big history and the future of humanity “This remains the best single attempt to theorize big history as a discipline that can link core concepts and paradigms across all historical disciplines, from cosmology to geology, from biology to human history. With additional and updated material, the Second Edition also offers a fine introduction to the history of big history and a superb introductory survey to the big history story. Essential reading for anyone interested in a rapidly evolving new field of scholarship that links the sciences and the humanities into a modern, science-based origin story.” David Christian, Macquarie University “Notable for its theoretic approach, this new Second Edition is both an indispensable contribution to the emerging big history narrative and a powerful university textbook. Spier defines words carefully and recognizes the limits of current knowledge, aspects of his own clear thinking.” Cynthia Brown, Emerita, Dominican University of California Reflecting the latest theories in the sciences and humanities, this new edition of Big History and the Future of Humanity presents an accessible and original overview of the entire sweep of history from the origins of the universe and life on Earth up to the present day. Placing the relatively brief period of human history within a much broader framework – one that considers everything from vast galaxy clusters to the tiniest sub-atomic particles – big history is an innovative theoretical approach that opens up entirely new multidisciplinary research agendas. Noted historian Fred Spier reveals how a thorough examination of patterns of complexity can offer richer insights into what the future may have in store for humanity. The second edition includes new learning features, such as highlighted scientific concepts, an illustrative timeline and comprehensive glossary. By exploring the cumulative history from the Big Bang to the modern day, Big History and the Future of Humanity, Second Edition, sheds important historical light on where we have been – and offers a tantalizing glimpse of what lies ahead.

El rótulo que define la línea argumental que el autor recorre en este libro, es el que corresponde al subtítulo: Sólo se puede ser, siendo con otros. La suficiencia o el déficit de ese ser con los otros, define la magnitud que alcanza la cualidad fundamental que el título designa: El interés en la vida. Se trata de inter-essere, de ser “entre” otros, y en esa ineludible realidad de la vida, que ocurrirá bien o mal, pero que inevitablemente ocurre, reside la forma buena o mala en que nos alcanzarán la cosas de la vida, aquellas que, sin poderlo evitar, nos importaron, nos importan, y nos importarán, siempre, mucho más de lo que a veces preferimos creer. Los capítulos de este volumen intentan mostrar, casi esquemáticamente, centrándose en las ramas, y dejando el follaje, que escapa a las posibilidades de un libro singular, no sólo las distintas vicisitudes, sino también las circunstancias del mundo en que vivimos, que nos conducen hacia las formas habituales en que la ineludible condición de ser entre otros, conviviendo, ingresa a veces en pesadumbres y carencias que son típicas de las épocas que una vida recorre. Contemplar desde ese ángulo las pesadumbres y carencias que suelen colocarnos “en los umbrales de la enfermedad”, no sólo nos ilumina “desde el alma” lo que muchas veces sucede en el cuerpo, también nos permite comprender cómo el alma se “conforma”, mejor o peor, resonando a su manera con el espíritu que impregna su entorno.

Contains records describing books, book chapters, articles, and conference papers published in the field of Latin American studies. Coverage includes relevant books as well as over 800 social science and 550 humanities journals and volumes of conference proceedings. Most records include abstracts with evaluations.

A cumulative list of works represented by Library of Congress printed cards.