Weitere Bücher, die Sie mögen werden

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  Our Western spring - Where is...

  Nir Shvalb

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  "Progress is not just electronics and robots; it’s also adaptation and correction of social structures in light of these technological advances," Shvalb asserts, warning that "the old democracy won't survive if we don’t adjust it to the new era." 
  After reviewing the social phenomena leading societies to dangerous places, he points out, "History teaches us that civilizations tend to fade, and when they do, it can happen very suddenly." He then explores the influence of social networks on public discourse, noting that "fake news spreads six times faster than truthful news." As a scientist in the field of hard sciences, he examines the dangers of advancing technology, particularly the role of AI in societal unrest. Shvalb questions, "Can technological mega-giants know us intimately enough to control our choices?" 
  Life as we knew it no longer exists. The benefits technology has given us come with a heavy price. In a world where social interactions are shaped by powerful platforms guiding the way we think, behave, buy, and choose, there is a real risk to our societies that we must consider. The last part of the book is dedicated to practical solutions and suggestions. Yet, despite its serious themes, "Our Western Spring: Where is Political Divide Leading Us?" is engaging and fun to read. If you're curious about who suffered from scrotal ascites, what is considered the worst film of all time, or why China's government hates Winnie-the-Pooh, this book is for you. This blend of intriguing trivia and insightful analysis makes the book both thought-provoking and enjoyable, offering readers a captivating journey through the complexities of modern society.

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  The Nature of Desert Nature -...

  Gary Paul Nabhan

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  In this refreshing collection, one of our best writers on desert places, Gary Paul Nabhan, challenges traditional notions of the desert. Beautiful, reflective, and at times humorous, Nabhan's extended essay also called "The Nature of Desert Nature" reveals the complexity of what a desert is and can be. He passionately writes about what it is like to visit a desert and what living in a desert looks like when viewed through a new frame, turning age-old notions of the desert on their heads. 
   
   
   
  Nabhan invites a prism of voices—friends, colleagues, and advisors from his more than four decades of study of deserts—to bring their own perspectives. Scientists, artists, desert contemplatives, poets, and writers bring the desert into view and investigate why these places compel us to walk through their sands and beneath their cacti and acacia. We observe the spines and spears, stings and songs of the desert anew. Unexpected. Surprising. Enchanting. Like the desert itself, each essay offers renewed vocabulary and thoughtful perceptions. 
   
   
   
  The desert inspires wonder. Attending to history, culture, science, and spirit, The Nature of Desert Nature celebrates the bounty and the significance of desert places.

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  Decoding Animal Minds - Bridging...

  John Harpoon

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  The question of whether animals possess consciousness has intrigued philosophers, scientists, and animal lovers for centuries. Consciousness, often described as the awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, is a concept that has been challenging to define, even in humans. When applied to animals, the puzzle becomes even more complex, as humans must contend with species whose mental processes are vastly different, yet still intriguing. 
  For much of history, animals were thought to be little more than instinctual beings, driven by basic needs and lacking the higher cognitive functions attributed to humans. Early philosophers, such as René Descartes, even went so far as to declare that animals were mere automata, incapable of experiencing consciousness or complex thoughts. This perspective began to shift, however, with the growing body of research into animal behavior and cognition, which showed that many animals exhibit problem-solving skills, emotional responses, and even a sense of self. 
  Theories of animal intelligence have evolved over time, with a growing recognition that animal minds are not simply mechanical, but can possess depth and complexity. Cognitive ethology, the study of animal minds in their natural environments, emphasizes that animals may experience the world in ways similar to humans, but with distinct differences shaped by their evolutionary paths. From elephants who demonstrate clear evidence of grief, to dolphins that engage in sophisticated social interactions, the evidence suggests that animals may possess emotional and cognitive layers far more intricate than previously imagined.

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  First Wilderness - My Quest in...

  Sam Keith

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  After serving as a US Marine during World War II and attending college on the GI Bill, Sam Keith decided to seek adventure in Alaska as a laborer on the Adak Navy base. There he befriended Dick Proenneke, whose shared love of the outdoors, hard work, and self-reliance quickly bonded an alliance between the two. Together they explored the wilds of South Central Alaska, while working on the Navy base, hunting and fishing with friends and breathing in the great outdoors. Keith was ready to leave after three years of finding almost everything he sought—not realizing then how his fate was intrinsically tied to his friend's and how it would lead to writing the bestselling book One Man's Wilderness. 
   
   
   
  Sam Keith passed away in 2003. But in 2013, his son-in-law and children's book author/illustrator Brian Lies discovered in an archive box in their garage a book manuscript, originally written in 1974 after the publication of One Man's Wilderness. First Wilderness is the story of Keith's own experiences, at times harrowing, funny, and fascinating. Along with the original manuscript are excerpts from his journals, letters, and notebooks, woven in to create a compelling and poignant memoir of search and discovery. Foreword by Nick Jans, one of Alaska's foremost authors and photographers, and afterword by Keith's daughter Laurel Lies.

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  Your Brain Is Playing Tricks On...

  Albert Moukheiber

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  Why are we often convinced that we’re right even when we’re wrong? Why are we jealous, or paranoid, even when we have absolutely no reason to be? Why is it so easy for fake news to spread around the globe and fool us? It’s because we don’t see the world as it is, rather we reconstruct it in our mind.

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  The New Fire - War Peace and...

  Ben Buchanan, Andrew Imbrie

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  Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the modern world. It is ubiquitous—in our homes and offices, in the present and most certainly in the future. Today, we encounter AI as our distant ancestors once encountered fire. If we manage AI well, it will become a force for good, lighting the way to many transformative inventions. If we deploy it thoughtlessly, it will advance beyond our control. If we wield it for destruction, it will fan the flames of a new kind of war, one that holds democracy in the balance. As AI policy experts Ben Buchanan and Andrew Imbrie show in The New Fire, few choices are more urgent—or more fascinating—than how we harness this technology and for what purpose. 
   
   
    
  The new fire has three sparks: data, algorithms, and computing power. These components fuel viral disinformation campaigns, new hacking tools, and military weapons that once seemed like science fiction. To autocrats, AI offers the prospect of centralized control at home and asymmetric advantages in combat. It is easy to assume that democracies, bound by ethical constraints and disjointed in their approach, will be unable to keep up. But such a dystopia is hardly preordained. Combining an incisive understanding of technology with shrewd geopolitical analysis, Buchanan and Imbrie show how AI can work for democracy. With the right approach, technology need not favor tyranny.

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