Showing results for "Science" in Society

The existence of free will - our ability to choose between one course of action and another, to determine our own destiny - is a foundation stone of Western society, dictating our notions of fairness and justice, punishment and reward, our very identity as individuals and humans. But as world-renowned scientist Robert Sapolsky shows, there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that free will exists, even while everything in our biology leads us to believe that it does.

Brought to you by Penguin. Is modernity really failing? Or have we failed to appreciate progress and the ideals that make it possible? If you follow the headlines, the world in the 21st century appears to be sinking into chaos, hatred and irrationality. Yet, as Steven Pinker shows, if you follow...

Cynicism is making us sick; Stanford psychologist Dr Jamil Zaki has the cure - a 'ray of light for dark days' (Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author). For thousands of years, people have argued about whether humanity is selfish or generous, cruel or kind. But recently, our answers...

A paradigm-shifting work that revolutionizes our understanding of the origins and structure of science. 

'Exceptionally interesting' Alain de Botton 'A book that will transform how you understand human behaviour' Thomas Erikson 'Insightful and entertaining' Cal Newport 'Fascinating ... You'll never again view your own world in quite the same way' Ian Stewart Can physics change your life? It already...

Il n'est pas anodin que les grandes figures sociologiques du XXe siècle, Durkheim, Mauss, Lévi-Strauss ou Bourdieu, aient été formées initialement à la philosophie. D'abord timidement, puis farouchement, la sociologie, ou encore l'anthropologie et l'ethnographie, prennent au cours du siècle leur indépendance face à la paternité philosophique pour créer la nouvelle dénomination des sciences sociales.

The Science of Rights (originally in German: Grundlage des Naturrechts nach Principien der Wissenschaftslehre) by Johann Gottlieb Fichte, was originally written in 1796 and laterly translated by Adolph Ernst Kroeger into English...

Love promises happiness — yet so often delivers anxiety, confusion and pain. Aspects of Love explores why this is not a personal failure, but an inevitable part of loving in a complex world. In a series of illuminating and deeply relatable essays, this book examines the forces that shape our romantic lives, from desire and intimacy to ambivalence, attachment, compassion and friendship. Drawing on insights from psychology, philosophy and culture, it reveals why love so frequently unsettles us — and how we can respond with greater calm, understanding and generosity.

This collection brings together history, science, philosophy and comedy to explore our age-old search for meaning. We live in an age of self-improvement and self-examination - lifehacking, wellbeing, self-care, mindfulness retreats - but this seemingly very modern phenomenon is a pursuit that...

In The Leap, bestselling author Ulrich Boser shows how the emerging research on trust can improve our lives, rebuild our economy, and strengthen society. As part of this engaging and deeply reported narrative, Boser visits a radio soap opera in Rwanda that aims to restore the country’s broken trust, profiles the man who brought honesty to one of the most corrupt cities in Latin America, and explains how a college dropout managed to con his way into American high society.

John Deming's Blueprint for a Spacefaring Civilization is a call to action for anyone who believes in the potential of humanity to create a better future. It introduces volitional science, a rigorous framework for human choice, cooperation, and progress inspired by his studies under Andrew Galambos. Thought-provoking and challenging, this social theory equips entrepreneurs, innovators, leaders, and social thinkers to build societies that propel humanity forward.

Why do utopian projects produce catastrophe? Why do optimized systems collapse? Why does the pursuit of perfection destroy what it seeks to perfect? In THE CASE AGAINST PERFECTION, Boris Kriger presents a revolutionary synthesis of two groundbreaking theoretical frameworks: the Law of Imperative Uncertainty and the Asymmetry of Totalizing Ideals. Drawing on information theory, complexity science, evolutionary biology, and the lessons of history, Kriger proves mathematically what philosophers have long intuited: the pursuit of terminal perfection is structurally self-defeating.

Illuminates the far-reaching harms of believing that natural means “good,” from misinformation about health choices to justifications for sexism, racism, and flawed economic policies. People love what’s natural: it’s the best way to eat, the best way to parent, even the best way to...

The important work of human and cultural understanding has been nested in thorny political agendas that often don’t invite healthy exchange. Rather than feed into the political divide, Dr. Kyle Reyes presents an approach to understanding differences that prioritizes humanity. Personal growth and transformation come from honest reflection and self-analysis. In Lenses of Humanity, Dr. Reyes illustrates how we can improve and develop more human understanding, embrace humane practices, and find deeper connections across differences.

What if the greatest strength of humanity has never been competition, but kindness? This book reveals how compassion is not a fragile ideal but a force inscribed in our biology, confirmed by psychology, and proven by the resilience of societies that nurture it. From childhood lessons and family models to schools, workplaces, and entire communities, it shows how small daily gestures accumulate into powerful habits that transform both inner life and collective destiny.