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Event
Sir Roger Penrose in conversation with Dr. Roger Blandford, Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe
Sponsored by Peninsula Arts & Letters and Kepler's
Monday, October 3, 2016
7:30pm
Kepler's Books
1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025
What can fashionable ideas, blind faith, or pure fantasy possibly have to do with the scientific quest to understand the universe? In his new book, acclaimed physicist and bestselling author Dr. Roger Penrose argues that researchers working at the extreme frontiers of physics are just as susceptible to these forces. In his provocative new book, he argues that fashion, faith and fantasy may be leading todays scientists astray in three key areas: string theory, quantum mechanics, and cosmology.
In drawing out tangible examples from string theory, cosmology and quantum mechanics, Penrose cautions that the fashionable nature of a theory can cloud our judgement of its plausibility. He argues that most of the current fantastical ideas about the origins of the universe cannot be true but that an even wilder reality may lie behind them. Turning devils advocate, Dr. Penrose describes how fashion, faith and fantasy have ironically also shaped his own work. Come talk about some of the most significant developments in physics today with one of the worlds most eminent scientists.
Sir Roger Penrose is one of the worlds foremost theoretical physicists, mathematicians and philosophers of science. He has won numerous prizes for his work including the Albert Einstein Medal for his contributions to general relativity and cosmology and the Wolf Prize for physics, which he shared with Stephen Hawking for their contribution to our understanding of the universe. He is the bestselling author, with Stephen Hawking, of The Nature of Space and Time. He is the Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics Emeritus at the University of Oxford.
Dr. Roger Blandford is a British theoretical astrophysicist who is currently the Luke Blossom Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University and Professor of Physics at Stanford University and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). In 2016, Dr. Blandford was recognized along with Roy Kerr with Sweden's Crafoord Prize for fundamental work concerning rotating black holes. The prize was awarded in May by the King of Sweden.
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LocationKepler's Books (View)
1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025
United States
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