes this general premise about the paramount nature of explanations to the transformation of the world and applies it to philosophy, art, space exploration, beauty, governance, among so many other things. And each time he makes a case, it's well-argued, well-supported, and very convincing. While Deutsch does write a little about physics, this is not a book purely about science or physics. It is a book about knowledge, how societies are improved with knowledge, and how the search for knowledge must always be at the heart of what we do as a species. It's an inspiring investigation. I am pleased to have stumbled upon this book. It is, without question, now one of my favorite books of all-time. ...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Timothy Warnock rated it it was amazing

While I was, admittedly, turned off by the cover [worth mentioning here only because this book touches on a universal aesthetic], the ideas and perspectives offered in this book are incredible.

Overall it was brilliant, challenging, and refreshing -- it addresses so wonderfully the questions and concerns I personally found unanswered in every philosophy of science or epistemology lecture I had ever attended.

The author very beautifully connected mathematics, physics, politics, and art into a famil While I was, admittedly, turned off by the cover [worth mentioning here only because this book touches on a universal aesthetic], the ideas and perspectives offered in this book are incredible.

Overall it was brilliant, challenging, and refreshing -- it addresses so wonderfully the questions and concerns I personally found unanswered in every philosophy of science or epistemology lecture I had ever attended.

The author very beautifully connected mathematics, physics, politics, and art into a familiar worldview that I've never been able to articulate succinctly. In particular this provides the best explanation I've encountered for the scientific revolution and the acceleration of human-created technology and knowledge.

I've yet to find a criticism of this book that wasn't either gushingly positive or fallaciously misrepresenting a specific point, or ignoring the content and calling the book boring and hard to read, which it kind of is...

I fell asleep more than once while reading.

Also, if you're going to read this, it would be useful to have a prerequisite background in at least academic philosophy (he dives deep into epistemology and answers criticisms of Fallibilism assuming the reader has been following epistemology debates). While I can't speak to his interpretation of quantum mechanics (I simply do not know enough to even offer an opinion), his overview of computer science and AI was spot on (and again, refreshing).

The parts about politics were quite amazing and comparatively easy to understand.

And I personally loved the section about art, creativity and a universal aesthetic -- I felt the larger context of infinite reach applies necessarily unto art and creativity (importantly and in no way different than physics or mathematics), but he seemed to lack the force and flagrant confidence in this area (at least compared to his views on physics and quantum mechanics).

In other words, he's incredibly bold and confident discussing quantum mechanics but he seems to only flirt with a universal aesthetic; in particular the subject/object distinction where discussions of universal aesthetics tend to be unfortunately (and unnecessarily) confused. I would have liked if the author was as boldly challenging to concepts (and consequences) of art as he is discussing quantum mechanics.

...more

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Dec 09, 2017 Jake rated it really liked it

Acknowledging human fallibility, the Enlightenment set up a tradition of conjecture and criticism. Perpetually correcting misconceptions allows us to create unbounded knowledge. Problems are inevitable, but soluble. Optimism is the theory that all failures are due to insufficient knowledge, and has been the basis for our progress since the Enlightenment. It is ours to actively foster in the future.

"The possibilities that lie in the future are infinite. When I say 'It is our duty to remain optimi ...more

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May 18, 2014 Robert Vlach rated it really liked it

Kvantový fyzik a průkopník teorie kvantových počítačů David Deutsch napsal důležitou knihu, v níž nabízí nové vysvětlení vývoje vědy, civilizace a poznání. The Beginning of Infinity (2011) je možná vůbec nejsrozumitelnějším filozofickým výkladem kvantové fyziky od předního vědce v oboru. Vedle podobných interpretací Feynmana a Krausse, Hawkinga a Mlodinowa, Lindleyho a dalších se Deutschovi podařilo asi nejlépe představit kvantovou teorii jako racionální vysvětlení světa, a to celé zasadit do ši Kvantový fyzik a průkopník teorie kvantových počítačů David Deutsch napsal důležitou knihu, v níž nabízí nové vysvětlení vývoje vědy, civilizace a poznání. The Beginning of Infinity (2011) je možná vůbec nejsrozumitelnějším filozofickým výkladem kvantové fyziky od předního vědce v oboru. Vedle podobných interpretací Feynmana a Krausse, Hawkinga a Mlodinowa, Lindleyho a dalších se Deutschovi podařilo asi nejlépe představit kvantovou teorii jako racionální vysvětlení světa, a to celé zasadit do širšího kontextu dějin civilizace a poznání. Deutsch srozumitelně a jasně argumentuje, co je špatně na kvantové mystice a výrocích typu „Pokud si myslíte, že rozumíte kvantové fyzice, tak jí nerozumíte,“ které dlouhá léta vzdalovaly veřejnost od podstaty věci. Už jen pro tento brilantní filozofický úvod je kniha cenná a přínosná. Deutsch říká: „Špatná filozofie je filozofie, která aktivně brání rozvoji poznání.“

Text je navíc nevídaně ambiciózní v tom, jak mocně se snaží kvantové vidění světa převést na společný epistemologický základ vědy coby vývojového sledu graduálně lepších vysvětlení. Vedle obvyklé exkurze do antiky, renesance a počátků osvícenství řadí nenuceně kapitoly o politice (navazující na Poppera), objektivním umění (překvapivě rezonující s Rand) či udržitelnosti pokroku (kde možná skutečně stojíme na počátku nekonečna).

Ano, mohl bych společně s některými recenzenty lamentovat nad tím, že expert by se neměl vrtat v tom, čemu nerozumí. Deutschovy názory jsou však natolik neotřelé, že stojí za to jim věnovat pozornost, i kdyby se měl většinou mýlit, což sám otevřeně připouští tvrzením, že každá velká teorie musí logicky začínat velkou spekulací. Argumentačně méně jistá vrstva knihy je tedy zároveň nejvíce intelektuálně vzrušující a svěží. Deutsch není druhý Richard Feynman, ale má jistě něco z jeho geniality, pokory i vtipu. Nejlépe to dokazuje vložená satirická kapitola o Sokratovi a jeho zjevení, které následně Platon zkreslí k nepoznání. ...more

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Feb 05, 2017 Teo 2050 rated it it was ok

Shelves: by_physicists, memes, _table-of-contents, lib_edge-org, _nonfiction, _audio, physics

10h @ 2x. Contents:
(view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Michael Flick rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: worst

Dense and difficult and in the end unsatisfying. The two fundamental questions are "How?" and "Why?" The author addresses the first, the how question, which is the only question science can answer. He argues, not wholly persuasively, for infinite progress. He ignores the why question. And in so doing, he ignores the crucial question of what meaning there can possibly be, at least for people, in infinity. The answer is: "none." What gives meaning to human life is precisely finitude, not infinity ...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Gary rated it it was amazing

"Covers nothing to everything"

One of my favorite books and provided me with many insights into our place in the universe and how we know the things we know. Deutsch explains the very small to the very large. He provides a reasonable explanation of the measurement problem in physics and a consistent theory on multiple universes. His survey of different schools of philosophies is one of the best I've read. He even has a detailed chapter on developing the most efficient election process which doesn ...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Liviu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011_release_read, non-fiction, read_2011, az_non_fiction_favs

An awesome book and as perfect explanation of "natural philosophy" for the 21st century as it gets; while I hold powerfully with almost all of the book's theses, I never could explain them as clearly as the author does - this is a must read for anyone interested in both the "big things" and how understanding and explanation - the main leg of we call progress - are so powerful that they have literally changed the world in 2-3 centuries more than pretty much in all its history, that they accelerat ...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Terry Tsurugi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Even though I disagree with many of Deutsch's ideas, I consider this book well worth reading and discussing. I see Deutsch's position as a radically conservative kind of heroic, optimistic realism rebelling against two dominate poles of western discourse: empiricism/pragmatism on the one hand and postmodernism on the other hand. He believes in physical reality, creativity, beauty, and progress, even though he requires a multiverse to support these things. He actually changed my mind about severa ...more

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Nov 06, 2013 Nancy McKinley rated it it was ok

A few gifted writers can take any subject and breathe life into it, even a subject such as the all- elusive (at least to me)Physics. Brian Greene is a artist who excels at this and it is no simple feat. The writer of this particular book: "The Beginning of Infinity" is no Brian Greene by a long shot but then besides Mr. Greene, who is?

I must take a snipe at the fact there are no notes or sources cited. I don't know how anyone could get so far and be so bright and fail to include this.

Something ...more

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May 18, 2017 Roman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Как позитивисту и инструменталисту было очень тяжело читать эту книгу. В некоторых моментах просто выходил из себя. Гнев и ярость. Но, преодолевая боль, дочитал до конца и ни о чем не жалею. Книга заставляет по-новому взглянуть на вопрос происхождения знания, переосмыслить свои взгляды.
Особенно понравилась идея эволюционного отбора объяснительных теорий.

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Aug 06, 2017 Bobparr added it · review of another edition

A volte compro libri in maniera superficiale, e questo ne è un esempio. Irretitito dal sottotitolo, chissà cosa pensavo di trovare. Un trattato di filosofia della scienza, ho trovato. L'argomento non è dei miei favoriti, ma l'autore mi sta prendendo per mano e con molta facilità mi sta guidando attraverso ragionamenti non immediati e dalle conseguenze importanti - non si può discutere sulla capacità didattica di D. L'uso della logica regna sovrano, e devo ammettere che molte affermazioni sono sp ...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Mousa Alshaikh rated it it was ok · review of another edition

قراءة كتاب "بداية اللانهية" كان تحدياً بالنسبة لي حيث أن المؤلف يحاول مواجهة موضوعات فلسفية متعددة تتطلب مني استثماراً للوقت لم أكن مستعداً لتقديمه وخصوصاً أنني قرات أغلب هذه المواضيع من مصادر أخرى وبشكل أوسع.
الكتاب يحاول أن ينظر في أصل نظرية المعرفة (االإبيستيمولوجيا) متؤثراً نوعاً ما بأفكار كارل بوبر.، وإعادة التفكير في طريقة طرح وجهات النظر وتفسير النظريات
ولكنه كتاب ممل بالنسبة لي وفائدته قليلة وكتب بطريقة سيئة يغلب عليه التكرار الممل والتشعب في الطرح وينتهي باستنتاجات يحاول فيها تصوير المثا ...more

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Mar 20, 2018 Cody Lasko rated it it was amazing

I’ll be coming back to this one in the future. What a ride. Simultaneously entertaining and enlightening, this is a phenomenal deconstruction of exactly what it intends to do: explain our reality. Lofty goal. Exceptional execution.

Highly recommend this to anyone that seeks an understanding of the world and the universe we live in from a scientific perspective. And just like me, you don’t have to have a degree in rocket appliances to get a bit of learning in whilst doing so! Splendid indeed!

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About David Deutsch

David Deutsch

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David Deutsch, FRS is a British physicist at the University of Oxford. He is a non-stipendiary Visiting Professor in the Department of Atomic and Laser Physics at the Centre for Quantum Computation (CQC) in the Clarendon Laboratory of the University of Oxford. He pioneered the field of quantum computation by being the first person to formulate a description for a quantum Turing machine, as well as ...more

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“Like every other destruction of optimism, whether in a whole civilisation or in a single individual, these must have been unspeakable catastrophes for those who had dared to expect progress. But we should feel more than sympathy for those people. We should take it personally. For if any of those earlier experiments in optimism had succeeded, our species would be exploring the stars by now, and you and I would be immortal.” — 12 likes

“Some people become depressed at the scale of the universe, because it makes them feel insignificant. Other people are relieved to feel insignificant, which is even worse. But, in any case, those are mistakes. Feeling insignificant because the universe is large has exactly the same logic as feeling inadequate for not being a cow. Or a herd of cows. The universe is not there to overwhelm us; it is our home, and our resource. The bigger the better.” — 10 likes

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