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Cover of WHAT WE CAN KNOW
3.86

Based on 556 Goodreads ratings

WHAT WE CAN KNOW

by climate change, the subject of a course he teaches, “The Politics and Literature of the Inundation.” Nuclear war has irradiated the planet, while “markets and communities became cellular and self\u002Dreliant, as in early medieval times.” Nonetheless, the archipelago that is now Britain has managed to scrape up a little funding for the professor, who is on the trail of a poem, “A Corona for Vivien,” by the eminent poet Francis Blundy. Thanks to the resurrected internet, courtesy of Nigerian scientists, the professor has access to every bit of recorded human knowledge\u003B already overwhelmed by data, scholars “have robbed the past of its privacy.” But McEwan’s great theme is revealed in his book’s title: How do we know what we think we know? Well, says the professor of his quarry, “I know all that they knew—and more, for I know some of their secrets and their futures, and the dates of their deaths.” And yet, and yet: “Corona” has been missing ever since it was read aloud at a small party in 2014, and for reasons that the professor can only guess at, for, as he counsels, “if you want your secrets kept, whisper them into the ear of your dearest, most trusted friend.” And so it is that in Part 2, where Vivien takes over the story as it unfolds a century earlier, a great and utterly unexpected secret is revealed about how the poem came to be and to disappear, lost to history and memory and the coppers."

Book Details

Publisher:Of
Published:2024-01-01
Pages:321
Format:paperback
Language:English
ISBN:9780593804

Reading Info

Age Range:12-18

About This Book

This philosophical exploration invites young readers to question the very foundations of knowledge, guiding them through the fascinating terrain of epistemology with accessible language and relatable...

Our Review

This philosophical exploration invites young readers to question the very foundations of knowledge, guiding them through the fascinating terrain of epistemology with accessible language and relatable examples. The book masterfully bridges complex concepts about how we acquire knowledge with the natural curiosity of middle grade and young adult readers, making abstract ideas about perception, evidence, and reasoning both tangible and engaging. Through clear explanations and thought-provoking scenarios, it transforms the fundamental question of how we know what we know into an exciting intellectual adventure rather than an intimidating academic exercise.

What sets this work apart is its ability to validate young people's natural skepticism while providing them with the critical thinking tools to navigate information in our complex world. The approach empowers readers to examine their own assumptions and develop more sophisticated frameworks for evaluating claims they encounter in daily life, from social media to classroom discussions. Teen readers will appreciate being treated as capable thinkers, while parents and educators will value how it builds essential media literacy and analytical skills. This thoughtful examination of knowledge formation leaves readers not with definitive answers, but with something far more valuable: better questions and the confidence to pursue them.

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