Philosophy Technology

Drawing on 40 years of research and a treasure trove of new information, Tesla: Wizard at War provides a comprehensive view of Tesla's discoveries, which continue to influence today's military technology and diplomatic strategies. One of the world's leading Tesla experts, Marc J. Seifer, offers new insight into the brilliant scientist's particle beam weapon (aka the "Death Ray") and explores his military negotiations with pivotal historical figures - including his links to Joseph Stalin, Vannevar Bush, General Andrew McNaughton, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 

Although we usually think of technology as something unique to modern times, our ancestors began to create the first technologies millions of years ago in the form of prehistoric tools and weapons. Over time, eight key technologies gradually freed us from the limitations of our animal origins.

In this witty, often terrifying work of cultural criticism, Postman chronicles our transformation into a Technopoly: a society that no longer merely uses technology as a support system but instead is shaped by it. According to Postman, technology is rapidly gaining sovereignty over social institutions and national life to become self-justifying, self-perpetuating, and omnipresent. He warns that this will have radical consequences for the meanings of politics, art, religion, family, education, and more.

What happens when something is sucked into a black hole? Does it disappear? Three decades ago, a young physicist named Stephen Hawking claimed that it did - and in doing so, put at risk everything we know about the fundamental laws of the universe. Leonard Susskind and Gerard 't Hooft realized the threat and responded with a counterattack that changed the course of physics.

From the acclaimed author of The Nobel Prize comes this fascinating portrait of four of the greatest minds in the history of science and the impossible turning point they faced. As World War II wound down, and it became increasingly clear that the Allies would emerge victorious, Albert Einstein invited three close friends - all titans of contemporary science and philosophy - to his home at 112 Mercer Street in Princeton, New Jersey, to discuss what they loved best: science and philosophy.

In the 1970s, amid severe cutbacks in physics funding, a small group of underemployed physicists in Berkeley decided to throw off the constraints of academia and explore the wilder side of science. Dubbing themselves the “Fundamental Fysiks Group,” they pursued a freewheeling, speculative approach to physics. Some dabbled with LSD while conducting experiments. They studied quantum theory alongside Eastern mysticism and psychic mind reading, discussing the latest developments while lounging in hot tubs.

What if the most powerful AI in history met a retired bus driver with a twenty-sided die — and lost? OMNIVIEW predicts everything. Seven billion lives, modeled with 99.97% accuracy. Markets, decisions, futures — all of it mapped, charted, certain. Until Jerry Kowalski. Jerry is a sixty-three-year-old widower who, after losing his wife to cancer, has made every decision — what to eat, where to go, whether to answer the door — by rolling a purple plastic die. And OMNIVIEW cannot predict a single thing he does. Not one. When data scientist Maya Chen finds him, she discovers something ...

In this exhilarating and mind-bending book, renowned scientist and author Paul Davies offers listeners a glimpse of how quantum physics has led to a quantum technology revolution. Quantum 2.0 reveals how today’s brightest minds are harnessing exotic states of matter that have no counterpart in everyday life. Specifically, all eyes are on entanglement, called “spooky” by Einstein, which links the activities of separated particles even across vast distances.

Discover the groundbreaking ideas of Marshall McLuhan, the visionary thinker who forever changed the way we understand media, technology, and culture. The Medium Shapes the Message: Understanding Marshall McLuhan’s Ideas and Their Lasting Impact explores McLuhan’s life, his most influential works, and why his insights remain vital in today’s digital age. From his famous phrase “the medium is the message” to his provocative concept of the “global village,” McLuhan revealed how communication technologies reshape human thought, society, and identity. This engaging and accessible ...

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. Recent years have seen an eruption of concern as the field of machine learning advances. When the systems we attempt to teach will not, in the end, do what we want or what we expect, ethical and potentially existential risks emerge. Researchers call this the alignment problem.

The Autonomy of Technology: Jacques Ellul, AI, Automation, and the Future of Human Control examines a problem many people recognize but struggle to name: why modern systems often seem to dictate the terms of work, politics, and daily life. Using Jacques Ellul’s idea of technique, the book explains how efficiency shifts from being one useful standard among many into the main rule for organizing institutions. It shows how this logic spreads through artificial intelligence, automated workplaces, data collection, digital administration, and everyday systems built for speed, convenience, and ...

What happens when the species that invented intelligence… begins to redesign itself? For millions of years, evolution moved slowly. Then came language. Then tools. Then civilization. Then machines. Now comes artificial intelligence. And this time, the shift is not only technological. It is biological. Cognitive. Cultural. Civilizational. TecnoSapiens explores the next great leap in human evolution: the emergence of a hybrid humanity shaped by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, digital consciousness, and the growing fusion between mind, machine, and society. This is not a book about ...

Unlock the mysteries of how science really works with Philosophy of Science Explained: Understanding Knowledge, Method, and the Foundations of Scientific Inquiry. This comprehensive guide takes readers beyond the surface of scientific facts and into the deeper questions about what science is, how it generates knowledge, and why it matters. From the logic of discovery to the ethical challenges of modern technology, this book offers a clear and engaging introduction to one of philosophy’s most fascinating fields. Perfect for beginners, students, and lifelong learners, it explores timeless ...

Superintelligence asks the questions: What happens when machines surpass humans in general intelligence? Will artificial agents save or destroy us? Nick Bostrom lays the foundation for understanding the future of humanity and intelligent life. The human brain has some capabilities that the brains of other animals lack. It is to these distinctive capabilities that our species owes its dominant position. If machine brains surpassed human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become extremely powerful - possibly beyond our control.

Become more informed, more articulate, and more confident—one topic at a time. The Ultimate General Knowledge Book is a clear and engaging introduction to the ideas, events, systems, and discoveries that shape our world. Inside, you’ll explore more than 100 essential topics across history, science, politics, law, religion, economics, technology, medicine, and the environment. This book is designed for curious readers who want to understand the world better without reading academic textbooks or getting lost in unnecessary detail. Whether you want to strengthen your general knowledge, ...

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more dynamic and ubiquitous, it is dramatically empowering people in all walks of life while also giving rise to urgent questions about the future of humanity—a historic challenge whose contours and consequences are revealed by three eminent thinkers in...

When young Joseph Banks stepped onto a Tahitian beach in 1769, he hoped to discover Paradise. Inspired by the scientific ferment sweeping through Britain, the botanist had sailed with Captain Cook in search of new worlds. Other voyages of discovery—astronomical, chemical, poetical, philosophical—swiftly follow in Richard Holmes's thrilling evocation of the second scientific revolution.

Being and Meaning: Exploring the Philosophical World of Martin Heidegger is an engaging introduction to one of the most influential and challenging thinkers of the twentieth century. Martin Heidegger’s philosophy reshaped the way we understand existence, time, authenticity, and the modern world. His work continues to inspire philosophy, psychology, theology, literature, and even debates about technology and culture today. This book makes Heidegger’s complex ideas accessible for general readers while preserving their depth and significance. Beginning with his central question of Being, ...

Audie Award, History/Biography, 2016. On the night of July 20, 1969, our world changed forever when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. Based on in-depth interviews with 23 of the 24 moon voyagers, as well as those who struggled to get the program moving, A Man on the Moon conveys every aspect of the Apollo missions with breathtaking immediacy and stunning detail.

Second Edition The purpose of this short book is to provide in one place a systematic, clear description and discussion of the Scientific Method for the general public, students, teachers, and scientists. The style is informal. It is not about any particular field of science. Instead it discusses how science is done and why it is successful. A convenient outline of the Scientific Method, "The Scientific Method in a Nutshell", is provided and each step is discussed in the book chapters. Easily understood examples from the history of science are used to illustrate each step. The modern ...