The Beginning of Infinity

Explanations That Transform the World

By: David Deutsch

Narrated by: Walter Dixon

Length: 20 hrs

Publisher's summary

A bold and all-embracing exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge from one of today's great thinkers. Throughout history, mankind has struggled to understand life's mysteries, from the mundane to the seemingly miraculous. In this important new book, David Deutsch, an award-winning pioneer in the field of quantum computation, argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe. They have unlimited scope and power to cause change, and the quest to improve them is the basic regulating principle not only of science but of all successful human endeavor. This stream of ever improving explanations has infinite reach, according to Deutsch: we are subject only to the laws of physics, and they impose no upper boundary to what we can eventually understand, control, and achieve. In his previous book, The Fabric of Reality, Deutsch describe the four deepest strands of existing knowledge-the theories of evolution, quantum physics, knowledge, and computation-arguing jointly they reveal a unified fabric of reality. In this new book, he applies that worldview to a wide range of issues and unsolved problems, from creativity and free will to the origin and future of the human species.

Filled with startling new conclusions about human choice, optimism, scientific explanation, and the evolution of culture, The Beginning of Infinity is a groundbreaking audio book that will become a classic of its kind.

©2011 David Deutsch (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

“Provocative and persuasive…Mr. Deutsch’s previous tome, The Fabric of Reality, took a broad-ranging sweep… The Beginning of Infinity is equally bold, addressing subjects from artificial intelligence to the evolution of culture and of creativity; its conclusions are just as profound." ( The Economist)

Brilliant but difficult to understand

Would you listen to The Beginning of Infinity again? Why?

I'd HAVE to listen to it again if I want to understand some of the many highly abstract intellectual concepts introduced by Deutsch. I think this is a compelling read anyway. I will listen again.

Were the concepts of this book easy to follow, or were they too technical?

No. I wouldn't say they were too technical, just above my intellectual and cognitive "pay grade" in some areas. I suspect most listeners will feel the same way. Though I personally have a PhD in an admittedly unrelated-to-physics but nonetheless a very analytical and technical field, I simply could not follow certain discussions, such as the one relating to Quantum Mechanics.

What does Walter Dixon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He was competent and a clear enunciator. However, I think actually READING a physical book would be better in this case: It would enable one to go back to prior sentences or pages to reread them. The nature of his book is such that if you didn't understand the initial paragraphs of a topic he introduces, the odds are good that you won't understand the rest of the discussion. His arguments are like building blocks.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, "Infinity Hotel" was one. Another was a discussion of his views, which I share, on how mankind should deal with the prospects of global warming.

Any additional comments?

Deutsch is absolutely a genius. I am not convinced he is necessarily right when he tries to extend his scientific reasoning to completely unrelated fields, but he definitely makes you think in a completely new light. I'd say "Bravo". This is a very important book.

Somewhat unambitious, self-centered pet-theory?

Would you recommend The Beginning of Infinity to your friends? Why or why not?

The major problem I have with this excourse is that there does not seem to be a POINT. I would like to recommend books (or ideas) to my friends that have some "deeper meaning" or provoce some thinking of yourself. That I just cannot find here, as it seemed to me that the author was trying his best (or did he?) to just bring some half-baked idea of his across, hoping for some brilliant mind in the audience to find the missing pieces he deliberately avoided to discuss.

To me one important aspect of scientific thinking is to always try to "falsify" a theory: Finding counter-arguments and discussing them, trying hard to "fight" your own theory and improving it in order to better cope with critics is what fascinates me about science.
Mr. Deutsch takes it easy. He ignores all (sometimes obvious) arguments that would speak against his ideas of "static societies" (doomed to die) versus "dynamic, western style, modern" societies (doomed to succeed), his somewhat crude and, sorry to say, ignorant picture of "creativity" (exclusively focussing on humans and apes, ignoring that other animals, including some birds, show EXACTLY the behavior and abilities that Mr. Deutsch wants to appoint to humans alone).
His examples often are flawed and it feels as if, as soon as he starts to stumble over the problems of his examples, he kind of says "it's not really like that but you get the idea" (which is a bad sign for an example to be valid). Some research summaries he gave sounded plain false, but I just did not get motivated enough to read up the topics. I may be completely wrong there! But that is exactly the point I want to make:
I want a good book / course to ENCOURAGE me to learn more, to contradict, to question my own perspective.
The worst I can say about a philosophical or scientific book is that it is boring or - as I have to say in this case - just not relevant to my life, to my view of the world or to anyone I know.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

While I think that Mr. Dixon does a good job of NARRATING, the style of his presentation does not well match the supposed topic. Mr. Dixon is usually starting a sentence at a specific tone, then lifts his voice aproximately half a tone step.
Constantly. Always. Giving every sentence - or probably paragraph - the tonal meaning of "something very strange is happening here, will the couragous detective figure out who killed the flummy?" That's fine if something very strange is happening or some detective is going to solve a murder, but for a philosophical discussion or even (which this book is NOT) an excourse about physics and/or reality, it is too, well ... dramatic (for the lack of a more suitable word).

Do you think The Beginning of Infinity needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I'd like to find out if Mr. Deutsch some time found out what his idea actually meant. To him or to anyone. :-)

You Won't See it Coming

What made the experience of listening to The Beginning of Infinity the most enjoyable?

...a potpourri of interesting thoughts, ideas and stories which I just didn't see coming. One of my favorite books ... and I don't even like David. I wish I could erase everything I know from the book and start all over again !!!

What did you like best about this story?

Totally unpredictable from chapter to chapter.

Any additional comments?

The worst thing about the book is its title and cover by a landslide.

One of the best title

I loved it. Even went onto ordering a physical book.
many ideas resonated what I have been thinking

Incredibly Optimistic

Wow, this was a really smart, really optimistic book. I’m glad I read it, and I already got two friends to start it.

Prepare to hear "parochial" uttered excessively

A really good book which is highly optimistic about the future.
The author's use of the term "parochial" made me start wondering how many times it's used in the book. More than a hundred times? You may be relieved to learn the second half uses it far less than early on. But there it is again.

Good book, mediocre narrator

Narrator was a little dry, easy to accidentally tune out while thinking about the content. Deutsch's writing is precise and succinct, and his ideas well-thought-out and interesting. I'll have to listen again to get all of it, though, especially with the poor narration.

Astonishing, includes every subject you imagine

From Politics to Quantum Physics this audiobook has everything you need to know about the evolution of humanity

Brilliant

This may be the most thought-provoking book I have ever read. It’s thesis could not be more important for thinking about the future. Some of the ideas are very complex and hard to understand even though Deutsch is an excellent writer and explainer. But there is no doubt that a thoughtful listener will take away some profound ideas from this work.

Reality shifting

I'm going to have to recontextualize everything in my life. Now I want to go back and listen to the interview with Sam Harris and the author.