Books in the Darwin College Lectures series

Cutting edge inquiries by leading scholars in a diverse range of fields into how we think about, deal with and react to the concept of risk, from the ancient world to the twenty-first century, from statistics to cosmology, from neuroscience to criminology.

Arising from the 2017 Darwin College Lectures, leading intellectuals and public figures explore a range of 'extreme' events, environments, and achievements. Topics include the 2008 financial crisis, President Trump's election, Brexit, the war in Syria, climate change, medical advances, ocean exploration, and cosmology.

This book collects essays on the theme of development from intellectuals and public figures spanning architecture, astronomy, biology, climate science, economy, psychology, sports and technology. Written with the lay reader in mind, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the mechanisms underlying the changes we see in the world around us.

Foresight is a process that is found in all areas of human endeavour and survival, from politics to music to interplanetary events. In this provocative volume, eight distinguished scholars present eight different perspectives on the concept of foresight, investigating its ability to both predict and change the future.

Eight distinguished scholars present a vibrant and thought-provoking collection of essays from their own areas of expertise that expose both conventional and unconventional views on the meaning of life, the enigmatic boundaries between the living and the dead, and what may or may not follow afterwards.

Seven leading writers discuss the power behind their own particular fields of interest, from the arts and humanities to the natural sciences. This book, first published in 2006, explores the importance of democracy, the power of music to heal, and ways of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

This collection of essays from eight distinguished scholars challenges conventional approaches to the subject of beauty through an interdisciplinary approach that forges connections between the arts, sciences and mathematics. Each essay is entertaining, accessible and thought-provoking and is accompanied by images illustrating beauty in practice.

The world of communication is treated here for once from the standpoint of the arts quite as much as the sciences. Speech and body-language, fiction and music, communication by neutral networks within the brain and by satellite around the globe, all are considered together to give a fascinating view of this elusive aspect of our common humanity.

This book was originally published in 1996. At the time of publication, a number of unexpected and far-reaching events had transformed the world. In this volume, eight famous experts present their energetic commitment to improvement. These powerful essays enabled a deeper understanding of the challenges confronting modern society.

The volume comprises essays based on lectures given in the 22nd Darwin Lecture series on the subject of Identity. The aim of the lectures, and of the associated volumes, is to present views of the chosen topic from a variety of views presented by acknowledged authorities.

Serendipity is a fascinating but elusive concept, and one which has been surprisingly influential in many areas of human discovery. The essays in this volume provide insightful and entertaining accounts of the relationship between serendipity and knowledge by some of the most eminent thinkers of this generation.

Leading authorities from the history of science, economics, philosophy and English literature as well as the biological sciences field provide accounts of the influence of the thoughts, ideas, research and writing of Darwin on the arts, society and science. Written for the non-specialist reader interested in any of these disciplines.

The Fragile Environment explores the impact of the human species on its environment and deals with such topical and urgent questions as the death of forests, acid rain and pollution, desertification, the greenhouse effect and other disruptions to the global climate. The eight contributors, all international authorities, address themselves to a broad general readership.

In this highly accessible book eight distinguished experts from a wide range of disciplines consider the nature and use of evidence in the modern world. It examines the role of evidence in areas including geological change, superstring theory, law and religious belief.

This fascinating exploration of the nature and power of human intelligence originates in the seventh annual series of Darwin College Lectures. How we define intelligence, what it consists of, how it evolved, and how we can enhance it in the future are the questions addressed by the eight expert contributors to this remarkable book.

This fascinating and accessible book examines the survival of the human race from a broad range of viewpoints. It covers topics ranging from the preservation of Empires, to the challenges of maintaining cultural identity, the sufferings inflicted by famine, disease and natural disasters, and the threats presented by climate change.

This book examines the immense and varied impact that catastrophic change can have on the development of life on earth.

Stephen Jay Gould and Freeman Dyson are among the world -enowned thinkers who trace the footprints of evolution through art and science in this intriguing collection. From the evolution of society to the evolution of the Universe, this collection of essays will enthral all those excited by questions of why we are here.

This highly informative, accessible and fascinating book brings together perspectives on sound by leading experts in a wide variety of disciplines, from physics, phonetics and physiology to anthropology, zoology, music and film. It crosses disciplinary boundaries to inspire a richer and more creative approach to the acoustic world.

The world of communication is treated here for once from the standpoint of the arts quite as much as the sciences. Speech and body-language, fiction and music, communication by neutral networks within the brain and by satellite around the globe, all are considered together to give a fascinating view of this elusive aspect of our common humanity.

Conflict, sadly, is part of our everyday life; experienced at home, in the workplace, on our TV screens. But is it an inevitable part of our existence? In this volume, eight experts examine conflict at many levels, from the workings of genes to the evolution of galaxies.

Auguries, oracles, omens ... and software simulation. From antiquity to the electronic age, Predicting the Future examines humankind's obsessive urge to look beyond the present in the hope of controlling events in the days to come with contributions from such well known authors as Stephen Hawking and Don Cupitt.

This volume explores different perceptions of space. The reader journeys from the inner space of our minds, to the vacuum beyond our planet. Eight leading researchers in fields ranging from the arts and humanities to the natural sciences, discuss topics ranging from human consciousness to virtual reality, architecture and politics.

In this volume, the first in The Darwin College Lectures Series, a distinguished team of international authorities reports on the latest research on the origins of the most fundamental features of our world. Martin Rees begins the book with a bang, the Big Bang that was the probable start of our expanding universe.