{"product_id":"why-does-the-world-exist-an-existential-detective-story-9780871403599","title":"Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story","description":"Tackling the \"darkest question in all of philosophy\" with \"raffish erudition\" (Dwight Garner, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e), author Jim Holt explores the greatest metaphysical mystery of all: why is there something rather than nothing? This runaway bestseller, which has captured the imagination of critics and the public alike, traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. Holt adopts the role of cosmological detective, traveling the globe to interview a host of celebrated scientists, philosophers, and writers, \"testing the contentions of one against the theories of the other\" (Jeremy Bernstein, \u003cem\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/em\u003e). As he interrogates his list of ontological culprits, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God versus the Big Bang. This \"deft and consuming\" (David Ulin, \u003cem\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/em\u003e) narrative humanizes the profound questions of meaning and existence it confronts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHolt, Jim:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eJim Holt\u003c\/strong\u003e, a prominent essayist and critic on philosophy, mathematics, and science, is a frequent contributor to the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eNew York Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in New York City.","brand":"Liveright Publishing Corporation","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50630005883154,"sku":"9780871403599","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_edd5ad39-f556-4f41-a9ec-a9c50f3416b0.jpg?v=1732740062","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/why-does-the-world-exist-an-existential-detective-story-9780871403599","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}