This Idea Is Brilliant : Lost, Overlooked, and Underappreciated Scientific Concepts Everyone Should Know Paperback / softback
by John Brockman
Paperback / softback
Description
From the bestselling editor of This Explains Everything, 206 of the world's most brilliant minds tackle Edge.org's 2017 question: What scientific term or concept ought to be more widely known? As science informs public policy, decision making, and so many aspects of our everyday lives, a scientifically literate society is crucial.
In that spirit, Edge.org publisher John Brockman asked 206 the world’s best minds the 2017 Edge Question: What scientific term or concept ought to be more widely known? Contributors include: author of The God Delusion RICHARD DAWKINS on using animals’ “Genetic Book of the Dead†to reconstruct ecological history; theoretical physicist and author of A Universe from Nothing Lawrence Krauss on "uncertainty" and resisting our temptation to assign meaning to random events; MacArthur Fellow REBECCA NEWBERGER GOLDSTEIN on “scientific realism,†the idea that scientific theories explain phenomena beyond what we can see and touch; behavioral economist RICHARD THALER on the “premortem,†which can help root out potential hazards before making a major business decision; Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel JARED DIAMOND on a basic precept too often missing from scientific discourse: “common sense;†author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics CARLO ROVELLI on “relative information,†which governs the physical world around us; author of The Shallows NICHOLAS CARR on “mysterianism,†the idea that humans’ mastery and understanding of the world around us is illusory; theoretical cosmologist JANNA LEVIN on the “principle of least action,†which allows us to express many of the most complex ideas in a single sentence; cognitive scientist and author of The Language Instinct STEVEN PINKER on “The Second Law of Thermodynamics;†author of Emotional Intelligence DANIEL GOLEMAN on “empathic concern,†a scientific basis for compassion; theoretical physicist and Time 100 influencer LISA RANDALL on “effective theories,†which reflect what we observe in the world around us; founding executive editor of Wired KEVIN KELLY on “premature optimization,†or why success so often begets failure; biogerontologist AUBREY DE GREY on why “maladaptive traits†have been conserved evolutionarily; musician and producer BRIAN ENO on “confirmation bias†in the internet age; Man Booker-winning author of Atonement IAN MCEWAN on the “Navier-Stokes Equations,†which govern everything from weather prediction to aircraft design, to blood flow; plus pieces from FRANK WILCZEK, RORY SUTHERLAND, NINA JABLONSKI, MARTIN REES, ALISON GOPNIK, and many, many others.
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Less than 10 available - usually despatched within 24 hours
- Format:Paperback / softback
- Pages:544 pages
- Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers Inc
- Publication Date:22/02/2018
- Category:
- ISBN:9780062698216
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Information
-
Less than 10 available - usually despatched within 24 hours
- Format:Paperback / softback
- Pages:544 pages
- Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers Inc
- Publication Date:22/02/2018
- Category:
- ISBN:9780062698216