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 SOMETIMES you have to wonder if there's any point
to reading a book: any point, that is, beyond entertainment. Chapman's book trades on 'the exciting revelation that travelling backwards through time is possible', and it's certainly a
fascinating romp down the twisty, turny passages (all different) of late twentieth-century physics. Black holes, white holes, singularities and the five-dimensional multiverse we inhabit; all are
scrutinised in language carefully constructed for the layman, but does any real knowledge change hands?
Cosmology is a fascinating subject, but it's an esoteric one. The
origin of the universe ties with the origin of life as the Ultimate Question, but unlike the origin of life the origin of the universe probably has no answer that we laymen can comprehend. This is where
Chapman's book, along with those of Paul Davies, Stephen Hawking and other contemporary cosmo-evangelists, flounders - the things they're talking about just can't be described in the language of everyday
things. Mathematics is the name of the game, and there's no substitute for combating such questions as 'what happened before time began?'
But don't be discouraged by a lack of numerical know-how because
although Chapman exhibits a distinct fondness for complicated equations, he assures us that we don't need to comprehend them to enjoy his book. Surprisingly he's right, although ultimately his 'truth' is
as baffling as it is intoxicating. There are some surprising revelations (faster-than-light travel is possible), but ultimately Chapman's triumphant conclusion - that travelling backwards in time is
possible - seems less controversial than his title suggests, involving alternate universes and the like. I mean doesn't this guy read science fiction? Jeez...
It's a fascinating book, even if there's little chance of us mortals
understanding the physics behind it. The equations are there if you want to bring your calculator along, but most of us will take the
science on trust. And if the conclusions seem familiar, it's because we've all read far too much science fiction and the parallel-universe thing has become a cliche. But why worry? Fact or fiction, we'll
probably never know one way or the other. It's entertainment, Jim, but not as we know it. |
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