Core Summary

Italian theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has released a new book titled “Reality and Shadow: New Horizons in Physics,” systematically challenging the traditional understanding of the nature of reality, quantum gravity, the arrow of time and the role of the observer in the current physics community. In the book, Rovelli extends his research on relational quantum theory and loop quantum gravity, further proposing the core view that “reality is a network of informational relations” and advocating a shift of physics from an “objective-entity” paradigm to a “relational-structure” paradigm. Since the book’s release, it has attracted wide attention from the international scientific and philosophy-of-science communities, with several well-known physicists and philosophers having publicly responded, some supportive, some skeptical, and some believing that the questions raised by the book are more valuable than the answers given.

Event Details

Italian theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli released his new book “Reality and Shadow: New Horizons in Physics” this week. In the book, Rovelli extends his research on relational quantum theory and loop quantum gravity, systematically challenging the traditional understanding of the nature of reality, quantum gravity, the arrow of time and the role of the observer in the current physics community, and further proposes the core view that “reality is a network of informational relations,” advocating a shift of physics from an “objective-entity” paradigm to a “relational-structure” paradigm. Since the book’s release, the book has attracted wide attention from the international scientific and philosophy-of-science communities, with several well-known physicists and philosophers having publicly responded, some supportive, some skeptical, and some believing that the questions raised by the book are more valuable than the answers given. The book continues the popular-science-academic fusion style of Rovelli’s previous bestsellers including “Seven Brief Lessons on Physics” and “The Order of Time,” and is expected to have a broad impact in the science and philosophy enthusiast community.

Edited by: GoodInfo Global News Desk