The Half Life of Facts

Name: The Half Life of Facts
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9781591846512
Price: 55.0 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

Why Everything We Know Has An Expiration Date

By Samuel Arbesman

0.0 (0 reviews)

Summary

The Half-Life of Facts by Samuel Arbesman explores the dynamic nature of knowledge and how what we consider to be true can change as new discoveries are made. The author delves into the patterns and predictability of how facts evolve across various fields, showing that knowledge has a shelf life similar to physical entities. Through engaging examples, Arbesman illustrates the fascinating process of how information is replaced, updated, or refined over time.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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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 how scientific knowledge evolves over time, dynamically shifting and growing as new discoveries are made. It explores the changing nature of facts in a world driven by new data and ideas, providing insights into the fluidity of what we consider to be truth. Perfect for anyone curious about the process of scientific discovery and the life cycle of information.

The Half Life of Facts

Description

Facts change all the time, and what is known about the world is constantly in flux. There is an order to the state of knowledge, an explanation for how facts are formed.

Samuel Arbesman is an expert in the field of scientometrics, literally the science of science. In this book, Arbesman encompasses a wide variety of fields and speeds of change, all illustrated with intriguing examples.

The Half-Life of Facts is a riveting journey into the counterintuitive fabric of knowledge, offering a new way to measure the world and showing the limits of how much can be known with certainty.

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?

Samuel Arbesman's The Half-Life of Facts has been praised for its engaging and entertaining exploration of how facts change over time in predictable patterns. The book introduces readers to the concept of scientometrics, explaining how scientific knowledge evolves, becomes outdated, or is disproven. Arbesman is lauded for his enthusiasm and storytelling ability, making complex scientific ideas accessible and appealing. Reviewers highlight the book's relevance in understanding how knowledge constantly transforms in the modern world.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781591846512

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 August 2013

Country: United States

Imprint: Current

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 228g

Pages: 256

Collections

Education & Reference Non-Fiction Penguin Books Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism Samuel Arbesman Science & Nature

About the Author

Samuel Arbesman is an applied mathematician and network scientist. He is a Senior Scholar at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and a fellow at the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Wired, New Scientist and the Boston Globe. He lives in Kansas City. Visit www.arbesman.net