Re: Anyone else finished reading the book?
I have read "The Lucifer Principle" and "Global Brain",
though not very recently.
I first read Global Brain online at Telepolis (before
it was published in the real world).
Later I read both books in hard copy.
I found these books made a difference to how I
think about the world and in that respect are the
most important books I have read in the last decade.
This does not mean that I agree with whatever it is
that Howard is trying to say!
I think its probably true to say that If I had to nominate
a "central thesis" for each book then it would probably
be something which I actually disagree with.
For the Lucifer principle I guess the thesis is that
evil is endemic in human nature, and I think that
the main thrust of the evidence he puts forward is that
human nature is highly sensitive to cultural context and
that we are good or bad according to where we find ourselves.
So I don't think the negative thesis is substantiated.
Incidentally, I don't think Bloom's evidence contradicts the
second law of thermodynamics, which however I happen
to consider without foundation in its applications to the Universe
as a whole (i.e. there is no credible scientific evidence which
supports the thesis).
Roger Jones
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at: 10/30/05 3:51 pm
