The Multiverse: a Philosophical Introduction

TL;DR

This book introduces and critically examines the multiverse concept from philosophical and physical perspectives, exploring three main theories and their implications for understanding possible worlds, chance, and explanation.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive philosophical and scientific analysis of three multiverse theories, highlighting their differences and philosophical implications.

Findings

Comparison of three multiverse theories

Analysis of philosophical questions related to each theory

Clarification of the concept of possible worlds and chance

Abstract

This book is a philosopher's introduction to the idea that our universe is just one of many universes. I present and assess three versions of the idea: one version from philosophy, and two from physics. In short, they are: all the logically possible worlds; all the branches of the quantum state, in an Everettian interpretation of quantum theory; and all the bubbles of inflationary cosmology. For each proposal, I choose one main philosophical question to discuss in depth. They are, respectively: what is a possible world; what is chance; and what is explanation. But before treating these proposals and their associated questions, I set the stage by reviewing physics and philosophy from about 1600 to about 1900; and a final Chapter compares and contrasts the proposals.