Amazon.com
The national bestseller that takes a new look at looking at the future.
From seers to scientists, mystics to meterologists, there have always been people who claim to know what will happen in the future. The Oracle at Delphi, Pythagoras, Newton, and the stock analyst on the business report have all endeavoured to look forward in time. But even with recent technological advances and the help of computers and satellites, are we any better at predicting the future now than in the distant past? How can scientists claim to predict future climate events when even three-day forecasts prove a serious challenge? In Apollo's Arrow, David Orrell looks at the history of prognostication to show how scientists (and charlatans) have tried to forecast the future, then breaks down the mathematics of what really goes into a predictive model. A compelling, elegantly written history of our future that addresses some of the most important issues of our time.
“By challenging the notion of science as a predictive tool, Orrell's work takes nothing away from past accomplishments. It does, however, have the potential to change the way we plan for the future, both personally, and as a society.” WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
"Orrell's writing is top-notch, but he's at his finest when writing about the old days, somehow finding exactly the right mix of anecdote, broad brush and humour." THE GLOBE AND MAIL
"An engaging, as well as deeply insightful, discussion on the difficult task of prediction ... it can change the way you view forecasting." FORESIGHT
Published by: Harper Collins (Canada), Basic Books (U.S.), Hayakawa (Japan), Woongjin Thinkbig (Korea).
Finalist for the Canadian Science Writers'
Association book award (2007).
Book website - from HarperCollins Canada