Human Problems

Today's "machine-learning" systems, trained by data, are so effective that we've invited them to see and hear for us - and to make decisions on our behalf. But alarm bells are ringing. Systems cull résumés until, years later, we discover that they have inherent gender biases. Algorithms decide bail and parole - and appear to assess black and white defendants differently. We can no longer assume that our mortgage application, or even our medical tests, will be seen by human eyes. And autonomous vehicles on our streets can injure or kill.

From finding a spouse to finding a parking spot, from organizing one's inbox to understanding the workings of human memory, Algorithms to Live By transforms the wisdom of computer science into strategies for human living.

"The most important book on AI this year." --The Guardian "Mr. Russell's exciting book goes deep, while sparkling with dry witticisms." --The Wall Street Journal "The most important book I have read in quite some time" (Daniel Kahneman); "A must-read" (Max Tegmark); "The book we've all been...

Renowned child psychologist and New York Times bestselling author of Lost at School and The Explosive Child explains how to cultivate a better parent-child relationship while also nurturing empathy, honesty, resilience, and independence. Parents have an important task: figure out who their child...

Written in 1900 by Nikola Tesla, this book gives great ideas on automation, agriculture, energy, and increasing human output to improve the human condition.

Where does human energy come from, and where is it going? In this fascinating text, notable inventor Nikola Tesla examines these fundamental questions as he theorizes ways of maximizing human energy. While he thinks like a scientist, Tesla writes like a philosopher, making the text accessible for a wider audience. The Problem of Increasing Human Energy functions as both a valuable contribution to scientific thought and a self-help book for humanity.

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was a Serbian electrical and mechanical engineer who was born and raised in the Austrian Empire and later became an American citizen. His article "The Problem of Increasing Human Energy" (June 1900) is a philosophical study of the nature of mankind's relationship to the universe, with scientific extrapolations on how technological advancement might contribute to that understanding.

When you ask people about their most cherished values in life, "happiness" is always at the top of the list. But surprisingly few people claim real happiness. We seem to be completely satisfied with nothing, and indeed, there is little correlation between the circumstances of people's lives and how happy they are.

Revolutionize the way you see disruption and change with a groundbreaking alternative to corporate instability from a lauded HR expert. For decades, “disruption” and “change” have been seen as essential to business growth and success. In this provocative and incisive book, Ashley Goodall...

As artificial intelligence accelerates toward autonomy and recursive self-improvement, the emergence of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) represents the most consequential turning point in the history of life on Earth. Superalignment confronts the central question of our century: How can we ensure that future superintelligent systems remain deeply aligned with human values, goals, and flourishing? Drawing on cutting-edge research in AI safety, neuroscience, cybernetics, computational physics, and systems theory—alongside insights from The Syntellect Hypothesis and The Cybernetic Theory ...

A daring and intimate exploration of how genetics complicates our ideas about blame, punishment, and moral responsibility, from acclaimed psychologist and author of The Genetic Lottery Kathryn Paige Harden. “An extraordinary book, the very best of science writing, because it is about not just...

Two leading behavioral scientists argue we should reject “nudge” policies and stop blaming personal failure for society’s failures "Excellent. A master class on how to blend individual psychology with institutions, so that people are encouraged to get involved and develop solutions to our...

In "The Problem of Increasing Human Energy," Nikola Tesla embarks on an intellectual voyage that explores the avenues through which human society could augment its collective energy resources for the betterment of mankind. First published in Century Magazine in 1900, this work showcases Tesla's profound ingenuity and his visionary approach to not only scientific and technological advancements but also to addressing broader existential challenges.

A secret backdoor meeting between Ambassador Ode Abumwe and the Conclave’s Hafte Sorvalh turns out to be less than secret, as both of their ships are attacked. It’s a surprise to both teams - but it’s the identity of the attacker that is the real surprise, and suggests a threat to both humanity and The Conclave. "A Problem of Proportion" is a tale from John Scalzi's The Human Division, a series of self-contained but interrelated short stories set in the Old Man's War universe.

Worthy Human is a journey into your personal power that will help you discover a new way to live. You'll learn how to run you mind and access your power of choice to create a life you're madly in love with. By unconditionally loving and accepting yourself, you can embrace that you are both the problem and the solution, get out of your own way, and totally own every aspect of your life.

Artificial intelligence is advancing at breathtaking speed. Large language models can write essays, generate code, compose music, diagnose disease, and simulate conversation with astonishing fluency. As discussions of artificial general intelligence (AGI) intensify, one question becomes unavoidable: If machines can think, what makes us human? In More Than Machines, award-winning Stephen Hawley Martin explores the critical distinction between machine intelligence and human consciousness. Drawing on philosophy of mind, neuroscience, quantum physics debates, and research into near-death ...

Seeing the Whole: Understanding Gestalt Theory and Its Lasting Impact explores one of psychology’s most influential schools of thought and its continuing relevance in today’s world. Gestalt Theory revolutionized the way we understand perception, learning, creativity, and design by introducing a simple but profound idea: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This engaging and comprehensive book traces the origins of Gestalt psychology, introduces its core principles of perception, and examines its lasting contributions to fields as diverse as education, therapy, problem solving...

So often, books about learning to be more persuasive assume that everyone wants to dominate and control their worlds. They assume, so much of the time, that people are cynical, cruel, and just looking for power so that they can start stepping on people. That is not the case with this audiobook! Quite the contrary, this book will give you a road map to ensure that you are not only capable of defending yourself against bullies, con men, and cruelty but that you are capable of making other people's lives better, too.

This game-changing book puts you behind the curtain at Toyota, providing new insight into the legendary automaker's management practices and offering practical guidance for leading and developing people in a way that makes the best use of their brainpower. Drawing on six years of research into Toyota's employee-management routines, Toyota Kata examines and elucidates, for the first time, the company's organizational routines - called kata - that power its success with continuous improvement and adaptation.

The story begins when a mysterious, system-wide event inserts a perfect, elegant proof for the complex mathematical problem. R(5,5)=43 into every human computer system. Commander Katarina Volkov, a military officer whose instincts were honed by a past tragedy, assembles a team of specialists on Ares Station to decipher the message from the unknown intelligence, dubbed "The Collective". The team includes Dmitri Petrov, a synesthetic mathematician who perceives logic as music; Yelena Kozlov, a brilliant but rigid logician driven by a fear of chaos ; and Anastasia Novak, an unnervingly quiet ...