Critical Mass - Softcover

Ball, Philip

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0099457865 ISBN 13: 9780099457862

Publisher: Arrow, 2005

Synopsis

Paperback. Pub Date: 2005 02 Pages: 656 in Publisher: Random House Is there a 'physics of society' Ranging from Hobbes and Adam Smith. to modern work on traffic flow and market trading and across economics. Sociology and psychology Philip Ball shows how much we can understand of human behaviour when we cease to try to predict and analyse the behaviour of individuals and look to the impact of hundreds. thousands or millions of individual human decisions .. whether in circumstances in which human beings co-operate or conflict. when their aggregate behaviour is constructive and when it is destructive. By perhaps itain's leading young science writer. this is a deeply thought-provoking book. causing us to examine our own behaviour. whether in buying the new Harry Potter book. voting for a particular party or responding to the lures of advertisers.

About this title

Review:

"Exquisitely produced and painstakingly researched... Ball writes patiently and eloquently.. Exciting... A rousing call-to-arms, and an elegant answer to the shallow tradition of British empiricism." (Independent)

"In his fascinating new book, Critical Mass, Philip Ball tells the story of this research in a comprehensive and often captivating way... Ball delves far beyond today's headlines... Impressively clear and breathtaking in scope... Substantial, impeccably researched and...persuasive. For anyone who would like to learn about the intellectual ferment at the surprising junction of physics and social science, Critical Mass is the place to start." (Nature)

"Lucid, accessible and engaging... Ball makes a persuasive, comprehensive case and it's a welcome antidote to popular individualistic thought." (Glasgow Herald)

"Critical Mass fizzes with ideas and insights" (The Guardian)

"more than a book, this in an intellectual curiosity" (Independent on Sunday)

From the Publisher:

A fascinating exploration of the age-old question: are there ‘laws of nature’ that guide human affairs? Is there anything inevitable about the ways humans behave and organize themselves? Have we complete freedom in creating our societies, or are we trapped by ‘human nature’?

About this edition

• Publisher: Arrow
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0099457865
• ISBN 13: 9780099457862
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 656