Oneindigheid · Wetenschap · Science
The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch — Summary, Key Ideas & Quotes
2008487 pages✦ 3-min Big ideas★ 4.2 (6)
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What is The Beginning of Infinity about?
"A bold and all-embracing exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge from one of today's great thinkers. Throughout history, mankind has struggled to understand life's mysteries, from the mundane to the seemingly miraculous. In this important new book, David Deutsch, an award-winning pioneer in the field of quantum computation, argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe. They have unlimited scope and power to cause change, and the quest to improve them is the basic regulating principle not only of science but of all successful human endeavor. This stream of ever improving explanations has infinite reach, according to Deutsch: we are subject only to the laws of physics, and they impose no upper boundary to what we can eventually understand, control, and achieve. In his previous book, The Fabric of Reality, Deutsch describe the four deepest strands of existing knowledge-the theories of evolution, quantum physics, knowledge, and computation-arguing jointly they reveal a unified fabric of reality. In this new book, he applies that worldview to a wide range of issues and unsolved problems, from creativity and free will to the origin and future of the human species. Filled with startling new conclusions about human choice, optimism, scientific explanation, and the evolution of culture, The Beginning of Infinity is a groundbreaking book that will become a classic of its kind"--
A glimpse inside
The Power of Explanations
Deutsch argues that good explanations—those that are hard to vary while still accounting for what they purport to explain—are the foundation of all progress. Unlike mere predictions or rules of thumb, explanations allow us to understand the underlying causes of phenomena, empowering us to solve problems and create new knowledge. This focus on explanation is what distinguishes science from other forms of inquiry and is the engine of civilization’s advancement.
The Reach of Human Knowledge
A central thesis of the book is that, barring physical impossibility, anything that is not forbidden by the laws of physics is achievable, given the right knowledge. Deutsch calls this the 'beginning of infinity': the idea that there is no natural cap on what we can ultimately explain or accomplish. This optimistic view places humans not as passive observers, but as active participants in shaping reality through understanding.
Ratings at a glance
Open Library
★ 4.2 / 5
6 ratings
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Get smart in 3 min
6 key ideas, distilled
- 1The Power of Explanations
- 2The Reach of Human Knowledge
- 3Problems Are Soluble
- 4The Role of Fallibilism
- 5Optimism and the Future
Popular quotes from The Beginning of Infinity
“Problems are inevitable. But problems are soluble.”
“Everything that is not forbidden by laws of nature is achievable, given the right knowledge.”
“The search for hard-to-vary explanations is the origin of all progress.”
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"A bold and all-embracing exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge from one of today's great thinkers. Throughout history, mankind has struggled to understand life's mysteries, from the mundane to the seemingly miraculous. In this important new book, David Deutsch, an award-winning pioneer in the field of quantum computation, argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the univ