From the bestselling editor of This Explains Everything, 206 of the world's most brilliant minds tackle Edge.org's 2017 question: What scientific term or concept ought to be more widely known?

As science informs public policy, decision making, and so many aspects of our everyday lives, a scientifically literate society is crucial. In that spirit, Edge.org publisher John Brockman asked 206 the world's best minds the 2017 Edge Question: What scientific term or concept ought to be more widely known?

Contributors include: author of The God Delusion RICHARD DAWKINS on using animals' "Genetic Book of the Dead" to reconstruct ecological history; theoretical physicist and author of A Universe from Nothing Lawrence Krauss on "uncertainty" and resisting our temptation to assign meaning to random events; MacArthur Fellow REBECCA NEWBERGER GOLDSTEIN on "scientific realism," the idea that scientific theories explain phenomena beyond what we can see and touch; behavioral economist RICHARD THALER on the "premortem," which can help root out potential hazards before making a major business decision; Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel JARED DIAMOND on a basic precept too often missing from scientific discourse: "common sense;" author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics CARLO ROVELLI on "relative information," which governs the physical world around us; author of The Shallows NICHOLAS CARR on "mysterianism," the idea that humans' mastery and understanding of the world around us is illusory; theoretical cosmologist JANNA LEVIN on the "principle of least action," which allows us to express many of the most complex ideas in a single sentence; cognitive scientist and author of The Language Instinct STEVEN PINKER on "The Second Law of Thermodynamics;" author of Emotional Intelligence DANIEL GOLEMAN on "empathic concern," a scientific basis for compassion; theoretical physicist and Time 100 influencer LISA RANDALL on "effective theories," which reflect what we observe in the world around us; founding executive editor of Wired KEVIN KELLY on "premature optimization," or why success so often begets failure; biogerontologist AUBREY DE GREY on why "maladaptive traits" have been conserved evolutionarily; musician and producer BRIAN ENO on "confirmation bias" in the internet age; Man Booker-winning author of Atonement IAN MCEWAN on the "Navier-Stokes Equations," which govern everything from weather prediction to aircraft design, to blood flow; plus pieces from FRANK WILCZEK, RORY SUTHERLAND, NINA JABLONSKI, MARTIN REES, ALISON GOPNIK, and many, many others.

About the Author
The publisher of the online science salon Edge.org, John Brockman is the editor of Know This, This Idea Must Die, This Explains Everything, This Will Make You Smarter, and other volumes.


Book Information
ISBN 9780062698216
Author John Brockman
Format Paperback
Page Count 544
Imprint HarperPerennial
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Weight(grams) 270g