KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW

The transmission of knowledge from ancient wisdom to modern magic and the era of big data is the big subject of this delightful compendium of facts. Erudite and sprightly, Winchester takes us from the creation of the first encyclopaedia to Wikipedia, looking at how humans acquire, retain and pass on information and data, and how technology continues to change our lives and our minds. With the advent of the internet, any topic we want to know about is instantly available with the touch of a smartphone button. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, what is there left for our brains to do? At a time when we seem to be stripping all value from the idea of knowing things - no need for maths, map reading, or memorisation - are we risking our ability to think? As we empty our minds, will we one day be incapable of thoughtfulness? Simon Winchester explores how humans have attained, stored and disseminated knowledge looking at such disciplines as education, journalism, encyclopaedia creation, museum curation, photography and broadcasting. From the cuneiform writings of Babylon to the machine-made genius of artificial intelligence, by way of Gutenberg, Google and Wikipedia to the huge Victorian assemblage of the Mundaneum, the collection of everything ever known, currently stored in a damp basement in northern Belgium. Studded with strange and fascinating details, this is a deep dive into learning and the human mind. 415pp, paperback.