Greg H.

Exceptional

Revisado: 02-01-23

I have had a layperson's interest in the history of science for decades. This book is one of the best I have read. Why? It offers new information and contextualizes it nicely. Its contribution to the canon in that it provides numerous examples, and case studies of how non-European science grew along with and in many cases prior to the traditional European story line. More importantly, it shows how there were major contributions to seminal works flowing into Europe that I had not been aware of. Example, Newton used data for his Principia that had been gathered on slave trade ships. The expansion of empire, trade, and religion opened channels of knowledge exchange that advanced science worldwide.

This book however does not seek to denigrate the clear history and contributions of Europeans--instead it augments it. It it not "woke" or revisionist. It is additive and it does so in an enjoyable way.

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Excellent work

Revisado: 02-01-23

I'm piling on but if you really want a great situational analysis colored with realism, this is a great base layer. Wil and Bill help one understand the empirical basis of where we are and then give a number of scenarios regarding how we can meet the challenge. Most importantly, they remind us of how hard it will be.

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Superb first half; skip the second half.

Revisado: 01-03-23

If I could give a 2.5, I would--this book splits right down the middle. The first half is five stars but the second, barely a one. The first half is inspiring and insightful. Hagglund’s coloring of how we should consider time and how we should value time is amazing. His reading of Proust and Knausgaard are beautifully elucidating. Whether it is carpe diem or Mick Jagger’s “hours are like diamonds”, he makes the point: we have only so many hours on this earth, we should make the best of it for ourselves, and importantly, for others as well. His demonstration of how religious beliefs regarding the everlasting diminish life’s meaning is amazing, well-constructed, and inspiring. Although superficially paradoxical, it is our finitude that ultimately underpins meaning and transcendence.

Alas, in the second half of the book he stumbles badly. His thesis is essentially the following. Since I have demonstrated the value of time to individuals and humanity, now I will proceed to describe the optimal social structure for maximizing this time value, democratic socialism, and along the way, I will attempt to completely dismantle capitalism. To me, he does not seem to really understand capitalism and his critiques are weak. There is a huge literature critiquing capitalism, however Hagglund not only does not add to this body of work, but he also presents arguments and assertions that are easily falsifiable and weak. He also fails to present a persuasive case that his democratic socialism would achieve the outcomes he articulates in the first half.

In conclusion, I will never get back the roughly seven hours invested in the second half of this book. If you can get it on a two-for-one offer, do it and just listen or read the first half

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