In 'The Great Convergence', Richard Baldwin explores how globalization has evolved from a focus on goods to a focus on knowledge and information, leading to a new era of economic convergence between developed and developing nations. He discusses the challenges this presents for maintaining growth and social cohesion in both rich and developing countries.
Set in a future where humanity is threatened by the Formics, an insect-like alien species, the novel follows Ender Wiggin, a child prodigy who is drafted into Battle School at the age of six. Ender undergoes intense military training, including zero-gravity battles and psychological manipulation, to prepare him to lead the human fleet against the Formics. The book explores themes of war, leadership, and the moral complexities of using children as soldiers. It is known for its deep and complex sensibilities, and its ability to pose profound questions about the nature of war and humanity.
The Aeneid, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, is a monumental work of classical literature. It follows the journey of Aeneas, a Trojan hero, as he navigates from the ruins of Troy to Italy, where he is destined to found the city of Lavinium, a precursor to Rome. The poem is divided into 12 books, with the first six detailing Aeneas' wanderings and the second six describing the war in Italy against the Latins. The epic incorporates various legends and mythological elements, glorifying traditional Roman virtues and legitimizing the Julio-Claudian dynasty. It explores themes such as duty, fate, and the relationship between the individual and society, and has had a profound influence on Western literature[2][3][4].
The Bible is a comprehensive collection of texts that form the central religious text of Christianity and Judaism. It is divided into the Old Testament, which includes books such as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and others that narrate the creation of the world, the history of the Israelites, and the prophetic messages. The New Testament focuses on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with the early Christian church and its spread. The Bible contains a wide range of genres, including historical narratives, poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic writings, and epistles[2][3][5].
In 'Winters in the World', Eleanor Parker takes readers on a journey through the Anglo-Saxon year, exploring how the seasons were celebrated and perceived in early medieval England. The book delves into the cultural and literary traditions of the time, highlighting the connection between nature and human life. Parker draws on a wide range of texts, including Old English poetry and religious writings, to provide a vivid understanding of the Anglo-Saxon mindset.
This book tells a daring new story about how humanity got to its current state and how we can chart a better path forward. It surveys the history of science and faith from the astronomers of Babylon to the quantum physicists of postwar Europe and America. Klavan argues that science is leading us not away from God but back to him, and to the ancient faith that places the human soul at the center of the universe. He shows how the latest developments in physics can help shatter the illusion of materialism and how the search for knowledge of the natural world can illuminate the glories of its Creator.
We will not live in the pod. We will not eat the fake meat. We will not perform robot necromancy. But then...what should we do? With the Right in political power and a radically new mood sweeping the country, Jon Askonas of the Catholic University of America is among those thinking about how we can use technology well and in service of our humanity--not the other way around. I called him up to discuss a new First Things statement on preserving the family in the digital age. We talk AI, lab-grown meat, cursed robots, Soviet Ender's Game, Potempkin Dystopia, and so much more.
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A New Technology Agenda for the Right, from First Things: https://firstthings.com/a-future-for-the-family-a-new-technology-agenda-for-the-right/