Summary: Stephen Hawking addresses some of the biggest questions in a collection of thoughtful essays compiled shortly before his death.
Rating & Recommendation: 4.5/5; recommend for the curious and the science lovers
Review: This is a posthumous publication, and I'm not sure how much of this is him and how much of this was done after his death. In any event, I went into this assuming I would be bored and lost. Instead, I feel enlightened and impressed. Enlightened because I think I may have actually learned something, and impressed because a brilliant mind was able to distill such complex ideas down to their more easily consumed cores. I think the hallmark of a good teacher is not only explaining a theoretical or abstract lesson in a way that’s palatable to the masses, but also by relating why those lessons are pertinent despite seeming of distant or vague import.
Of all the topics discussed here, the sections on human destruction are the most fascinating. He addresses climate change, nuclear warfare, and colonizing other planets, all of which are decisions held directly in the hands of a historically very stupid people. When asked what he thought was a pressing issue for modern life, his response included a discussion of an autonomous weapons arms-race. Specifically, that our reaches into AI needed to protect against weaponizing artificial intelligence. I lost sleep after that one.
I’m always so moved by people like Stephen Hawking, not because of their minds - his was obviously a gift to the world - but because of their certainty. There is no hesitation or fear in his proclamations, and I wish I had that kind of confidence in my belief systems. I came away from this feeling like I had read some edict from God, it was so decided. This book will also help you redefine the word “God” to something that doesn’t compete with science. It probably isn’t for the staunchly religious, the casual reader, or someone not particularly interested in the intersection of science and sociology, but it’s so accessible and concise that I recommend for anyone with the slightly acquired taste for superior minds.
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