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393 of 453 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Logic Puzzle, July 22, 2003
This review is from: The Final Theory: Rethinking Our Scientific Legacy (Paperback)
The book is fascinating. I was afraid that the author was going to write "God did it", but this is actually a serious effort to present an alternative, scientifically-derived view of the universe and its forces that differs markedly from our current Standard Theory. Does he succeed? Well, that is the fun of the book. He "must" be wrong, but WHY is he wrong? You'll come up with easy "gotchas", but he's a step ahead of you. Certainly the book does any serious reader a good service by assembling in one place the irreducible problems of our current Standard Theory. Of course scientists know these problems, but here they are assembled clearly and sharply demonstrated; a useful antidote to those of some scientific exposure who are too likely to think "We know the answers to most things". We don't, and professional scientists know we don't. Our models, of gravity, of energy, are that: models, and there are flaws in the models. Another interesting feature of the book is the presentation of enough scientific hisory to see clearly the assumptions, and possible errors, made in forming our Standard Model. Does this mean that the author's theory is right, and the Standard Theory is "wrong"?
Not necessarily.
It means that both are models of reality, and like any model, the truth is to be found only through empirical testing. The book is worth reading, even though the ideas in it are iconoclastic; perhaps BECAUSE they are iconoclastic. It took guts to write this book and present it as a scientific text. If you are scientifically educated, the book WILL make you think (once you get past the initial desire to simply dismiss it with a wave of the hand). Obviously no-one should buy this book as their first primer in physics. Apply The Final Theory to a physics test, and you will certainly fail, since the formulae McCutcheon offers are based on quite different principles than the current Newtonian/Einsteinian assumptions tested in school.
I would say that the more science you already know, the more you will enjoy the book, because it challenges your assumptions and forces you to admit that our Standard Theory is NOT Revealed Truth, but a working model with plenty of kinks in it. The scientifically trained will find the book a riddle...why is he wrong? If I accept his proposition, for the sake of argument, why does it fail? What EMPIRICAL (as opposed to theoretical) evidence can I give to defeat his model?
You will find the empirical refutation to be quite hard to make. The book could use a good index.
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366 of 426 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Final Theory - A winner, September 12, 2005
This review is from: The Final Theory: Rethinking Our Scientific Legacy (Paperback)
I was worried that this book might be pseudo science but took the plunge and bought it. I have gone from one chapter to another with amazement at the theory as well as the clear consise writing as Mccutcheon takes us through a history of apparent scientific blunders which point out when and how mistakes in our current accepted science occurred, why the current theories don't fully explain underlying reasons for the theories and how they actually violate existing theories. McCucheons theories seem to work to explain these shortfailings and more. I could not find a flaw in the book after reading it 3 times. Each chapter left me more amazed than the previous and I think it is a must read for all people, layman and scientist alike. Congratulations to a very bold author - scientist who refreshingly questions everything about our existance in this universe and accepts nothing that doesn't make 100% sense. If I was to rename this book, I would call it "100% common sense science" or "Science that really makes sense". This book is a concise exploration of a totally new theory complete with sensible equations that not only seem to work, but are actually based on non magical observations. In a word "BRAVO"
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366 of 426 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most Assuredly a Challenging and Worthwhile Read, February 3, 2005
This review is from: The Final Theory: Rethinking Our Scientific Legacy (Paperback)
I finished reading the book on January 21st, 2005, having received it on January 13th. I had a tough time leaving it alone as I went through that rather busy week. The book appealed to and challenged me that much.
I am impressed by the author's obvious intelligence, the breadth of his understanding of today's science and his logical presentation of a surprisingly comprehensive and difficult theory. Kudos to Mark McCutcheon.
Further, I think it would be enormous good fun to be part of an effort that contributes to the testing, validation, clarification, correction, extension, establishment or discrediting of Mark McCutcheon's "Final Theory." I sincerely hope that the rest of us can prove whether his efforts have been worthwhile.
Mark McCutcheon is an audacious author. He is definitely not afraid to challenge the "sacred cows" of existing science and physics Standard Theory. Do yourself a huge favor and DO NOT PERMIT YOURSELF to be one of the close minded, bigoted or self adulating people who will have difficulty being patient and open minded enough to read all the way through the book. Such people will leap to a negative conclusion about the entirety of Mark's "Final Theory" based upon their not understanding or their misunderstanding and negative reaction to some point along the way.
I was tempted to do so, myself. But, as I continued to read I found that later information gave me good reason to be pleased that I had not dismissed the book out of hand. Nevertheless, I found myself highlighting the places where I had issues, as I went.
Mark lays out his theory in a logical step-by-step manner with no overview or preview to give us a look ahead at what is coming (for valid and good reasons). This works very well if you are patient, but otherwise you may be tempted to skim, look or jump ahead. Trust me you will be well rewarded for patiently reading page by page.
Mark fully acknowledges the worth and the obvious workability of the existing Standard Theory in science and physics. But, he challenges Standard Theory where it tells "how" and "what" but not "why." His "Final Theory" gives his explanation of the "why" and in many cases that leads to a new explanation of the "how" and the "what."
A most refreshing intellect is housed within this author's brain.
As you would probably expect, my second reading of the book (currently in progress, since Jan 26, 2005) is proving to be even more interesting, challenging, focusing and clarifying. In many cases the theory looks even better the second time around, but, also, the difficulties and questions stand out in more vivid relief. For those who do as I am doing, reading the book again, I suspect we will find it easy to have focused discussions with intelligent content.
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