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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "https://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224/loose.dtd"><html> <head><title>The Last Unknowns: Deep, Elegant, Profound Unanswered Questions About the Universe, the Mind, the Future of Civilization, and the Meaning of Life by John Brockman | LibraryThing</title> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.librarything.com/work/22754052/reviews/" /><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="LibraryThing" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Reviews: The Last Unknowns: Deep, Elegant, Profound Unanswered Questions About the Universe, the Mind, the Future of Civilization, and the Meaning of Life by John Brockman" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="★★★ This little 325pg collection of questions posed, at the editors request, by philosophers, novelists, biologists, physicists, information-entrepreneurs, etc. is a treasure-trove into which to delve for ideas for what one want to seek out to read. I did a quick go-through after I'd read all of the questions just to see... of the 280 or so individuals who submitted questions, I've read books by at least 14, have signed copies representative works by two of them (and also met a third), and have perused the blogs to which 3 other either maintain themselves or contribute to. A quick read, but I stretched it out over several weeks. Disclaimer: I receive my copy of this via a give-away on Goodreads.com" /> <meta name="twitter:image:src" content="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SS250_SS250_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Craig_Evans's review of The Last Unknowns: Deep, Elegant, Profound Unanswered Questions About the Universe, the Mind, the Future of Civilization, and the Meaning of Life by John Brockman" /> <meta property="og:type" content="review" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.librarything.com/work/22754052/reviews/275561396" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SS250_SS250_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="250" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="250" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="LibraryThing.com" /> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="79305890602" /> <meta property="og:description" content="★★★ "This little 325pg collection of questions posed, at the editors request, by philosophers, novelists, biologists, physicists, information-entrepreneurs, etc. is a treasure-trove into which to delve for ideas for what one want to seek out to read. I did a quick go-through after I'd read all of the questions just to see... of the 280 or so individuals who submitted questions, I've read books by at least 14, have signed copies representative works by two of them (and also met a third), and have perused the blogs to which 3 other either maintain themselves or contribute to. A quick read, but I stretched it out over several weeks. Disclaimer: I receive my copy of this via a give-away on Goodreads.com"" /> <meta property="review:target" content="https://www.librarything.com/work/22754052/book/275561396" /> <META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="NOINDEX,FOLLOW"> <META NAME="description" CONTENT="All about Reviews: The Last Unknowns: Deep, Elegant, Profound Unanswered Questions About the Universe, the Mind, the Future of Civilization, and the Meaning of Life by John Brockman. 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Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.</div></div></div> </div><div id="gbss"> <h1>Results from Google Books</h1> <p>Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.</p> <div id="gbss_content"></div> </div><div class="content reviews"><input type="hidden" name="cgtag_lb_title" value="CoverGuess Tags" id="cgtag_lb_title" class="" ><input type="hidden" name="work" value="22754052" id="work" class="" ><input type="hidden" name="book" value="275561396" id="book" class="" > <table class="wrapper" width="100%" border=0> <col width="160"> <col> <col width="210"> <tr> <td class="left"><div id="maincover" class="mainleftimage"><a href="#" onclick="si_info('isbn_0062897942'); return false;"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/fugue21/magnifier-left.png" class="icon"></a><a href=""><img width="180" id="mainCover" class="workCoverImage" srcset="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX360_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 2x, 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width="18%">Reviews</td><td width="18%">Popularity</td><td width="22%">Average rating</td><td width="25%" class="lastchild">Conversations</td></tr><tr class="wslcontent"><td valign="middle" class="firstchild"><a href="/work/22754052/members">58</a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="/work/22754052/reviews">4</a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="/work/22754052/popularity">469,854</a></td><td valign="middle"><nobr><a href="/work/22754052/members"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/ss4.gif" style="margin-bottom: -2px;"></a> <span class="dark_hint">(2.21)</span></nobr></td><td valign="middle" class="lastchild">None</td></tr></table></div><div id="u_d70f0d05" class="quickedit light"><div class="nav"><span class="navInfoTitle" style="margin-left: .75em;">Craig_Evans's review</span></div></div><div class="simpleSection" id="shareid" style="max-width: 100% !important;"><div class="bookReview"><div class="bookReview_content"><div id="brtext_275561396" class="commentText brslop"><div class="brev_cover"><a href="/work/0" data-workid="0" class="" ><img src="https://pics.cdn.librarything.com/picsizes/be/50/be50cb8a8dcd004597745414141426b41414141_v5.jpg" srcset="https://pics.cdn.librarything.com/picsizes/d2/ea/d2ea7476099ba1d597745414141444941414141_v5.jpg 2x, https://pics.cdn.librarything.com/picsizes/01/37/013749e2b880e21597745414141417341514141_v5.jpg 3x" class="bookReview_cover cover" /></a></div><div class="commentHeader"></div>This little 325pg collection of questions posed, at the editors request, by philosophers, novelists, biologists, physicists, information-entrepreneurs, etc. is a treasure-trove into which to delve for ideas for what one want to seek out to read.<br>I did a quick go-through after I'd read all of the questions just to see... of the 280 or so individuals who submitted questions, I've read books by at least 14, have signed copies representative works by two of them (and also met a third), and have perused the blogs to which 3 other either maintain themselves or contribute to. <br>A quick read, but I stretched it out over several weeks.<br><br>Disclaimer: I receive my copy of this via a give-away on Goodreads.com <span class="rating">( <img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/ss6.gif"> )</span></div><div id="rfd_275561396" class="reviewFlagDialogBox"></div><div class="commentFooter"><span class="reviewMods"><span class="reviewVoteInfo"><span class="reviewVoteCount" id="rvc_275561396"> </span> </span><span class="reviewFlags"> <img id="rfi1_275561396" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"> <img id="rfi2_275561396" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"><span id="rfrf_275561396"> </span></span></span> <span class="controlItems ci3"><a href="/profile/Craig_Evans" target="_top">Craig_Evans</a> | Nov 20, 2024 | <a href="/review/275561396"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/permalink.gif" width="16" height="7"></a></span> </div></div></div></div> <div id="u_53714ff4" class="quickedit light"><div class="nav"><span class="navInfoTitle" style="margin-left: .75em;">All member reviews</span></div></div><div id="wp_reviews" class="simpleSection"><div class="workSection"><div class="review_showing_pages"></div><div id='mainreviews_reviewnav' class='reviewnav'><div class="right"><strong><a href="#" onclick="loadReviewsIntoContainer('',0,3,3,'wp_reviews',25,'','22754052','',false, null, 'profile');return false;">date<span class="sortArrow"> ▼</span></a></strong> | <a href="#" onclick="loadReviewsIntoContainer('',0,2,3,'wp_reviews',25,'','22754052','',false, null, 'profile'); return false;">votes</a></div>Showing 4 of 4 </div><div class="bookReview"><div class="bookReview_content"><div id="brtext_275561396" class="commentText brslop"><div class="brev_cover"><a href="/work/22754052" data-workid="22754052" class="" ><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX100_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" srcset="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX200_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 2x, https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX300_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 3x" class="bookReview_cover cover" /></a></div><div class="commentHeader"></div>This little 325pg collection of questions posed, at the editors request, by philosophers, novelists, biologists, physicists, information-entrepreneurs, etc. is a treasure-trove into which to delve for ideas for what one want to seek out to read.<br>I did a quick go-through after I'd read all of the questions just to see... of the 280 or so individuals who submitted questions, I've read books by at least 14, have signed copies representative works by two of them (and also met a third), and have perused the blogs to which 3 other either maintain themselves or contribute to. <br>A quick read, but I stretched it out over several weeks.<br><br>Disclaimer: I receive my copy of this via a give-away on Goodreads.com <span class="rating">( <img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/ss6.gif"> )</span></div><div id="rfd_275561396" class="reviewFlagDialogBox"></div><div class="commentFooter"><span class="reviewMods"><span class="reviewVoteInfo"><span class="reviewVoteCount" id="rvc_275561396"> </span> </span><span class="reviewFlags"> <img id="rfi1_275561396" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"> <img id="rfi2_275561396" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"><span id="rfrf_275561396"> </span></span></span> <span class="controlItems ci3"><a href="/profile/Craig_Evans" target="_top">Craig_Evans</a> | Nov 20, 2024 | <a href="/review/275561396"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/permalink.gif" width="16" height="7"></a></span> </div></div></div><div class="bookReview"><div class="bookReview_content"><div id="brtext_173073474" class="commentText brslop"><div class="brev_cover"><a href="/work/22754052" data-workid="22754052" class="" ><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX100_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" srcset="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX200_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 2x, https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX300_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 3x" class="bookReview_cover cover" /></a></div><div class="commentHeader"></div>The swan song for the two-decades-long Annual Question feature of Brockman's www.edge.org website. Not having another question for all ~300 of the highly intelligent contributors to try to answer, he asked them to supply their own questions but to refrain from offering answers or discussions. The result is a book with very few words per page -- an unusual kind of profundity or just a case of intellectual performance art?</div><div id="rfd_173073474" class="reviewFlagDialogBox"></div><div class="commentFooter"><span class="reviewMods"><span class="reviewVoteInfo"><span class="reviewVoteCount" id="rvc_173073474"> </span> </span><span class="reviewFlags"> <img id="rfi1_173073474" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"> <img id="rfi2_173073474" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"><span id="rfrf_173073474"> </span></span></span> <span class="controlItems ci3"><a href="/profile/fpagan" target="_top">fpagan</a> | Sep 8, 2019 | <a href="/review/173073474"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/permalink.gif" width="16" height="7"></a></span> </div></div></div><div class="bookReview"><div class="bookReview_content"><div id="brtext_170492061" class="commentText brslop"><div class="brev_cover"><a href="/work/22754052" data-workid="22754052" class="" ><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX100_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" srcset="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX200_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 2x, https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX300_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 3x" class="bookReview_cover cover" /></a></div><div class="commentHeader"></div>Just the questions. No discussion, no tentative answers. Just a question and then the name and identity of the person asking it. Is this a joke? <span class="rating">( <img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/ss1.gif"> )</span></div><div id="rfd_170492061" class="reviewFlagDialogBox"></div><div class="commentFooter"><span class="reviewMods"><span class="reviewVoteInfo"><span class="reviewVoteCount" id="rvc_170492061"> </span> </span><span class="reviewFlags"> <img id="rfi1_170492061" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"> <img id="rfi2_170492061" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"><span id="rfrf_170492061"> </span></span></span> <span class="controlItems ci3"><a href="/profile/auntmarge64" target="_top">auntmarge64</a> | Jul 6, 2019 | <a href="/review/170492061"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/permalink.gif" width="16" height="7"></a></span> </div></div></div><div class="bookReview"><div class="bookReview_content"><div id="brtext_166284442" class="commentText brslop"><div class="brev_cover"><a href="/work/22754052" data-workid="22754052" class="" ><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX100_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" srcset="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX200_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 2x, https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/0062897942.01._SX300_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg 3x" class="bookReview_cover cover" /></a></div><div class="commentHeader"></div>On Twitter, long threads develop over a question asked by one person. The responses come from a large variety of people, usually with no expertise in the subject matter. In The Last Unknowns, John Brockman asked a gaggle of mostly distinguished academics to come up with a question that had no answer. The result is one short question per page, with the questioner’s name and credentials at the top. Often, the credentials are longer than the question. It’s twitter for the accomplished.<br><br>Some work to game the system, just like on a twitter thread. Their questions are carefully crafted to be impossible or at least impossibly clever:<br>David Chalmers, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, asks: How can we design a machine that can correctly answer every question, including this one? (Ha ha ha) <br>Tyler Cowen, economic guru, asks: How far are we from wishing to return to the technologies of 1900? <br>Rolf Dobelli of Zurich Minds asks: Does this question exist in a parallel universe?<br><br>So academics can be fun people too. Here are some good ones:<br>Alun Anderson: Are people who cheat vital to driving progress in human societies?<br>Lisa Feldman Barrett: How does a single brain architecture create many kinds of human minds?<br>Andrew Barron: What would a diagram that gave a complete understanding of imagination need to be?<br><br>They can also be incomprehensible:<br>Amanda Gefter: Is intersubjectivity possible in a quantum mechanical universe?<br><br>And there the oldies but goldies, like: Why? and: I=we? For all their erudition, not very original I’m afraid.<br><br>The majority of the questions are in two areas: the human mind, and the cosmos. There is only one question about surviving climate change, if that says anything about the concerns of the intelligentsia. Besides academics, there are a few artists and entertainers. <br><br>I’m not sure of what use all this is. It seems to be a collection of questions to end conversations with.<br><br>David Wineberg <span class="rating">( <img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/ss4.gif"> )</span></div><div id="rfd_166284442" class="reviewFlagDialogBox"></div><div class="commentFooter"><span class="reviewMods"><span class="reviewVoteInfo"><span class="reviewVoteCount" id="rvc_166284442">1</span> <img title="1 member found this review helpful" id="rvi_166284442" alt="vote" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/voteup-y.gif"></span><span class="reviewFlags"> <img id="rfi1_166284442" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"> <img id="rfi2_166284442" src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/flag-trans.gif"><span id="rfrf_166284442"> </span></span></span> <span class="controlItems ci3"><a href="/profile/DavidWineberg" target="_top">DavidWineberg</a> | Mar 3, 2019 | <a href="/review/166284442"><img src="https://image.librarything.com/pics/permalink.gif" width="16" height="7"></a></span> 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