Overview
- Authors:
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Jayant V. Narlikar
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Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, India
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T. Padmanabhan
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Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, India
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Table of contents (14 chapters)
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Introduction
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 1-8
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Quantum Theory
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 11-37
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 38-63
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 64-106
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 107-148
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Classical General Relativity
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Front Matter
Pages 149-149
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 151-194
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 195-233
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 234-272
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Quantization in Curved Spacetime
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Front Matter
Pages 273-273
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 275-309
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 310-329
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Quantum Cosmology
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Front Matter
Pages 331-331
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 333-354
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 355-391
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 392-426
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- Jayant V. Narlikar, T. Padmanabhan
Pages 427-430
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Back Matter
Pages 431-468
About this book
For several decades since its inception, Einstein's general theory of relativity stood somewhat aloof from the rest of physics. Paradoxically, the attributes which normally boost a physical theory - namely, its perfection as a theoreti cal framework and the extraordinary intellectual achievement underlying i- prevented the general theory from being assimilated in the mainstream of physics. It was as if theoreticians hesitated to tamper with something that is manifestly so beautiful. Happily, two developments in the 1970s have narrowed the gap. In 1974 Stephen Hawking arrived at the remarkable result that black holes radiate after all. And in the second half of the decade, particle physicists discovered that the only scenario for applying their grand unified theories was offered by the very early phase in the history of the Big Bang universe. In both cases, it was necessary to discuss the ideas of quantum field theory in the background of curved spacetime that is basic to general relativity. This is, however, only half the total story. If gravity is to be brought into the general fold of theoretical physics we have to know how to quantize it. To date this has proved a formidable task although most physicists would agree that, as in the case of grand unified theories, quantum gravity will have applications to cosmology, in the very early stages of the Big Bang universe. In fact, the present picture of the Big Bang universe necessarily forces us to think of quantum cosmology.