Showing titles in Philosophy

Embark on an extraordinary auditory journey with Exploring the Fabric of Reality: Unveiling the Foundations of Existence, a profound exploration of the mysteries shaping our understanding of life and the universe. Narrated by James Rondepierre, this Audible edition immerses listeners in the captivating intersections of science, philosophy, and metaphysics, creating an inspiring and thought-provoking experience.

In Ray Kurzweil's New York Times bestseller The Singularity is Near, the futurist and entrepreneur describes the Singularity, a likely future utterly different than anything we can imagine. The Singularity is triggered by the tremendous growth of human and computing intelligence that is an almost inevitable outcome of Moore's Law. Since the book's publication, the coming of the Singularity is now eagerly anticipated by many of the leading thinkers in Silicon Valley, from PayPal mastermind Peter Thiel to Google co-founder Larry Page.

In this lively, lucid book, science writer David Stipp ponders Darwinian puzzles about nine familiar creatures and things—bumblebees, dogs, sparrows, caffeine, earthworms, and sleep, among others—to show how rewarding it can be to look at nature in this deeper way. By revealing hidden depths of the ordinary, The Everyday Darwinist shows not only that fascinating intricacies lie just beneath the natural world's familiar surfaces, but also that noticing them lets us connect dots that in many cases we didn't realize existed. This is backyard biophilia at its most entertaining and enlightening.

Natalie Angier knows all that scientists know—and sometimes more—about the power of symmetry in sexual relations, about the brutal courting habits of dolphins, about the grand deceit of orchids, about the impact of female and male preferences on evolution. She knows how scientists go about their work, and she describes their ways, their visions, and their arguments. Perhaps most poignantly, she understands the complexities and the sad necessity of death.

Popular writer Paul Nahin explores the fertile and sometimes uneasy relationship between science fiction and religion. With a scope spanning the history of religion, philosophy, and literature, Nahin follows religious themes in science fiction from Feynman to Foucault and from Asimov to Aristotle. An intriguing journey through popular and well-loved books and stories, Holy Sci-Fi! shows how sci-fi has informed humanity’s attitudes toward our faiths, our future, and ourselves.

Both pseudoscience and science fiction (SF) are creative endeavors that have little in common with academic science, beyond the superficial trappings of jargon and subject matter. The most obvious difference between the two is that pseudoscience is presented as fact, not fiction. This engaging and well-researched audiobook explores a wide range of intriguing similarities and differences between pseudoscience and the fictional science found in SF.

This audiobook contains a broad overview of time travel in science fiction, along with a detailed examination of the philosophical implications of time travel. The emphasis of this book is now on the philosophical and on science fiction, rather than on physics, as in the author’s earlier books on the subject. In that spirit there are, for example, no tech notes filled with algebra, integrals, and differential equations, as there are in the first and second editions of Time Machines.

Pendant près de trois millénaires, les Pharaons ont régné sur l'Égypte antique sans que le caractère divin et absolu de leur pouvoir n'ait été remis en cause. Jean Winand, égyptologue et professeur à l'université de Liège, étudie l'idéologie dont s'est revêtu le pouvoir pharaonique afin d'assurer sa pérennité. À travers les histoires hautes en couleur des légendaires Sésostris, Thoutmôsis, Akhenaton ou Ramsès, il nous montre que Pharaon, fils de Rê, apparaît sur terre tel un envoyé des dieux.

In his sequel to Ignorance (Oxford University Press, 2012), Stuart Firestein shows us that the scientific enterprise is riddled with mistakes and errors - and that this is a good thing! Failure: Why Science Is So Successful delves into the origins of scientific research as a process that relies upon trial and error, one which inevitably results in a hefty dose of failure. In fact, scientists throughout history have relied on failure to guide their research, viewing mistakes as a necessary part of the process.

Siroccos, Santa Anas, chinooks, monsoons...the wind has as many names as moods. Few other forces have so universally shaped the lands and waters of the earth, the plants and animals, the patterns of exploration, settlement, and civilization. Few other phenomena have exerted such a profound influence on the history and psyche of humankind. Wind touches all of us every day of our lives, yet remarkably little has been written about it except as a component of the weather.

"What is the meaning of life? What is the future of humanity? Is there a God? And if so, why does he allow injustice and suffering?" If you find yourself searching for answers to these mysteries, this thought-provoking story is perfect for you.

Like many people, you’ve probably asked some of these questions when you were younger or maybe recently. Well, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover the interesting and maybe slightly bizarre origins of the strange things we do. In Wonder Why? Fascinating Stories, Curious Facts, and Answers About the Mysteries of Science, History, Pop Culture, and Traditions Around the World cover 55 of the most regularly asked questions with fascinating origin stories.

El transhumanismo es uno de los movimientos filosóficos y culturales que más atención ha atraído en los últimos años. Preconiza el uso libre de la tecnología para el mejoramiento del ser humano, tanto en sus capacidades físicas, como en las mentales, emocionales y morales, trascendiendo todos sus límites actuales. Las tecnologías a las acude son la ingeniería genética y el desarrollo de máquinas inteligentes.

Embark on the exploration of 'The Book of Odd,' delving into the intricacies of our small world. Each chapter unfolds to reveal the active role consciousness plays in shaping an ever-evolving universe. This narrative underscores the profound interdependence of life, casting us as co-authors in a grand cosmic story. Beyond contemplation, the tale carries a passionate message about our collective influence on the present moment, Right Now. It champions our ability to shape destinies, turning potential into tangible outcomes and emphasizing the inherent purpose within each of us.

The Well-Planned Universe provides evidence-based insights into the nature of our world, ourselves, and the universe beyond. The book explains how recent developments in computer science along with evidence from physics, astronomy, chemistry, and biology reveal that there is more to the universe and ourselves than most people realize.

Com base em pesquisas de ponta e estudos de caso dos próprios pacientes em sua rotina numa emergência psiquiátrica, Karl Deisseroth tenta preencher a lacuna de conhecimento que existe entre os antigos circuitos do nosso cérebro e os momentos de sofrimento em nosso dia a dia. As histórias dos pacientes do autor são ricas em humanidade e lançam uma luz sem precedentes sobre o eu — e as maneiras pelas quais ele pode desmoronar. Uma jovem com distúrbio alimentar revela como a mente pode se rebelar contra os impulsos mais primitivos do cérebro.

Los prestigiosos economistas Daron Acemoglu y Simon Johnson demuestran que el desarrollo técnico es indispensable para el avance de la democracia. El progreso no es un destino predeterminado, sino que depende de las elecciones que hagamos sobre la tecnología. Esta reflexión resulta muy pertinente en un mundo donde los avances digitales y la robótica amenazan a nuestros empleos y a nuestras democracias a través de la automatización excesiva, la recopilación masiva de datos y la vigilancia intrusiva.

La gran historia que transcurre entre la llegada del ordenador personal y la irrupción de la inteligencia artificial. A las puertas de un mundo dominado por la inteligencia artificial y las gafas de "realidad extendida", cabe preguntarse dónde empezó todo, cómo pasamos del pequeño garaje de Palo Alto en el que Hewlett y Packard revolucionaron la informática a un presente dirigido por los chips.

Margot Rot nos invita a reflexionar sobre la relación que hay entre las experiencias emocionales a través de las pantallas y la creación de nuestras identidades. ¿Qué son nuestras emociones sino la expresión múltiple de aquello que deseamos, o de aquello que no deseamos? ¿Qué es el deseo sino el ímpetu a través del cual se erige una identidad? La virtualidad ha modificado nuestro modo de percibir el tiempo y el espacio y, por ende, nuestro modo de percibir la realidad.

Conseguir una IA ética también es responsabilidad tuya La inteligencia artificial ha dejado de ser un argumento inquietante de las películas de ciencia ficción para convertirse en una cuestión tan real como urgente. Su evolución y los inevitables debates éticos que acarrea nos incumben a todos, pero suele delegarse esta responsabilidad en los propios directivos de las empresas tecnológicas, a menudo coaligados con quienes tienen intereses económicos. Abrumados por un mundo que no terminamos de entender y que intuimos atractivo y peligroso, miramos hacia otro lado.