The World's Best Book Summaries
What is the social structure of India and how was it created? How many castes does it consist of and what are the implications of this division? The social structure of India is an intricate system of many castes and sub-castes. The five main castes are the 1) Brahmin, 2) Kshatriya, 3) Vaishya, 4) Shudra, and 5) the Dalits. Read about the social structure of India and its impact on society.
How does Kuhn explain a scientific revolution? What spurs a revolution into motion and how do we know that a scientific discipline has been revolutionized? According to Thomas Kuhn, a scientific revolution happens when new discoveries do not fit into the existing scientific frameworks. When that happens, scientists have to break with traditional knowledge and start looking for a new model that fits this new information. Read more about Thomas Kuhn’s scientific revolution theory.
What is the history of racial segregation? How did the dominant caste use skin color as a tool to stratify society and justify different living standards? According to Isabel Wilkerson, the author of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, one of the ways racial segregation is upheld and justified is through the narrative of the purity of blood. The concept of pure vs tainted blood created restrictions around who is allowed into the dominant caste. Read about the history of racial segregation.
What are ammonites? When did they become extinct? What are the suggested causes behind ammonites’ extinction? Ammonites are a group of coil-shelled mollusk animals that went extinct 66 million years ago. Scientists don’t know the exact cause of ammonites’ extinction, but it is theorized that they died as a result of ocean changes due to the asteroid strike. Keep reading to learn about ammonites’ extinction causes.
What is the connection between race and socioeconomic status? What is the history behind this relationship? Race and socioeconomic status are intimately intertwined. To disentangle the relationship, we must go back to the era of Reconstruction. Read about the connection between race and socioeconomic status.
What is a paradigm shift in science? How does a paradigm shift change scientists’ observations and interpretations of the objects of their study? A paradigm shift in science occurs when there is a fundamental change in the conceptual and experimental framework that upholds the whole scientific discipline. A paradigm shift doesn’t just change how scientists interpret their observations, but also what they see (i.e. the observations themselves). Keep reading to learn about paradigm shift in science and what happens in its aftermath.
What can we make of the results of the 2016 American election? What does Trump’s victory say about the psychology of the American nation? Many considered the 2016 American election to be an uncommon event. While some voters thought the choice was a no-brainer, they weren’t prepared for the divisiveness and discussions of race brewing below the surface of American society. Keep reading for more about the 2016 American election and the psychology behind its outcome.
What happened to the Panamanian golden frog? What is the reason for its disappearance? Panamanian golden frog was once common in the village of El Valle de Anton in central Panama, where it was considered a symbol of luck. The frogs could easily be seen and heard in the hills around town. Then they started disappearing. Read about the Panamanian golden frog and what caused its disappearance.
What is scientific progress? Why is there a lack of consensus on what constitutes progress in science? The definition of scientific progress is not a simple one. According to Thomas Kuhn, what is deemed progress in normal science is different from progress in revolutionary science. To fully resolve this contradiction, we must give up the idea that science is linear and has a clear endpoint. Keep reading to learn more about scientific progress: the nature of it, why it’s expected, and how it happens.
What are ego traps? How can ego trap you in the same place and prevent you from progressing further in your quest for success? Ego traps are beliefs and attitudes that cause us to behave in an impulsive, short-sighted, and self-aggrandizing way. People tend to develop these beliefs when they achieve some important milestone of success such as being granted a promotion, winning a competition, or receiving a reward. Read about the three most common ego traps and how to avoid them.