Reviews

Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence by James Lovelock, Bryan Appleyard

tomfrombelgium's review against another edition

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4.0

Interesting read, which presents a valid possible future. I can see it happening; it won't be for tomorrow, but someday soon it might be.
Tackles global warming, AI and alien life, and how we are just a cog in the big machine of the universe itself.

killedshini's review against another edition

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3.0

The last book of the author of Gaia theory, James Lovelock, marks his 100th birthday, that he is to celebrate in a few weeks, and is about the new age in the history of our planet that we're apparently approaching right now. As an inevitable result of Anthropocene, a new epoch, Novacene, is here to redeem our sins of global warming, pollution, species extinction, etc.

Soothing as it can be, seeing the evolution of life as one towards the understanding of the universe in accordance with anthropic principle where the human race is just a middle step between the autotrophic conversion of light to energy and post-human cyborg conversion of light to information feels deranged and overly optimistic. It makes you wonder if the end goal of the whole process of evolution isn't just 42.

On the other hand, despite not being able to question hierarchies, norms or existing power structures and their effect on the mentioned emerging AI überspecies, Lovelock offers an interesting vision of the future and more importantly of the present of Earth, and it’s biosphere. It would be also nice to compare it to the ideas of Gilles Deleuze and Nick Land.

booksmithscientist's review against another edition

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informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

mistymorning's review

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

clarallongarriu's review

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informative reflective slow-paced

soulsandbutterflies's review against another edition

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fast-paced

1.0

Entirely bogus. Redundant. Downright nonsensical. Somehow it remains compelling despite that. But good? No

charisbe's review

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hopeful informative medium-paced

3.25

etste's review

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hopeful informative fast-paced

4.0

cezip's review

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

freijl's review

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hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0