A serene and balanced call to view AI as a useful partner.
Spire presents a philosophical framework for thinking about—and working with—artificial intelligence.
In his nonfiction debut, the author seeks to reframe how readers should imagine a future with AI, a big subject that he acknowledges demands deep thought: “feeling the texture of the challenge, sharing the shovel, and experiencing the effort firsthand.” He employs an innovative approach to this immersion, drawing on his many years of experience as a land surveyor; he asserts, for instance, that before AI, “it was surveyors who shaped our world…joining with inventors and scientists who were the real pioneers of innovation that laid the foundation for the technologies we take for granted today.” He looks at the nature and evolution of AI as a surveyor might, describing it as a “pyramid of understanding” that begins with a base of machine learning and progresses through technology advancements, such as neural networks, to emerge as the technology on offer today. Spire moves through various manifestations and uses of AI, from education and healthcare to the workplace and the home; regarding the latter, he notes that a 2024 Stanford University report indicated that the average household in the United States has over 12 AI-connected devices, including now-ubiquitous AI assistants, such as Alexa or Siri. In his survey of the AI landscape, the author advocates a significantly more optimistic attitude toward the tech than one typically encounters. He expresses the hope that his book will help readers “to better understand and appreciate AI as a potential force for good…a partner rather a threat,” and a good portion of it is devoted to examples of this dynamic. In fact, he notes that he employed AI assistance in writing this book, even going so far as to describe it as a “collaborator.” Throughout, he encourages a calm appreciation of how technology can “enhance rather than replace human wisdom,” and he may very well convince some, if not all, readers who worry about where AI may lead.
A serene and balanced call to view AI as a useful partner.Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
ISBN: 9798999503510
Page Count: 456
Publisher: Thrive Beyond AI, LLC
Review Posted Online: July 11, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A remarkably thorough and thoughtful case for the reconciliation between science and faith.
A duo of French mathematicians makes the scientific case for God in this nonfiction book.
Since its 2021 French-language publication in Paris, this work by Bolloré and Bonnassies has sold more than 400,000 copies. Now translated into English for the first time by West and Jones, the book offers a new introduction featuring endorsements from a range of scientists and religious leaders, including Nobel Prize-winning astronomers and Roman Catholic cardinals. This appeal to authority, both religious and scientific, distinguishes this volume from a genre of Christian apologetics that tends to reject, rather than embrace, scientific consensus. Central to the book’s argument is that contemporary scientific advancements have undone past emphases on materialist interpretations of the universe (and their parallel doubts of spirituality). According to the authors’ reasoned arguments, what now forms people’s present understanding of the universe—including quantum mechanics, relativity, and the Big Bang—puts “the question of the existence of a creator God back on the table,” given the underlying implications. Einstein’s theory of relativity, for instance, presupposes that if a cause exists behind the origin of the universe, then it must be atemporal, non-spatial, and immaterial. While the book’s contentions related to Christianity specifically, such as its belief in the “indisputable truths contained in the Bible,” may not be as convincing as its broader argument on how the idea of a creator God fits into contemporary scientific understanding, the volume nevertheless offers a refreshingly nuanced approach to the topic. From the work’s outset, the authors (academically trained in math and engineering) reject fundamentalist interpretations of creationism (such as claims that Earth is only 6,000 years old) as “fanciful beliefs” while challenging the philosophical underpinnings of a purely materialist understanding of the universe that may not fit into recent scientific paradigm shifts. Featuring over 500 pages and more than 600 research notes, this book strikes a balance between its academic foundations and an accessible writing style, complemented by dozens of photographs from various sources, diagrams, and charts.
A remarkably thorough and thoughtful case for the reconciliation between science and faith.Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9789998782402
Page Count: 562
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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