1001 Ideas That Changed the Way We Think - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1476705720 ISBN 13: 9781476705729

Publisher: Atria Books, 2013

Synopsis

An elegant addition to the successful “1001” series—a comprehensive, chronological guide to the most important thoughts from the finest minds of the past 3,000 years.

1001 Ideas That Changed the Way We Think is a comprehensive guide to the most interesting and imaginative thoughts from the finest minds in history. Ranging from the ancient wisdom of Confucius and Plato to today’s cutting-edge thinkers, it offers a wealth of stimulation and amusement for everyone with a curious mind.

Within the pages of this book you will find a wide variety of answers to the great, eternal questions: How was the universe created and what is the place of humans within it? How should a person live? And how can we build a just society? 1001 Ideas That Changed the Way We Think also includes a host of hypotheses that are remarkable for their sheer weirdness—from the concept of the transmigration of souls to parallel universes and the theoretical paradoxes of time travel (what happens if you travel back in time and kill your own grandfather?).

Discover how the Greek philosopher Zeno “proved” a flying arrow never moves; how modern science has shown that a butterfly’s wing can stir up an Atlantic storm; and the mathematical proof of the existence of life in other galaxies. The inspirational ideas explored here range from Gandhi’s theory of civil disobedience to Henry David Thoreau’s praise of the simple life and Mary Wollstonecraft’s groundbreaking advocacy of women’s rights. The book also covers a wide variety of lifestyle concepts, such as “rational dress” and naturism, and cultural movements including Neoclassicism, Surrealism, and Postmodernism.

Supported by a wealth of striking illustrations and illuminating quotations, 1001 Ideas That Changed the Way We Think is both an in-depth history of ideas and a delightfully browsable source of entertainment.

About this title

About the Author

Robert Arp is a visiting professor for the department of philosophy at Florida State University and a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Center for Biomedical Ontology. His areas of specialization include philosophy of biology, philosophy of mind, and modern philosophy. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.

Reviews

As the title reveals, this work covers ideas that have inspired humankind and changed our lives. Entries are listed chronologically, and the first is “Human Control of Fire,” estimated to have occurred around 1,600,000 BCE, while the last entry is “Not-Junk DNA,” regarding the human genome work done in 2012. Some entries are well-known events, such as Sir Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity and President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. However, a wide variety of topics are discussed, including Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Fountain of youth, Allegory of the cave, Robin Hood, Public library, Freudian slip, Santa Claus, Gray’s Anatomy (the book, not the television show), and Robotics, to name but a few. The brief entries are arranged in sections covering “Ancient World (Pre 500 CE),” “Middle Ages (500–1449),” “Early Modern (1450–1779),” “Late Modern (1780–1899),” “Early 20th Century (1900–1949),” and “Contemporary (1950–present).” A keyword index at the beginning of the book divides entries into “Art and Architecture,” “Philosophy,” “Politics and Society,” “Psychology,” “Religion,” and “Science and Technology,” and there is a general index at the end. Colorful illustrations and photographs are found throughout the book—at least one and often more on every other page. This entertaining and informative book is recommended for both public and academic libraries. --Rachael Elrod

Edition details

• Publisher: Atria Books
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1476705720
• ISBN 13: 9781476705729
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 960
• Editor: Arp Robert