Read Online The Human Planet How We Created the Anthropocene A Pelican Book Audible Audio Edition Simon Lewis Mark A Maslin Roy McMillan Penguin Books Ltd Books
Download As PDF : The Human Planet How We Created the Anthropocene A Pelican Book Audible Audio Edition Simon Lewis Mark A Maslin Roy McMillan Penguin Books Ltd Books
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Human Planet, a Pelican Book, by Simon L. Lewis and Mark A. Maslin, read by Roy McMillan. Â
Meteorites, methane, mega-volcanoes and now human beings; the old forces of nature that transformed Earth many millions of years ago are joined by another us. Our actions have driven Earth into a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. For the first time in our home planet's 4.5-billion year history a single species is dictating Earth's future. Â
To some the Anthropocene symbolises a future of superlative control of our environment. To others it is the height of hubris, the illusion of our mastery over nature. Whatever your view, just below the surface of this odd-sounding scientific word, the Anthropocene, is a heady mix of science, philosophy, religion and politics linked to our deepest fears and utopian visions. Tracing our environmental impact through time to reveal when humans began to dominate Earth, Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin show what the new epoch means for the future of humanity, the planet and life itself. Â
Read Online The Human Planet How We Created the Anthropocene A Pelican Book Audible Audio Edition Simon Lewis Mark A Maslin Roy McMillan Penguin Books Ltd Books
"I pre-ordered this book and anxiously awaited its arrival--I was not disappointed. THE HUMAN PLANET is well-written and tells the story of how our species has affected and altered life on our planet. It gives a good summary of the geologic time periods of Earth before going into the spread of early humans around the globe and discussing the increasing impacts our species has had on the environment at each stage of major discoveries and accompanying technological developments. Slaughter of megafauna, domestication, farming, population increase, early globalization, Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels, world wars, the acceleration of science and technology, consumer capitalism, the Nuclear Age--it's all woven into the story of how we have altered life on Earth. The story is told so clearly, logically, and coherently that most any reader who is truly interested in understanding the message can follow it. By this I do not mean that the book is over-simplified, but rather that it is thorough and concise, and, by the way, it includes very good charts and graphs. The story is not a pretty one. We have much to be concerned about, not the least of which are climatd change, toxic emissions, ocean acidification, species extinctions, and on and on. The authors see the act of pinpointing the true beginning of the Anthropocene as a very important socio-political element because of how it could affect the way we choose to deal with (or not deal with) climate change and all the other problems. There is also very interesting information on the rather unethical ways in which the powers that be in the world of professional geology have manipulated the naming and dating of time periods--the Quarternary, for example. The ultimate purpose of the book is not just to educate on the history of these things, but to discuss where we go from here and how we might finally break out of the social, economic, and political constraints that are keeping us from acting in a sane manner to save our Earth home. You may read this book and weep, but you may also learn a lot from it and feel inspired to speak out for action before its too late. I hope this book gets the attention it deserves and will be widely read."
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The Human Planet How We Created the Anthropocene A Pelican Book Audible Audio Edition Simon Lewis Mark A Maslin Roy McMillan Penguin Books Ltd Books Reviews :
The Human Planet How We Created the Anthropocene A Pelican Book Audible Audio Edition Simon Lewis Mark A Maslin Roy McMillan Penguin Books Ltd Books Reviews
- I pre-ordered this book and anxiously awaited its arrival--I was not disappointed. THE HUMAN PLANET is well-written and tells the story of how our species has affected and altered life on our planet. It gives a good summary of the geologic time periods of Earth before going into the spread of early humans around the globe and discussing the increasing impacts our species has had on the environment at each stage of major discoveries and accompanying technological developments. Slaughter of megafauna, domestication, farming, population increase, early globalization, Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels, world wars, the acceleration of science and technology, consumer capitalism, the Nuclear Age--it's all woven into the story of how we have altered life on Earth. The story is told so clearly, logically, and coherently that most any reader who is truly interested in understanding the message can follow it. By this I do not mean that the book is over-simplified, but rather that it is thorough and concise, and, by the way, it includes very good charts and graphs. The story is not a pretty one. We have much to be concerned about, not the least of which are climatd change, toxic emissions, ocean acidification, species extinctions, and on and on. The authors see the act of pinpointing the true beginning of the Anthropocene as a very important socio-political element because of how it could affect the way we choose to deal with (or not deal with) climate change and all the other problems. There is also very interesting information on the rather unethical ways in which the powers that be in the world of professional geology have manipulated the naming and dating of time periods--the Quarternary, for example. The ultimate purpose of the book is not just to educate on the history of these things, but to discuss where we go from here and how we might finally break out of the social, economic, and political constraints that are keeping us from acting in a sane manner to save our Earth home. You may read this book and weep, but you may also learn a lot from it and feel inspired to speak out for action before its too late. I hope this book gets the attention it deserves and will be widely read.
- The book starts with the promising statement “For the first time in Earth’s 4.5 billion year history, a single species is increasingly dictating its future†(p. 3). It acknowledges that “Once we recognize ourselves as a force of nature, we will need to address who directs this immense power, and to what ends (p. 8); and “the political choices made over the coming few decades may well set the course for much of humanity over a far longer time period†(p.15). However the book fails to fulfill the promise of its initial statements, proceeding Instead to various aspects of the Anthropocene concept.
They authors try to build a bridge between fateful issues facing the human species and their main concern with the nature and dating of the Anthropocene, postulating that “Should the Anthropocene Epoch be incorporated into the official Geologic Time Scale? And if so, who exactly is going to make this weighty decision which will undoubtedly have wide-ranging repercussions on how we understand ourselves and our relationship to our home planet? (p. 265). With due respect, this is an illusion.
The length and dating of the Anthropocene as decided by a small group of specialists, to which most of the book is devoted, makes no difference to critical issues facing humankind. Thus it is irrelevant to the very issues well posed in the book, such as “The future of the only place in the universe where life is known to exist is increasingly being determined by human actions “ (p. 253). And the Anthropocene concept, as fully discussed, clearly does not help with the “One key scientific challenge of our time is to understand the power we have. Only then will we be able to answer the political question of our age more wisely what should we do with this immense power?†(p.16).
As correctly admitted by the authors “Some might find this debate over defining the Anthropocene of little scientific interest cleaving continuous change into discrete entities does not, in and of itself, help us to better understand the world†(p. 326). But they are wrong in believing that “a formal definition of the Anthropocene is a formal recognition by the scientific community that human impacts are at the level of dictating the future of the only place in the universe where life is known to exist. This would be a historic declaration…†(p. 326b). Many disciplines reach this conclusion, without needing a formal definition of the Anthropocene. And technical agreement on the dating of the Anthropocene makes no difference to recognizing and coping with the escalating fateful challenges facing the human species.
Parts of the book clearly reflect the high scientific qualifications and broad knowledge of the authors. Thus, Chapter 10 “How We Became a Force of Nature†is excellent as far as it goes. But, again, quite amazingly it ignores the sciences and technologies which for the first time enable humanity to steer its evolution and also bring about an “extinction, such as nuclear technologies, gene editing, nana-technologies, human enhancement and general artificial intelligence.
The final chapter 11 “Can Homo Dominatus Become Wise?†exits the preoccupation with the Anthropocene and tries to show a way to a desire future. But I cannot but regard it as a failure, however mitigated by the fact than many others share similar illusions caused by wishful thinking displacing realistic understanding of humanity in acton. Enough to mention the possibility of fanatics killing millions with mutated viruses, the likelihood of expensive human enhancement creating unprecedented society-disrupting inequality between the few who can pay for prolonging life and the many who cannot, and the clear lesson of history that the powerful never give up their advantages without revolutionary violence – in order to falsify the assumptions, recommendations and hopes of this chapter.
What is most likely to happen is very different after major catastrophes a global emergency regime will enforce worldwide norms against much resistance, this becoming the only way to save humanity from self-destruction. And this is a relatively optimistic outlook compared to much worse ones which are also quite likely. However such ways of thinking seem to be strange to the authors, though presented in quite a number of publications (sorely missing in the extensive references provided in the book).
Still, authors are entitled to choose their subjects and engage in some dreaming. In its own terms, the book is good and includes some outstanding chapter. But I cannot in good conscience recommend it to readers who do not share an interest in secondary issues of the Anthropocene and who, instead, look for realistic ways for coping with fateful challenges increasingly facing humanity.
Professor Yehezkel Dror
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
