Redefining Reality

The Intellectual Implications of Modern Science

By: Steven Gimbel, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Steven Gimbel

No subject is bigger than reality itself, and nothing is more challenging to understand, since what counts as reality is undergoing continual revision and has been for centuries. For example, the matter that comprises all stars, planets, and living things turns out to be just a fraction of what actually exists. Moreover, we think that we control our actions, but data analytics can predict, with astonishing accuracy, when we will wake up, what we will buy, and even whom we will marry.

The quest to pin down what's real and what's illusory is both philosophical and scientific, a metaphysical search for ultimate reality that goes back to the ancient Greeks. For the last 400 years, this search has been increasingly guided by scientists, who create theories and test them in order to define and redefine reality. And we have developed the power to alter our own reality in major ways - to defeat diseases, compensate for disabilities, and augment our intellect with computers. Where is that trend going?

Experience the thrill of this exciting quest in 36 wide-ranging lectures that touch on many aspects of the ceaseless search for reality. From the birth of the universe to brain science, discover that separating the real from the illusory is an exhilarating intellectual adventure.

Scientists and philosophers are not alone in grappling, at an intellectual level, with reality. Some of the most accessible interpretations are by painters, novelists, filmmakers, and other artists whose works not only draw on the latest discoveries but also sometimes inspire them. Explore examples such as Alice in Wonderland, pointillism, cubism, surrealism, and reality TV.

And since dealing with reality is an experience we all share, this course is designed for people of all backgrounds.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2015 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2015 The Great Courses

Magnificent

One oh the best books I've read on audible (app. 100 until now, mostly non-fiction). Everything a well-rounded and informed person should know about the history of science and contemporary world. Professor Gimbel is a unique and brilliant mind with the ability to explain, apply and connect the most intricate and complex scientific data to the bigger picture of the "system" called reality. Thank you prof. Gimbel and Audible! Primoz Mavric, Slovenia

Informative, thought provoking and entertaining.

This course explores how each significant discovery, each scientific revolution causes us to redefine our understanding of reality. Steven Gimbel is an excellent narrator. He examines the widest range of scientific disciplines (physics, cosmology, mathematics, chemistry, biology, genetics, cybernetics, psychology, sociology), illustrating the emerging pattern: our view of the world develops from a simplified atomistic picture(studying properties of discrete objects) to the study of relations between the objects and then to the holistic picture(studying the whole interconnected system as the ultimate model of reality). "Redefining Reality" is one of the most thought provoking, entertaining and informative courses I've ever listened to.

Excellent course

Great job by professor Steven Gimbel. The topics are clearly explained and easy to understand.

From 'A' to 'Z'

Where does Redefining Reality rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the most comprehensive books I have ever run across. Read or listened to.

What does Professor Steven Gimbel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I have listened to a number of educational courses over the years (I'm 61 years old) so quite a number. When listening to some of these I couldn't help but notice at some points the instructor reverted to just 'reading' the material instead of 'instructing'. I always thought this was because the instructor was tired or actually wasn't quite clear himself about the material.
This Steven Gimbel knows what he is talking about the hole way through. Impressive.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

That talking to babies in 'baby talk', something I always hated myself, is actually good for the growing child. Of course there is much more than that. The book covers a huge range of topics.

Interesting

Wasn't what I expected, but that's a good thing every chapter lead me to think.

A Great Lecture Series!

The was a great "Great Course"! Expansive, informative, and interesting, but accessible to all levels.

I absolutely love to this course

Narrated by Professor Steven Gimbel this great course was a universal deep dive into the fundamental reality is of the universe reaching out into all aspects of our lives and going far beyond the physics alone. The stroll through history and the scientific references we're extremely well done and captured the imagination completely. I devoured this course and ended with a much wider and richer perspective, I'm truly thankful for that. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Wow...

This is definitely a very interesting listen. This is about my tenth or so audio book and I have to say it really stands out. This guy is very clear and has a nice disposition, but most notably A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE. I’m actually going to look him up because I’m very curious to learn how he became so widely educated. I’ve never heard anyone speak so insightfully on such a wide range of topics. Remarkable.

Exceptional - new concepts, entertaining

Rarely do I find a novel or movie or other form of entertainment so compelling I didn’t want it to end. Even rarer is a college level course so compelling I couldn’t wait to find out what happens next. This course was like that; I wanted to hear the next chapter and wished the course to go on longer.

Typically, I know from experience and theory, ratings are generally inflated because management insists on top ratings. Therefore, giving this course 5 places it in the “pretty good” category. I found the course so outstanding that I think the rating should be increased form “pretty good” to “superior” or a 7. This is based on Gimbel’s presentation style, clarity in conveying concepts and, most importantly, by creating a unique perspective for the student.

Gimbel’s style is enthusiastic and unique enough to garner my attention. He uses very unique turns of phrase and metaphors. Some of which border on audacious irreverence for typical PhD-speak. Most refreshing. In describing Aristotle’s earth centered universe Gimbel says “he was simply making the true claim that “dirt falls straight down”. Versus something like “any physical object that has mass will fall toward the geological mass center of the earth.” Gimbel speaks of “circus mirrors” distortion of our image rather than a distortion of caused by an irregular curvature in a reflective surface. These expressions make the course so much more interesting to listen to.

I have only one critique of his style. He uses the word “but” as a loud staccato punctuation to switch to alternate viewpoints. It is an effective technique. I only object to the loudness. The blast of noise mellows over the course to a still effective but less vehement tone.

Clarity of presentation was also superior. I understood concepts I had prior knowledge about, such as the Theory of Relativity in a new way.

Concepts of metaphysics are explained briefly and in a way I can understand. I had taken another course in metaphysics that explained concepts in such a convoluted (to me) manner that my head spun and I did not finish the course. Gimbel avoided explaining the derivation of the concepts. Instead he presented the outcome and the implications of the metaphysical concepts. His approach was like a statistics professor I had who told us he was going avoid all the proofs of the statistical too and instead teach us what the tool is used for and the strengths and weakness of each.to teach us. Because Gimbel used this approach, I am beginning to “get” metaphysics in the same way do statistics. To me this is useful knowledge.

Most importantly, Gimbel clearly ties the implications of scientific break throughs. For example, Newtonian physics and Darwin’s evolution, led Freud to view a person as integrated whole and to consider inherited drives in his revolutionary psychology. Personally, I had not perceived the interaction of science and intellectual philosophy to be so significant in areas beyond the obvious such as Copernicus’ sun-centered universe on the earth-centered Aristotelian absolutes of the Catholic Church. This integration made the whole course worthwhile.

Beautiful.

This was absolutely lovely. I really enjoyed the voice and the content by Professor Gimbel.