What books are you reading ? (conspiracy related, science, etc...)

[Leifer]

Just started 'The Science Delusion' by Rupert Sheldrake. I'm not far in but I'm already struck by some of the language, such as:

Since the nineteenth century, millions of people have been converted to a materialistic worldview [by science], even though they know very little about science itself. They are, as it were, devotees of the Church of Science, or of scientism, of which scientists are the priests.

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I couldn't find that on Audible books.
So I just started listening to Sheldrake's newest book...... "Science and Spiritual Practices" (link)

 

[Tez]

As far as I'm concerned, what he calls the "materialistic worldview" is simply the application of reason to experience, and it is practiced by thoughtful people in all disciplines, not just science. This is not new, there have always been people trying to understand and explain things that they observe. The main difference between now and 2000 years ago is that we now know so much more. We stand on the shoulders of giants.

Many years ago I spent a very entertaining evening drinking with Rupert Sheldrake and a few others, the night before he gave a talk at the Beshara Centre in the UK (I wasn't a follower, by the way). He told the story of bumping into a scientist friend of his who for years had been researching some obscure aspect of some chemical or other, who looked rather depressed. He explained that he'd finished his research and now did not have anything to justify his job. Later, they crossed paths again and now the scientist looked much happier. Turned out he'd managed to find another obscure chemical that needed researching, probably for several years to come.

 

[Leifer]

An interesting and challenging exploration of humanities relationship with firearms.

Just listened to it.
At first I thought it was going to be a hard left-wing anti-gun rant. Not so.
As I read (listened), the book was filled with facts and stories from within countries where guns have (or had) strong impacts on mortality....as well as analysis on mass shootings abroad and in the USA.
......very informative. Reccomend.

 

[Leifer]

Listening to Niall Ferguson's..
"The Square and the Tower"

I did not expect the book to first include a portion toward "conspiracy theories", and various histories of conspiratorial sources and influences, and delving into...Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati, etc.....)

...publisher's summary (partial)

"The 21st century has been hailed as the Age of Networks. However, in The Square and the Tower, Niall Ferguson argues that networks have always been with us, from the structure of the brain to the food chain, from the family tree to freemasonry. Throughout history, hierarchies housed in high towers have claimed to rule, but often real power has resided in the networks in the town square below. For it is networks that tend to innovate. And it is through networks that revolutionary ideas can contagiously spread. Just because conspiracy theorists like to fantasize about such networks doesn't mean they are not real."

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(It's not all gloom-and-doom. Besides, Metabunk uses "crowd-sourcing" to help unravel mistaken ideas - which is certainly a network.)

 

[Leifer]

"AI Super-Powers"
by Kai-Fu Lee.



I just started listening.

 

[Leifer]

Here's some older radio drama / horror / sci-fi stories, to listen to.
(late at night, alone, is best...with your blanket protecting you....)

...or just some wine and marijuana.

Here's a selection from the video, a story called "Northern Lights"....

 

[ventsyv]

Carl Sagan's "The demon haunted world" was amazing...

 

[Tedsson]

I couldn't find that on Audible books.
So I just started listening to Sheldrake's newest book...... "Science and Spiritual Practices" (link)

I'm a bit late to this party but The Science Delusion was published in the US as Science Set Free.

Might be available under this title.

 

[Pheonix3082]

I'm currently reading:

Martin Luther King Jr - Autobiography.

The Jim Crow Laws and Racism in the United States history.

Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters.

 

[Leifer]

There is nothing but the spice of time.
I have held many nuthatchers, and my amazement never ceases to aquire curious looks, and repeated analog pecking at imaginary ants.
(que strange music)

 

[JMartJr]

A small volume beginning with Newton and his equations for gravity, the triumph of using his work to predict, and then find, Neptune, how his equations hinted that there might be yet another planet, dubbed Vulcan, between the Sun and Mercury, how tenacious the search for Vulcan was -- and how Einstein finally killed off a planet more thoroughly than what happened to poor old Pluto!

And, tonight, probably reading "A Visit From Saint Nicholas," an even smaller volume! Y'all be Merry, if you get a chance!

 

[Kieron McNulty]

Recently read this from a US journalist. Well written , sceptical but respectful to the believers. A light anthropological study which I found to be insightful.