{"product_id":"specter-of-the-monolith-nihilism-the-sublime-and-human-destiny-in-space-from-apollo-and-hubble-to-2001-star-trek-and-interstellar-paperback","title":"Specter of the Monolith: Nihilism, the Sublime, and Human Destiny in Space-From Apollo and Hubble to 2001, Star Trek, and Interstellar - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eBarry Vacker\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eScience geeks and space film fans, take a journey through the questions from your favorite movies that may continue to haunt or puzzle you. \u003cem\u003eSpecter of the Monolith\u003c\/em\u003e offers a radically original critique of how humans have confronted the majesty of the vast universe--via art, media, science, pop culture, space exploration, and the greatest space films. Original and thought-provoking, the book explores questions such as: \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhy don't we have that sleek space hotel from \u003cem\u003e2001\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhat's the meaning of the monolith in \u003cem\u003e2001\u003c\/em\u003e and the tesseract in \u003cem\u003eInterstella\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003er\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhy did we pull the plug on the Apollo program, precisely as NASA provided humanity its first and only chance to unite in celebration of human achievement?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow do we find human meaning in the vast universe? Or are we meaningless cosmic specks, as suggested by the Hubble Deep Field images?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhy is Michael Jackson the most popular moonwalker on Earth?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhat do Ziggy Stardust and \u003cem\u003eThe Six Million Dollar Man\u003c\/em\u003e tell us about 45 years of \"post-Apollo culture\"?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhat are the new \u003cem\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e films really saying about our future in space? What about \u003cem\u003eGravity\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Martian\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003ePlanet of the Apes\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eShould Mars be strip-mined or terraformed, as envisioned by Elon Musk? Or protected as a Celestial Wilderness Area?\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn 200 pages, this book covers vast territory. It comes down to this: You can look at Hubble's awe-inspiring cosmic images and feel a sense of nihilism and meaninglessness. Or they can point toward an entirely new space philosophy based in the sublime, ecology, and humanity's true place in the universe of the 21st century.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn honor of the 50th anniversary of \u003cem\u003e2001\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSpecter of the Monolith\u003c\/em\u003e offers a hopeful and inspiring alternative vision of human destiny in space.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 222\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.47 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 11, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42722035564607,"sku":"9780979840470","price":21.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/8226\/1823\/files\/679541d6211b30f47fb1ffb77d9de706.webp?v=1765094393","url":"https:\/\/dhl-adrianne.myshopify.com\/products\/specter-of-the-monolith-nihilism-the-sublime-and-human-destiny-in-space-from-apollo-and-hubble-to-2001-star-trek-and-interstellar-paperback","provider":"BBB","version":"1.0","type":"link"}