10 Popular Science Philosophy Books For A Smarter Christmas

Looking for a present to give the smartest person in your life? Or simply an informative read to lay on your third uncle so he can tell you all about it when you next see him (which will be in a year, if we’re being honest)? Rest easy, we got you: Informative, intelligent, and liable to change your perception of life, these books are the gifts that keep on giving… And if they never get read, we promise that at the very least they’ll also look entirely presentable on the bookshelf.

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

Bestselling Israeli historian Yuval Harari, known for Sapiens: a Brief History of Mankind (released in English in 2014), returned this year with a new title (barely), which argues that humanity is poised to re-engineer itself as a new species—separating the human mind from its biological base. Sci-fi never was so convincing.

You can’t get more pop science than Brian Cox, he’s the English physicist who’s made BBC scientific programs sexy again. His latest book, co-authored by Jeff Forshaw, delves into the evolution of scientific understanding of the universe, and is replete with pretty pictures, diagrams, and mathematical equations. Be careful, though, in a bid not to be patronizing, this book refuses to shy away from complex science.

The Age of Genius: The Seventeenth Century and the Birth of the Modern Mind

Popular philosopher, polemicist, and generally articulate individual A.C. Grayling published The Age of Genius this year, a convincing argument on the supreme importance of the 17th century in shaping our modern world (hint: it’s where the secular, humanist mindset was born). An enlightening read, then.

The Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of Mass Unemployment

Because not all possible futures are pretty, futurist Martin Ford’s The Rise of Robots is keen to remind us that the increased automation of the workforce could have some seriously awful consequences on our society—including (you guessed it) catastrophically high unemployment. To gift the annoying optimist in your family.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has written a short, strange book on physics—more a guide to the beauty of scientific revelations (past and present only exist when there’s heat, etc…) than a straightforward guide to them. Still, though, the prose is clear, and the insights are marvelous.

Storm in a Teacup: The physics of everyday life

Why doesn’t ketchup fall straight down on your plate when shake the bottle? Why does air smell different when it’s about to rain? All these questions, and more, are used by physicist Helen Czerski to dive into her profession in a well-written, witty description of the physical phenomenons that rule our daily lives.

Ethics in the Real World: 82 Brief Essays on Things That Matter

Superstar philosopher (well, as much of a superstar as philosophers can get) Peter Singer brings his theoretical understanding of morality to bear on 82 different ethical question, covering everything from smoking bans to the question of whether anything actually matters. Probably the most useful book on this list.

A Brief History of Everyone who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes

If questions like “what are we doing here” should be left to philosophers, ones on how we got here could well be answered by geneticists. That is precisely what Adam Rutherford aims to do in his fascinating new book, revealing what our genes say about our history, all the while answering other important questions such as: why redheads?

The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy

With this sequel to the acclaimed The Dream of Reason, British writer, journalist, and historian Anthony Gottlieb examines the thought of various figures that made the Enlightenment: Descartes, Hobbes, Spinoza, etc… A must-read for anyone interested in the development of human thought.

Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future

2016 sure burst the bubble of glib Western happiness, and we know a lot of you may be feeling down about the political state of our dear, dirty, and increasingly authoritarian world. It is to remedy those dark thoughts that the Swedish author and historian Johan Norberg — a fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute (worth pointing out, in case any of you thought our good man was operating in any way close to the real world) — could be of help. His new book makes the convincing case that humanity never had it better. We’re not still unsure about the future, though.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.