Quantum Mechanics and the Quest for Final Knowledge (John Horgan & Philip Ball)

In 'The End of Science,' John Horgan discusses the idea that science may be nearing its theoretical limits. He interviews various eminent scholars, including Fred Hoyle, Noam Chomsky, and John Wheeler, to explore topics such as God, superstrings, quarks, consciousness, and the Omega Point. Horgan argues that science is facing significant challenges, including the constraints imposed by special relativity, quantum mechanics, and chaos theory. He also critiques the trend of 'ironic science,' where theoreticians engage in speculative and often untestable theories, potentially reducing science to a status akin to literary criticism. The book presents a contrarian view on the future of scientific discovery and its place in the hierarchy of disciplines.

In this book, Steven Pinker argues that language is an innate human ability, produced by evolution to solve the problem of communication among social hunter-gatherers. He explains how language works, how children learn it, how it changes, and how the brain computes it. Pinker refutes common ideas such as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis and the notion that language is a human invention. He supports his argument with examples from linguistics, psychology, and popular culture, emphasizing that language is a specialized 'mental module' rather than a mark of advanced intelligence. The book also includes updates on advances in the science of language since its initial publication.

In 'Enlightenment Now', Steven Pinker presents a comprehensive argument that the values of the Enlightenment—reason, science, and humanism—have been instrumental in the progress of human society. He challenges the prevailing pessimism in modern discourse by presenting empirical evidence that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise globally. Pinker uses data and graphs to illustrate improvements in various aspects of human life, such as increased life expectancy, reduced child and maternal mortality, and advancements in medicine and technology. He also addresses the psychological biases that lead people to underestimate these improvements and emphasizes the importance of continuing to uphold Enlightenment ideals to ensure further progress.

In 'Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge', E.O. Wilson advocates for the integration of knowledge from different fields to create a unified theory of understanding. He draws on the concept of consilience, introduced by William Whewell, which means the 'jumping together' of knowledge by linking facts and theories across disciplines. Wilson explores the chemistry of the mind, the genetic bases of culture, and the biological principles underlying works of art. He argues that a unified approach can lead to a deeper understanding of the human condition and the natural world, and he critiques the fragmentation of knowledge into separate disciplines. The book is a call for a new Enlightenment, emphasizing the importance of science and reason in understanding all aspects of human existence.