Yuval Noah Harari: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Today we associate the Enlightenment with values such as tolerance and freedom, but originally only a few defended these ideas. Renowned enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire or Kant did not tolerate Catholics, atheists, agnostics, or homosexuals. They preached a moderate version of freedom of consciousness. In sharp contrast, other thinkers inspired by Baruch Spinoza –the philosopher living in Amsterdam, of Iberian origin and expelled from the synagogue– promoted a kind of unrestricted philosophical freedom and tolerance. The Princeton historian Jonathan Israel call it “Radical Enlightenment”. And Yuval Noah Harari, an Israeli citizen born in 1976 is clearly a part of it. In contrast with the persecuted, clandestine spinozists of the 16th century, Harari’s ideas are a big success in the global marketplace. Even his wildest speculations are heard by political and intellectual leaders worldwide. Initially published in Hebrew –his native language– his books are today big bestsellers; two in particular: Sapiens. A brief history of humankind and Homo deus (2014). ABrief History of Tomorrow (2016). The latter has been published in Spanish: 21 lecciones para …