Seeing into the Future
A Short History of Prediction
Published on 10. August 2020
224 pages
978-1-78914-267-9 (ISBN)
Description
If there is anything that distinguishes us from animals, it is our ability to understand that such a thing as the future exists and our willingness to try and look into it.
But how have people through the ages gone about making predictions? What were their underlying assumptions, and what methods did they use? Have increased computer power and the newest algorithms improved our success in anticipating the future, or are we still only as good (or as bad) at it as our ancestors?
From the ancients watching the flight of birds to the murky activities of Google and Facebook today, Seeing into the Future gives us an insight into the past, present and future of prediction.
But how have people through the ages gone about making predictions? What were their underlying assumptions, and what methods did they use? Have increased computer power and the newest algorithms improved our success in anticipating the future, or are we still only as good (or as bad) at it as our ancestors?
From the ancients watching the flight of birds to the murky activities of Google and Facebook today, Seeing into the Future gives us an insight into the past, present and future of prediction.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
File size
1,76 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-78914-267-9 (9781789142679)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
08/2020
Reaktion Books
€27.50
Shipment within 10-20 days
Person
Martin van Creveld is Professor Emeritus at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and the author of many books including Conscience: A Biography (Reaktion, 2015), Wargames: From Gladiators to Gigabytes (2013) and The Privileged Sex (2013).
Content
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introduction
- Part I : A Mysterious Journey
- 1. A Villain of A Magician
- 2. In The Name of The Lord
- 3. Oracles, Pythias and Sibyls
- 4. A Dream to Remember
- 5. Consulting The Dead
- Part II : Be Sober and Reasonable
- 6. Searching The Heavens
- 7. Clear and Manifest
- 8. On Birds, Livers and Sacrifices
- 9. The Magic of Numbers
- 10. Decoding The Bible
- Part III: Enter Modernity
- 11. From Patterns to Cycles
- 12. With Hegel on the Brain
- 13. Ask, and You'll Be Answered
- 14. The Most Powerful Tools
- 15. War Games Here, War Games There
- Part IV: The Lord of the Universe
- 16. Looking Backwards
- 17. Why is Prediction So Difficult?
- 18. Is Our Game Improving?
- 19. A World Without Uncertainty?
- References
- Further Reading
- Acknowledgements
- Index
