Imagined Worlds (The Jerusalem-Harvard Lectures) [Paperback] Dyson, Freeman

Review “This is an extraordinary book, written in the wisdom of old age but with the hopeful courage of a man whose commitment to science, if not necessarily to its products, has kept him young.”―The New Yorker“Imagined Worlds makes illuminating criticisms of what [Dyson] calls 'ideologically driven' technologies, which, because they symbolize national pride, are obliged to succeed...Ideologically driven technologies, Dyson argues, discourage the rigorous experimentation without which no technology can properly evolve.”―Timothy Ferris, New York Review of Books“Freeman Dyson is one of the last survivors of the heroic age of theoretical physics and contributed greatly to the standard theory of quantum electrodynamics. However...he does not suffer from tunnel vision. His imagination embraces the entire cosmos and all the possibilities of future technology...Imagined Worlds is one of those mind-stretching books that any intelligent reader can enjoy.”―Arthur C. Clarke, Times Higher Education Supplement“Dyson has a startlingly profound imagination, a willingness to take ideas as far as they can possibly go...In this book he provides a fascinatingly plausible view of artificial telepathy. He has helped to design extraordinary spaceships and advised the Pentagon on wild (and no doubt occasionally woolly) weapons. Best of all, from the science-fiction writer's point of view, he admires science-fiction writers. This book is, in part, a tribute to science-fiction; it is an attempt not to predict the future, but rather, through imagination, to bring some of its potential to life.”―Oliver Morton, Nature“In his new volume, Imagined Worlds, Freeman Dyson, following in the tradition of two of his heroes, novelist H. G. Wells and biologist J. B. S. Haldane, gives us a cautionary vision of where science and technology are taking us in the next century...Dyson's book is a fascinating romp through possible futures.”―Steven J. Dick, Natural History“[A] remarkable book.”―John Leslie, London Review of Books“Dyson, not just a distinguished scientist, but a fine writer about science...has produced a fascinating speculative work about future scientific developments--near- and far-future--and their likely impact on us.”―Toronto Globe & Mail“[Dyson] constantly surprises and challenges us with his views...[His] independence of mind and his learning make his views on the future well worth reading. At first sight, Imagined Worlds may seem thin and insubstantial, but it actually contains more rewarding insights than most books 10 times its length.”―Graham Farmelo, Sunday Telegraph“[A] marvellous little book.”―Tim Radford, The Guardian (Manchester, England)“One of the books I enjoyed most last year...was Freeman Dyson's Imagined Worlds, in which the famed Princeton scientist speculated on the likely evolution of humanity over the next 10, 100, 1,000 10,000, 100,000 and 1 million years...Imagined Worlds...deserves to be read for its elegance and sagacity.”―Michael Thompson-Noel, Financial Times [UK]“As well as mind-boggling speculations [on our future], Imagined Worlds includes some good discussions of how science and technology relate to politics and ethics...The future? Freeman Dyson has it figured out.”―Rudy Rucker, Washington Post Book World“A leading scientist speculates on far-future scientific developments and their possible impact on the human condition. Dyson points out that our culture has apparently lost its long-range vision. Drawing on a fascinating cross-section of scientific and technological history, the professor emeritus at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study lays the groundwork for a longer view...At every turn, he illustrates his subject with reference to a wide range of writers and philosophers, making the book a delight to read. Essential reading for anyone who looks beyond the coming millennium.”―Kirkus Reviews“Thanks to new technologies, researchers can see much farther into the galaxies, much deeper into the genetic structure