Artificial intelligence has long been a mainstay of science fiction and increasingly it feels as if AI is entering our everyday lives, with technology like Apple’s Siri now prominent, and self-driving cars almost upon us.
But what do we actually mean when we talk about ‘AI’? Are the sentient machines of 2001 or The Matrix a real possibility or will real-world artificial intelligence look and feel very different? What has it done for us so far? And what technologies could it yield in the future?
AI expert Yorick Wilks takes a journey through the history of artificial intelligence up to the present day, examining its origins, controversies and achievements, as well as looking into just how it works. He also considers the future, assessing whether these technologies could menace our way of life, but also how we are all likely to benefit from AI applications in the years to come.
Entertaining, enlightening, and keenly argued, this is the essential one-stop guide to the AI debate.
This book believes that you’re worth looking after — even when you don’t.
101 Tiny Changes to Brighten Your Day is a friendly book of tips on how to look after yourself and your mental health, in an age where we too often forget to pause and take a breath.
For anyone with anxiety issues, those who struggle to prioritise their own mental health over catching up on emails and social media, or those looking for a bit of encouragement, these small tips will help you shine again.
With small actions, you can make a big improvement to your well-being – whether it’s making your phone a source of positivity instead of stress, engaging in habits that make you feel healthier and more positive, or preparing for darker days.
Ailbhe Malone’s simple tips combine with witty illustrations from Naoise Dolan to create a resource you’ll dip into whenever you need a helping hand. A totem for your bedside table, backpack, or to give to a friend in need, this book believes that you’re worth looking after, even when you don’t.
Anthropology originated as the study of ‘primitive’ cultures. But the notion of ‘primitive’ exposes presumptions of ‘civilized’ superiority and the right of the West to speak for ‘less evolved’ others. With the fall of Empire, anthropology became suspect and was torn by dissension from within. Did anthropology serve as a ‘handmaiden to colonialism’? Is it a ‘science’ created by racism to prove racism? Can it aid communication between cultures, or does it reinforce our differences? “Introducing Anthropology” is a fascinating account of an uncertain human science seeking to transcend its unsavoury history. It traces the evolution of anthropology from its genesis in Ancient Greece to its varied forms in contemporary times. Anthropology’s key concepts and methods are explained, and we are presented with such big-name anthropologists as Franz Boas, Bronislaw Malinowski, E.E. Evans-Pritchard, Margaret Mead and Claude Levi-Strauss. The new varieties of self-critical and postmodern anthropologies are examined, and the leading question – of the impact of anthropology on non-Western cultures – is given centre-stage. “Introducing Anthropology” is lucid in its arguments, its good humour supported by apt and witty illustrations. This book offers a highly accessible invitation into anthropology.
Compact INTRODUCING guide on the debates surrounding psychoanalysis’s most contested figure. Freud is universally recognised as a pivotal figure in modern culture. Yet the man and his work continually attract scandal, outrage and scientific suspicion. Was he a psychological genius or a peddler of humbug? Despite his atheism, did he invent a new religious cult? Is he to blame for disguising the prevalence of sexual abuse? Is there an Oedipus Complex? Was he a drug addict? A wittily illustrated glimpse behind the demonised myths to the heart of a red-hot debate.
