A Universe from Nothing
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | January 10, 2012 |
| Founder | Lawrence M. Krauss |
| Products | Nonfiction book on cosmology |
A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing is a nonfiction work authored by physicist Lawrence M. Krauss, released on January 10, 2012, through Free Press. The book investigates contemporary cosmogony and its influence on discussions surrounding the existence of God. Its principal thesis posits that scientific evidence indicates the universe might have emerged from a more fundamental form of nothing—the absence of space—via mechanisms that do not necessitate external guidance or intervention.
Publication
The volume concludes with an afterword penned by Richard Dawkins, who likens it to On the Origin of Species, a comparison Krauss himself described as somewhat "pretentious".Christopher Hitchens had intended to contribute the foreword but was unable to complete it due to illness before his passing. The book originated from a 2009 lecture Krauss delivered on the cosmological ramifications of a flat expanding universe at the Richard Dawkins Foundation during the Atheist Alliance International conference. A Universe from Nothing appeared on The New York Times bestseller list as of January 29, 2012.
Commendations
In a review for Nature, Caleb Scharf observed that Krauss narrates the subject matter with sobriety and elegance, avoiding self-praise.
Ray Jayawardhana, holding the Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto, commended Krauss in The Globe and Mail for presenting a "lively, rapid exploration of modern cosmology" and effectively arguing that inquiries into cosmic origins fall within the domain of science rather than theology or philosophy.
Writing for New Scientist, Michael Brooks recognized that although Krauss primarily addresses those already convinced, he does so with intelligence, contrasting this positively against an afterword by Dawkins which he found less compelling.
Criticisms
In Scientific American, George Ellis criticized Krauss for failing to explore why physical laws exist or their provenance prior to the universe's existence. Ellis also found Krauss's dismissal of philosophy ironic, given the philosophical nature of some claims made in the book.
Philosopher and physicist David Albert, writing in The New York Times, contended that the book does not adequately substantiate its title since Krauss neglects deeper questions about the origin of quantum fields themselves. This critique attracted significant attention.
Physicist Sean M. Carroll remarked on the philosophical dimension, emphasizing that progress in physics and cosmology does not resolve fundamental inquiries regarding why either the universe or physical laws exist, nor why they possess their particular characteristics.