Inflated Expectations: a Cosmological Tale : A Conversation with Paul Steinhardt

Description

This book is based on an in-depth conversation with Paul Steinhardt, the Albert Einstein Professor of Science and Director of the Center for Theoretical Science at Princeton University. Paul Steinhardt is one of the originators of the theory of cosmic inflation and has become one of its fiercest critics. This conversation explores Steinhardt's scientific development, his formative experiences at Caltech including his encounters with Richard Feynman, his development and later scepticism of the theory of cosmic inflation, the response of the scientific community to the failure of this theory, his theory of cosmology, The Ekpyrotic Universe, and more.This carefully-edited book includes a detailed introduction, questions for discussion at the end of each chapter and connections with other books in the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series.CHAPTERS:I. Scientific Beginnings - Marie Curie, Richard Feynman, and finding one's pathII. Inflationary Excitement - A captivating talk and subsequent insightsIII. Progress, Tuned Appropriately - The Nuffield Workshop and its aftermathIV. Two Major Issues - The initial value problem and eternal inflationV. Cosmological Denial - Resolutely clinging to a good storyVI. Bouncing Back? - Considering a key changeABOUT IDEAS ROADSHOW CONVERSATIONS:Ideas Roadshow Conversations present a wealth of candid insights from leading experts through a focused yet informal setting. Presented in an engaging conversational format, these books not only explore cutting-edge academic research, but also reveal the inspirations and personal journeys behind the research. They are explicitly designed to provide a unique window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be experienced through standard lectures and textbooks. Howard Burton holds a PhD in theoretical physics and an MA in philosophy and was the Founding Director of Canada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.