Monthly Archives: January 2020

Carl Sagan’s THE DEMON-HAUNTED WORLD: Science As a Candle in the Dark

Posted on 31 January 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

This is a book I think of as one of my foundational nonfiction books, i.e. a major book of central importance for its discussion of a critical theme. That theme, essentially, is that given the prevalence of pseudo-scientific claims in … Continue reading →

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Intuitive Theories about Intuitive Theories

Posted on 24 January 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

I’m about to read a book (by Andrew Shutlman) about “intuitive theories” and before I do I’m going to write down my take on intuitive theories, since the idea of them has been an occasional theme in these posts, and … Continue reading →

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But What’s at Stake? Hal Clement’s Needle

Posted on 22 January 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Needle (Astounding Science Fiction, May-June 1959; expanded to book form: Doubleday, 222 pages, $2.50 in hardcover, 1950) by Hal Clement Hal Clement (legal name Harry Stubbs) was one of the stable of science fiction writers developed by John W. Campbell … Continue reading →

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Things Are As They Are: George R. Stewart’s EARTH ABIDES

Posted on 15 January 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Here is one of the best science fiction novels of all time. It’s about the entire world, and implicitly the entire human race, and it’s as timely as ever as, for one reason or another, humanity faces the realization that … Continue reading →

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Links and Comments: Secrets of Success, the 2010s, Gibson’s future, History v. Narratives

Posted on 3 January 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Here are a few items from recent papers. 1) Nicholas Kristof: The Four Secrets of Success. Which are: 1. Take a class in economics and in statistics 2. Connect to a cause larger than yourself. 3. Make out. 4. Escape … Continue reading →

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