Because Damasio has joined the ranks of scientists such as Nick Lane (mentioned in the book) and Jeremy England (not mentioned) who are giving the "modern" synthesis of evolution a much needed update. The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. They fight in wars. I have read a lot of books in this genre so I had to do a ton of gap filling in several sections of the book, but I am not a scientist so I could have used some more guidance when he made some of the leaps he did. Basically to tell us whether the body is doing well or not: This book provides an incredibly good way to think about order, origins of life and life. But I can’t help but give it a poor rating relative to two of his other books, in particular: Descartes’ Error and The Feeling of What Happens, both of which I would give 5-stars. Such a cool and thought-provoking book, but a bit sloppy and unclear. The word homeostasis appears 200 times in the book, and in the end it seems like a crutch, a sort of modern "soul" that is supposed to explain everything about any living substance. You take your eyes off something that's always been there, and the next minute it's just a memory.”, “Most true things are kind of corny, don’t you think? The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. Everybody’s sentimental, everybody.”, “You want Paradise, you gotta build it on war, on blood, on envy and naked greed.”, “Not for the first time, Peter thought about how much of our lives we spend sequestered inside small patches of electric brightness, blind to everything beyond the reach of those fragile bulbs.”, “He only wished he’d had the chance to explain more fully how prayer worked. A warm bed, a nest of animal intimacy. The tiny trivial things that were probably bothering Einstein or Darwin or Newton as they formulated their theories: arguments with the landlady, maybe, or concern over a blocked fireplace. In the latest issue of Amazing Spider-Man, Doctor Strange has joined forces with the Order of the Web to traverse the Astral Plane, venturing into a realm created by Spider-Man's dreams. Like the rest of the internet, I've been utterly consumed by the Netflix original series Stranger Things. Stranger Things lovers may already be familiar with It — the 2017 adaptation features none other than Finn Wolfhard, aka Mike from Stranger Things. They were all sophisticated technological constructs, wired up with lights and motors. Trains. In fact, it was an affirmation of being part of God, an aspect of His spirit temporarily housed inside a body.”, “Forgive me, Lord, for the smallness and selfishness of my mind. It's like: What's next? This would have been the ground for a corresponding mental state, the thematic content of which would have been valenced in tune with the condition of life, at that moment, in that body. Why couldn’t people just keep silent until they had something essential to say, like the Oasans?”, “He thought about history, the hidden human anxieties behind momentous events. The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only survival but also the flourishing of life. This book provides an incredibly good way to think about order, origins of life and life. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. The problem with The Strange Order of Things is that it feels like Damasio has very little new to add to what he has already written about extensively in his other books. You switched them on, and didn’t spare them a thought while they pampered you with unnatural services.”, “There is so little in the New Testament about sexual love, and most of it consists of Paul heaving a deep sigh and tolerating it like a weakness.”, “The highway looked different to him now, as they drove on. The challenge of getting people to grasp that life was only as grim and confining as you perceived it to be. Pantheon, $27.95 (336p) ISBN 978-0-307-90875-9. In The Strange Order of Things, Damasio gives us a new way of comprehending the world and our place in it. It tries to synthesize the entire evolutionary history from RNA-based precursors of modern life over bacterial cultures through human cultures and into the prospects of artificial intelligence through the prism of … Like his research, the scope of his new book is massive as it … The book explores the role of feelings guiding us through evolution and what the implications are for cultural evolution. We’d love your help. In addit. More By and About This Author. A monumental, genre-defying novel that David Mitchell calls "Michel Faber’s second masterpiece," The Book of Strange New Things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. “The world changes too fast. Stranger Things is no doubt a hit Original series for Netflix! He disagrees, which was comforting. It begins with Peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, Bea. But what is the fundamental function of homeostasic feelings then? Anytime one can look at a problem coherently from a different perspective one can develop a deeper insight and understand the nature of reality just a little bit better than they did before. Books With True Ghost Stories, Hauntings, Legends, Myths, Strange Happenings, UFOs, Strange Creatures And More 266 books — 105 voters Quirky is the New Black The extra insight it brings in is the idea that feelings, the ability of all living things to have a constant perception of our internal state, plays a very important role in development of our mind, including our consciousness. by Pantheon Books, The Strange Order of Things: Life, Feeling, and the Making of Cultures. The Book of Strange New Things is a 2014 science fiction novel by Dutch-born author Michel Faber.The work was first published in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2014 and concerns an English pastor who is sent to the planet of Oasis to teach its reclusive native inhabitants about Christianity. It tries to synthesize the entire evolutionary history from RNA-based precursors of modern life over bacterial cultures through human cultures and into the prospects of artificial intelligence through the prism of homeostasis. In theory it was the same stretch of tarmac, bounded by the same traffic paraphernalia and flimsy metal fences, but it had been transformed by their own intent. In addition, the voice of the author of Descartes’ Error was charming, literate, personal and engaging, whereas the author’s voice in The Strange Order of Things is more pedantic and, at times, hectoring. Refresh and try again. The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. New this month: Scandal rocks an elite British boarding school in The Divines. I picked up this book because I had read another one of Damasio’s books, Descartes’ Error, which I loved. To see what your friends thought of this book, "Sapeva, infatti, che il corpo era cruciale. Anytime one can look at a problem coherently from a different perspective one can develop a deeper insight and understand the nature of reality just a little bit better than they did before. Damásio studied medicine at the University of Lisbon Medical School in Portugal, where he also did his medical residency rotation and completed his doctorate. A leading neuroscientist returns with a complex exploration of the life of the mind. I found the first half interesting, as it provided another piece of the puzzle towards our understanding of how our mind evolved and works. We’d love your help. Amleto dice: "La coscienza ci rende tutti codardi". The payoff for me was in the end when he challenges Harari and a few other transhumanist ideas. Words could be misunderstood, whereas loving companionship bred trust.”, “Peter...” She let her head fall back against the seat and sighed. Antonio Damasio makes clear that we descend biologically, psychologically, and even socially from a long lineage that begins with single living cells; that our minds and cultures are … In order to do this well, the system uses the "feelings" as the main feedback mechanism. We lack what we fundamentally need and forge ahead regardless, hurriedly hiding our wounds, disguising our ineptitude, bluffing our way through our weaknesses.”, “It was such an infantile prayer, the sort of prayer a five-year-old might pray. You take your eyes off something that's always been there, and the next minute it's just a memory.” ― Michel Faber, The Book of Strange New Things Aveva indivi, "Sapeva, infatti, che il corpo era cruciale. As Damasio outlined in this book, there are 2 approaches scientists are taking when trying to understand the origins of life: The Strange Order of Things is my first book by Damásio, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Notava le interazioni fra mente e corpo. I am terribly conflicted about this book. “Why don’t you just come straight out and use the word, “People and their dwellings were such a thin dust on the surface of the globe, like invisible specks of bacteria on an orange, and the feeble lights of kebab shops and supermarkets failed utterly to register on the infinities of space above.”, “Can’t you see that? Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Book of Strange New Things: A Novel. Some of the ideas, for example about the sociality of bacteria and of the complexity (and sophistication) of our enteric nervous system, are interesting and definitely worth thinking about. Amleto dice: "La coscienza ci rende tutti codardi". Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. I first encountered his work when I was assigned. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by this work, which seemed underdeveloped, and took a more philosophical tone than the personal and engaging tone of Descartes’ Error. Of course, everybody on earth had the power to reshape reality. The second half of the book drowns the reader in excessively convoluted sentence construction and sweeping statements based on a superfluous, all-encompassing definition of a single biological process. “You one of those decaffeinated Christians, “There was a red button on the wall labeled EMERGENCY, but no button labeled BEWILDERMENT.”. February 6th 2018 New year! Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. I have read a lot of books in this genre so I had to do a ton of gap filling in several sections of the book, but I am not a scientist so I could have used some more guidance when he made some of the leaps he did. And then there's other people who are just trying to live quietly, they stay out of trouble, they're maybe ten years old, or fourteen, and one Friday morning at 9:35 something happens to them, something private, something that breaks their heart. On the other hand, his speculations about the (in)ability of AI to achieve AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) because they aren’t organic, chemical processes, are weak and poorly argued. Start by marking “The Strange Order of Things: Life, Feeling, and the Making of Cultures” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, “The world changes too fast. For example, I love ‘information theory’ and how it can be used to explain the universe as a paradigm for fundamental understanding of the quantum nature of the universe even to the degree that one of the most famous physicist in recent times, John Archibald Wheeler, would say that ‘it from bit’ explains our universe, that ‘existence comes from information’ (this is not germane to my point, but someday when you have time look up Rule 110 on wiki you’ll be able to understand how a universal computing machine that is Turing complete can come from an incredibly simple algorithm thus leading to a complex universe as ours appears to be) , and that Claude Shannon would show that the second law of thermodynamics (Entropy) can be restated inversely in terms of information theory. Antonio Damasio’s impact on my intellectual development would be difficult to overstate. And the bodies beneath are just another layer of clothing, an outfit of flesh with an impractically thin leather exterior, in various shades of pink, yellow and brown. I feel dizzy having just been let out of the barrel by the author. The Strange Order of Things is my first book by Damásio, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Aveva individuato la relazione fra la coscienza, la paura e i valori morali. This update replaces the gene centered theory with a theory centered on thermodynamics. I am terribly conflicted about this book. The payoff for me was in the end when he challenges Harari and a few other transhumanist ideas about the end of humanity and the inevitability of algorithms taking over. In The Strange Order of Things, theories on consciousness are blended with themes from his early work, which helped provide evidence for a neural substrate of emotion (Nature, 1994). They're having an adventure. But it doesn't touch them, not really. The Strange Order of Things is my first book by Damásio, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Such a cool and thought-provoking book, but a bit sloppy and unclear. SUMMARY : From one of our preeminent neuroscientists: a landmark reflection that spans the biological and social sciences, offering a new way of understanding the origins of life, feeling, and culture. The author extends this idea not just to humans, where the mechanism has reached a new height, but to all living things, including the most ancient bacteria. The Book of Strange New Things: A Novel - Kindle edition by Faber, Michel. There was a set of homeostatic mechanisms blindly making the choices that would turn out to be more conducive to survival. The challenge of finding a simpler word for immutable than immutable.”, “We are all specialised forms of survivor. The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. Cities. They end up hustling their ass in a foreign country. But we make them more sophisticated out of sheer embarrassment.”, “Some people go through the heavy stuff. The Strange Order of Things: Life, Feeling, and the Making of Cultures Antonio Damasio. The word homeostasis appears 200 times in the book, and in the end it seems like a crutch, a sort of modern "soul" that is supposed to explain everything about any living substan. In the end, Damásio argues that artificial intelligence isn't possible because a digital consciousness doesn't have a homeostatic imperative. Shakespeare fa grandi osservazioni sui meccanismi del cervello", See 1 question about The Strange Order of Things…, Readers' Most Anticipated Books of January. Simply lying side by side did more for a relationship than words. Spoilers ahead for Amazing Spider-Man #53.LR. Seen in this way, there can never be any such thing as social unease or shyness or embarrassment. Hoping to find the Webslinger, who went after the demonic foe Kindred on his own, the heroes venture into this realm. Amen.”. Since the episodes dropped onto Netflix the show won an army of fans, and the young cast became instant A-listers. And, even though I'm now mildly afraid of … A questa domanda Antonio Damasio, autore di questo libro così ha risposto in una intervista: "Assolutamente. Antonio Damasio makes clear that we descend biologically, psychologically, and even socially from a long lineage that begins with single living cells; that our minds and cultures are linked … Forever.”, “Being apart was wrong. Welcome back. The Book of Strange New Things, the 2014 science fiction novel by Michel Faber, is one of those books that sealed me in a barrel, rolled me down a hill, off a cliff, into rapids and over a waterfall. Antonio Damasio makes clear that we descend biologically, psychologically, and even socially from a long lineage that begins with single living cells; that our minds and cultures are … The arrival of nervous systems, capable of mapping and image making, opened the way for simple minds to enter the scene. The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. It pains me to give this book a 2-star rating because I have a great deal of respect for Damasio, and a 2-star rating may be a little harsh. Proof, once again, that reality was not objective, but always waiting to be reshaped and redefined by one’s attitude. It was no longer a straight line to an airport, it was a mysterious hinterland of shadowy detours and hidey-holes. Refresh and try again. This is a hugely important book and one worth reading. The last words spoken to him by an old friend, perhaps, a person not even remembered in history books …”, “Grainger looked exasperated. Netflix's Stranger Things has become such a cultural phenomenon, with novels and comic books and all sorts of other media tie-ins, that most audience members will need something to help guide them through it all – the perfect viewing/reading order, to make sense of the television series’s ever-expanding narrative. For the last few chapters I give this a 5 star rather than an anticipated 3 or 4 star rating, because I think what he has to say here provides potentially a very useful framework for how we can find a reasonable connection between biology and culture in our future speculations on humanity and its place and purpose in the world. Warning! Even there, the organism had a sense of its wellbeing through a complex array of chemicals and modified its behavior based on these chemical signals. I found the first half interesting, as it provided another piece of the puzzle towards our understanding of how our mind evolved and works. The Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only the survival but also the flourishing of life. Welcome back. It tries to synthesize the entire evolutionary history from RNA-based precursors of modern life over bacterial cultures through human cultures and into the prospects of artificial intelligence through the prism of homeostasis. New books! His work there on behavioral neurology was done under the supervision of Norman Geschwind.