In theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that the current "anti-realist" version of quantum mechanics is fundamentally incomplete. He contends that we must look beyond standard quantum theory to find a description of the universe that makes sense to "common sense realism"—the idea that the world exists independently of our observations.

Smolin presents his own solution: a "realist" theory based on a relational view of the world . He explores the idea that non-locality is fundamental and that the universe is made up of a network of events and their relationships. Why the Revolution is "Unfinished"

The book is structured into three main sections that guide the reader from established science into Smolin's own revolutionary theories: