TIME'S ARROW AND EDDINGTON'S CHALLENGE Gain an insight into time from Professor Huw Price, Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and ARC Federation Fellow and Challis Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney.
The lecture Time’s Arrow and Eddington’s Challenge focuses on the Cambridge astronomer, Sir Arthur Eddington (1882-1944), who was one of the great popular science writers of his day. TIME magazine called Eddington 'one of mankind’s most reassuring cosmic thinkers’, noting that he 'discoursed on his cosmic subject with a wit and clarity rare among scientists.’ One of Eddington’s favourite cosmic subjects was 'Time’s Arrow’, a term he himself introduced in his 1928 book, The Nature of the Physical World. Eddington thought that there is something essential about time that physics neglects – the fact that it flows, or 'goes on,’ as he often puts it. Despite the best efforts of philosophers and most physicists to pour cold water on this idea, similar claims are still made today. Some physicists still think that there is something special about time that is missing from present physical theories. In Professor Price’s view, all sides in these debates can benefit by going back to Eddington. Even though Eddington agreed that something is missing from the physics of time, he understood the problems with this view with greater clarity than its contemporary defenders. And he also issues a challenge to rival views that deserves to be better known. Further details here: http://www.mca.com.au/events/times-arrow-and-eddingtons-challenge/ _______________________________________________ SydPhil mailing list: http://bit.ly/sydphil 1000+ subscribers now served!! To UNSUBSCRIBE, change your MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS, find ANSWERS TO COMMON PROBLEMS, or visit our ONLINE ARCHIVES, please go to the LIST INFORMATION PAGE: http://bit.ly/sydphil
