Impossibility : The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits

Whatcanweneverdo?Barrowlooksatwhatlimitstheremightbetohumandiscovery,andwhatwemightfind,ultimately,tobeunknowable,undoable,orunthinkable.Scienceisabigsuccessstory,butwherewillitend?And,indeed,willitend?Weavingtogetheratapestryofsurprises,Barrowexploresthefrontiersofknowledge.Wefindthatthenotionof'impossibility'hasplayedastrikingroleinourthinking.Surrealism,impossiblefigures,timetravel,paradoxesoflogicandperspectives-allstimulateustocontemplatesomethingmorethanwhatis.Usingsimpleexplanations,itshowsthereaderthatimpossibilityisadeepandpowerfulnotion;thatanyUniversecomplexenoughtocontainconsciousbeingswillcontainlimitsonwhatthosebeingscanknowabouttheirUniverse;thatwhatwecannotknowdefinesrealityassurelyaswhatwecanknow.(20041109)