'Now I was convinced that consciousness had nothing to do with quantum measurement'. "Our Mathematical Universe" is a radical non-fiction science book by Max Tegmark that dives into the world of physics explaining physical ideas both in the micro and macro scale. The book begins with introducing Cosmological ideas and principles which then leads towards the intricate quantum realm and finally into the world of mathematics and mathematical structures.
This book is a subtle blend of physics and philosophy. It has two parts, the first is a concrete description of physics' ideas and principles and the next part is the journey towards understanding our external reality, which for Max is the 'Mathematical structure'. In the first half of the book Max takes us on a journey through our vast cosmic realm introducing concepts of Big bang, Inflationary theory, Dark Energy, Gravitation, Parallel universes and much more to lead us into the world of quantum mechanics explaining concepts like Wavefunction and Quantum Measurement Problem. The next half is a philosophical ride where Max explains how our reality is nothing but a mathematical structure and he also provides the relevant facts and evidences. He also divides his book into four multiverses part where we travel through space time from the 'Level I multiverse' to the 'Level IV multiverse', which I tell you is a fascinating journey. Using elegant anecdotes he males the reading very engaging. He challenges us to rethink about our nature of reality. He also tries to answer some burning questions about our future, which may be very fun read to many of you.
I think this book is good for those who are curious about Cosmology and Quantum Mechanics and want to start from O to understanding some basic concepts. If you are already familiar with general Physics concepts or have already read a Physics book previously then you can skip the first half of the book. But, Max provides some fascinating and jaw dropping data and stats about our universe that will leave you wondering so I don't recommend skipping the first segment entirely. Max's way of writing and explaining makes this book very reader friendly and also very enjoyable. I didn't find it difficult or boring at all. Max also uses his humor in a sentence or two time to time so that the read becomes enjoyable. However, in the second half of the book it became difficult for me to grasp some ideas of the Mathematical Universe Hypothesis and it became a little tedious read but it may not be the same for you.
This book has received good reviews from popular authors like Michio Kaku. Kaku has called this book daring and radical which I agree on too. Brian Greene, the author of 'The Elegant Universe' thinks that this book is lively and fun. John Gribbin says that this book is an intellectual adventure. However, some authors have criticized it for being controversial.
Overall, I thought this book was radical, enjoyable, creative. It is a snapshot of how Physics was then and how it is now, how far we have come and how far can we go. It highlights the need and importance of mathematics and how everything is shaped by it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to dive deeper in understanding nature of reality with concepts of Physics.
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