Overview

Why do civilizations rise and fall What are the origins and purpose of art How does technology shape society Did culture direct human evolution Is the Internet an agent of democracy or dictatorships An immensely powerful but little-understood force that impacts society, art, politics, and even human biological development, culture is the very stage on which human experience plays out. But what is it, exactly What are its rules and origins In this fascinating volume, John Brockman, editor and publisher of Edge, presents short, accessible explorations of culture’s essential aspects, by today’s most influential scientists and thinkers. Contributors and topics include Jared Diamond on why societies collapse and how we can make better decisions to protect our own future • Denis Dutton on the origins of art Daniel C. Dennett on the evolution of cultures • Jaron Lanier on the ominous impact of the Internet • Nicholas Christakis on the structure and rules of social networks, both “real” and online • Clay Shirky and Evgeny Morozov on the new political reality of the digital era • Brian Eno on what cultures value Stewart Brand on the responsibilities of human power • Douglas Rushkoff on the next Renaissance • W. Daniel Hillis on the Net as a global “knowledge web”

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9780062023131

Table of Contents

Reviews

""This Will Change Everything offers seemingly radical but actually feasible ideas with the potential to change the world. "" - Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel ""A typically brilliant array of brief essays, by turns provocative, playful and profound . . . compulsively readable"" - Scientific American ""Edge is an organization of deep, visionary thinkers"" - Atlantic.com ""The way Brockman interlaces essays about research on the frontiers of science with ones on artistic vision, education, psychology and economics is sure to buzz any brain."" - Chicago Sun-Times ""A typically brilliant array of brief essays, by turns provocative, playful and profound . . . compulsively readable."" - San Francisco Chronicle

Author Information

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

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