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What We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty (Edge Question Series) Paperback – February 28, 2006

by John Brockman (Author)

45 customer reviews

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More than one hundred of the world's leading thinkers write about things they believe in, despite the absence of concrete proof

Scientific theory, more often than not, is born of bold assumption, disparate bits of unconnected evidence, and educated leaps of faith. Some of the most potent beliefs among brilliant minds are based on supposition alone -- yet that is enough to push those minds toward making the theory viable.

Eminent cultural impresario, editor, and publisher of Edge (www.edge.org), John Brockman asked a group of leading scientists and thinkers to answer the question: What do you believe to be true even though you cannot prove it? This book brings together the very best answers from the most distinguished contributors.

Thought-provoking and hugely compelling, this collection of bite-size thought-experiments is a fascinating insight into the instinctive beliefs of some of the most brilliant minds today.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The title's question was posed on Edge.org (an online intellectual clearing house), challenging more than 100 intellectuals of every stripe—from Richard Dawkins to Ian McEwan—to confess the personal theories they cannot demonstrate with certainty. The results, gathered by literary agent and editor Brockman, is a stimulating collection of micro-essays (mainly by scientists) divulging many of today's big unanswered questions reaching across the plane of human existence. Susan Blackmore, a lecturer on evolutionary theory, believes "it is possible to live happily and morally without believing in free will," and Daniel Goleman believes children today are "unintended victims of economic and technological progress." Other beliefs are more mundane and one is highly mathematically specific. Many contributors open with their discomfort at being asked to discuss unproven beliefs, which itself is an interesting reflection of the state of science. The similarity in form and tone of the responses makes this collection most enjoyable in small doses, which allow the answers to spark new questions and ideas in the reader's mind. It's unfortunate that the tone of most contributions isn't livelier and that there aren't explanations of some of the more esoteric concepts discussed; those limitations will keep these adroit musings from finding a wider audience. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In this informative and often surprising book, more than 100 notable scientists and scholars answer the question, "What do you believe even though you cannot prove it?" The responses range from the thought-provoking to seemingly trivial (or just plain silly). Professor of cosmology and astrophysics Martin Rees, for example, admits that he believes intelligent life is unique to our world (in sharp contrast to many of his fellow contributors). Alun Anderson, senior consultant to New Scientist magazine, believes cockroaches are conscious. Mathematician and science-fiction novelist Rudy Rucker believes in a multiplicity of universes. Susan Blackmore, who has written widely on the subject of consciousness, appears to believe that she doesn't exist. The contributors touch on a broad spectrum of subjects, from religion to science and many points in between. Although some of the responses are arrogant or nitpicky, the majority are thoughtful, honest, and revelatory of the contributors' own intellectual and philosophical biases. And the book certainly gets us thinking about our own deeply held, if entirely unprovable, beliefs. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product details

Series: Edge Question Series
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1 edition (February 28, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060841818
ISBN-13: 978-0060841812
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.6 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 45 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #614,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #266 in Books > Science & Math > Essays & Commentary
- #534 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Epistemology
- #3225 in Books > Science & Math > History & Philosophy

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3.9 out of 5 stars

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2 star		9%
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Top customer reviews

Bright Spots

ByTimothy Haughon January 19, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

One of the things I like best about this book is the title. It is a reminder for those of us who put great faith in the achievements of science that, fundamentally, there are things that we believe about our work that we cannot prove. That should be a wake-up call to certain people that there are elements of faith in all endeavors. Perhaps that would make us more compassionate towards people who do not believe as we do.

That aside, as a book, this one has its pleasures and problems. The main pleasure is to hear emminent scientists speculate about things in their field--some humbly, some more brashly, but all with a great respect for what they do. It is always wonderful to hear people talk about things they really love, whether you agree with them or not. It is also interesting to see that great minds often differ in their feelings about where science will ultimately lead us. Again, it reminds us that science, self-correcting as it is, knowledge-widening as it is, by no means generates universal agreement, even among its practitioners. Most of the articles are quite brief, being at most a few pages, so a reader rarely gets overwhelmed or bogged down, even if one is not familiar with the ideas being discussed.

On the other hand, there are some themes hit upon repeatedly by the writers here that the repitition gets somewhat boring. I almost put the book down after the first 50 pages because reading about whether or not God exists or if there is life (intelligent or otherwise) somewhere else in the universe are old questions covered better elsewhere. However, things got better as the book went on (except for a brief digression into the mind/body problem), and some of the writers here addressed some questions I found very interesting, some outrageous and some that got me thinking, which is the highest compliment I can give.

Overall, it may not be a great book, but it's easy to read and has enough bright spots to make it worthwhile.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

World's best-informed speculations

ByAVDon October 4, 2011

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is one of my favorite books of the past two decades. For anyone interested in science -- especially theoretical science -- here are provocative musings by some of the best thinkers on questions that are not yet settled -- eg, Lee Smolin -- a great theoretical physicist -- having thought long and hard about every leading version of quantum theory, suggesting that none of them make entire sense, so that quantum theory appears to be our best current approximations of a deeper, fundamental theory that we haven't yet discovered.

The late John Brockman of the Edge Institute produced a series of these books, with experts responding to different questions or propositions (one was "This Will Change Everything"). I've read three or four of them, but "What We Believe But Cannot Prove" is far and away the best. I carry a copy in the car, for reading at coffee shops or restaurants.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

I believe I like "What is your most dangerous idea" better

ByC. Julieton December 31, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Some interesting ideas on the concept and philosophy of
"What we believe but Cannot Prove". Essays from top scientists on topics such as Consciousness (is there such a thing, does language bring it about?), quantum mechanics (is the electron composed of any smaller particles?), astronomy (is there more than one universe), time (is everything predetermined) just to name a few from memory. I had gotten this book because i enjoyed "What is your most dangerous idea" so much from the same "edge dot com" group/ editor. I wasn't as into this book I believe because "What is your most dangerous idea" was just more interesting and similar. Some topics overlap. For example this book may have the argument that they believe consciousness does not exist while "dangerous idea" will have the dangerous idea that the soul does not exist. (This book did come out before "what is your most dangerous idea"). Some great ideas in here regardless to ponder.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Nice and varied read

ByStephane Wenricon May 29, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
The length of each author's contribution varies (some go the point very directly, and some others take the opportunity to be a little bit more poetic about their thoughts) and the way they approach the question also varies, whether they interpret it as a futuristic prediction or a more philosophical way of thinking about their respective fields remaining mysteries.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most recent customer reviews

Ease of shopping

Overall i am very pleased. Good deal! All is good I could not be happier Very pleased with the purchase! is superior to anything I've ever had

Published 3 months ago by Deirdre Grey

Five Stars

My husband reads all of John Brockmans books. He is an avid fan.

Published 1 year ago by bettye198

Cool book with great theories

interesting read.

Published 1 year ago by shelby

BUY IT

YEAYEA..........BUY IT READ IT LOVE IT WELL MOST OF IT AND FOR ME THATS A RARITY.

Published on August 21, 2015 by Fredrick H.

Four Stars

All right fun

Published on March 16, 2015 by Michael E Jones

a priori publication

First off - fantastic cover design. John Brockman has done some good work with the Edge Foundation. As an author, he's the Rick Riordan of pop-sci publishing, cranking out title...Read more

Published on October 8, 2014 by Rob Fitzgibbon

A fun little collection of scientific essays

If you can get this at a low price, it's worth getting. It's not so much a book than a collection of essays by prominent scientists at the website Edge.Read more

Published on September 4, 2014 by J. Davis

Entertaining and Humbling

Nice to know some of the smartest people alive often don't have a clue and have the good sense to admit it.

Published on September 3, 2014 by D. L. Ross

Good gift for an intellectual friend.

Wonderful little book that can be picked up anytime one has a moment for some
stimulating ideas. Should be in everyone's library. Good gift for an intellectual friend.

Published on February 26, 2014 by Joan O. King

Cover doesn't do justice to the contents

Some very interesting ideas and thoughts inside, but the cover make's it look like a cartoon. It's not a cartoon is it?

Published on September 7, 2013 by Kenny A. Chaffin

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