The New Cosmology

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 224 pages
• Published by: Perspective Books September 1, 2001
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0962455547
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0962455544
• Book Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 15.5 ounces

Product Review
It has been described as "a startling book to treasure" by a prestigious astronomy journal. -- "The Observatory,"

Product Description
Although embracing subjects which might appear targeted solely to a scientific audience, "The New Cosmology" may be readily grasped by most readers as it is really a treatise centered upon such philosophical issues as evolution/reincarnation and cosmic Purpose. Of headline importance, this book will be seen to positively rule out the popular Big Bang model of creation!

Reader Reviews
This is one of the most difficult books I have ever read. To be sure, I am not a stranger to cosmological studies. I have read the likes of Weinberg, Ferris, Hawking, Sagan & others. I still found this work to be very dense. Many of Allen's ideas I found hard to follow. To be sure, Harold Allen is a smart guy. I was disappointed that the book did not offer any biographical information. He certainly has a flair for the dramatic and likes to think big. And, of course, what subject could possibly be bigger than the universe? Unfortunately, Allen's book is filled with quasi-scientific / theological overtones that many will not be comfortable with. He also makes sundry far-fetched (if not absurd?) inferences. For example, he says that "gravitation is none other than an expression for the desire for spiritual advancement" (p.74). Also, "....biological evolution is likely to reflect a 'sharing' of available body-forms with displaced spirit from alien worlds - with the effect that entities are, in effect, excused from having a physical manifistation over most of the course of a planet's lengthy history!" (p. 171-172). Huh? The more I read this book, the more I thought of how our great ancestors believed that different constellations were a proof of a cosmic design / intelligence. After all, if the stars had not been put "just so" then they would not have been able to connect the dots & make out various gods, heroes & monsters. So too does it seem with this book. Like our ancestors, Allen seems to read a whole lot into the nature of the universe, and infers from it a cosmic order that I find no compelling reason to believe in myself. His reasoning & methods are very fancy, yes, but the bottom line seems to be the same. He seems to have it backwards; the intelligence in the universe is our looking out into it, not the universe looking back at us. Allen also attempts to parlay into some radical notions such as reincarnation and a revision of the (supposedly dead?) Steady State theory. While some of his mind-puzzles are interesting, I still can't follow where he seems to want to lead me. All in all, I would recommend this book to persons who are either Die Hard fans of cosmology and / or people who are inclined towards books that break down the barriers (be they good or bad) between science & theology. For everyone else, I would recommend taking a look at books by Timothy Ferris and Stephen Weinberg.