Of Time, Passion, and Knowledge

by J.T. Fraser

"Only a wayfarer born under unruly stars would attempt to put into practice in our epoch of proliferating knowledge the Heraclitean dictum that `men who love wisdom must be inquirers into very many things indeed.'" Thus begins this remarkable interdisciplinary study of time by a master of the subject. And while developing a theory of "time as conflict," J. T. Fraser does offer "many things indeed"--an enormous range of ideas about matter, life, death, evolution, and value.

Genres: Philosophy, Science, Theory

552 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 1990

Reviews

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing I particularly remember from this fascinating book is Fraser's serious attempt to figure out what time must be like for an insect - I think his example was a flea. Taking into account the difference in the way the laws of physics affect a physical body at much smaller scales - as, for instance, the intractability of water's surface tension for tiny creatures - he tried to ascertain how the experience of time must be different as well, both as a matter of physics and as what you might call the protopsychology of a much simpler nervous system, experiencing a much more abbreviated lifespan. Remarkable, and highly recommended for the interested popular reader.