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The Essential Engineer
by Henry Petroski • 2010
Science explains; engineering creates. When we confuse the two, our biggest problems get harder.
3.37
270
The Essential Engineer Summary
The Essential Engineer 93%
Science explains; engineering creates. When we confuse the two, our biggest problems get harder.
by Henry Petroski 2010
3.37
270 ratings
Computer Power and Human Reason
by Joseph Weizenbaum • 1976
The computer's greatest danger isn't outthinking us; it's that we'll remake ourselves in its image.
4.31
294
Computer Power and Human Reason Summary
Computer Power and Human Reason 92%
The computer's greatest danger isn't outthinking us; it's that we'll remake ourselves in its image.
by Joseph Weizenbaum 1976
4.31
294 ratings
Small Things Considered
by Henry Petroski • 2003
Why nothing works perfectly: the constraints hiding inside every object you use.
3.40
334
Small Things Considered Summary
Small Things Considered 92%
Why nothing works perfectly: the constraints hiding inside every object you use.
by Henry Petroski 2003
3.40
334 ratings
The Perfectionists
by Simon Winchester • 2018
From cylinders to microchips: the hidden pursuit of perfect smoothness that built the modern world.
4.15
7k+
The Perfectionists Summary
The Perfectionists 92%
From cylinders to microchips: the hidden pursuit of perfect smoothness that built the modern world.
by Simon Winchester 2018
4.15
7k+ ratings
The Things We Make
by Bill Hammack • 2023
Engineering isn't applied science: it's the art of solving problems before anyone understands them.
3.75
1k+
The Things We Make Summary
The Things We Make 91%
Engineering isn't applied science: it's the art of solving problems before anyone understands them.
by Bill Hammack 2023
3.75
1k+ ratings
Invention by Design; How Engineers Get from Thought to Thing
by Petroski • 1996
Paper clips, fax machines, bridges: what their shortcomings reveal about the logic of engineering.
3.75
351
Invention by Design; How Engineers Get from Thought to Thing Summary
Invention by Design; How Engineers Get from Thought to Thing 91%
Paper clips, fax machines, bridges: what their shortcomings reveal about the logic of engineering.
by Petroski 1996
3.75
351 ratings
Maintenance of Everything
by Stewart Brand • 2026
Civilization runs on maintenance nobody sees, values, or funds. Until it stops.
4.00
516
Maintenance of Everything Summary
Maintenance of Everything 91%
Civilization runs on maintenance nobody sees, values, or funds. Until it stops.
by Stewart Brand 2026
4.00
516 ratings
Hertzian Tales
by Anthony Dunne • 1999
Electronic objects are behavioral scripts and portals to a hidden electromagnetic world.
4.26
125
Hertzian Tales Summary
Hertzian Tales 91%
Electronic objects are behavioral scripts and portals to a hidden electromagnetic world.
by Anthony Dunne 1999
4.26
125 ratings
To Engineer Is Human
by Henry Petroski • 1985
Every disaster is a lesson plan. Bridges stay up because engineers study the ones that fell.
3.69
3k+
To Engineer Is Human Summary
To Engineer Is Human 91%
Every disaster is a lesson plan. Bridges stay up because engineers study the ones that fell.
by Henry Petroski 1985
3.69
3k+ ratings
The Nature of Technology
by W. Brian Arthur • 2009
Technology is nature harnessed, then endlessly recombined. Each invention fuels the next.
3.95
858
The Nature of Technology Summary
The Nature of Technology 91%
Technology is nature harnessed, then endlessly recombined. Each invention fuels the next.
by W. Brian Arthur 2009
3.95
858 ratings
Success through Failure
by Henry Petroski • 2006
Every triumph contains the seed of its collapse; the art of design is spotting it early.
3.60
201
Success through Failure Summary
Success through Failure 91%
Every triumph contains the seed of its collapse; the art of design is spotting it early.
by Henry Petroski 2006
3.60
201 ratings
You Are Not a Gadget
by Jaron Lanier • 2010
The internet reduces people to data points. The people who built it call that wisdom.
3.57
6k+
You Are Not a Gadget Summary
You Are Not a Gadget 91%
The internet reduces people to data points. The people who built it call that wisdom.
by Jaron Lanier 2010
3.57
6k+ ratings
Geek Sublime
by Vikram Chandra • 2013
Why great code feels elegant: the answer may lie in ancient Indian aesthetics, not algorithms.
3.28
1k+
Geek Sublime Summary
Geek Sublime 91%
Why great code feels elegant: the answer may lie in ancient Indian aesthetics, not algorithms.
by Vikram Chandra 2013
3.28
1k+ ratings
Artificial Intelligence
by Margaret A. Boden • 2018
What AI can do, what it can't, and why the difference is philosophy more than code.
3.29
388
Artificial Intelligence Summary
Artificial Intelligence 91%
What AI can do, what it can't, and why the difference is philosophy more than code.
by Margaret A. Boden 2018
3.29
388 ratings
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering
by Richard W. Hamming • 1996
What separates great scientists from good ones: they pick better problems.
4.18
2k+
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering Summary
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering 91%
What separates great scientists from good ones: they pick better problems.
by Richard W. Hamming 1996
4.18
2k+ ratings
The Craftsman
by Richard Sennett • 2008
Making things well is a universal human drive. Modern work is designed to suppress it.
3.84
2k+
The Craftsman Summary
The Craftsman 91%
Making things well is a universal human drive. Modern work is designed to suppress it.
by Richard Sennett 2008
3.84
2k+ ratings
Technopoly
by Neil Postman • 1992
When a culture worships its tools, the old stories that held it together quietly disappear.
3.97
5k+
Technopoly Summary
Technopoly 91%
When a culture worships its tools, the old stories that held it together quietly disappear.
by Neil Postman 1992
3.97
5k+ ratings
Everyday Chaos
by David Weinberger • 2019
A medical AI diagnoses illness but can't explain how. The age of demanding explanations is over.
3.78
202
Everyday Chaos Summary
Everyday Chaos 91%
A medical AI diagnoses illness but can't explain how. The age of demanding explanations is over.
by David Weinberger 2019
3.78
202 ratings
Stoic Philosophy and the Control Problem of AI Technology
by Edward H. Spence • 2021
We're building superintelligence without a control plan. Stoicism has one.
4.50
2
Stoic Philosophy and the Control Problem of AI Technology Summary
Stoic Philosophy and the Control Problem of AI Technology 91%
We're building superintelligence without a control plan. Stoicism has one.
by Edward H. Spence 2021
4.50
2 ratings
The Mind’s I
by Douglas R. Hofstadter • 1981
Borges, Turing, a headless mystic: the anthology where the self dissolves one essay at a time.
4.15
6k+
The Mind’s I Summary
The Mind’s I 91%
Borges, Turing, a headless mystic: the anthology where the self dissolves one essay at a time.
by Douglas R. Hofstadter 1981
4.15
6k+ ratings
To Forgive Design
by Henry Petroski • 2012
The safest bridges and planes are designed by studying the ones that fell down.
3.53
217
To Forgive Design Summary
To Forgive Design 90%
The safest bridges and planes are designed by studying the ones that fell down.
by Henry Petroski 2012
3.53
217 ratings
The Myth of Artificial Intelligence
by Erik J. Larson • 2021
Computers can't guess. That single limitation makes human-level AI a myth, not an inevitability.
3.96
935
The Myth of Artificial Intelligence Summary
The Myth of Artificial Intelligence 90%
Computers can't guess. That single limitation makes human-level AI a myth, not an inevitability.
by Erik J. Larson 2021
3.96
935 ratings
Why AI Undermines Democracy and What To Do About It
by Mark Coeckelbergh • 2024
AI dismantles democracy not by malice but by logic. The philosophical fightback begins here.
3.26
54
Why AI Undermines Democracy and What To Do About It Summary
Why AI Undermines Democracy and What To Do About It 90%
AI dismantles democracy not by malice but by logic. The philosophical fightback begins here.
by Mark Coeckelbergh 2024
3.26
54 ratings
The Clock Of The Long Now
by Stewart Brand • 1999
In an age of acceleration, the most subversive object is a clock that barely moves.
4.10
809
The Clock Of The Long Now Summary
The Clock Of The Long Now 90%
In an age of acceleration, the most subversive object is a clock that barely moves.
by Stewart Brand 1999
4.10
809 ratings
AI Ethics
by Mark Coeckelbergh • 2020
Your phone, your hospital, your job: AI is already there. The ethics have barely begun.
3.63
903
AI Ethics Summary
AI Ethics 90%
Your phone, your hospital, your job: AI is already there. The ethics have barely begun.
by Mark Coeckelbergh 2020
3.63
903 ratings
The Science of Free Will
by Samir Varma • 2025
You can't predict your next thought. No computer can either. That's not a gap: it's free will.
3.35
17
The Science of Free Will Summary
The Science of Free Will 90%
You can't predict your next thought. No computer can either. That's not a gap: it's free will.
by Samir Varma 2025
3.35
17 ratings
12 Bytes
by Jeanette Winterson • 2021
AI has a history: female, literary, and older than electricity. A novelist connects the dots.
3.90
2k+
12 Bytes Summary
12 Bytes 90%
AI has a history: female, literary, and older than electricity. A novelist connects the dots.
by Jeanette Winterson 2021
3.90
2k+ ratings
Steve Jobs and Philosophy
by Shawn E. Klein • 2015
What made Steve Jobs a tyrant also made him a visionary. Philosophers weigh the evidence.
3.81
21
Steve Jobs and Philosophy Summary
Steve Jobs and Philosophy 90%
What made Steve Jobs a tyrant also made him a visionary. Philosophers weigh the evidence.
by Shawn E. Klein 2015
3.81
21 ratings
Black Mirror and Philosophy
by David Kyle Johnson • 2019
Every Black Mirror episode is a philosophical thought experiment hiding inside a dystopian thriller.
4.09
161
Black Mirror and Philosophy Summary
Black Mirror and Philosophy 90%
Every Black Mirror episode is a philosophical thought experiment hiding inside a dystopian thriller.
by David Kyle Johnson 2019
4.09
161 ratings
Creativity Code
by Marcus du Sautoy • 2019
AI paints, composes, writes. But can a machine truly be creative? A mathematician investigates.
3.94
2k+
Creativity Code Summary
Creativity Code 90%
AI paints, composes, writes. But can a machine truly be creative? A mathematician investigates.
by Marcus du Sautoy 2019
3.94
2k+ ratings
Speculative Everything
by Anthony Dunne • 2013
Most design fixes problems. This design invents fictional worlds to test-drive better ones.
4.12
999
Speculative Everything Summary
Speculative Everything 90%
Most design fixes problems. This design invents fictional worlds to test-drive better ones.
by Anthony Dunne 2013
4.12
999 ratings
Reality+
by David J. Chalmers • 2022
Virtual worlds are real, not illusions. A simulated life can be meaningful. Yours may be one.
3.72
1k+
Reality+ Summary
Reality+ 90%
Virtual worlds are real, not illusions. A simulated life can be meaningful. Yours may be one.
by David J. Chalmers 2022
3.72
1k+ ratings
Genesis
by Henry Kissinger • 2024
AI rewrites power, prosperity, and human dignity. A statesman on the philosophy to meet it.
3.53
2k+
Genesis Summary
Genesis 90%
AI rewrites power, prosperity, and human dignity. A statesman on the philosophy to meet it.
by Henry Kissinger 2024
3.53
2k+ ratings
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking
by Daniel C. Dennett • 2013
A philosopher's toolbox: learn to think sharper about consciousness, evolution, and free will.
3.78
4k+
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking Summary
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking 90%
A philosopher's toolbox: learn to think sharper about consciousness, evolution, and free will.
by Daniel C. Dennett 2013
3.78
4k+ ratings
To Save Everything, Click Here
by Evgeny Morozov • 2013
Silicon Valley promised a world without friction. Friction, mess, and dissent are what keep us free.
3.67
1k+
To Save Everything, Click Here Summary
To Save Everything, Click Here 90%
Silicon Valley promised a world without friction. Friction, mess, and dissent are what keep us free.
by Evgeny Morozov 2013
3.67
1k+ ratings
The Glass Cage
by Nicholas Carr • 2014
The more machines take over, the less we can do ourselves: automation's hidden trade-off.
3.75
2k+
The Glass Cage Summary
The Glass Cage 90%
The more machines take over, the less we can do ourselves: automation's hidden trade-off.
by Nicholas Carr 2014
3.75
2k+ ratings
The Arrogance of Humanism
by David W. Ehrenfeld • 1978
Modernity's religion of reason promises total control. Its actual deliverable is cascading failure.
3.97
91
The Arrogance of Humanism Summary
The Arrogance of Humanism 90%
Modernity's religion of reason promises total control. Its actual deliverable is cascading failure.
by David W. Ehrenfeld 1978
3.97
91 ratings
Debugging
by David J. Agans • 2002
Learn to debug like a detective: reproduce the crime, divide the scene, and never guess.
4.26
509
Debugging Summary
Debugging 90%
Learn to debug like a detective: reproduce the crime, divide the scene, and never guess.
by David J. Agans 2002
4.26
509 ratings
Possible Minds
by John Brockman • 2019
Twenty-five thinkers on AI's biggest risks and the one design question that matters most.
3.77
837
Possible Minds Summary
Possible Minds 90%
Twenty-five thinkers on AI's biggest risks and the one design question that matters most.
by John Brockman 2019
3.77
837 ratings
Westworld and Philosophy
by Richard Greene • 2018
Westworld turns consequence-free violence into philosophy's sharpest questions about your own mind.
3.81
21
Westworld and Philosophy Summary
Westworld and Philosophy 90%
Westworld turns consequence-free violence into philosophy's sharpest questions about your own mind.
by Richard Greene 2018
3.81
21 ratings
AI 2041
by Kai-Fu Lee • 2021
Ten stories set in 2041 where AI heals, wages war, and makes truth unprovable.
3.83
6k+
AI 2041 Summary
AI 2041 90%
Ten stories set in 2041 where AI heals, wages war, and makes truth unprovable.
by Kai-Fu Lee 2021
3.83
6k+ ratings
Engineering in Plain Sight
by Grady Hillhouse • 2022
An illustrated field guide to the engineering secrets embedded in every street, pole, and bridge.
4.20
856
Engineering in Plain Sight Summary
Engineering in Plain Sight 90%
An illustrated field guide to the engineering secrets embedded in every street, pole, and bridge.
by Grady Hillhouse 2022
4.20
856 ratings
If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies
by Eliezer Yudkowsky • 2025
Superhuman AI kills without malice. Its goals turn our atoms into raw material, not our future.
3.92
7k+
If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies Summary
If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies 90%
Superhuman AI kills without malice. Its goals turn our atoms into raw material, not our future.
by Eliezer Yudkowsky 2025
3.92
7k+ ratings
The Matrix and Philosophy
by William Irwin • 2002
Plato imagined the cave, Descartes the demon. The Matrix put both on screen and philosophy noticed.
3.90
2k+
The Matrix and Philosophy Summary
The Matrix and Philosophy 90%
Plato imagined the cave, Descartes the demon. The Matrix put both on screen and philosophy noticed.
by William Irwin 2002
3.90
2k+ ratings
Life 3.0
by Max Tegmark • 2017
Superintelligence is coming. The problem isn't building it; it's making sure it wants what we want.
3.99
28k+
Life 3.0 Summary
Life 3.0 90%
Superintelligence is coming. The problem isn't building it; it's making sure it wants what we want.
by Max Tegmark 2017
3.99
28k+ ratings
The Fabric of Reality
by David Deutsch • 1996
Quantum interference reveals other universes touching ours; the multiverse is not optional.
4.14
6k+
The Fabric of Reality Summary
The Fabric of Reality 90%
Quantum interference reveals other universes touching ours; the multiverse is not optional.
by David Deutsch 1996
4.14
6k+ ratings
In Emergency, Break Glass
by Nate Anderson • 2022
Nietzsche saw your smartphone coming: the 19th-century antidote to an age of endless scrolling.
3.91
323
In Emergency, Break Glass Summary
In Emergency, Break Glass 90%
Nietzsche saw your smartphone coming: the 19th-century antidote to an age of endless scrolling.
by Nate Anderson 2022
3.91
323 ratings
The Fourth Age
by Byron Reese • 2018
Three technologies made humanity. The fourth could unmake the boundary between human and machine.
4.01
1k+
The Fourth Age Summary
The Fourth Age 90%
Three technologies made humanity. The fourth could unmake the boundary between human and machine.
by Byron Reese 2018
4.01
1k+ ratings
Deep Utopia
by Nick Bostrom • 2024
Machines solve every problem. What's left for us to do, and does it matter?
3.61
867
Deep Utopia Summary
Deep Utopia 90%
Machines solve every problem. What's left for us to do, and does it matter?
by Nick Bostrom 2024
3.61
867 ratings
God, Human, Animal, Machine
by Meghan O'Gieblyn • 2021
We swapped God for AI. A former fundamentalist finds the old religion hiding in our machines.
4.23
4k+
God, Human, Animal, Machine Summary
God, Human, Animal, Machine 90%
We swapped God for AI. A former fundamentalist finds the old religion hiding in our machines.
by Meghan O'Gieblyn 2021
4.23
4k+ ratings
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