The Grand Design – Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
Cosmology & the Universe
Date: 09-15-10
Host: George Noory
Guests: Leonard Mlodinow
Co-author with Stephen Hawking of the best-seller Brief History of Time, Caltech physicist Leonard Mlodinow discusses his work with Hawking on the grand design of the universe and two central questions – “where does the universe come from?”, and “why are the laws of nature what they are?” Hawking’s theories and the latest research in physics were used to answer those questions. While the conditions for life are just right on Earth, Mlodinow noted that we’re looking backwards at the situation – whatever conditions it took for us to get here, have already happened.
The Grand Design
When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? What is the nature of reality? Is the apparent “grand design” of our universe evidence of a benevolent creator who set things in motion—or does science offer another explanation? In this startling and lavishly illustrated book, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow present the most recent scientific thinking about these and other abiding mysteries of the universe, in nontechnical language marked by brilliance and simplicity.
(Regular contact page returned an error message, so trying this…)
Greetings Leonard,
In the way of introduction, I teach Behavioral Finance as an Adjunct Professor at both Berkeley and Golden Gate University. In both courses, The Drunkard’s Walk (and now Subliminal) are firmly incorporated into my courses. (Drunkard’s Walk is also one of my all-time favorite audible books.)
As a once-a-year educational event, Berkeley, GGU, and USF join with the professional financial community in the Bay area to produce a full-day Behavioral Finance Symposium, which draws an audience of about 150. I run the event and this will be its fourth year.
I’m reaching out to see if you would have an interest in speaking at this event. It is held on the first Saturday in November at Golden Gate University (subject to final confirmation from the school in June). We try to create an agenda that includes faculty, authors, and industry executives. In the past we have had Ori Brafman (Sway), Richard Peterson (Inside the Investors Brain), myself (Far From Random), Ludwig Chincarini (The Crisis of Crowding) and others. Last year’s agenda is available at this link: http://behavioralfinance.org/page-1741319
In full disclosure, we have not taken corporate sponsorships in the past and have therefore not paid honorariums. We would, however, pay your travel expenses to San Francisco and provide two nights hotel in the city. The event has always been well-received by all involved and my feedback from prior speakers has been unanimously favorable.
I hope that you are able to consider joining us for this event and I am happy to answer any other questions you may have.
Best Regards,
Rick Lehman
rhlehman@berkeley.edu
707-246-5992
Good Morning,
I am reading The Upright Thinkers with interest and enjoyment. For several years I have tried to find a book that might help me understand the point at which the idea or image of an external power or powers initially emerged. I read Robert Bellah’s “Religion in Human Evolution” and it came closest, describing the origin of play in mammals and the subsequent development of ritual and eventually religion. My questions continue to revolve around this. I understand that the unpredictable Euphrates might become the model for an unpredictable god to whom humans could pray– nature models the temperaments of deities to whom we appeal for good fortune– but I don’t understand how the idea of appealing to external forces (the abstracting of the physical world?) developed even earlier. Can you direct me to a text that might inform me?
Thanks,
Joan Levitt