On the future : prospects for humanity /

"Humanity has reached a critical moment. Our world is unsettled and rapidly changing, and we face existential risks over the next century. Various outcomes--good and bad--are possible. Yet our approach to the future is characterized by short-term thinking, polarizing debates, alarmist rhetoric,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rees, Martin J., 1942- (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, c2018.
Subjects:
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Table of Contents:
  • Introduction
  • . 1. Deep in the Anthropocene
  • Perils and prospects
  • Nuclear threats
  • Eco-threats and tipping points
  • Staying within planetary boundaries
  • Climate change
  • Clean-energy - and a 'Plan B'?
  • 2. Humanity's future on Earth
  • Biotech
  • Cybertechnology, robotics, and AI
  • What about our jobs?
  • Human-level intelligence?
  • Truly existential risks?
  • 3. Humanity in a cosmic perspective
  • The Earth in a cosmic context
  • Beyond our solar system
  • Spaceflight - Manned and unmanned
  • Towards a post-human era?
  • Alien intelligence?
  • 4. The limits and future of science
  • From the simple to the complex
  • Making sense of our complex world
  • How far does physical reality extend?
  • Will science 'hit the buffers'?
  • What about God?
  • 5. Conclusions
  • Doing science
  • Science in society
  • Shared hopes and fears.