The Seven Basic Plots
This remarkable and monumental book at last provides a comprehensive answer to the age-old riddle of whether there are only a small number of ‘basic stories’ in the world. Using a wealth of examples, from ancient...
Read MoreIssue: Philosophy
Are We Special
This book offers a penetrating analysis of issues raised by the perennial question, ‘Are We Special?’ It brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines, from astronomy and palaeontology to philosophy and theology, to explore this question.
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Aping Mankind
Neuroscience has made astounding progress in the understanding of the brain. What should we make of its claims to go beyond the brain and explain consciousness, behaviour and culture? Where should we draw the line?
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Harnessing Diversity
Homo sapiens has been hugely successful as a species. We may have evolved from other animals, but with the development of self-aware consciousness, we’ve transcended the limits of purely biological evolution. Through our unique abilities we’ve created the Anthropocene epoch on earth, full of amazing technological and artistic achievements. But in the process, we’ve brought about an ecological crisis that threatens the planet with serious damage and our own species with extinction. No, not the current pandemic, but rather the whole nexus of challenges that include climate change, habitat loss, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, overuse of resources and growing inequality. What you might call the “human predicament”.
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