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Here Be Monsters

Is Technology Reducing Our Humanity?
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Here Be Monsters by Richard King explores the intersection of science and nature by delving into the complexities of biodiversity, sustainability, and human impact on the environment. Through vivid narratives and thoughtful analysis, the book examines how ancient myths and modern realities intersect, and challenges readers to consider their role in the ecosystem. The narrative equips readers with a deeper understanding of conservation and environmental change.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$7500

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're fascinated by the interplay between science and culture, seeking an insightful exploration of how society's understanding of fear, myths, and the unknown shapes scientific progress. It offers a thought-provoking narrative for those interested in the historical and cultural dimensions of discovery and innovation.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Technology is developing fast – so fast that it threatens to overwhelm the very species whose genius lies in its technological cunning: us. From the metaverse to genetic engineering and mood-altering pharmaceuticals, to cybersex and cyberwar and the widespread automation of work, new technologies are rewriting the terms of our existence, not in a neutral spirit of β€˜progress’ but in line with the priorities of power and profit, and in ways that often work against the grain of our fundamental being.

In this timely, provocative book, Richard King argues that we need to evolve a more critical attitude to new technologies if we are to avoid a world in which humans are no different in kind from algorithmic machines. The stakes could not be higher. As science, technology and capitalism fuse into a single system, and activists and entrepreneurs talk of a β€˜post-human’ future in which individuals will transform themselves using powerful computers and biotechnologies, we are entering unchartered territory – a territory marked with the mapmaker’s warning, Here Be Dragons ... Here Be Monsters.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Here Be Monsters by Richard King receives praise for its engaging and thought-provoking exploration of technology's impact on humanity. Critics highlight King's elegant prose and comprehensive inquiry into how technological advances shape our experiences and philosophical understandings. The book is noted for its sceptical yet balanced perspective, encouraging a reassessment of technology's role in human evolution and fostering discussions about a more democratic future.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922633385

Publisher: Monash University Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 May 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Monash University Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Richard King is an English author, critic and poet based in Fremantle, Western Australia. He studied at Salford University and the University of Sussex, gaining an MA in Literary History and Cultural Discourse, before moving to London to work in publishing. He is the author ofΒ On Offence: The Politics of Indignation (Scribe, 2013), published in Australia, the UK and the US. Richard’s work appears widely, including in Best Australian Poems, Best Australian Science Writing, The Australian,Β The Sydney Morning Herald,Β The Monthly and The London Magazine.Β The late Clive James said of him, β€˜King … make[s] news out of culture, and without trivialising the second thing in favour of the first.’

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