Seeing into the Future: A Short History of Prediction

Seeing into the Future: A Short History of Prediction
ISBN-10
1789142679
ISBN-13
9781789142679
Category
History
Pages
297
Language
English
Published
2020-06-15
Publisher
Reaktion Books
Author
Martin van Creveld

Description

The ability to predict the future is essential to modern life. Planning for population growth or changes in weather patterns or forecasting demand for products and managing inventories would be impossible without it. But how have people through the ages gone about making predictions? What were their underlying assumptions, and what methods did they use? Have increased computer power and the newest algorithms improved our success in anticipating the future, or are we still only as good (or as bad) as our ancestors bent over their auguries? From the ancients watching the flight of birds to the murky activities of Google and Facebook today, Seeing into the Future provides vital insight into the past, present, and—of course—future of prediction.

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