Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another

My feeling on Critical Mass is that it is a mixed bag. When Philip Ball discusses physics his prose is, to borrow a United Kingdom phrase, "spot on" (I particularly liked his description of entropy). However, when he attempts to extend these descriptions to the social sciences, he sometimes (in this reviewer's opinion) simplifies the line between cause and effect as well as exaggerates foibles of those that came before him.In some chapters (e.g., "On the road") I would argue that at best, all Critical Mass is doing is importing names from physics to describe similar appearing phenomena in our macro world. However, as the great Richard P. Feynman once said: "simply knowing the name of something is not knowledge". To me at least, there should have been more discussion on experimentation to back up the assertions that the similar appearing phenomena are in fact the same thing. Then it would truly illustrate something deeper. Again, to borrow from Feynman using his famous license plate analogy, if you have already observed the results and then develop a theory it is not science.I could also have done without some of the condescending comments on the some of the great men that came before that apparently disagreed with the author's politics. For example, when discussing Adam Smith's theories on economics (Rhythms of the Marketplace), the book belabors his theories (e.g., page 180 "...even on its own term's Smith's economic theory was too simplistic to cover the whole story..." or page 184 "...Smith does not endorse the grinding poverty implicit in his words...") In contrast, the author is positively gushing when in the same chapter he describes Karl Marx's theories as "...the most influential of `scientific' economic theories in the nineteenth century..." (page 183) and "Marx's economic vision contained the crucial concept of a market that was potentially unsteady and to oscillate between boom and bust..." (page 186).Just one man's opinion.

This seems like a good choice for required reading for any person engaged in politics. A very broad work with a mass of useful information.But, it is a shame that the e-book was converted so carelessly. The footnotes do not work and there are typos all over.Read it and tell off the publisher!

I enjoyed this book from start to finish! It is very easy to "digest" and every page offered me a new perspective on concepts that I thought I already knew. This book helped me transcend my thinking and analysis of common events in my life.

This book was offered me and - it was hit on the nail.Philip Ball is obviously a very experienced writer. This book - the very first (but definitely not the last)I read from him - is essential for everyone who is interested in the problems of today's world. Since he covers wide range of subjects, the reader can obtain information about seemingly unconnected subjects and put a larger picture together. The greatest advantage of this book is that the reader can learn a lot about very different things without the need of shopping around for books specialized in the matter in question. Each chapter goes into depths easily understandable by laymen with providing all necessary information.A great book, the opinion of the Economist summarizes it the best: "Critical Mass is an intellectual roller-coaster".Joseph Feredoes, Australia Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another

A super introduction to complexity science, econophysics and network science — everything in the book is interlinked well together. The book itself follows the subtitle very well — one thing leads to another. It is an easy read (very few, if any formulas/equations/math) but NOT over-simplified. The book assumes an educated reader. I often recommend this book to my clients who are interested in both Complexity Science and Network Science.

Others have written about the "tipping point" where a human behavior suddenly becomes unstable big changes happen. The sudden disintegration of the Soviet Union is a good example. The author illustrates the uncanny association of physical state changes (mentling ics, say) to similar human behavior changes. Very interesting and well written.

Struggling to get through this book as the print is tiny in the paperback version.

I was looking forward to reading this book but I find it hard to read. I read a few pages, and find it interesting, but can't really say what I learned. Maybe its just me. Go to "Look inside the Book" and read a few pages before you buy it.

This was well written and interesting throughout. The subject matter is often quite familiar now but he presents it well and generally makes convincing arguments.

O livro tem uma ótima abordagem sobre o tema.Uma leitura leve e com detalhes muitos porem com linguagem clara e facil de entender.

Yup!

as described

A great collection of ideas from global thinkers.Best greetProf M Joshi- Co Author- THE VUCA COMPANY