Here is an extract of the Table of Contents with comments by the author.
Preface – Why you want to read this book.
Introduction – An engineer’s point of view and why you need to cultivate your tolerance for ambiguity.
Earth History – A brief summary of the geologic history of our planet.
100,000 Years Ago – What was life on Earth like before mankind joined the struggle?
The Meaning of Life – Is there some underlying reason why we are here?
Societies – Why animals and people form into groups.
Man – Humanity joins the struggle for domination of the environment.
Religion – Rituals take on cultural importance.
Civilization – Tribal organization begins to rule over animal anarchism.
Feedback – We introduce some basic engineering concepts to help us understand some of life’s questions.
Commandments – The Bible tells us the two rules that define civilization.
Good and Evil – Virtue and vice compete for your attention.
Fairness, Summary, Government – Why fairness matters. A summary of major points we have covered so far. What types of government have been tried by humanity?
Social Organization – Feudalism, socialism, and the family unit.
Capitalism – A brief summary of this largely misunderstood concept.
Motivation – Why you do the things you do.
Choices – How people select their behavior patterns and use of judgment.
Kill or be Killed – Both animal and man need to distinguish friend from enemy.
Independence – Oppressed peoples stumble towards freedom.
Lifestyle – We can choose how we organize our lives.
Theme Park Fantasy Syndrome – Many folks act as though they live in a cartoon world.
Anthropomorphism – How we maintain our modern mythologies.
Hollywood Syndrome – Find out if you live by a faulty belief system.
A. Hack – A generic politician reveals his true thoughts.
Government – The question of ethics in government.
Better Government – What are the valid functions of governments.
Other Functions of Government – Governments need to avoid competing with their citizens.
County Government – Analyze government at the local level.
Recycle – Sacred cows in our own modern society.
Population – Are there too many people on our planet?
Stories – Several points from this book are illustrated with a little creative nonfiction.
Recipe for Disaster – Life on our planet may look like a hopeless cause, but is it really?
Balance of Power –The secrets to the advance of civilization.
Afterword –What to do if you disagree with this book.