AMA | June 2021

In 'The Janus Point', Julian Barbour presents a radically new answer to the question of why time seems to flow in one direction. He argues that the second law of thermodynamics has been misapplied and that the growth of order, rather than disorder, determines how we experience time. Barbour introduces the concept of the 'Janus Point', a moment of minimal order from which time flows in two directions, driven by the expansion of the universe and the growth of order in galaxies, planets, and life. This theory offers a hopeful argument about the destiny of our universe, suggesting that order can grow without bound rather than leading to disorder.

In this book, Sean Carroll argues that the crisis in physics since 1927, stemming from the gaps in quantum mechanics, can be resolved by accepting the Many-Worlds theory. He explains that every quantum event results in the creation of multiple worlds, each with different outcomes. Carroll tackles major objections to this theory and provides a lucid explanation of how it reconciles quantum mechanics with Einstein’s theory of relativity. The book challenges conventional notions of reality and offers a new understanding of our place in the universe and the nature of spacetime.