The World's Best Book Summaries
Where are climate trends headed? Should we be concerned or encouraged? Many scientists and activists believe that the climate has already passed a tipping point and that environmental catastrophe is inevitable. Michael Shellenberger believes that environmental alarmists overstate their claims and that there’s a reason for hope for our planet’s future. Keep reading to learn Shellenberger’s argument for climate optimism.
When you’re implementing change, what metrics should you monitor? How can you protect the process when data fails you? In Upstream, Dan Heath explains how people can intentionally foster an upstream mindset to effect real change. He recommends several ways you can implement upstream solutions in any context. One of these is using data to guide experimentation. Read more to learn about data-driven solutions and some challenges that come with the territory.
Do you want to solve a major problem in your organization or in society at large? How can you intentionally foster an upstream mindset with those around you? In Upstream, business writer Dan Heath explains a strategy for focusing energy on proactive, long-term solutions: upstream problem-solving. He shares recommendations for implementing upstream solutions in any context, and he points out three roadblocks that are likely to be in your way. Continue reading for Heath’s advice for moving upstream along with an exercise to help you implement his ideas.
How much has the Earth warmed? Is extreme weather getting worse? Are climate scientists in agreement? In Unsettled, a book about climate change, former energy industry scientist Steven E. Koonin doesn’t deny that the planet is warming and that humans are partly to blame. But, he challenges the evidence and prediction models, coming to some conclusions that not everyone shares. Read more for an overview of Koonin’s book.
How much is the Earth warming? What’s the cause? What does the future hold? With all of the information about climate change available at your fingertips, you probably still have unanswered questions. In Unsettled, former energy industry scientist Steven E. Koonin provides his answers to three of the biggest questions in the conversation. Continue reading for three climate change questions and answers from Koonin.
Why are sea levels rising? What do the data say? Can we know for sure? “Climate Scientists Unsure Whether Rising Sea Levels the Result of Human Influences” isn’t a click-worthy headline. But, former energy industry scientist Steven E. Koonin argues that it would be more accurate than what we typically see in the news. Read on to learn what we know—and don’t know—about the cause of rising sea levels.
Do both sides of an argument warrant the same amount of consideration? What’s the difference between correlation and causation? You’ve probably experienced this: You hear something that sounds great. But, when you think it through, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. A fallacy could be to blame. The more you know about fallacies, the better you’ll be able to evaluate information and arguments. Continue reading for a brief overview of three different types of fallacies.
When you’re making medical decisions, what do you consider? How do you evaluate your options? Medical decisions are some of the most important decisions you make. Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin argues that you shouldn’t try to intuit such decisions because your brain just isn’t good at it. He recommends using a fourfold table to analyze the information you’re working with. Continue reading to learn how to use this process for informed decision-making in healthcare.
What’s the best way to measure climate change and its impact? What does temperature have to do with wealth? According to progressive media and politicians, climate change constitutes an existential threat to humanity, requiring drastic cuts in carbon dioxide emissions to avoid catastrophe. According to Bjorn Lomborg, climate change poses a significant threat, but it’s not cataclysmic. Keep reading to understand the methods and measures Lomborg uses in his analysis.
Does global warming cause extreme weather? Are floods, droughts, fires, and hurricanes worse than ever? If so, what’s the cause? Bjorn Lomborg writes that climate alarmists all echo the same sentiment: Climate change leads to more extreme weather. Opposing this view, he argues that climate change has had relatively little impact on extreme weather. Keep reading to understand how Lomborg arrives at this conclusion.