Consilience
by Edward Osborne Wilson · first published 1998
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Wide-ranging argument that knowledge from the sciences and humanities can be unified; praised as a readable synthesis of Wilson's scientific and ethical interests, useful for readers wanting a broad case for rationalism.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"In this new book, the American biologist Edward O. Wilson argues for the fundamental unity of all knowledge and the need to search for consilience - the proof that everything in our world is organized in terms of a small number of fundamental natural laws that comprise the principles underlying every branch of learning." "Professor Wilson shows how and why our explosive rise in intellectual mastery of the truths of our universe has its roots in the ancient Greek concept of an intrinsic orderliness that governs our cosmos and the human species - a vision that found its apogee in the Age of Enl
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…available--We simply lacked the knowledge to harness it efficiently. If I may, I'd like to recommend a couple of books about the present and possible futures of human progress as well: E.O. Wilson. Consilience. https://www.amazon.com/Consilience-Knowledge-Edward-Osborne-... Nick Bostrom. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies. https://www.amazon.com/Superintelligence-Dangers-Strategies-...
on “Saudi Arabia's Oil Wealth Is About to Get a Reality Check” ↗"Consilience" by EO Wilson is a challenging and rewarding book, especially considering it is thin, uses small words and short sentences. And has no math whatsoever. My recollection is I could only read a couple of…
on “Ask HN: Whats the most challenging book you have ever read?” ↗…leader” by writing a book of extremely questionable value. Some more titles are (only 1 published after 1990): - A Clockwork Muse by Martindale - The Art of a Scientific Investigation by Beveridge - Consilience by Wilson - The Act of Creation by Koestler Finally I would recommend “Notebooks of the Mind”. Don’t know why I just thought of it but it’s the best book of the bunch I recommended.
on “Ask HN: Any good books for an inspired, curious, but wannabe innovator/genius?” ↗Consilience by E.O Wilson. Small book, small words, short sentences but separates the wheat from the chaff of thinking and understanding. If you're fond of horoscopes, this is not the book for you.
on “Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?” ↗Consilience by E.O. Wilson
on “Ask HN: What books fundamentally changed the way you think about the world?” ↗Didn't read it this year but if you're in the mood for a challenging small book, using small words in short sentences then Consilience by E.O. Wilson is hard to beat. Philosophy at its best.
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗One of the giants. "Consilience" is one of his books that's well worth reading. Small book, small words, short sentences and huge ideas.
on “E.O. Wilson has died” ↗…written and incredibly complete, and although it's now a bit dated, it's still the best reference to ants if you're interested in them. For a broader summary of Wilson's intellectual project I recommend "Consilience" - a wonderful synthesis of almost all his ethical and scientific interests.
on “E.O. Wilson saw the world in a new way” ↗…science has been misused (social Darwinism), but why not examine those specific misuses instead of throwing out the entire rationalist agenda? For those who are interested, I recommend E. O. Wilson's Consilience for an in-depth discussion of how to salvage rationalism in the modern world. Flip to the end of Chapter 3 for an excellent examination of postmodernism.
on “Postmodernism generator” ↗Both, "Consilience" by E.O. Wilson and... "The signal and the noise" by Nate Silver are worth look.
on “Ask HN: Books with a high signal to noise ratio?” ↗Didn't read it lately but Consilience by W.O Wilson (Nobel Prize winner) is definitely worth a look if you're not too distressed by having your sacred cows butchered.
on “Ask HN: What good books have you read lately?” ↗E.O Wilson's (the Nobel prize winner) book "Consilience" should be on a list like this but probably isn't. He's a biologist after all, not a philosopher. But a lot of thoughtful people would likely find a lot more to ponder than in it than most of the 'real'…
on “Eminent Philosophers Name the Most Important Philosophy Books from 1950-2000” ↗"Consilience" by E.O. Wilson (Nobel Prize winner). A small book, with simple sentences and a lot of ideas you won't have thought of.
on “Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?” ↗Consilience by E.O Wilson should be more popular than it is. How to tell BS from things that might be real.
on “Ask HN: What are the best unknown books you have read?” ↗"Consilience" E.O. Wilson (Nobel Laureate) Small book, small words, short sentences; will kick your butt.
on “Ask HN: What's your favorite book that nobody you know has heard of?” ↗