One of our most brilliant social criticsmdash;author of the bestselling The Middle Mindmdash;presents a scathing critique of the ldquo;delusionsrdquo; of science alongside a rousing defense of the tradition of Romanticism and the ldquo;bigrdquo; questions.With the rise of religion critics such as Richard Dawkins; and of pseudo-science advocates such as Malcolm Gladwell and Jonah Lehrer; yoursquo;re likely to become a subject of ridicule if you wonder ldquo;Why is there something instead of nothing?rdquo; or ldquo;What is our purpose on earth?rdquo; Instead; at universities around the world; and in the general cultural milieu; wersquo;re all being taught that science can resolve all questions without the help of philosophy; politics; or the humanities. In short; the rich philosophical debates of the 19th century have been nearly totally abandoned; argues critic Curtis White. An atheist himself; White nonetheless calls this new turn ldquo;scientismrdquo;mdash;and fears what it will do to our culture if allowed to flourish without challenge. In fact; in ldquo;scientismrdquo; White sees a new religion with many unexamined assumptions.In this brilliant multi-part critique; he aims at a TED talk by a distinguished neuroscientist in which we are told that human thought is merely the product of our ldquo;connectome;rdquo; a map of neural connections in the brain that is yet to be fully understood. . . . He whips a widely respected physicist who argues that our new understanding of the origins of the universe obviates any philosophical inquiry . . . and ends with a learned defense of the tradition of Romanticism; which White believes our technology and science-obsessed world desperately needs to rediscover. Itrsquo;s the only way; he argues; that we can see our world clearly. . . and change it.
#824379 in eBooks 2013-05-28 2013-05-28File Name: B00A5MRBSW
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Jo Wood - what a life - ReviewBy QueenDIm glad this book was on sale; because I wouldnt pay full price for it. After reading this; its a wonder any of these people are still alive; if you believe the amounts of drugs they ingested. I suppose Jo Wood led an interesting life; but it was on the edge; and after a while; became "the same old thing" and boring. She got by on her good looks and chutzpah; but it seemed she was always looking for acceptance; even by the reader bysaying she never touched this; or that ever again; as if we should congratulate her for giving up one form of drug taking for another...I felt thatshe came across as very selfish; putting her own social needs before those of her children; but it does give good insight as to how good looking girls can get caught up in this crazy life....and its really no life at all.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Success...By Kindle CustomerWhat a wonderful read! I am a product of the seventies (minus the drugs) and for me a wonderful era.Never a big fan of the Stones...enjoyed some of their music but really not my cup of tea...lol...Kudos to this fine woman. Went thru hell but came out of it a strong resourceful woman.Being married to a rock star in itself is difficult in itself. Being married to a narcissist makes it even worse. I think they all have an inflated sense of self; but I guess that comes with being famous. I think Ms. Wood handled herself admirably; she had to be a special person to live that kind of life for so long.I enjoyed this book tremendously...0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Rolling Stone Gathers ... NothingBy Susan RehmI was bracing myself for another vitriol-fueled missive by a bitter jilted rock wife who was traded in for a younger model; but this book was a refreshing change of pace. While the content raises eyebrows at points: As a teenaged mother; a newly-divorced Jo foisted her infant son onto her mother ("mums still young"); spent the good part of a year enveloped in free-base vapor with husband Ronnie; and taught her children the nuances of "good pot;" you find yourself rooting for Jo. Despite all; she managed to pull herself through and cut the dead wood -- literally. While Jo Wood recognizes her shortfalls and appears to have gained some wisdom and maturity along the way; you have to ask why she stuck around with that loser for so many years? Ronnie Wood is painted as a narcissistic hedonist who sheltered life as a Rolling Stone (and substance abuse) has stripped him of all sense of reality and responsibility. The descent into alcoholism is all too familiar; as in the case of these types of memoirs; yet amusing at times. ("Why would Ronnie bring a raggedy stuffed owl on holiday?" When his adult children met his first under-aged girlfriend; they asked her; "Why are you hanging around with our dad? Hes old enough to be your grandfather.") The book has a predictable happy ending. Jo moves on; goes on a spiritual journey and starts her own business. Ronnie marries a woman half his age and fathers twins. Theyre all friends. Moral of the story: A rock star does not a good husband make.