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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Jacques Ellul Explained: Technology, Propaganda, Autonomy, and the Hidden Forces That Shape Modern Life is a practical introduction to one of the sharpest critics of modern society. Ellul’s work asks a difficult question: what happens when efficiency stops being a useful tool and becomes the standard by which everything is judged? This book explains his answers in plain language for readers who want a clearer way to think about technological systems, institutional power, media influence, and the narrowing space for independent judgment. It connects Ellul’s ideas to familiar parts of ...

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 ...

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.

Chaos and Creativity: How Disorder Sparked Innovation in Science, Art, Technology, and Philosophy offers a compelling exploration of how unpredictable forces shape the deepest currents of human innovation. This insightful guide shows that creativity does not emerge from perfect control or linear progress. Instead it grows out of dynamic interaction, subtle variation, and the hidden order that exists within apparent disorder. By drawing on the core ideas of chaos theory, this book reveals how small sparks lead to major breakthroughs, how novel patterns emerge from complexity, and how ...

La digitalización avanza inexorablemente. Aturdidos por el frenesí de la comunicación y la información, nos sentimos impotentes ante el tsunami de datos que despliega fuerzas destructivas y deformantes.

Predicting society’s present addiction to technology, our challenges with data privacy, and the dramatic increase in drug overdoses and depression that have accompanied a technology-induced lack of purpose, The Unabomber’s vision of the future has become our reality. Of course, his means were disgusting and condemnable. But his message is more important than ever. If we want to thrive in an age where automation and artificial intelligence and rapidly making humans obsolete, it is our responsibility to understand and prepare for the technological machine we are up against.

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.

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 ...

The creation of the microprocessor launched the digital age. The key technology allowing unprecedented integration, and the design of the world’s first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, were the achievement of Federico Faggin. In Silicon, internationally recognized inventor and entrepreneur Federico Faggin chronicles his “four lives”: his formative years in war-torn Northern Italy, his pioneering work in American microelectronics, his successful career as a high-tech entrepreneur, and his more recent explorations into the mysteries of consciousness.

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 ...

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.

Our society is constantly made to serve the needs of two systems: technology and capitalism. Neither exists outside humans, but both are treated as above and beyond us. The Mechanic and the Luddite offers the critical tools needed to deconstruct these systems—how they work, whom they work for, and what work they do in our lives. With signature style and energy, Jathan Sadowski presents a provocative one-stop shop for understanding the political economy of technology and capitalism.