Bad Ideas?: An arresting history of our inventions - Rilegato

Winston, Professor Lord Robert

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 059306027X ISBN 13: 9780593060278

Casa editrice: Bantam Press, 2010

Riassunto

We are born with the instinct to create and invent. Indeed our ability to do so is what separates we humans from the rest of the animal world. The moment man first converted a stone to a useful tool set him on a relentless path toward greater power over his environment. But have our creative ideas always produced desirable results in line with their original good intention? Have they really served us well?

BAD IDEAS? traces the fascinating history of our attempts at self-improvement but also questions their value. The dubious consequences of the development of weaponry, for example, is self-evident. But what of apparently more innocuous inventions such as farming, writing or medicine? All started off for the greater good but have since produced unforeseen fallout that continues to this day. What are their undesirable side-effects, when did they emerge and where will they take us in the future?

Written against a huge historical canvas, we join Robert Winston on a thrilling journey from our earliest days to the present. We learn about the history of modern science, engineering, IT and much more. We meet the individuals who played a key role in their development, and share quirky anecdotes about their lives and brainwaves. Inspiring, unusual, and at times controversial, BAD IDEAS? assesses the past and also looks forward to the opportunities and ethical challenges of the future. In so doing it celebrates man's extraordinary capacity for achievement whilst warning us that his good intentions can sometimes end up as thoroughly bad ideas.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

"Robert Winston's Bad Ideas: An Arresting History of Our Inventions is a provocative inversion of traditional histories of scientific ingenuity ... by the end I realised that what Winston's own powerful and well-paced narration had opened my eyes to was the importance of the non-scientific being better informed. Stuffed with unusual gems, his history goes some way to achieving that; it also delivers a sober warning to scientists too eager to achieve glittering prizes." (Christina Hardyment The Times 2010-03-06)

"With erudition and impeccable logic he traces the emergence of inventions through history and shows how they have developed, sometimes into monsters that threaten the survival of our species. His arguments are well presented and easily followed, while his conclusions are often as controversial as the inventions themselves." (The Good Book Guide)

Descrizione del libro:

The fascinating story behind our inventions - and whether they're a blessing or a curse

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Bantam Press
• Data di pubblicazione: 2010
• ISBN 10: 059306027X
• ISBN 13: 9780593060278
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 432