Impact of science and technology on society Books

Book Synopsis‘This seminal book...will transform your understanding ...of the environmental and health effects of electricity and radio frequencies’ Paradigm Explorer ‘Firstenberg is a pioneer in the sense that Rachel Carson was a pioneer.’ Chellis Glendinning, PhD, author of When Technology Wounds 75,000 copies sold! Cell towers, Wi-fi, 5G: Electricity has shaped the modern world. But how has it affected our health and environment? Over the last 220 years, society has evolved a universal belief that electricity is ‘safe’ for humanity and the planet. Scientist and journalist Arthur Firstenberg disrupts this conviction by telling the story of electricity in a way it has never been told before – from an environmental point of view – by detailing the effects that this fundamental societal building block has had on our health and our planet. In The Invisible Rainbow, Firstenberg traces the history of electricity from the early eighteenth century to the present, making a compelling case that many environmental problems, as well as the major diseases of industrialised civilisation—heart disease, diabetes, and cancer—are related to electrical pollution.Trade Review“Few individuals today are able to grasp the entirety of a scientific subject and present it in a highly engaging manner, in plain English, without losing any of the details. In The Invisible Rainbow, Firstenberg has done just that with one of the most pressing but neglected problems of our technological age. This book, which as a medical doctor I found hard to put down, explores the relationship between electricity and life from beginning to end: from the early eighteenth century to today, and from the point of view of the physician, the physicist, and the average person in the street. Firstenberg makes a compelling case that the major diseases of civilization—heart disease, diabetes, and cancer—are in large part related to the pollution of our world by electricity.”—Bradley Johnson, MD, Amen Clinic, San Francisco“The Invisible Rainbow is wonderful. Firstenberg has done his research thoroughly. His book is easily readable and provocative while being entertaining. A remarkable contribution.”—David O. Carpenter, MD, director, Institute for Health and the Environment, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany“I found it to be a mystery unfolding and could not put it down. It shines a new light on diseases that come from electrical development, and addresses current environmental crises that only a few yet realize are the consequence of electrosmog. This book is very, very important.”—Sandy Ross, PhD, president, Health and Habitat, Inc.“I was stunned by this book. It is an extremely valuable document about an increasingly widespread environmental health risk to which we are all exposed. I am overwhelmed with admiration for what Firstenberg has accomplished.”—William E. Morton, MD, DrPH, professor emeritus, Oregon Health Sciences University“Firstenberg is a pioneer in the sense that Rachel Carson was a pioneer.”—Chellis Glendinning, PhD, author of When Technology Wounds

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Book SynopsisDonna J. Haraway refigures our current epoch, moving away from the Anthropocene toward the Chthulucene: an epoch in which we stay with the trouble of living and dying on a damaged earth while living with and understanding the nonhuman in complex ways conducive to building more livable futures.Trade Review"In Staying with the Trouble, we find real SF: science fiction, science fact, science fantasy, speculative feminism, speculative fabulation, string figures, so far. So many ways to look at the world and ourselves, so many complicated ideas on how we critters will survive and thrive and die in the disturbing Chthulucene. Haraway is difficult to read. But the effort required is worth it." -- Nancy Jane Moore * Cascadia Subduction Zone *"Chthulucene is not a simple word, yet it is a productive motif for Haraway. With it she laces ideas from urban pigeons, woolen coral reefs, writing workshops, Inupiat computer games, canine estrogen and Black Mesa sheep. The thready and the tentacular form the subject and the framework of her theory-making, as well as the structure of her writing." -- Archie Davies * Antipode *"Staying with the Trouble is Haraway at her most accessible. Readers familiar with her work with recognize her characteristic style and language, polysemous metaphors co-mingle with evocative refrains, deep etymological readings, and even the occasional sentence with internal rhyme schemes. . . . This is a work to provoke and inspire. It is a call to arms (or pseudopods as the case may be)!" -- Matt Thompson * Savage Minds *"[W]e should take seriously the implications of kin versus family, of kin as encompassing all non-human relations. There is an ethics here, on a micro and macro level. Haraway is no moralist, but replacing 'human relations' with 'kin' arguably brings about a transformation in our hierarchies and priorities - why not care as much about a wildflower as you do about your niece? If it is not a zero-sum game, and let us hope it is not, we can make room for all kinds of lives, and all kinds of ways of living. Staying with the trouble is also a matter of sticking with all the things that currently live and will die alongside us, whether we cause it or notice it or not." -- Nina Power * Spike *"Haraway models like few others deep intellectual generosity and curiosity. Staying with the Trouble cites students, thinks with community activists and artists, and writes alongside scientists and fiction writers. Haraway does not want you to read her; she wants you to read with her. She also insists on conversations with all kinds of storytellers: academics or not, humans or not, environmental humanities scholars or not." -- Astrida Neimanis * Australian Feminist Studies *"The book enacts different forms of analysis and activism. It is not only that the book transcends disciplinary boundaries of biology, sciences studies, art history, philosophy and dense descriptions of political activism most often found in social sciences. These approaches are interwoven in a very rich and exquisite manner for which the author is well known." -- Waltraud Ernst * Angelaki *"Haraway is probably as aware as a writer can be that what she has to offer at the moment is nowhere near enough to engage with all the ‘trouble’ that needs to be engaged with. All she can do, she seems to be saying, is to stay with it a while, worrying at the very edges of her capacity, and then pass it on. ‘We need each other’s risk-taking support, in conflict and collaboration, big time,’ is how she ends that infamous two-page endnote. ‘The answer to the trust of the held-out hand’, as she also puts it. ‘Think we must.’" -- Jenny Turner * London Review of Books *"Staying with the Trouble is a kind of Whole Earth Catalogue of thought devices for attuning our senses to the damaged ecosystem of the still-blue planet. It makes It makes inspiring and imaginative use of science fiction, art projects, geology, evolutionary theory, developmental biology, science and technology studies, anthropology, environmental activism, philosophy, feminism, horticulture, linguistics, pigeon fancying, and many other ways of thinking and knowing about ourselves, our worlds, and the many imbricate relations through which life on earth comes into being and dies." -- Sarah Franklin * American Anthropologist *"In advancing an approach that is at once hopeful but grounded, attuned to the realities of history but open to the possibility of alternative futures—in other words, in adamantly insisting on 'staying with the trouble' of the present—Haraway provides a ray of light in an otherwise- gloomy world of Anthropocene scholarship." -- Leah Aronowsky * Endeavor *"For anthropologists Haraway’s book will read as an invitation to think and write in terms that allow for symbiosis throughout.... Readers may not find clear road maps that guide them to struggle for more just flourishings or to understand the powerful and violent articulations of economies and ecologies in the Capitalocene. But they will perhaps rethink and expand the diverse relationalities that constitute the very preconditions of collective action. This is an invitation both to theorize and to make unexpected collaborations." -- Caterina Scaramelli * American Ethnologist *"Haraway’s kinships offer a brave opening in feminist theory.... Haraway has a long history of making brave moves—and winning feminism over." -- Paulla Ebron and Anna Tsing * Feminist Studies *"As always [Haraway's] work is capacious, sharp, inventive, and informed." -- Kyla Tompkins * American Quarterly *"As someone who has spent many years thinking about how we could live on Mars, I can assure you that there is no planet B. Adjusting ourselves and our society to the planet we actually live on will require us to create and enact a new structure of feeling. The feminist theorist Donna Haraway urges us to take care of our animal cousins in her provocative study Staying With the Trouble. We must establish enduring relationships between generations and species, she argues, and recognise that an improved political economy is both necessary and possible." -- Kim Stanley Robinson * The Guardian *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1. Playing String Figures with Companion Species 9 2. Tentacular Thinking: Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Chthulucene 30 3. Sympoiesis: Symbiogenesis and the Lively Arts of Staying with the Trouble 58 4. Making Kin: Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene, Chthulucene 99 5. Awash in Urine: DES and Premarin in Multispecies Response-ability 104 6. Sowing Worlds: A Seed Bag for Terraforming with Earth Others 117 7. A Curious Practice 126 8. The Camille Stories: Children of Compost 134 Notes 169 Bibliography 229 Index 265

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Book SynopsisTo care can feel good, or it can feel bad. It can do good, it can oppress. But what is care? A moral obligation? A burden? A joy? Is it only human? In Matters of Care, María Puig de la Bellacasa presents a powerful challenge to conventional notions of care, exploring its significance as an ethical and political obligation for thinking in the more than human worlds of technoscience and naturecultures. Matters of Care contests the view that care is something only humans do, and argues for extending to non-humans the consideration of agencies and communities that make the living web of care by considering how care circulates in the natural world. The first of the book’s two parts, “Knowledge Politics,” defines the motivations for expanding the ethico-political meanings of care, focusing on discussions in science and technology that engage with sociotechnical assemblages and objects as lively, politically charged “things.” The second part, “Speculative Ethics in Antiecological Times,” considers everyday ecologies of sustaining and perpetuating life for their potential to transform our entrenched relations to natural worlds as “resources.” From the ethics and politics of care to experiential research on care to feminist science and technology studies, Matters of Care is a singular contribution to an emerging interdisciplinary debate that expands agency beyond the human to ask how our understandings of care must shift if we broaden the world. Trade Review"Through its observations and appreciations of the worlds in which many forms of care happen, this bold and synthetic book makes two transforming contributions to contemporary theorizing as it subtly invites everyone to appreciate the centrality of posthuman thinking. Feminists and posthumanists can no longer speak past each other: here’s why."—Joan C. Tronto, University of Minnesota"Aesthetic analyses such as these would carry the potential to generate care within and for the entanglement of relations to which we all belong, a task that Puig de la Bellacasa’s book accomplishes exceptionally well."—Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory"Matters of Care provides us with a theory of transformative change that is not anchored in violence and bloodshed, but in the everyday occurrences of caring with and for. This is a revolutionary book!"—Hypatia Reviews"Matters of Care offers a dive into an always-political ethics that is inspired by agricultural practices and the more-than-human beings wrapped up in them."—CENHS "It offers a serious and thoughtful contribution to debates around the place of politics within posthumanism, connecting a radical openness to human and non-human others with an enduring concern for the excluded and marginal. In doing so it reimagines how we might know the world and places care at the heart of a hybrid practice of knowing, relating to, and sustaining worlds." —Society + Space "Matters of Care feels at once like a new beginning for ethics and politics in more than human worlds, yet also the logical outcome of many years of work in new materialist and feminist thought. It is a masterfully lucid and challenging theoretical exposition in which a feminist ethic of care is extended through speculation on its limits." —Journal of Cultural Economy "Her speculative ethics of care joins together “an affective state, a material vital doing, and an ethico-political obligation” (42) to imagine how to live in these worlds. The book draws upon and will be of interest to practitioners of science and technology studies, feminist care ethics, and posthumanism, among others." —ISLE "Puig de la Bellacasa’s Matters of Care offers a stirring and thoughtful meditation on how to engage in a speculative task and an ethical commitment that brings together humans and more-than-humans." —TapuyaTable of ContentsContentsIntroduction: The Subtle Thought of CarePart I. Knowledge Politics1. Assembling Neglected “Things”2. Thinking with Care3. Touching VisionsPart II. Speculative Ethics in Antiecological Times4. Alterbiopolitics5. Soil Times: The Pace of Ecological CareCodaAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book Synopsis'Boldly reactionary... What looks like feast, Carr argues, may be closer to famine' Sunday Times'Chilling' The EconomistIn this ground-breaking and compelling book, Nicholas Carr argues that not since Gutenberg invented printing has humanity been exposed to such a mind-altering technology. The Shallows draws on the latest research to show that the Net is literally re-wiring our brains inducing only superficial understanding. As a consequence there are profound changes in the way we live and communicate, remember and socialise - even in our very conception of ourselves. By moving from the depths of thought to the shallows of distraction, the web, it seems, is actually fostering ignorance. The Shallows is not a manifesto for luddites, nor does it seek to turn back the clock. Rather it is a revelatory reminder of how far the Internet has become enmeshed in our daily existence and is affecting the way we think. This landmark book compels us all to look anew at our dependence on this all-pervasive technology.This 10th-anniversary edition includes a new afterword that brings the story up to date, with a deep examination of the cognitive and behavioural effects of smartphones and social media.Trade ReviewA boldly reactionary book... Its thesis is simple and persuasive. The things that we do have a physical effect on our brains... What looks like feast, Carr argues, may be closer to famine... The internet is a distraction machine. -- Sam Leith * Sunday Times *Essential reading about our internet age. * New York Times Book Review *The most readable overview of the science and history of human cognition to date... Carr draws some chilling inferences. * The Economist *An elegantly written cry of anguish... Hair-raising. -- John Harris * Guardian *Carr straddles the book-dominated and web-dominated worlds and is at home in both... Mild-mannered, never polemical, with nothing of the Luddite about him, Carr makes his points with wide-ranging erudition. -- Christopher Caldwell * Financial Times *Unhurried... even-handed... Carr constantly emphasises the fact that screen technologies are neither evil nor miraculous in their effects on the human mind... What is certain, however, is that our minds will change... A worthy illustration that books do indeed enable deep reflection. -- Susan Greenfield * Literary Review *Absorbing [and] disturbing * Wall Street Journal *I have not only given this book to numerous friends, I actually changed my life in response to it. -- Jonathan Safran FoerAn important and timely book. See if you can stay off the Web long enough to read it! -- Elizabeth KolbertThis is a book to shake up the world. -- Ann PatchettTable of Contents0: THE WATCHDOG AND THE THIEF 1: HAL AND ME 2: THE VITAL PATHS 3: TOOLS OF THE MIND 4: THE DEEPENING PAGE 5: A MEDIUM OF THE MOST GENERAL NATURE 6: THE VERY IMAGE OF A BOOK 7: THE JUGGLER'S BRAIN 8: THE CHURCH OF GOOGLE 9: SEARCH, MEMORY 10: A THING LIKE ME 11: HUMAN ELEMENTS

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Book SynopsisNow in its fifth edition, Diffusion of Innovations is a classic work on the spread of new ideas. In this renowned book, Everett M. Rogers, professor and chair of the Department of Communication & Journalism at the University of New Mexico, explains how new ideas spread via communication channels over time. Such innovations are initially perceived as uncertain and even risky. To overcome this uncertainty, most people seek out others like themselves who have already adopted the new idea. Thus the diffusion process consists of a few individuals who first adopt an innovation, then spread the word among their circle of acquaintances—a process which typically takes months or years. But there are exceptions: use of the Internet in the 1990's, for example, may have spread more rapidly than any other innovation in the history of humankind. Furthermore, the Internet is changing the very nature of diffusion by decreasing the importance of physical distance between people. The fifth edition addresses the spread of the Internet, and how it has transformed the way human beings communicate and adopt new ideas.Trade ReviewChoice The name of Everett Rogers...is virtually synonymous with the study of the diffusion of innovations....His coverage is comprehensive, ranging from the elements of diffusion and the history of diffusion research to generators of innovation, change agents, and the consequences of innovations. Among the many features that make this an exemplary interdisciplinary effort are Rogers's clear, literate style and his ability to stay in touch with social realities. He sets a high standard for social theorists.Technology and Culture A classic work....Full of interesting insights, solid examples, and good common sense.Journal of Communication Incorporates important advances...presented in the usual clear, didactic, and often light-spirited style of the author, who also offers choice examples of his wide cross-cultural experiences. The result is a highly readable and discussion-provoking text.Engineering Management Society Holds several important lessons for anyone planning the introduction of new ideas in a firm....Introduces the latest and probably some of the best thinking in that area.Table of ContentsContentsPrefaceCHAPTER 1. ELEMENTS OF DIFFUSIONCHAPTER 2. A HISTORY OF DIFFUSION RESEARCHCHAPTER 3. CONTRIBUTIONS AND CRITICISMS OF DIFFUSION RESEARCHCHAPTER 4. THE GENERATION OF INNOVATIONSCHAPTER 5. THE INNOVATION-DECISION PROCESSCHAPTER 6. ATTRIBUTES OF INNOVATIONS AND THEIR RATE OF ADOPTIONCHAPTER 7. INNOVATIVENESS AND ADOPTER CATEGORIESCHAPTER 8. DIFFUSION NETWORKSCHAPTER 9. THE CHANGE AGENTCHAPTER 10. INNOVATION IN ORGANIZATIONSCHAPTER 11. CONSEQUENCES OF INNOVATIONSGlossaryBibliographyName IndexSubject Index

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. scientific community has long led the world in research on such areas as public health, environmental science, and issues affecting quality of life. Our scientists have produced landmark studies on the dangers of DDT, tobacco smoke, acid rain, and global warming. But at the same time, a small yet potent subset of this community leads the world in vehement denial of these dangers.Merchants of Doubt tells the story of how a loose-knit group of high-level scientists and scientific advisers, with deep connections in politics and industry, ran effective campaigns to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific knowledge over four decades. Remarkably, the same individuals surface repeatedly - some of the same figures who have claimed that the science of global warming is not settled denied the truth of studies linking smoking to lung cancer, coal smoke to acid rain, and CFCs to the ozone hole. Doubt is our product, wrote one tobacco executive. These ''experts'' supTrade ReviewAnyone concerned about the state of democracy in America should read this book -- Al GoreBrilliantly reported and written with brutal clarity * Huffington Post *It is tempting to require that all those engaged in the business of conveying scientific information to the general public should read it * Science *A hard-hitting thriller ... also a meticulously researched history book and a portal into the world of real science ... A fascinating story * West Australian *Excellent, important * Choice *

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Book SynopsisWill technology change what it means to be human? You don''t have to be a computer scientist to have discerning conversations about artificial intelligence and technology. We all wonder where we''re headed. Even now, technological innovations and machine learning have a daily impact on our lives, and many of us see good reasons to dread the future. Are we doomed to the surveillance society imagined in George Orwell''s 1984?Mathematician and philosopher John Lennox believes that there are credible answers to the daunting questions that AI poses, and he shows that Christianity has some very serious, sensible, evidence-based responses about the nature of our quest for superintelligence.2084 will introduce you to a kaleidoscope of ideas: The key developments in technological enhancement, bioengineering, and, in particular, artificial intelligence. The agreements and disagreements that scientists and experts have Table of ContentsPreface 1. Two Big Questions: Humanity: Where from and Where to? 2. Narrow Artificial Intelligence---The Future Is Bright? 3. Narrow AI: Perhaps the Future Is Not So Bright After All? 4. Upgrading Humans 5. Artificial General Intelligence---The Future Is Dark? 6. The Genesis Files: What Is a Human Being? 7. The True “Homo Deus” 8. Future Shock: The Return of the Man Who Is God Appendix: Christian Transhumanism?

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Book SynopsisThis concise book introduces nonphysicists to the core philosophical issues surrounding the nature and structure of space and time, and is also an ideal resource for physicists interested in the conceptual foundations of space-time theory. Tim Maudlin's broad historical overview examines Aristotelian and Newtonian accounts of space and time, and trTrade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "Taking up the conceptual foundations of classical and modern physics, Maudlin explains in a clear manner how Einstein's special and general theories of relativity emerged from Newtonian mechanics and Galilean relativity... This is a solid work that deserves careful study and rewards readers accordingly."--Choice "I would highly recommend Philosophy of Physics to anyone who wants to get a deeper historical and philosophical perspective on the nature of space and time, as well as to any physics student who has been confused by the twin paradox."--Robert M. Wald, Physics Today "Maudlin has successfully undertaken a very difficult task: to write a book about the physical theories of space and time, accessible to every learned person with genuine interest in philosophy and the foundations of physics, with little mathematical prerequisites but without betraying the physical theories. We are really anxious to read the second volume of his work."--Chrysovalantis Stergiou, Metascience "An accessible and highly engaging introduction to the major issues in the physics of space and time."--Matt Farr, Philosophy in ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction: The Aim and Structure of These Volumes xi Chapter One Classical Accounts of Space and Time 1 The Birth of Physics 1 Newton's First Law and Absolute Space 4 Absolute Time and the Persistence of Absolute Space 9 The Metaphysics of Absolute Space and Time 12 Chapter Two Evidence for Spatial and Temporal Structure 17 Newton's Second Law and the Bucket Experiment 17 Arithmetic, Geometry, and Coordinates 24 The Symmetries of Space and the Leibniz-Clarke Debate 34 Chapter Three Eliminating Unobservable Structure 47 Absolute Velocity and Galilean Relativity 47 Galilean Space-Time 54 Chapter Four Special Relativity 67 Special Relativity and Minkowski Space-Time 67 The Twins Paradox 77 Minkowski Straightedge, Minkowski Compass 83 Constructing Lorentz Coordinates 87 Chapter Five The Physics of Measurement 106 The Clock Hypothesis 106 Abstract Boosts and Physical Boosts 114 The "Constancy of the Speed of Light" 120 Deeper Accounts of Physical Principles 124 Chapter Six General Relativity 126 Curved Space and Curved Space-Time 126 Geometrizing Away Gravity 131 Black Holes and the Big Bang 140 The Hole Argument 146 Suggested Readings on General Relativity 152 Chapter Seven The Direction and Topology of Time 153 The Geometry of Time 153 Time Travel as a Technical Problem 162 The Direction of Time 165 Appendix: Some Problems in Special Relativistic Physics 171 References 177 Index 181

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Book SynopsisJon Ronson is an award-winning writer and documentary maker. He is the author of many bestselling books, including Frank: The True Story that Inspired the Movie, Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries, The Psychopath Test, The Men Who Stare at Goats and Them: Adventures with Extremists. His first fictional screenplay, Frank, co-written with Peter Straughan, starred Michael Fassbender. He is the creator of podcasts including Things Fell Apart and The Butterfly Effect. He lives in London and New York City.Trade ReviewHe is such an exceptional writer . . . an incredibly funny writer . . . a perfect sense of comic timing throughout, but he manages to deal with profound subjects . . . so enjoyable . . . you can be having a laugh while understanding a social phenomenon in a completely unique way; it's such a great book . . . We're buying it! * The BBC Radio 2 Arts Show with Claudia Winkleman *A magnificent book, subtly argued, often painfully funny and yet deeply serious. . . I'm not sure I can recommend it highly enough * Daily Mail *A work of original, inspired journalism, it considers the complex dynamics between those who shame and those who are shamed, both of whom can become the focus of social media's grotesque, disproportionate judgments -- Laurence Scott * Financial Times *superb and terrifying . . . So You've Been Publicly Shamed brings together all of Ronson's virtues as a writer, to a more serious purpose than hitherto . . . Ronson is a true virtuoso of the faux-naive style. He is so good at it that it's not irritating . . . Ronson has beautiful comic-prose skills . . . but Ronson's self-description as a "humorous journalist" is not the whole story. Comedy is his disguise and also his weapon. He is a moralist. Some of his best lines seem casual but contain fierce social diagnoses . . . towards the end of his new book, someone accuses him of "prurient curiosity". This prompts what may be taken as a statement of the moral approach behind all his work. "I didn't want to write a book that advocated for a less curious world. Prurient curiosity may not be great. But curiosity is. People's flaws need to be written about. The flaws of some people lead to horrors inflicted on to others. And then there are the more human flaws that, when you shine a light on to them, de-demonise people that might otherwise be seen as ogres." At its best, this is exactly what his writing can do . . . relentlessly entertaining and thought-provoking -- Steven Poole * Guardian *Ronson is our current master of smarter-than-average pop nonfiction that combines social science, investigative journalism and no shortage of style . . . Ronson and his subjects are strikingly candid about their fears, which is compelling if not always comfortable to read. But the book slowly turns out to be about something bigger than it seems: a survival guide to living with shame both public and private, an inevitable consequence of being human. * Saturday Paper (Australia) *Ronson's finely attuned ear for dialogue and his skilfully deployed nebbishness ensure a pacy but discomfiting read -- Gillian Terzis * The Australian *Jon Ronson's great strength as a writer is his empathy with his subject, which seems to bring about trust and openness from his interviewees. Like all journalists, he is a voyeur, but he is sensitive with his material and self-analytical enough to realise his own part in the phenomenon. So You've Been Publicly Shamed is an interesting commentary on human behaviour and its consequences. * The Register *immensely readable -- Will Dean * Independent *[A] brilliant, thought-provoking book - a fascinating examination of citizen justice, which has enjoyed a great renaissance since the advent of the internet * Tatler *Amusing and thought-provoking * Daily Telegraph *Certainly, no reader could finish it without feeling a need to be gentler online, to defer judgment, not to press the retweet button, to resist that primal impulse to stoke the fires of shame * The Times *As in his previous books, Ronson's style is to take us with him wherever the story goes, curiosity his guide. But unlike bestsellers The Men Who Stare At Goats (US new age warfare), The Psychopath Test (the mental health 'industry') or Them (ideological extremism), Shamed is not a critique of those at the fringes of our society, it's about us - or at least the very many of us who take to Twitter to heap vitriol on those we feel deserve it * Metro *Jon Ronson is one of the funniest writers we have * Red *Hugely entertaining * National *Engrossing and terrifying * New Statesman *Ronson specialises in writing witty, wide-eyed, free-wheeling books . . . He is full of curiosity, and writes in a friendly, slightly faux-naif voice, but with strong moral antennae -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Compulsively readable -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *So You've Been Publicly Shamed is possibly [Ronson's] most ambitious project yet . . . a brilliantly articulated, sensitively rendered attempt to reform the world -- Charlie Gilmour * Independent *So You've Been Publicly Shamed is fascinating, insightful and amusing and should be read by everyone * Women24 *Everyone who has any kind of online presence - including anonymous below-the-line commenters - will find this book gripping . . . Ronson remains one of our finest comic writers -- India Knight * Spectator *[A] simultaneously lightweight and necessary book * Esquire *I was mesmerized. And I was also disturbed -- Cheryl Conner * Forbes *Gutsy and smart. . . Without losing any of the clever agility that makes his books so winning, he has taken on truly consequential material and risen to the challenge -- Janet Maslin * New York Times *Read this book. Then tell someone else about it. Make sure you leave it in a place where an unsuspecting teen is lingering, they too could benefit from these timely fables of the digital world -- Elisabeth Marrow * Wairarapa Times *A gripping book, well written, articulate, honest and incredibly relevant in today's society. A book everyone with a twitter account should read . . . This is a book that will grip you and really make you think about 21st century society in a different way, definitely one to read, and one to read now * New Zealand Library Blogspot *Ronson is adept at taking a topic and explaining it through a number of case studies . . . His facts are gathered first-hand, his experiences conveyed with sharp observations of scene and character, and his conclusions logical. As contemporary society becomes ever more connected, Ronson's lessons will become even more important * Sunday Star Times *Witty . . .clever and thought-provoking * Publishers Weekly *This book really needed to be written * Salon *One of our most important modern day thinkers, Jon Ronson . . . has written one of the most therapeutic books imaginable -- Howard Forman * US News & Word Report *I very much enjoyed Jon Ronson's salutary examination of what happens when the internet turns on you: So You've Been Publicly Shamed (Picador). One stupid picture, one misplaced joke, and your life can be completely trashed. The book examines a very dark corner of the times we live in but manages to be both entertaining and humane -- Anthony Horowitz * Telegraph *So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson is the non-fiction book of the year - an alarming examination of victims and victimisers in the new social media sport of mob justice. -- Mark Lawson, Best Holiday Reads 2015 * Guardian *Jon Ronson is unreal. So You've Been Publicly Shamed - everyone should read that book.He's one of my favourite human beings. -- Bill HaderWe love Jon Ronson. He's thoughtful and very funny. [So You've Been Publicly Shamed] is a great book about the way the internet can gang up on people and shame them, when they deserve it, when they don't deserve it and it's great -- Judd ApatowA chilling look at how social media encourages witch hunts -- Helen LewisAn important start to a necessary conversation on internet hate mobs -- Naomi Alderman[Ronson] takes on one of the most egregious perils of life in the age of social media - the whopping magnification of some gaffe or misstep or downright lie - to the point that it achieves life-wrecking power. . .there's a lot to learn from his funny, insightful look at this red-hot topic * New York Times, Top Books of 2015 *Yes, it's a breezy read at the sentence level, but Ronson's latest book evokes a sense of dread that lingers. * TimeOut, Best Books of 2015 *Simmering with humour, weirdness and pathos * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *A fascinating exploration of modern media and public shaming. John Ronson has provided me so many dinner party conversation topics with this book. It's a great conversation starter -- Reese WitherspoonIt is difficult to read this book and not feel equal parts righteous (because we wound never do the horrible things that the people in this book have done) and guilty (because we all have done the totally benign things that the people in this book have done), it's a terrifying and keen insight into a new form of misguided mass hysteria -- Jesse EisenbergI'll read anything by my old pal Ronson, who always tackles serious topics with a sense of play and an appreciation for the absurd -- Sarah Vowell

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling authors of Abundance and Bold comes a practical playbook for technological convergence in our modern era.In their book Abundance, bestselling authors and futurists Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler tackled grand global challenges, such as poverty, hunger, and energy. Then, in Bold, they chronicled the use of exponential technologies that allowed the emergence of powerful new entrepreneurs. Now the bestselling authors are back with The Future Is Faster Than You Think, a blueprint for how our world will change in response to the next ten years of rapid technological disruption. Technology is accelerating far more quickly than anyone could have imagined. During the next decade, we will experience more upheaval and create more wealth than we have in the past hundred years. In this gripping and insightful roadmap to our near future, Diamandis and Kotler investigate how wave after wave of exponentially accelerating technologies will impact both our daily lives and society as a whole. What happens as AI, robotics, virtual reality, digital biology, and sensors crash into 3D printing, blockchain, and global gigabit networks? How will these convergences transform today’s legacy industries? What will happen to the way we raise our kids, govern our nations, and care for our planet? Diamandis, a space-entrepreneur-turned-innovation-pioneer, and Kotler, bestselling author and peak performance expert, probe the science of technological convergence and how it will reinvent every part of our lives—transportation, retail, advertising, education, health, entertainment, food, and finance—taking humanity into uncharted territories and reimagining the world as we know it. As indispensable as it is gripping, The Future Is Faster Than You Think provides a prescient look at our impending future.Trade Review“The acceleration and convergence of exponential technologies will completely reshape every industry and society over the next decade. The Future is Faster Than You Think is the first book to thoroughly map this new territory. A fantastic guidebook for leaders, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and anyone who wants to understand the massive changes ahead.” —Ray Kurzweil, author of New York Times bestsellers The Singularity Is Near and How to Create a Mind “Diamandis and Kotler have written a powerful and beautiful masterpiece outlining a compelling future for humanity. The Future is Faster Than You Think offers CEOs and entrepreneurs a clear vision on the transformation of every major industry this decade. Required reading for anyone who wants to surf above the tsunami of change.” —Tony Robbins, New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, life and business strategist “In their amazing book The Future Is Faster Than You Think, Diamandis and Kotler offer us a hopeful and powerful vision of the future. Packed with amazing stories, mindblowing technology and deep lessons about all of the extraordinary opportunities before us—a must read!” —Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE, and first private female astronaut “Exponential technologies will transform every industry this decade. In this book, Diamandis and Kotler provide a deep and thorough researched view of the road ahead. Every entrepreneur and leader needs to understand the transformation and opportunities to plan and prepare. The future is faster than you think.” —Pharrell Williams, Grammy Award–winning musician and artist "An enthusiastic look at the technologies of the future—which is just about now..... Diamandis and Kotler are cheerleaders for disruption, the scale and speed of which are increasing. But they're also realists, noting where there's more sizzle than steak even when they promise really cool things....Welcome reading for the futurists and technogeeks in the audience." —Kirkus Reviews "A gazillion books ponder the social and economic effects of disruptors like AI, virtual reality, 3-D printing, blockchain, robotics, and digital biology. What's intriguing about The Future Is Faster Than You Think is the speculation from Diamondis and Kotler about what happens when all that stuff starts coming together. The implication for extending lifetimes is especially intriguing." —Inc's “New Business Books You Need to Read in 2020” "Heartiest congratulations to Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler on this third volume in the Exponential Mindset Series. It is a brilliant achievement, one that makes an exceptionally important contribution to thought leadership." —Blogging on Business "Where The Future Is Faster Than You Think excels, and what makes the book so enjoyable to read, is the infectious excitement that the authors bring to talking about new technologies." —Inside Higher Ed "For anyone remotely interested in what the future of technology holds, this book is for you. The authors present logical and well-thought-out arguments for technological advances in a variety of fields. Business leaders and entrepreneurs will want to keep this as a reference for ushering their companies to the future.” —Book Pal, 2020 Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Award

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Book SynopsisYanis Varoufakis is an economist, political leader and the author of numerous bestselling books: Talking to My Daughter: A Brief History of Capitalism; Adults in the Room, a memoir of his time as finance minister of Greece; an economic history of Europe, And The Weak Suffer What They Must?; and Another Now: Dispatches from An Alternative Present. Born in Athens in 1961, he was for many years a professor of economics in Britain, Australia and the USA before he entered politics. He is co-founder of the international grassroots movement DiEM25 and a Professor of Economics at the University of Athens.

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Book SynopsisWritten in clear, narrative style, Hackers & Painters examines issues such as the rightness of web-based applications, the programming language renaissance, spam filtering, the Open Source Movement, internet startups and more.

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Book SynopsisTHE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S TOP BOOKS OF THE YEAR Shortlisted for The Orwell Prize 2020 Shortlisted for the FT Business Book of the Year Award 2019 'Easily the most important book to be published this century. I find it hard to take any young activist seriously who hasn't at least familarised themselves with Zuboff's central ideas.' - Zadie Smith, The Guardian The challenges to humanity posed by the digital future, the first detailed examination of the unprecedented form of power called "surveillance capitalism," and the quest by powerful corporations to predict and control us. The heady optimism of the Internet's early days is gone. Technologies that were meant to liberate us have deepened inequality and stoked divisions. Tech companies gather our information online and sell it to the highest bidder, whether government or retailer. Profits now depend not only on predicting our behaviour but modifying it too. How will this fusion of capitalism and the digital shape our values and define our future? Shoshana Zuboff shows that we are at a crossroads. We still have the power to decide what kind of world we want to live in, and what we decide now will shape the rest of the century. Our choices: allow technology to enrich the few and impoverish the many, or harness it and distribute its benefits. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism is a deeply-reasoned examination of the threat of unprecedented power free from democratic oversight. As it explores this new capitalism's impact on society, politics, business, and technology, it exposes the struggles that will decide both the next chapter of capitalism and the meaning of information civilization. Most critically, it shows how we can protect ourselves and our communities and ensure we are the masters of the digital rather than its slaves.Trade ReviewEasily the most important book to be published this century. I find it hard to take any young activist seriously who hasn't at least familarised themselves with Zuboff's central ideas. -- Zadie Smith * The Guardian *everyone needs to read this book as an act of digital self-defense. -- Naomi KleinA must read for anyone interested in power, politics, technology and the future of our fragile democracies. Zuboff is a brilliant mind who connects the dots like no other. -- Elif Shafak * New Statesman Books of the Year *Das Kapital of the digital age -- Hugo Rifkind * The Times *Magisterial, indispensable -- Carole Cadwalladr * Observer *[It] will surely become a pivotal work in defining, understanding and exposing this surreptitious exploitation of our data and, increasingly, our free will ... essential * Irish Times *An intensively researched, engagingly written chronicle of surveillance capitalism's origins and its deleterious prospects for our society ... This is the rare book that we should trust to lead us down the long hard road of understanding -- Jacob Silverman * New York Times *Groundbreaking, magisterial ... unmissable -- John Thornhill * FT *Comprehensive and impassioned ... an important book -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Groundbreaking ... Aiming to apply Marx's account of surplus value in a time when capital is accumulated through knowledge-based technology, she has given us an illuminating critical perspective on the regime of surveillance under which we all now live * New Statesman *A bold, important book ... Combining in-depth technical understanding and a broad, humanistic scope, Zuboff has written what may prove to be the first definitive account of the economic - and thus social and political - condition of our age. -- James Bridle * Guardian *This book's major contribution is to give a name to what's happening, to put it in cultural and historical perspective, and to ask us to pause long enough to think about the future and how it might be different from today -- Frank Rose * WSJ *A chilling exposé of the business model that underpins the digital world ... a striking and illuminating book. A fellow reader remarked to me that it reminded him of Thomas Piketty's magnum opus, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, in that it opens one's eyes to things we ought to have noticed, but hadn't -- John Naughton * Observer *It's quite possible that the single most important book about politics, economics, culture and society in this century is Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. She explains with far more power than anyone has done before the emergence of a whole new form of capitalism based on the expropriation of the personal data we freely give to vast corporations. It's the Das Kapital for our times. -- Fintan O'Toole * Irish Times *An exceptional and necessary book about the information civilisation we have become -- David Patrikarakos * Literary Review *Extraordinarily intelligent ... Absorbing Zuboff's methodical determination, the way she pieces together sundry examples into this comprehensive work of scholarship and synthesis, requires patience, but the rewards are considerable - a heightened sense of awareness, and a deeper appreciation of what's at stake -- Jennifer Szalai * New York Times *Original ... it arrives at a crucial moment, when the public and its elected representatives are at last grappling with the extraordinary power of digital media and the companies that control it. Like another recent masterwork of economic analysis, Thomas Piketty's 2013 Capital in the Twenty-First Century, the book challenges assumptions, raises uncomfortable questions about the present and future, and stakes out ground for a necessary and overdue debate -- Nicholas Carr * LARB *I will make a guarantee: Assuming we survive to tell the tale, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism has a high probability of joining the likes Adam Smith's The Wealth of Natiions and Max Weber's Economy and Society as defining social-economics texts of modern times. It is not a 'quick read;' it is to be savored and re-read and discussed with colleagues and friends. No zippy one-liners from me, except to almost literally beg you to read/ingest this book -- Tom Peters, author of In Search of ExcellenceThe Age of Surveillance Capitalism is brilliant and essential ... a masterpiece of rare conceptual daring, beautifully written and deeply urgent -- Robert B. Reich, author of The Common Good and Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the FewThe defining challenge for the future of the market economy is the concentration of data, knowledge, and surveillance power. Not just our privacy but our individuality is at stake, and this very readable and thought-provoking book alerts us to these existential dangers. Highly recommended -- Daron Acemoglu, author of Why Nations FailZuboff's expansive, erudite, deeply-researched exploration of digital futures elucidates the norms and hidden terminal goals of information-intensive industries. Zuboff's book is the information industry's Silent Spring -- Chris Hoofnagle, University of California, BerkeleyIn the future, if people still read books, they will view this as the classic study of how everything changed. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism is a masterpiece that stunningly reveals the essence of twenty-first-century society, and offers a dire warning about technology gone awry that we ignore at our peril. Shoshana Zuboff has somehow escaped from the fishbowl in which we all now live, and introduced to us the concept of water. A work of penetrating intellect, this is also a deeply human book about what is becoming, as it relentlessly demonstrates, a dangerously inhuman time -- Kevin Werbach, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Blockchain and The New Architecture of TrustA panoramic exploration of one of the most urgent issues of our times, Zuboff reinterprets contemporary capitalism through the prism of the digital revolution, producing a book of immense ambition and erudition. Zuboff is one of our most prescient and profound thinkers on the rise of the digital. In an age of inane Twitter soundbites and narcissistic Facebook posts, Zuboff's serious scholarship is great cause for celebration -- Andrew Keen, author of How to Fix the FutureShoshana Zuboff has produced the most provocative compelling moral framework thus far for understanding the new realities of our digital environment and its anti-democratic threats. From now on, all serious writings on the internet and society will have to take into account The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. -- Joseph Turow, Robert Lewis Shayon Chair Professor, Annenberg School, University of PennsylvaniaFrom the very first page I was consumed with an overwhelming imperative: everyone needs to read this book as an act of digital self-defense. With tremendous lucidity and moral courage, Zuboff demonstrates not only how our minds are being mined for data but also how they are being rapidly and radically changed in the process. The hour is late and much has been lost already - but as we learn in these indispensable pages, there is still hope for emancipation * Naomi Klein *Something you need -- Margaret Atwooda must read for anyone interested in power, politics, technology and the future of our fragile democracies. Zuboff is a brilliant mind who connects the dots like no other. -- Elif Shafak * New Statesman *It's the Das Kapital for our times, setting out with clarity and urgency the implications of an economic system in which an elite can predict, and therefore manipulate, every shift in our desires. But Zuboff is no fatalist and her book should give us courage to, as it were, take back control. -- Fintan O’Toole * New Statesman *a vital analysis of the digital economy and our place in it. -- Rosamund Urwin * Sunday Times best Business Books of the Year 2019 *It is a stunning research on "information civilisation", concentration of power and the sinister exploitation of our data at the expense of our freedom, which are no doubt some of the most pressing issues of our times. But more than that, this is a fascinating and wise and honest exploration of what it means to be human in the digital age and why we need to fight back. Technology is way too important to leave it to tech companies, which are clearly becoming tech monopolies. We all need to become part of this important discussion, and for that to happen, we need to ask the right questions. This book is a brilliant way to do that. -- Elif Shafak * Guardian – Best Books of the Year Writers’ Choice *Of the many excellent books on our vexed relationship with tech published this year, the standout title has to be Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism (Profile), which details how the Silicon Valley behemoths are mining our private experiences to make a profit. -- Ian Sample * Guardian's Best Science, Nature and Ideas Books of 2019 *Praise for In the Age of the Smart Machine: 'A work of rare originality and engrossing complexity * New York Times Book Review *Ground-breaking, magisterial and synthetically brilliant * Technology and Culture *Examined with force and almost cunning insight what is yet to come * Encyclopedia of Software Engineering *

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Book SynopsisSignature in the Cell is a defining work in the discussion of life''s origins and the question of whether life is a product of unthinking matter or of an intelligent mind. For those who disagree with ID, the powerful case Meyer presents cannot be ignored in any honest debate. For those who may be sympathetic to ID, on the fence, or merely curious, this book is an engaging, eye-opening, and often eye-popping read'' '' American Spectator Named one of the top books of 2009 by the Times Literary Supplement (London), this controversial and compelling book from Dr. Stephen C. Meyer presents a convincing new case for intelligent design (ID), based on revolutionary discoveries in science and DNA. Along the way, Meyer argues that Charles Darwin''s theory of evolution as expounded in The Origin of Species did not, in fact, refute ID. If you enjoyed Francis Collins''s The Language of God, you''ll find much to ponder''about evolution, DNA, and intelligent design''in Signature in the Cell.

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Book SynopsisThis text revolves around a new and unusual view on the most fundamental puzzle of physics. It focusses on the key aspect that makes the role of the time dimension fundamentally different: causality. It deals on the one hand with general relativity, and on the other hand with quantum theory. The implicit and intuitive way by which causality is usually taken for granted is just made explicit and less self-evident, shedding a new light on the gravity-quantum conflict. The case is made that gravity is a necessary condition for a causal universe. But upon turning to the pure unitary quantum physics explaining the nature of matter one is dealing with the strictly a-causal time expressed through the thermal quantum field theory machinery. When this a-causal microscopic and causal macroscopic world meet, one encounters the wavefunction collapse, that itself may be rooted in the quantum-gravity conflict. Modern ideas are discussed resting on eigenstate thermalization showing how this may lie eventually at the origin of irreversible thermodynamics, with its famous second law setting also a direction of time. The case is anchored in the sophisticated modern mathematical machinery of both general relativity and quantum physics which is normally barely disseminated beyond the theoretical physics floors. The book is unique in the regard that the consequences of this machinery - Riemannian geometry and Penrose diagrams, thermal quantum fields, quantum non-equilibrium and so forth -- are explained in an original, descriptive language conveying the conceptual consequences while avoiding mathematical technicalities.

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Book SynopsisRay Kurzweil, one of the world's leading AI researchers, innovators and futurists, offers a provocative exploration of the most important project in human-machine civilisation: reverse-engineering the brain to understand precisely how it works and using that knowledge to create even more intelligent machines.Trade Review'Kurzweil's vision of our super-enhanced future is completely sane and calmly reasoned, and his book should nicely smooth the path for the earth's robot overlords, who, it turns out, will be us' New York Times'Kurzweil foresees a disease-free world where no one ages and artificial brains make machines human-like - and he is not one to get things wrong' Daily Telegraph'Ray Kurzweil is the best person I know at predicting the future of artificial intelligence' Bill Gates'Kurzweil knows a lot about new technology and he knows how to make it sound fun. He is dazzling in his enthusiasm for things to come, and has a grasp of the exciting developments pulsing through the intersection of science and technology' Financial Times

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Best Book of the Year 2017 One day in November 1994, Lawrence Levy received a phone call out of the blue from Steve Jobs, whom he’d never met, offering him a job running Pixar, a little-known company that had already lost Jobs $50 million. With Pixar’s prospects looking bleak, it was with some trepidation that Levy accepted the position. After a few weeks he discovered that the situation was even worse than he’d imagined. Pixar’s advertising division just about broke even, its graphics software had few customers, its short films didn’t make any money and, on top of all that, Jobs was pushing to take the company public. Everything was riding on the studio’s first feature film, codenamed Toy Story, and even then it would have to be one of the most successful animated features of all time… Full of wisdom on bringing business and creativity together, and recounting the touching story of Levy’s enduring friendship with Jobs, To Pixar and Beyond is a fascinating insider’s account of one of Hollywood’s greatest success stories.Trade Review‘A fascinating tale of creative and business brilliance, and of a remarkable friendship.’ * Sunday Times *‘A highly readable and gripping story.’ * Mail on Sunday *'A charming, upbeat tale...much like one of the studios own animated features.' * Financial Times *'A magnifying glass held to the small print that is needed to make magic.' * The Sunday Times *'Levy’s memoir of his time heading the most dazzling entertainment studio of our times, has all the twists and turns of one of Pixar’s own films.' -- Francine Stock * Prospect *'This book, like Pixar's story, is truly remarkable.' * E&T Magazine *‘[An] enchanting memoir…Mr Levy has quite a story to tell.’ * New York Times *‘Those interested in how start-ups work or how film studios make money will love the book.’ * MoneyWeek *‘I love this book! I think it is brilliant. Of course I am biased, but even so, I think people will love this story – one they didn’t even know existed. And Lawrence has told it beautifully.’ -- Ed Catmull, co-founder and president of Pixar Animation, president of Disney Animation, bestselling author of Creativity Inc.‘A lovely and surprising discourse on topics business books rarely touch…eye-opening and inspiring… This delightful book is about finance, creative genius, workplace harmony, and luck… Life obviously is about more than business, but few books discuss both so well.’ * Fortune *‘What a delightful book about the creation of Pixar from the inside. I learned more about Mr. Jobs, Pixar and business in Silicon Valley than I have in quite some time. And like a good Pixar film, it’ll put a smile on your face.’ * Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times *‘A finely sketched insider’s account of the hard-fought success of a pathbreaking company. Lawrence Levy goes surprisingly and refreshingly deep on the business details behind Pixar’s creative achievements. He also shows an intimate side of Steve Jobs that will delight the mercurial businessman’s many admirers.’ -- Adam Lashinsky, assistant managing editor of Fortune Magazine and author of Inside Apple‘To Pixar and Beyond is part business book and part thriller – a tale that’s every bit as compelling as the ones Pixar tells in its blockbuster movies. It's also incredibly inspirational, a story about a team that took big risks and reaped the rewards. This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about corporate culture and wants to learn how to build a business, as well as everyone who loves Woody, Buzz, and all of the other beloved Pixar characters. I loved this book and could not put it down.’ -- Dan Lyons, bestselling author of Disrupted‘The gripping story of how through hard work, vision, and a devotion to excellence, tiny Pixar transformed itself into a Hollywood powerhouse. But it also something more: a wonderful buddy story – between Levy and Steve Jobs – and how their friendship and partnership transformed them both.’ -- William D. Cohan, bestselling author of House of Cards and Money and Power

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Book SynopsisIn the dawning age of brilliant machines, what will people do better than computers?It's easy to imagine a frightening future in which technology takes over the jobs that we now get paid to do, working more accurately and for barely any cost. Computers can already perform surgery, drive vehicles, write articles and do intricate legal work, so what hope will there be for tomorrow's workforce?Drawing on a wealth of research, Geoff Colvin uncovers the skills that will be in great demand as technology advances - and how they can be developed. In this new machine age, we shouldn't try to beat computers at what they can do. We'll lose that contest. Instead we must look to unlikely places, learn from the best, and cultivate the human abilities that make us unique.Trade ReviewIn Humans are Underrated, Geoff Colvin makes the case that there is no point trying to beat machines at their own game. What makes people special is their inbuilt propensity for social interaction. We work well in groups — communicating, collaborating and, yes, empathising. Our best hope lies in what makes us most different from the logic-processors…in the softer side of human nature. * Financial Times *An intriguing book. Humans need humanness, so that's what will retain market value. Not that the argument's solely economic. It also helps explain, for example, why face-to-face interaction is so critical for wellbeing. Computers can (and probably will) take over or transform every human job, except one: that of being human. -- Oliver Burkeman * Guardian *As machines inexorably become ever more competent at doing machinelike things, interpersonal skills, irreplaceable skills of human interaction, will come to be recognized as being even more valuable than they've always been. This is an extremely important, highly practical, and indeed exhilarating book. -- Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPPBeautifully written and deeply researched, Humans Are Underrated is one of the most creative and insightful leadership books I have ever read. It is a triumph! -- Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize winning historian and author of Team of RivalsA powerful exposition of the strengths and limitations of technology in shaping our lives and addressing today's greatest challenges. More than ever, as Colvin demonstrates, we need people who embody the most human of qualities. An uplifting account of the enduring potential of humanity itself. -- Paul Polman, CEO, UnileverThrough a series of practical case studies and insights, Colvin clearly demonstrates that regardless of where the future takes us emotional intelligence will remain one of the most valuable human skills and the Human Element will remain a differentiator. -- Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and CEO, Dow Chemical CompanyGeoff Colvin's fresh take on how to respond to the rise of brilliant machines and the changing nature of work is as wise as it is inspiring. -- Dominic Barton, global managing director, McKinsey & CompanyA measured and comprehensive case for the edge that human beings will have over their titanium brethren in the future job market. Packed full of insightful research and case studies, Humans are Underrated makes a compelling case that people aren't surplus to requirements just yet. * Elite Business *A compelling insight into how the human brain can trump technology. * Engineering and Technology *Enlightening. The message here is ultimately a positive one for humanity. * Irish Times *Colvin gives all of us mortals hope. -- Luke Jonhson * Management Today *Captivating and convincing. I think this book will change the way people think about the future. Take time and read it. -- Alan Murray, editor at FortuneCorporate leaders often say, 'People come first'. True innovation is realized only when their actions match their words. -- Robert Greifeld, CEO, Nasdaq

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Book SynopsisA new way of thinking about data science and data ethics that is informed by the ideas of intersectional feminism.Today, data science is a form of power. It has been used to expose injustice, improve health outcomes, and topple governments. But it has also been used to discriminate, police, and surveil. This potential for good, on the one hand, and harm, on the other, makes it essential to ask: Data science by whom? Data science for whom? Data science with whose interests in mind? The narratives around big data and data science are overwhelmingly white, male, and techno-heroic. In Data Feminism, Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren Klein present a new way of thinking about data science and data ethics—one that is informed by intersectional feminist thought.Illustrating data feminism in action, D'Ignazio and Klein show how challenges to the male/female binary can help challenge other hierarchical (and empirically wrong) classification systems. They explain how,

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Book SynopsisHow do we get to know air? Aeropolis: Queering Air in Toxicpolluted Worlds offers a speculative and interdisciplinary framework to reorient common understandings of air and air pollution as matter “out there.” Aeropolis contests regimes of managing air which ultimately operate toward upholding dominant modes of world-making that are dependent on forms of exclusion and inequity. Instead, Aeropolis proposes that air is thought of as a city, to center its social, cultural, political, ecological entanglements. Drawing upon feminist technoscience and queer ecological frameworks, Aeropolis moves away from solutions toward a methodology of “designing-thinking-making” that redirects and connects our understandings of air—as designers, as citizens—with ongoing struggles for just futures. Moving through a series of design interventions, histories of air, and theoretical coordinates, Aeropolis thinks with air across its many forms—through smog and dust, bodies and breath, pollen and weeds, and from urban design to geopolitics, polluted environments to open data, parks to aerial infrastructures. It insists that we acknowledge the diversity of air and its relation to humans, non-humans, and environments, both physically and affectively. That we become sensible to air by following its unruliness—by living, breathing, seeing, holding, touching, queering airs.With contributions from María Puig de la Bellacasa and Timothy K. Choy.Trade ReviewThe airs of Aeropolis are full of political agonism and liberatory potential, and this book serves as a guide to navigating the world of the potently-affective and semi-visible. -- Jaffer Kolb * BOMB Magazine *

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisWe love to imagine the future. But why are groundbreaking future technologies always just around the corner, and never a reality?For decades we''ve delighted in dreaming about a sci-fi utopia, from flying cars and bionic humans to hyperloops and smart cities. And why not? Building a better world - be it a free-flying commute or an automated urban lifestyle - is a worthy dream. Given the pace of technological change, nothing seems impossible anymore. But why are these innovations always out of reach?Delving into the remarkable history of technology, The Long History of the Future introduces us to the clever scientists, genius engineers and eccentric innovators who first brought these ideas to life and have struggled to make them work since. These stories reveal a more realistic picture of how these technologies may evolve - and how we''ll eventually get to use them. You may never be able to buy a fully driverless car, but automated braking and steering

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface, Book I. The Science Wars, 1. Scientific Passions, 2. The Neutrino’s Paradoxical Mode of Existence, 3. Culturing the Pharmakon?, 4. Constraints, 5. Introductions, 6. The Question of Unknowns, Book II. The Invention of Mechanics: Power and Reason, 7. The Power of Physical Laws, 8. The Singularity of Falling Bodies, 9. The Lagrangian Event, 10. Abstract Measurement: Putting Things to Work, 11. Heat at Work, 12. The Stars, Like Blessed Gods, 13. If We Could . . ., Book III. Thermodynamics: the Crisis of Physical Reality, 14. The Threefold Power of the Queen of Heaven, 15. Anamnesis, 16. Energy is Conserved!, 17. The Not So Profound Mystery of Entropy, 18. The Obligations of the Physicist, 19. Percolation, 20. In Place of an Epilogue, Notes, Index

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Book SynopsisWell-being, happiness and quality of life are now established objects of social and medical research. Does this science produce knowledge that is properly about well-being? What sort of well-being? The definition and measurement of these objects rest on assumptions that are partly normative, partly empirical and partly pragmatic, producing a great diversity of definitions depending on the project and the discipline. This book, written from the perspective of philosophy of science, formulates principles for the responsible production and interpretation of this diverse knowledge. Traditionally, philosophers'' goal has been a single concept of well-being and a single theory about what it consists in. But for science this goal is both unlikely and unnecessary. Instead the promise and authority of the science depends on it focusing on the well-being of specific kinds of people in specific contexts. Skeptical arguments notwithstanding, this contextual well-being can be measured in a valid and credible way - but only if scientists broaden their methods to make room for normative considerations and address publicly and inclusively the value-based conflicts that inevitably arise when a measure of well-being is adopted. The science of well-being can be normative, empirical and objective all at once, provided that we line up values to science and science to values.Trade ReviewA Philosophy for the Science of Well-Being is a foundational text in well-being studies and should be an early port of call for PhD students and others venturing into the field. It is timely, constructive and readily comprehensible. Economists should not avoid it simply because it is a philosophical text - its arguments are critical reading. * Mark Fabian, Economic Record *This is a brilliant book. The very idea of mid-level theories of well-being as the linchpin fastening the philosophy of well-being properly upon its science is original and important. The book is also impressive in its breadth, linking subjects as diverse as contextualism, theory construction, objectivity, and validation around the topic of well-being. Finally, its style is crystal-clear and to the point. * Raffaele Rodogno, Journal of Moral Philosophy *I can strongly recommend A Philosophy for the Science of Well-Being. The book will yield its greatest returns among two groups: Those within the field of philosophy (primarily interested in moral philosophy and/or the philosophy of science); and researchers in the social sciences (primarily those interested in social welfare and social policy; as well as measurement)... Alexandrova writes in a clear and coherent fashion. Topics and themes are carefully re-introduced (without redundancy) throughout the book, gently guiding the reader toward new concepts and new connections between topics. * Daniel J. Dunleavy, Metapsychology *After a careful and accessible review of the philosophical issues and those tied to science, respectively, Alexandrova offers readers a way through the challenges ... Psychologists pursuing research on well-being and related topics should read this wonderful work; failing to heed Alexandrova's insights will imperil their own arguments and findings. Highly recommended. * D. S. Dunn, CHOICE *Anna Alexandrova's ambitious and timely book tackles these concerns head-on, raising important questions regarding the relationship between philosophy and science, and offering insights into how one might inform the other. ... The theory Alexandrova offers is thorough, detailed, and complex. ... Alexandrova's book is an important contribution to the study of well-being that warrants a careful study. It raises genuine challenges for both philosophers and scientists of well-being. If we take these challenges seriously, the study of well-being will no doubt progress. * Lorraine L. Besser, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *This ambitious book is a significant contribution to the study of well-being and, more broadly, to our understanding of the relationship between philosophy and science. Its clear prose and clean structure make the book a pleasure to read. ... Alexandrova's book breaks new grounds. My hope is that contemporary philosophers and scientists will subscribe to Alexandrova's programme. If there are enough of us - both philosophers and scientists - who are willing to carry out the kind of research Alexandrova has proposed, it may generate new projects that involve deep, interdisciplinary collaborations that can truly enrich the field of well-being. * Richard Kim, Utilitas *Essential reading for philosophers and social scientists who are puzzled by the concept of well-being and its tenuous relationship to empirical studies that purport to measure it. Alexandrova's contextual view of well-being and her account of how a science can address normative questions break new ground. * Daniel M. Hausman, Herbert A. Simon and Hilldale Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison *As the first book-length treatment of the philosophy of science underlying the science(s) of well-being, Anna Alexandrova's book isn't just a contribution to the field * it helps define it. This book will serve as the starting point for any serious discussion of the philosophy of science of well-being for years to come.Erik Angner, Stockholm University *In this superb book, Anna Alexandrova argues that the science of well-being derives its explanatory and normative power from theories that inhabit that unexplored sweet spot between philosophers' abstractions and psychologists' facts. By illuminating these "mid-level" theories, Alexandrova articulates fresh new answers to questions that have long bedeviled scholars: What is well-being? How can we measure it? And what steps can we take to promote it? This is philosophy at its best * clear, bold, deeply interdisciplinary, and driven by an optimistic vision that sees philosophy as having a crucial role to play in helping us to understand how to improve people's lives.Michael Bishop, Florida State University *A masterful synthesis of the philosophy and science of well-being. Alexandrova's book is compulsory reading for anyone interested in the philosophy or the science of well-being, particularly anyone with a view * optimistic or pessimisticof how much each field can learn from the other.Guy Fletcher, University of Edinburgh *It is difficult for philosophers like myself to accept that our theories of well-being should be both useful for and answerable to empirical research. I suspect many scientists are similarly tempted to set philosophy aside. If Anna Alexandrova's groundbreaking book doesn't convince us to work together, nothing will. * Antti Kaupinnen, University of Tampere *Anna Alexandrova has done an extraordinary job in fusing exciting new research in philosophy, psychology, social science, and economics to address the core issues in the foundations of well-being studies. The book contains a myriad of valuable insights and novel ideas that help us understand the concept of well-being, its measurement and application. No researcher interested human flourishing can afford to ignore it. * Julian Reiss, Durham University *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Part 1: Tools for Philosophy 1. Is There a Single Concept of Well-Being? 2. Is There a Single Theory of Well-Being? 3. How to Build a Theory: The Case of Child Well-Being Part 2: Tools for Science 4. Can the Science of Well-Being Be Objective? 5. Is Well-Being Measurable? 6. Psychometrics as Theory Avoidance Afterword Appendix A Appendix B Works Cited

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Book SynopsisByung-Chul Han, a star of German philosophy, continues his passionate critique of neoliberalism, trenchantly describing a regime of technological domination that, in contrast to Foucault's biopower, has discovered the productive force of the psyche. In the course of discussing all the facets of neoliberal psychopolitics fueling our contemporary crisis of freedom, Han elaborates an analytical framework that provides an original theory of Big Data and a lucid phenomenology of emotion. But this provocative essay proposes counter models too, presenting a wealth of ideas and surprising alternatives at every turn.Trade ReviewThe new star of German philosophy. * El País *What is new about new media? These are philosophical questions for Byung-Chul Han, and precisely here lies the appeal of his essays. * Die Welt *In Psychopolitics, critique of the media and of capitalism fuse into the coherent picture of a society that has been both blinded and paralyzed by alien forces. Confident and compelling. * Spiegel Online *A combination of neoliberal ethics and ubiquitous data capture has brought about a fundamental transformation and expansion of capitalist power, beyond even the fears of the Frankfurt School. In this blistering critique, Byung-Chul Han shows how capitalism has now finally broken free of liberalism, shrinking the spaces of individuality and autonomy yet further. At the same time, Psychopolitics demonstrates how critical theory can and must be rejuvenated for the age of big data. -- Will DaviesHow do we say we? It seems important. How do we imagine collective action, in other words, how do we imagine acting on a scale sufficient to change the social order? How seriously can or should one take the idea of freedom in the era of Big Data? There seems to be something drastically wrong with common ideas about what the word act means. Psychopolitics is a beautifully sculpted attempt to figure out how to mean action differently, in an age where humans are encouraged to believe that it's possible and necessary to see everything. -- Timothy MortonA wunderkind of a newly resurgent and unprecedentedly readable German philosophy. -- Stuart Jeffries * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisNamed A Best Book of the Year by World MagazineThroughout his distinguished and unconventional career, engineer-turned-molecular-biologist Douglas Axe has been asking the questions that much of the scientific community would rather silence. Now, he presents his conclusions in this brave and pioneering book. Axe argues that the key to understanding our origin is the “design intuition”—the innate belief held by all humans that tasks we would need knowledge to accomplish can only be accomplished by someone who has that knowledge. For the ingenious task of inventing life, this knower can only be God.Starting with the hallowed halls of academic science, Axe dismantles the widespread belief that Darwin’s theory of evolution is indisputably true, showing instead that a gaping hole has been at its center from the beginning. He then explains in plain English the science that proves our design intuition scientifically valid. Last

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Book SynopsisThe transformative effect of technological change on households and culture, seen from a macroeconomic perspective through simple economic models.In Evolving Households, Jeremy Greenwood argues that technological progress has had as significant an effect on households as it had on industry. Taking a macroeconomic perspective, Greenwood develops simple economic models to study such phenomena as the rise in married female labor force participation, changes in fertility rates, the decline in marriage, and increased longevity. These trends represent a dramatic transformation in everyday life, and they were made possible by advancements in technology. Greenwood also addresses how technological progress can cause social change.Greenwood shows, for example, how electricity and labor-saving appliances freed women from full-time household drudgery and enabled them to enter the labor market. He explains that fertility dropped when higher wages increased the opportunity co

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Book SynopsisVinciane Despret argues that behaviors we identify as separating humans from animals do not actually properly belong to humans. Combining serious scholarship with humor, this book poses twenty-six questions that stretch our preconceived ideas about what animals do, what they think about, and what they want.Trade Review"Despret’s book is a timely one—as today ethical questions related to animals seem to be almost everywhere."—PopMatters.com"Many philosophers have considered the issue of animal rights, but Despret considerably broadens the range of moral and philosophical concerns in this field."—CHOICE"Eccentric but brilliant."—American Book ReviewTable of ContentsContentsForewordBruno LatourAcknowledgmentsHow to Use This BookTranslator's NoteA for Artists: Stupid like a painter?B for Beasts: Do apes really ape?C for Corporeal: Is it all right to urinate in front of animals?D for Delinquents: Can animals revolt?E for Exhibitionists: Do animals see themselves as we see them?F for Fabricating Science: Do animals have a sense of prestige?G for Genius: With whom would extraterrestrials want to negotiate?H for Hierarchies: Might the dominance of males be a myth?I for Impaired: Are animals reliable models of morality?J for Justice: Can animals compromise?K for Killable: Are any species killable?L for Laboratory: What are rats interested in during experiments?M for Magpies: How can we interest elephants in mirrors?N for Necessity: Can one lead a rat to infanticide?O for Oeuvres: Do birds make art?P for Pretenders: Can deception be proof of good manners?Q for Queer: Are penguins coming out of the closet?R for Reaction: Do goats agree with statistics?S for Separations: Can animals be broken down?T for Tying Knots: Who invented language and mathematics?U for Umwelt: Do beasts know ways of being in the world?V for Versions: Do chimpanzees die like we do?W for Work: Why do we say that cows don’t do anything?X for Xenografts: Can one live with the heart of a pig?Y for YouTube: Are animals the new celebrities?Z for Zoophilia: Can horses consent?NotesIndex

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Book SynopsisSocial media is supposed to bring us together - but it is tearing us apart. 'A blisteringly good, urgent, essential read' Zadie SmithThe evidence suggests that social media is making us sadder, angrier, less empathetic, more fearful, more isolated and more tribal.Jaron Lanier is the world-famous Silicon Valley scientist-pioneer who first alerted us to the dangers of social media. In this witty and urgent manifesto he explains why its toxic effects are at the heart of its design, and, in ten simple arguments, why liberating yourself from its hold will transform your life and the world for the better. WITH A NEW AFTERWORD BY THE AUTHOR ‘Informed, heartfelt and often entertaining ... a timely reminder that even if we can’t bring ourselves to leave social media altogether, we should always think critically about how it works’ Sunday Times ‘Indispensable. Everyone who wants to understand the digital world, its pitfalls and possibilities should read this book – now’ Matthew d’Ancona, author of Post-TruthTrade ReviewOne of the most optimistic books about the Internet I've ever read because it dares to hope for better ... A blisteringly good, urgent, essential read -- Zadie SmithIn every chapter there is a principle so elegant, so neat, sometimes even so beautiful, that what is billed as straight polemic becomes something much more profound -- Zoe Williams * Guardian *Indispensable. Everyone who wants to understand the digital world, its pitfalls and possibilities should read this book – now -- Matthew d'Ancona, author of Post-TruthA witty and fiercely intelligent attack on the ethics and business model of big tech and a romping read to boot. Lanier is a modern day Luther, calling for a digital reformation and nailing his theses to the door -- Tom Hodgkinson, The IdlerAn eloquence that is hard to argue against … Every time you log on, you are adding to a fire that is burning your house down -- Danny Fortson * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisAmerica's most renowned social philosopher John Dewey shines his powerful intellect on the serious public and cultural issues surrounding the place of the individual in a technologically advanced society. In this penetrating study, he addresses the fear that personal creative potential will be trampled by assembly-line monotony, political bureaucracy, and an industrialized culture of uniformity. Armed with his pragmatic approach and his belief in the power of critical intelligence, Dewey argues that individualism has in fact been offered a uniquely higher plane of technological development upon which to grow, mature, and redefine itself.

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Book SynopsisA sweeping inquiry that critiques modern science’s claims of objectivity, rationality, and truthTable of ContentsContentsPrefaceBook IV. Quantum Mechanics: The End of the Dream1. Atoms Exist!2. Abandon the Dream?3. Niels Bohr’s Lesson4. Quantum Irony5. The Physicists’ Double Standard6. The Silent Descendant of the Queen of HeavenBook V. In the Name of the Arrow of Time: Prigogine’s Challenge7. The Arrow of Time8. Boltzmann’s Successor9. Boltzmann’s Heir10. The Obligations of Chaos11. The Laws of Chaos?12. The Passion of the LawBook VI. Life and Artifice: The Faces of Emergence13. The Question of Emergence14. The Practices of Emergence15. Dissipative Coherence16. Artifice and Life17. The Art of Models18. Transition to the LimitBook VII. The Curse of Tolerance19. The Curse of Tolerance20. The Curse as Test21. Anxiety and Fright22. The Politics of Technical Inventions23. The Cosmopolitical Question24. Nomadic and Sedentary25. The Betrayal of the Diplomats26. The Diplomat’s Peace27. Calculemus28. The Final ChallengeNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisDu Sautoy's discussion of computer creativity is fascinating' ObserverCAN MACHINES BE CREATIVE?In The Creativity Code, Marcus du Sautoy examines the nature of creativity, asking how much of our emotional response to art is a product of our brains reacting to pattern and structure, and exactly what it is to be creative in mathematics, art, language and music.Exploring how long it might be before machines compose a symphony or paint a masterpiece, and whether they might jolt us into being more imaginative in turn, The Creativity Code is a fascinating and very different exploration into the essence of what it means to be human.Trade Review‘What a wonderful, brilliant, joyous read! Marcus makes it seem so easy, and such fun, to begin to understand that which appears complex, frightening and beautiful, and the magic of being human’ Philippe Sands ‘The Creativity Code is only partly a book about AI art. It is as much about how AI thinks and how it does mathematics — du Sautoy’s own special subject. And on these topics, he is thoughtful and illuminating’ The Times ‘Du Sautoy is […] the light-bearer, illuminating not only the work of coders and creators, but the mathematics of chaos that underpin art and our emotional responses to it’ Hans Ulrich Obrist ‘Why could a machine one day not create a truly original work of art, write a moving poem, compose an opera or even discover a mathematical theorem? The answers, in this compelling and thought-provoking book by mathematician and musician, Marcus du Sautoy, can be found by breaking down what it actually means to be creative’ Jim Al-Khalili ‘Fact-packed and funny, questioning what we mean by creative and unsettling the script about what it means to be human, The Creativity Code is a brilliant travel guide to the coming world of AI’ Jeanette Winterson ‘Fascinating book … if all the experiences, hopes, dreams, visions, lusts, loves and hatreds that shape the human imagination amount to nothing more than a “code”, then sooner or later a machine will crack it. Indeed, Du Sautoy assembles an eclectic array of evidence to show how that’s happening even now’ The Times ‘Absorbing study … eloquent and illuminating’ Nature Magazine

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Book SynopsisRoger Spitz is a futurist, author, and President of Techistential, a foresight strategy consultancy. He also chairs the Disruptive Futures Institute, a global education hub which empowers organizations and entrepreneurs. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets, such as Fast Company, WIRED, and MIT Technology Review. He is based in San Francisco, USA.

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first to examine the history of imaginative thinking about intelligent machines. As real Artificial Intelligence (AI) begins to touch on all aspects of our lives, this long narrative history shapes how the technology is developed, deployed and regulated. It is therefore a crucial social and ethical issue. Part I of this book provides a historical overview from ancient Greece to the start of modernity. These chapters explore the revealing pre-history of key concerns of contemporary AI discourse, from the nature of mind and creativity to issues of power and rights, from the tension between fascination and ambivalence to investigations into artificial voices and technophobia. Part II focuses on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in which a greater density of narratives emerge alongside rapid developments in AI technology. These chapters reveal not only how AI narratives have consistently been entangled with the emergence of real robotics and AI, but also how they of

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Book SynopsisFrom the pilot's seat in the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, to the site in Finland where highly radioactive waste will be buried, this is the incredible story of nuclear power.Providing a vivid account of the characters and events that have shaped this controversial energy source and our thinking around it, The Power of Nuclear weaves politics, culture and technology to explore the past and future of nuclear power. Investigating the dawn of the atomic age in the 1940s, it goes on to show how the world came to fear nuclear plants after Chernobyl.In his quest to disentangle myth from facts, Marco Visscher asks: How dangerous is radiation? What should you do after a nuclear accident? And have nuclear weapons really made the world less safe? And why do some still reject the evidence that the atom can provide unlimited clean energy and free countries of their dependence on fossil fuels , combatting climate change and offering energy securi

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Waterstones Best Science Book of the Year""A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Engaging and illuminating, al-Khalili argues that a scientific approach is 'one of humankind’s great riches and the birthright of everyone.'"---Hannah Beckerman, The Observer"A little book of calm that is very welcome in these strange times."---Simon Ings, New Scientist"An easily digestible, pocket-sized guide in how to think more scientifically, and how this can benefit us in everyday life."---Sara Rigby, BBC Science Focus"Professor Jim Al-Khalili of Surrey University is a distinguished theoretical physicist who has also worked wonders in making science accessible and engaging. This short book encapsulates his achievement in its combination of concision (under 200 pages), lucidity and rigour. . . . In practice, this is not just a book about science but a short guide to how we live now."---Matthew D’Ancona, Tortoise Media"Al-Khalili aims to empower readers to use critical thinking to evaluate the news, as well as their own knowledge and beliefs. He succeeds easily, with each chapter dedicated to a lesson readers can apply to their lives. . . . Readers overwhelmed by information overload will find this a balm." * Publishers Weekly *"An extremely readable account. . . .a good basic primer to the scientific way of thinking."---Gautam Gangopadhyay, Contemporary Physics

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Book SynopsisNeoliberalism isn't working. Austerity is forcing millions into poverty and many more into precarious work, while the left remains trapped in stagnant political practices that offer no respite.Inventing the Future is a bold new manifesto for life after capitalism. Against the confused understanding of our high-tech world by both the right and the left, this book claims that the emancipatory and future-oriented possibilities of our society can be reclaimed. Instead of running from a complex future, Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams demand a postcapitalist economy capable of advancing standards, liberating humanity from work and developing technologies that expand our freedoms.This new edition includes a new chapter where they respond to their various critics.Trade ReviewA powerful book: it not only shows us how the postcapitalist world of rapidly improving technology could make us free, but it also shows us how we can organise to get there. This is a must-read. * Paul Mason, author of Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future *Inventing the Future is exactly what we need right now. With immense patience and care, it sets out a clear and compelling vision of a postcapitalist society. Equally importantly, it lays out a plausible programme which can take us from 24/7 capitalist immiseration to a world free of work. -- Mark Fisher, author of Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative?Neoliberalism and austerity seem to reign supreme - the idea of a society not run for profit seems impossible. Or does it? The fascinating Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams argues for a radical transformation of society. -- Owen Jones * New Statesman *Inventing the Future is unapologetically a manifesto, and a much-overdue clarion call to a seriously disorganized metropolitan left to get its shit together, to start thinking - and arguing - seriously about what is to be done.It is hard to deny the persuasiveness with which the book puts forward the positive contents of a new and vigorous populism; in demanding full automation and universal basic income from the world system, they also demand the return of utopian thinking and serious organization from the left. * Los Angeles Review of Books *Srnicek and Williams demonstrate how a sustainable economic future is less a question of means than of imagination. The postcapitalist world they envision is utterly attainable, if we can remember that we have been inventing the economy all along. -- Douglas Rushkoff, author of Present Shock: When Everything Happens NowNick Srnicek and Alex Williams' project dares to propose a different way of thinking and acting. Given the fizzling of the Occupy moment, a radical rethinking of the anarchic approach is badly needed but just not happening. This book could do a lot of work in getting that rethink going. -- Doug Henwood, author of Wall StreetA conceptual launch pad for a new socialist imagination. -- Mike Davis, author of Planet of SlumsThe most important book of 2015. -- Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara MediaThey argue that, in the future, the workplace won't exist in anything like the form we have now, and in any case it will have very few permanent workers. Assuming this position, they ask: What would be the social vision appropriate to a jobless future? * n+1 *Inventing the Future may be the shrewdest, sanest pipe dream of a book published since the recession. -- Nathan Heller * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 800-CEO-READ BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2015In the vein of Susan Cain's QUIET and Malcolm Gladwell's DAVID AND GOLIATH, HOW TO FLY A HORSE is a smart, empowering book that dispels the myths around genius and creativity.There is a myth about how something new comes to be;Trade ReviewAshton is persuasive … His well chosen examples reinforce the idea that there is no magic or myth to creation or discovery, making this an approachable, thought-provoking book that encourages everyone to be as good as they can be. * Observer *An inspiring vision of creativity that’s littered with practical advice, and is a cracking read to boot. * BBC Focus *Many of these anecdotes are rather lovely – a chapter on the credit denied female scientists is fascinating * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisSpark was previously published as Bored and Brilliant.'Crammed with practical exercises for anyone who wants to reclaim the power of spacing out' - Gretchen Rubin, author of #1 New York Times Bestseller The Happiness ProjectIt’s time to move ‘doing nothing’ to the top of your to-do list Have you ever noticed how you have your best ideas when doing the dishes or staring out the window? It's because when your body goes on autopilot, your brain gets busy connecting ideas and solving problems.However in the modern world it often feels as though we have completely removed boredom from our lives; we are addicted to our phones, we reply to our emails twenty-four hours a day, tweet as we watch TV, watch TV as we commute, check Facebook as we walk and Instagram while we eat. Constant stimulation has become our default mode. In this easy to follow, practical book, award-winning journalist Manoush Zomorodi explores the connection between boredom and original thinking, and will show you how to ditch your screens and start embracing time spent doing nothing. Spark will help you unlock the way to becoming your most productive and creative self.'Full of easy steps to make each day more effective' - Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of HabitTrade ReviewFull of easy steps to make each day more effective and every life more intentional. * Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of The Power of Habit *Spark shows the fascinating side of boredom. Manoush Zomorodi investigates cutting-edge research as well as compelling (and often funny) real-life examples to demonstrate that boredom is actually a crucial tool for making our lives happier, more productive, and more creative. * Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of The Happiness Project *Timely, political and liberating. * Emerald Street *This could do for unplugging what Marie Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up did for decluttering * Booklist *In this age of information, Zomorodi’s book seems revolutionary, almost subversive . . . an important reminder that we are not beholden to our devices. * Bookpage *If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the technology in your life, Manoush Zomorodi totally gets you. -- Tech Times

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Book Synopsis_______________‘One of the best books yet written on data and algorithms. . .deserves a place on the bestseller charts.’ (The Times) You are accused of a crime. Who would you rather determined your fate – a human or an algorithm?An algorithm is more consistent and less prone to error of judgement. Yet a human can look you in the eye before passing sentence.Welcome to the age of the algorithm, the story of a not-too-distant future where machines rule supreme, making important decisions – in healthcare, transport, finance, security, what we watch, where we go even who we send to prison. So how much should we rely on them? What kind of future do we want?Hannah Fry takes us on a tour of the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us. In Hello World she lifts the lid on their inner workings, demonstrates their power, exposes their limitations, and examines whether they really are an improvement on the humans they are replacing.A BBC RADIO 4: BOOK OF THE WEEKSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE AND 2018 ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZETrade ReviewA stylish, thoughtful, and scrupulously fair-minded account of what the software that increasingly governs our lives can and cannot do ... A beautifully accessible guide that leaps lightly from one story to the next without sparing the reader hard questions... deserves a place in the bestseller charts. -- Oliver Moody * The Times *With refreshing simplicity, Fry explains what AI, machine learning and complicated algorithms really mean, providing some succinct explanations of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, driverless cars and many other unnerving modern phenomena…This book illustrates why good science writers are essential. -- Katy Guest * Guardian *Brilliantly clear...Fry succinctly outlines the ethical issues that beset AI -- James McConnaiche * Sunday Times *Hello World is a gem of accessible science writing. With eloquence and charm, Hannah Fry outlines the maths of computer algorithms and explains how they are transforming fields such as health, justice, transport and the arts. She is a wise guide to the benefits - and horrors of our increasingly data-driven world. -- Alex Bellos, author of Alex's Adventures in NumberlandExpertly told, wise and with a lightness of touch, Hannah Fry's brilliant exploration of how we live our lives in the age of AI will prompt arguments in pubs and over dinner tables for years to come. -- Adam Rutherford

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Book SynopsisHow smart machines are transforming us all — and what we should do about it. The smart-machines revolution is re-shaping our lives and our societies. Here, Nigel Shadbolt, one of Britain’s leading authorities on artificial intelligence, and Roger Hampson dispel terror, confusion, and misconception. They argue that it is human stupidity, not artificial intelligence, that should concern us. Lucid, well-informed, and deeply human, The Digital Ape offers a unique approach to some of the biggest questions about our future.Trade Review‘[W]e should be grateful to Sir Nigel Shadbolt and Roger Hampson for pausing for breath and helping us to think through the true significance of our latest technological developments.’ * Financial Times *‘Numbed by dire warnings of technological Armageddon? Computer scientist Nigel Shadbolt and economist Roger Hampson dispel the miasma with this superb survey of the landscape we “digital apes” have wrought.’ -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *'Nigel Shadbolt is one of the most fascinating and important scientists alive today.' -- Professor Jim Al-Khalili'There has never been a more important time to discuss what it means to be human, in the past, now, and in the future. This is a book for anyone interested in getting behind the headlines and understanding how technology is impacting our world. The writers are two masters in their field who are not only erudite but immensely humane and compassionate.' -- Martha Lane Fox'This is a brilliantly readable, genuinely cutting-edge book that is also often very entertaining. Of all the recent studies of automation and AI, The Digital Ape stands head and shoulders above the rest. Shadbolt and Hampson have written a landmark book.' * Andrew Keen, author of How to Fix the Future and The Internet is Not the Answer *‘Rich in ideas and insights, the book is especially strong on our growing personal relationships with Alexa and other robots … An upbeat — even reassuring — take on what will be an AI-saturated future.’ STARRED REVIEW * Kirkus Reviews *‘All explore the relationship between the human animal and what might be its most momentous creation yet: artificial intelligence … In a series of wide-ranging chapters, the authors argue that human beings are not just distinguished by their ability to use tools but also largely shaped by it.’ * Weekend Australian *‘[An] interdisciplinary approach comes over in The Digital Ape, which has arresting sentences.’ * Computer Weekly *

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