The Best of All Possible Worlds

By Ivar Ekeland ,

Book cover of The Best of All Possible Worlds: Mathematics and Destiny

Book description

Optimists believe this is the best of all possible worlds. And pessimists fear that might really be the case. But what is the best of all possible worlds? How do we define it? This question has preoccupied philosophers and theologians for ages, but there was a time, during the seventeenth…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Best of All Possible Worlds as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Ekeland’s book is an entwinement of philosophical views of scientists with metaphysics dealing with nature’s directives. It’s an embroidery of lively anecdotes involving illustrious individuals and great historical moments of human decisions. We go through the Peloponnesian Wars, Venetian concessions to the Hapsburg emperor Maximilian, Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos, and other enriching accounts. His explanations are clear, elegant, fluid, exhilarating, and suspenseful, reminding me of the effortless style of Richard Feynman. While reading, I felt compelled by a force of nature and purpose to learn about the best of all possible worlds.   

If you love The Best of All Possible Worlds...

Ad

Book cover of The Beatles and the 1960s: Reception, Revolution, and Social Change

The Beatles and the 1960s by Kenneth L. Campbell,

The Beatles are widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history and their career has been the subject of many biographies. Yet the band's historical significance has not received sustained academic treatment to date. In The Beatles and the 1960s, Kenneth L. Campbell uses The…

Want books like The Best of All Possible Worlds?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Best of All Possible Worlds.

Browse books like The Best of All Possible Worlds

Book cover of Why Beauty Is Truth: A History of Symmetry
Book cover of Thomas Harriot: A Life in Science
Book cover of Great Circles: The Transits of Mathematics and Poetry

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

2,360

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like The Best of All Possible Worlds, you might also like...

Book cover of Eclipse Chasers

Eclipse Chasers by Nick Lomb,

Forthcoming eclipses coming up in Australia include that of 22 July 2028, which will cross Australia from the Northern Territory to Sydney, home of the internationally famous sights of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Eclipse Chasers will act as a guidebook for both locals and international visitors, giving…

Book cover of Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

Who Is a Worthy Mother? by Rebecca Wellington,

I grew up thinking that being adopted didn’t matter. I was wrong. This book is my journey uncovering the significance and true history of adoption practices in America. Now, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the renewed debate over women’s reproductive rights places…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in human behavior, math, and ethics?

Human Behavior 37 books
Math 288 books
Ethics 149 books