The first major work in nearly a decade by one of the world's greatness thinkers. When and how did universe begin? Why are we here? Why is there so The first major work in nearly a decade by one of the world's greatness thinkers. When and how did universe begin? Why are we here? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is the nature of reality? Why are the laws of nature so finely tuned as to allow for the existence of beings like ourselves? And, finally, is the apparent 'grand design' of our universe evidence for a benevolent creator who set things in motion? Or does science offer another explanation? The most fundamental questions about the origins of the universe and of life itself, once the province of philosophy, now occupy the territory where scientist, philosophers and theologians meet – if only to disagree. In The Grand Design, the most recent scientific thinking about the mysteries of the universe is presented in language marked by both brilliance and simplicity. The Grand Design explains the latest thoughts about model-dependent realism (the idea that there is no once version of reality), and about the multiverse concept of reality in which there are many universe. There are new ideas about the top-down theory of cosmology (the idea that there is no one history of the universe, but that every possible history exists). It concludes with a riveting assessment of m-theory, and discusses whether it is the unified theory Einstein spent a lifetime searching for. This is a succinct, startling and lavishly illustrated guide to discoveries that are altering our understanding and threatening some of our most cherished belief systems. The Grand Design is a book that will inform – and provoke – like no other. Table Of Contents 1. The Mystery of Being 2. The Rule of Law 3. What is Reality? 4. Alternative Histories 5. The Theory of Everything 6. Choosing Our Universe 7. The Apparent Miracle 8. The Grand Design Glossary Acknowledgements Index