Predictions: Thirty Great Minds on the Future

by Sian Griffiths (Editor)

Here are a series of tantalizing predictions about the coming century, delivered by thirty of today's greatest minds--including Stephen Jay Gould, Daniel Dennett, Sherry Turkle, Steven Weinberg, Noam Chomsky, Umberto Eco, and John Kenneth Galbraith.
This glittering list of contributors includes Nobel laureates, bestselling writers, intellectual icons, and scientists at the cutting edge of research. Readers can sample everything from Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe's hopes for the future of Africa in the next century, to feminist Andrea
Dworkin's dream of a new Jerusalem for women. Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke serves up a series of startling visions, including the possibility that, by the year 2050, large sea creatures will be found beneath the ice-covered oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa. Steven Pinker suggests that the
completion of the Humane Genome Project will lead to a sudden jump in our knowledge about the genetic basis of our emotions and our learning abilities. And Richard Dawkins believes that the ancient mind-body problem will be solved--not by philosophers but by scientists. Each prediction is preceded
by an intriguing profile of the author--blending a lively interview with biographical data--which conveys a vivid sense of the individual while setting their work in context and explaining their theories or inventions. These fascinating interviews, previously published in The Times Higher Education
Supplement , give us instant capsule portraits of some of our most brilliant living thinkers.
Predictions is an exciting roadmap to the future as well as a vivid snapshot of the state of human knowledge at the end of the millennium.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Philosophy, Politics

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Blayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the information being a bit dated (1999,)I found this book to be a good reference for possible authors/books to add to my goodreads lists. It covers 30 authors. Each author gets 3-7 pages of background (why their opinion matters), followed by a 2-3 page 'prediction' for the 21st century.

[Marjory Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a strange relationship with this book. In a number of cases, I questioned why a particular individual was included in the book. On the other hand, I found myself incredibly intellectually energized by reading the book. The intensity and the breadth of thought depicted is extremely stimulating.

I put the book on my to-buy list because it is one that I want to have available from time to time for reference.

[Catwalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1999, Predictions consists of short essays by 30 intellectuals looking forward to the 21st century. Each comes with an introduction giving some background on the author. The authors included are not futurists, but (typically) researchers, writers, etc., generally with strong views. Some are ideological, but more are concerned with issues that have arisen from their work. The format is perfect for browsing one author at a time. I particularly liked occasionally finding someone I hadn't read before, to see what they were about, and to make a judgment from their essay about whether I might want to pick up one of their longer works.