The World's Best Book Summaries
Where does knowledge come from? Why does Deutsch believe knowledge comes from guessing? The book The Beginning of Infinity says that knowledge is infinite and people are responsible for finding it. But there are still different theories on how we gain such knowledge. Below we’ll go through the different theories on where knowledge comes from and why we should stay open-minded about knowledge.
Is there intelligent life on other planets? What might that life look like? According to famous astronomer Carl Sagan, there is likely life on other planets, but the odds of it being intelligent are very small. However, if there are complex lifeforms out there, they’re probably nothing like we imagine. Here’s what Carl Sagan had to say about life on other planets.
What is the Killer Ape Theory? Are humans violent by nature? According to the Killer Ape Theory, aggression and violence are what propelled human evolution, distinguishing our ancestors from other primates. The theory gained notoriety for suggesting that humans were aggressive by nature. However, not all scientists are unanimous in this opinion. According to Rutger Bregman, the author of Humankind, more recent evidence suggests that human nature is peaceful and cooperative. Here’s why the Killer Ape Theory is moot, according to Bregman.
What’s pseudoscience? Why do some people believe in astrology and angels? What harm can it cause? Carl Sagan claims that unscientific beliefs are becoming more and more common in the modern age. In The Demon-Haunted World, he discusses pseudosciences and supernatural beliefs. He explains how they spread and why they’re dangerous, arguing that this type of belief impairs our ability to make decisions of all kinds. Keep reading for Sagan’s take on pseudoscience and the supernatural.
What is fallibilism? Why does David Deutsch warn against parochialism? In The Beginning of Infinity, David Deutsch argues that there’s no limit to knowledge and that nothing is absolute. He urges us to remember that nothing can be proven true, which is called fallibilism. Read below to learn more about fallibilism and how science advances through mistakes.
Are you wondering how life started on Earth? How could a ball of gas and dust create life as we know it? In his book Cosmos, renowned astronomer Carl Sagan provides a timeline of how life developed on Earth. He also insists that evolution “is a fact, not a theory” because evolution has been observed in real-time. Here’s how humans came to be on Earth.
What causes evil? Why do people carry out evil acts against their own kind? Throughout history, humans have enslaved each other, fought brutal wars, and committed genocide. At the same time, humans committed many great deeds of kindness and compassion. This begs the question: Are humans good or evil by nature? According to historian Rutger Bregman, human nature is peaceful, and we commit evil actions for two main reasons: 1) to protect our in-group, and 2) to contribute to the “greater good.” Let’s consider each argument in more detail.
Would you like to know how to understand human behavior better? Do you want to change your own behavior? A lot of the ideas in The Great Mental Models Volume 3 are concerned with understanding behavior. In fact, when the authors talk about systems, they are most interested in how systems explain behavior. In particular, they discuss what feedback loops and algorithms tell us. Let’s look at how systems shape our behaviors and explore some factors to keep in mind if the goal is behavior change.
How does learning mimic evolution? How do ideas evolve? Theoretical physicist David Deutsch rejects the idea that humanity will someday know everything there is to know. He also believes that like genes, ideas reproduce and are extremely hard to change. Here’s why the evolution of ideas is very similar to genes, according to Deutsch’s book The Beginning of Infinity.
What does Carl Sagan mean when he says that the world is “demon-haunted”? What does he recommend as a solution to this problem? Renowned astronomer and science popularizer Carl Sagan believes the world is in a precarious position. Science has taught us a great deal about the world and brought about many beneficial changes to humanity, yet we still cling to unscientific beliefs and ideas at an alarming level. Sagan argues that, as we advance into the 21st century and beyond, our collective ignorance of scientific methods, values, and thinking may be catastrophic to us and the world we live