This interdisciplinary book develops a dialectical narrative about the beginning of the universe by combining Hegel’s philosophy with texts about the Big Bang theory. Scientific accounts of the Big Bang indicate that the first second of existence was an eventful period in which the universe progressed through six different epochs. Bringing together cosmological narratives and Hegel’s writings (particularly The Science of Logic), Gregory Phipps reads this movement as a dialectical progression, a sequence of transitions among interlinked concepts like being and nothing, finitude and infinitude, and space and time. He also draws upon Hegel’s concept of absolutes to outline a model of the multiverse. In doing so, Phipps brings Hegel’s philosophy into dialogue with contemporary science, arguing that Hegelian readings of the first second offer speculative snapshots of a hypothetical multiverse that contains the full (and probably infinite) scope of existence. For scholars and enthusiasts alike, Dialectics of the Big Bang and the Absolute Existence of the Multiverse is a thought-provoking exploration of the crosscurrents between philosophy, science, and narrative, inviting readers to contemplate the profound mysteries of the cosmos.

Gregory Phipps is Professor at the University of Iceland, where he teaches American literature and cultural history. His research interests include interdisciplinary studies, twentieth-century fiction, Hegel, pragmatism, and intersectionality.

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