Faster Than the Speed of Light

I've read many a good book on cosmology (Lee Smolin's excellent works, for example) and string theory (Brian Greene's superb works), and Magueijo's work is also superb (though he does not, as others have pointed out, discuss in any detail quantum physics). His explanation of relativity is one of the most clear I've seen (Einstein's boyhood dream about cows). Beyond that, however, his prescient and courageous insights into the petty world of academe and the so-called peer-review process is priceless. What some reviewers have dismissed as "rant" is what I see as one of this excellent book's most important contribution; titles and position -- in science, as in law (my field), or medicine, or government -- often have little to do with either accomplishment or ability. Significantly, as Magueijo points out, the web will transform knowledge bases in science (as it has for news) so that ideas will rise or fall on their merit, rather than some gatekeeper's pride (jealousy) or prejudice stemming from their premature cognitive commitments. As for the science, which some reviewers have said is short-changed, well when the calculations take years to perfect, using mathematics developed on-the-go, the full landscape can only be seen by reading closely the full mathematical discourse. Magueijo's tour lets us taste the vigor of his discipline and sample the high points of his theories. He has written a superb book!

This is a very interesting book for several reasons. Einstein's ideas, just like the man himself, have become mythic in their influence and popularity. This book puts forward an important post-Einsteinian theory of the nature of the universe and so challenges one of the most significant and well-known ideas of the 20th century. As if that wasn't courageous enough, Magueijo writes the book about his unconventional idea in an unconventional way - he also critiques the organisations and processes of science itself which produce new ideas, from the structure of present day universities to the process of scientific publication and peer-review. While some readers may see his critique of the institutions of science as irrelevant to his new ideas in physics, this ignores the real influence that the institutional status quo have on the development and acceptance of scientific innovation. The promotion of a revolutionary idea not only requires the challenging of existing theory, it also requires the challenging of the scientific institutions which currently hold that idea. This second battle is usually done silently behind the scenes, but Magueijo drops the pretence and writes about both in his book - and its about time science got this particular skeleton out of the closet! Magueijo is no crank - the Royal Society have given him a 10 year Fellowship - very very few get one of those. I for one, commend his gutsy swipe at both established theory and the establishments of theory. This book is a breath of fresh air and just what universities and research institutes need more of to keep them useful.

The interleaving of science with the life of the Scientist is precisely why I've rated this book with 5 stars. The science is tough going (at least for me) and the breaks from the intensity of just thinking about VSL are welcome, indeed. And I don't think it's advisable to divorce science from the Scientist in a work of "Popular Science" so knowing something about these individuals makes perfect sense. So often what we read leaves the impression that Scientists aren't real people and this book makes it clear that they are and that they have prejudices and hidden agendas just like the man in the street does. Hurray for Dr. Magueijo! He's taken a very daring step, just publishing his theories and casting doubt on one of the most basic tenants of Science, but more than that, he's taken the time to introduce us (i.e. non-Scientists) to his theories. I'll be following the progress of VSL via the Web from now on - all because of this very well thought out and very well written book.

Over and above this books sometimes perturbing brattiness toward institutions which probably deserve it, winds a smoothly flowing and jocular style that makes difficult concepts reasonably lucid to a non-mathematician such as myself. Before Joao can dazzle you with his theories, he must give you a working primary education in Einsteinian Relativity sufficient to grasp what he will be challenging. This book does that job better than any of the many such popular science books I've read to date.