Sweeping ... Demonstrates why we would do well to approach most forecasts with the skepticism we now show to prophets ... Ms. Véliz warns that her book straddles genres and defies classification. It is also a little disjointed. Chapters are full of breaks, sometimes connected by clunky transitions but more often with little attempt to stitch the sections together ... These flaws can easily be overlooked because, once the book gets going, its insights, provocations and vivid examples are presented with both passion and clarity of thought. Whether or not it changes how you think about prediction, I cannot say, but I am left convinced that it should.
A brisk, lively tour of humanity’s long fascination with foretelling ... Stays tightly focused on the nexus of foresight and power, asserting that digital tools are not neutral but are instruments of surveillance ... A sharp, engaging, and often unsettling meditation on humanity’s enduring hunger to know—and control—the future.
Captivating ... Véliz elucidates complex philosophical and technological concepts with ease, while covering a vast range of topics. Lively and erudite, this impresses.
