The Mystery of Existence Why Is There Anything At All?
by Leslie, John; Kuhn, Robert LawrenceEdition: 1st
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2013-04-22
Publisher(s): Wiley-Blackwell
Other versions by this Author
List Price: $38.97
Buy New
Usually Ships in 8 - 10 Business Days.
$37.11
Rent Textbook
Select for Price
Used Textbook
We're Sorry
Sold Out
eTextbook
We're Sorry
Not Available
How Marketplace Works:
- This item is offered by an independent seller and not shipped from our warehouse
- Item details like edition and cover design may differ from our description; see seller's comments before ordering.
- Sellers much confirm and ship within two business days; otherwise, the order will be cancelled and refunded.
- Marketplace purchases cannot be returned to eCampus.com. Contact the seller directly for inquiries; if no response within two days, contact customer service.
- Additional shipping costs apply to Marketplace purchases. Review shipping costs at checkout.
Summary
This compelling study of the origins of all that exists, including explanations of the entire material world, traces the responses of philosophers, scientists, and theologians to the most elemental and haunting question of all: why is anything here? It includes the thoughts of dozens of luminaries from Plato and Aristotle to Stephen Hawking and the Dalai Lama. The first accessible, carefully edited volume to cover an extremely wide range of possible reasons for the existence of all reality, from Plato to Stephen Hawking Features insights by scientists, philosophers, and theologians Includes informative and helpful editorial introductions to each section Provides a wealth of suggestions for further reading and research Material that is both comprehensive and comprehensible Promoted on Closer To Truth , the PBS / public television series on science and philosophy
Author Biography
John Leslie is University Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Guelph, Canada, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Well-known in the philosophy of cosmology and religion, he has held visiting professorships at institutions including the Australian National University (Research Department of Philosophy) and the University of Liège (Institute of Astrophysics). He is the author of numerous publications including Value and Existence (Blackwell, 1979), Universes (Routledge, 1989), The End of the World: the Science and Ethics of Human Extinction (Routledge, 1996), Infinite Minds (Oxford University Press, 2001), and Immortality Defended (Blackwell, 2007).
Robert Lawrence Kuhn is a public intellectual and the creator and host of Closer To Truth, the long-running PBS / American public television series on science and philosophy. With a doctorate in brain research (UCLA), he is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including Closer To Truth: Challenging Current Belief and Closer To Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future. A recognized expert on Chinese politics and economics, he is the author of The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin (Crown, 2005), China’s best-selling book of 2005, and How China’s Leaders Think (Wiley, 2011). He is a frequent commentator for the BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, China Central Television (CCTV), and Euronews.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
1 General Introduction
2 Some Quotations
3 Possible Responses to “Why Anything?”
4 First Solution: A Blank Is Absurd
5 Second Solution: No Explanation Needed
6 Third Solution: Chance
7 Fourth Solution: Value/Perfection as Ultimate
8 Fifth Solution: Mind/Consciousness as Ultimate
9 Fine-Tuning and Multiple Universes
10 The Problem Seems Genuine
Bibliography and Suggestions for Further Reading
Index of Names
Index of Concepts
An electronic version of this book is available through VitalSource.
This book is viewable on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and most smartphones.
By purchasing, you will be able to view this book online, as well as download it, for the chosen number of days.
Digital License
You are licensing a digital product for a set duration. Durations are set forth in the product description, with "Lifetime" typically meaning five (5) years of online access and permanent download to a supported device. All licenses are non-transferable.
More details can be found here.
A downloadable version of this book is available through the eCampus Reader or compatible Adobe readers.
Applications are available on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and Windows Mobile platforms.
Please view the compatibility matrix prior to purchase.