Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015) is a work of popular science by Israeli writer, professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari. Published in multiple languages, it is a continuation of the work of Harari’s previous book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. While Sapiens contextualized the advents of modernity within humans’ evolutionary legacy, Homo Deus speculates about what lies in wait for humanity in the distant future. Harari grounds his discussion in an analysis of the development of ethics and technology, tracking Homo sapiens as they gradually came to dominate the world. Harari includes a plethora of general topics in his book, including individualism, will, emotion, consciousness, and experience. Prominent themes in the book include Storytelling, Intelligence, and the Evolution of Homo Sapiens; Humanism and Its Future in the Age of Advanced Technology; and The Evolution and Impact of Dataism. The book’s primary thesis is that the 21st century will see successful attempts made by humans to tremendously increase their happiness, lifespan, and power over the natural world.

This study guide refers to the 2017 Harper hardcover edition.