Big History and the Future of Humanity

Häftad, Engelska, 2015

AvFred Spier,The Netherlands) Spier, Fred (University of Amsterdam

439 kr

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big history and the future of humanity"This remains the best single attempt to theorize big history as a discipline that can link core concepts and paradigms across all historical disciplines, from cosmology to geology, from biology to human history. With additional and updated material, the Second Edition also offers a fine introduction to the history of big history and a superb introductory survey to the big history story. Essential reading for anyone interested in a rapidly evolving new field of scholarship that links the sciences and the humanities into a modern, science-based origin story."—David Christian, Macquarie University"Notable for its theoretic approach, this new Second Edition is both an indispensable contribution to the emerging big history narrative and a powerful university textbook. Spier defines words carefully and recognizes the limits of current knowledge, aspects of his own clear thinking."—Cynthia Brown, Emerita, Dominican University of CaliforniaReflecting the latest theories in the sciences and humanities, this new edition of Big History and the Future of Humanity presents an accessible and original overview of the entire sweep of history from the origins of the universe and life on Earth up to the present day. Placing the relatively brief period of human history within a much broader framework – one that considers everything from vast galaxy clusters to the tiniest sub-atomic particles – big history is an innovative theoretical approach that opens up entirely new multidisciplinary research agendas. Noted historian Fred Spier reveals how a thorough examination of patterns of complexity can offer richer insights into what the future may have in store for humanity.The second edition includes new learning features, such as highlighted scientific concepts, an illustrative timeline and comprehensive glossary. By exploring the cumulative history from the Big Bang to the modern day, Big History and the Future of Humanity, Second Edition, sheds important historical light on where we have been – and offers a tantalizing glimpse of what lies ahead.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2015-04-24
Mått150 x 226 x 23 mm
Vikt544 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor368
Upplaga2
FörlagJohn Wiley and Sons Ltd
ISBN9781118881729

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Allmän historia och världshistoria inom Historia och arkeologi

List of Figures viiiList of Text Boxes xPreface and Acknowledgments xiA Short Time Line of Big History xxChapter One Introduction to Big History 1Introduction 1Studying the Past 2A Very Short History of Academic History 12A Short History of Big History 18A Historical Theory of Everything? 29Chapter Two General Approach 42Introduction 42Matter and Energy 45Complexity 48Energy Flows and the Emergence of Complexity 54The Goldilocks Principle 63Chapter Three Cosmic Evolution: The Emergence of Simple Forms of Complexity 74Introduction 74The Big Bang: No Complexity 75Recent Issues Concerning the Big Bang Scenario 77The Radiation Era: The Emergence of Complexity at the Smallest Scales 80The Matter Era: The Emergence of Complexity at Atomic and Molecular Scales 86Galaxy Formation: The Emergence of Complexity at Larger Scales 89The Emergence of Stars 95Stars as Nuclear Forges 100Chapter Four Our Cosmic Neighborhood: The Emergence of Greater Complexity 107Introduction 107The Galactic Habitable Zone 110The Emergence of Our Cosmic Neighborhood 111The Solar System Habitable Zone 116Major Characteristics of Earth 118Early Inner Planetary History 122Early Earth History 125Life Is Very Special 126The Emergence of Life 130Chapter Five Life on Earth: The Widening Range of Complexity 140Life, Energy and Complexity 140Planetary Energy Flows and Life 147The Gaia Hypothesis 149The Emergence of Energy Harvesting from Outside 153The Emergence of the Biological Food Web 156The Emergence of Multicellular Organisms 160The Emergence of Brains and Consciousness 162The Increase and Expansion of Biological Complexity 166Conquest of the Land 168Further Increasing Complexity 170Chapter Six Early Human History: The Emergence of the Greatest Known Complexity 179Introduction 179What Makes Humans Different 180Energy and Complexity 183The Emergence of Early Humans 185Improving Social Coordination 188Tool Making and Brain Growth 189Brains and Intestines 193Fire Control 194Migration 197The Rise of Modern Humans 200Early Religion 205Chapter Seven Recent Human History: The Development of the Greatest Known Complexity 214Introduction 214The Agrarian Revolution 220The Developing Agrarian Regime 229Social Effects of the Agrarian Revolution 232The Emergence of Agrarian Religions 234Increasing Agricultural Complexity and Declining Untamed Complexity 235Early State Formation 240The Emergence of Big States 245The Emergence of Moral Religions 247Energy and Complexity in State Societies 251The First Wave of Globalization 256Industrialization: The Second Wave of Globalization 264Informatization: The Third Wave of Globalization 271Energy, Complexity and Goldilocks Circumstances 276Chapter Eight Facing the Future 295Introduction 295A Very Short Overview of the Long Future of the Universe 299The Future of Earth and Life 300The Future of Humanity 301The Availability of Matter and Energy 304Exhaustion of Critical Resources and Growing Entropy 309Will Humans Migrate to Other Planets? 311Final Words 313Index 318