Physics Fixes All the Facts

My second book is due out Q1 2025. 

Advance Praise

“I wish I knew as much as Liam Graham. It would have enabled me to write a much more convincing and well informed book than ‘The Atheist’s Guide to Reality’. Fortunately Graham has done it. My envy of Graham’s erudition is only surpassed by my admiration of his achievement. This is the definitive guide to why the physical facts fix all the facts! It’s also the definitive diagnosis of all the specious arguments against this simple truth.”

Alex Rosenberg, R. Taylor Cole Professor of Philosophy, Duke University, author of The Atheist’s Guide to Reality.

“Graham does an impressive job of advancing his vision of ‘austere physicalism’ as against non-reductionist views on which there are higher-level or ‘emergent’ phenomena. His lively, wide-ranging, detailed treatment of the relevant scientific case studies and philosophical positions is a tour-de-force, and his critical salvos and defensive strategies deserve further attention by scientists and philosophers alike. Anyone curious about the structure of natural reality will find this book to be a great read and a valuable resource.”

Jessica Wilson, Professor of Philosophy, University of Toronto, author of Metaphysical Emergence.

“This well written book offers a balanced approach for those with interests in physics and/or metaphysics. It dismisses various forms of emergentism, arguing that these views wrongly project human cognitive limitations onto the world’s ontology. It defends an austerely monistic version of physicalism according to which the world is a single entity—the ‘blobject’—with richly complex dynamic structure but without any constituent entities as proper parts. Diverse metaphysical topics are addressed, including free will and consciousness. Highly recommended.”

Matjaž Potrč, Professor of Philosophy, Ljubljana University, author of Austere Realism.

“Whatever you think about the nature of reality, there’s value in grappling with the idea that it may fundamentally be ‘all physics’! Liam Graham presents an engaging and well-researched argument, with some excellent examples drawn from across the sciences.”

Louis Barson, Director of Science, Innovation and Skills, Institute of Physics.

"This book is a thorough and critical examination of the idea of emergence arguing that the concept is so generic that it is useless.  It provides a very good overview of emergent phenomena, particularly those from condensed matter physics, and is written in an entertaining, thought-provoking style."

Ilias Amanatidis, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel and Ioannis Kleftogiannis, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Taiwan.

"I have often puzzled over claims that emergent properties are ‘something else, something that cannot be explained by the elements of the system’. This splendid book shows why such claims are nonsense. And it helps us understand why, in a few years, that thesis will not be in the least controversial."

Antonio Cabrales, Professor of Economics, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid.

Molecular Storms: the Physics of Stars, Cells and the Origin of Life

“…an engaging read…. a fascinating guide… I would highly recommend that you add Molecular Storms to your reading list.” - Physics World.  See the full review here.

“[this] grand tour of the physical world leaves little unexamined, starting with simple systems of gas molecules in a box, moving to the smallest, simplest living cells, then on to whole planets. Graham does a stunning job of connecting everything to the state of disorder we call entropy and to the driving force behind structures everywhere – the 'molecular storms' of his title” - New Scientist.  See the full review here.

“Graham displays a magisterial command of the material... a thought-provoking reflection on the deepest of questions.” - Kirkus Reviews.  See the full review here.