Man's place in the cosmos

Jaguaribe's study presents, in its opening section, a succinct yet comprehensive description of the cosmos, its origins, and possible future. The second part addresses the phenomenon of life and how, over the course of a long evolutionary process, human beings emerged. The third part briefly discusses the evolution of conceptions of the cosmos and humankind itself, from ancient cosmologies to contemporary formulations. Finally, in the fourth and final part, Helio Jaguaribe formulates his own ideas about humankind's place in the cosmos. How was it possible, from a cosmos devoid of any purpose, for living beings endowed with their own purpose and this transcendent being that is humankind to emerge? Like other works of his, this book combines erudition, original reflection, and narrative fluency, making it yet another must-read publication for understanding the human phenomenon in its social, political, ethical, and cultural dimensions.