Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli (Seven Brief Lessons on Physics; The Order of Time) is known for his ability to elucidate obscure concepts that would normally be considered out of reach for those not trained in physics. On the Equality of All Things demonstrates this skill while also highlighting his willingness to embrace unconventional or even counterintuitive views. In exploring the strong links between the hard facts of science and the ambiguities of philosophical meditations, Rovelli maintains that both fields--physics and philosophy--have been at times trapped by limited perspectives.
Through a series of six lessons, Rovelli moves easily between accessible descriptions and complex mathematics. He admits that parts of the book may be "a bit more turbulent" than others and gives readers full permission to just skip the densest material. These lessons focus on time and space, free will and existence, each one threaded with his theory of relational quantum mechanics and an argument against the search for one fundamental or foundational theory; instead, he argues for uncertainty and curiosity. "We do not need absolute certainty," he insists. "We need the nimble lightness of circularity, complexity, ambiguity, metaphors, emotions, the acceptance of uncertainty and change."
Tremendously well read, Rovelli speaks of John Milton and Fyodor Dostoevsky with the same ease as he engages the work of Søren Kierkegaard and Isaac Newton. He toggles between Aristotle and Albert Einstein with astounding facility. Though the material is demanding, the writer does not condescend. He is a gentle teacher, urging readers to "pay attention" as he guides them with patience and a quiet confidence that they will understand even "the most dizzying of the implications."
From the time of Galileo forward, new scientific understanding has forced humanity to realize they have been mistaking "local peculiarities for universal truths" and believing that "the world must be exactly as it appears to us." Decentering the human experience can be profoundly unsettling, and Rovelli acknowledges the challenges it may pose to move beyond the idea of time as a linear and causal construction, for example. But new information demands a new way of seeing the world. "Our entire life is full of surprises and discoveries. Science is no different," he insists, before reminding readers that "learning, changing our minds, is part of what we are." Perfect for readers of Robin Wall Kimmerer, On the Equality of All Things offers a strong argument for remaining open to the mysterious and wondrous aspects of the world yet to be discovered. --Sara Beth West, freelance reviewer and librarian
Shelf Talker: Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli pushes readers to embrace ambiguity as he probes history, philosophy, and science to show how all knowledge is interconnected and relational.