In this work, we present a book review of The end of certainties – time, chaos and the new laws of nature by Ilya Prigogine, published in 1996. For his contributions to the study of out-of-equilibrium systems, Prigogine was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1977. Without exaggeration, we can state that this book contains the main conclusions on the subject obtained throughout the author’s life. The author’s presentation of the subject is clear, yet the issue is quite complex. Some chapters will require extra attention and probably one (or two) re-readings. Regardless, the effort is worthwhile. The author leads us to the most controversial questions still open in physics. Prigogine is not afraid to disagree with history’s greatest minds and does so with sobriety and solid arguments. Is there a difference between the past and the future? This is the core question of the work and it is certainly not a naive question. The author argues fundamental changes in the world view offered by physics since Newton in an attempt to answer this question. An extension of classical mechanics and a unified definition of quantum mechanics are among the changes. We hope this review helps those interested in reading this rich, deep, pleasurable, and exciting work.
Keywords:
Prigogine; End of certainties; Chaos