媲美哲學經典小說《蘇菲的世界》，《宇宙智者》（Cosmosapiens）是一部由淺入深手法介紹宇宙觀和發展史，跨越時空的宇宙探索之旅。

許多專門的科學範疇正在以令人難以置信的速率發展，但是關於宇宙起源和人類進化成為地球統治者等的理論和說法，它們實際上告訴我們什麼呢？宇宙論學者John Hands經歷十年時間研究和整理，完成這部非凡的大眾宇宙史，排除偏見或先入為主，涵蓋所有關於起源、進化、生命和人類意識的知識與證據。

這本驚人著作帶領讀者進入一個難忘旅程，從宇宙起源到生命孕育；從人類進化到意識的發展等，提供最全面性的敘述，羅列細數現今各個學說和觀念，例如宇宙膨脹說（cosmic inflation）、暗物質（dark matter）、弦理論（string theory）、自私基因（the selfish gene）和神經原決定論（neurogenetic determinism）等，還有從思索性到實驗性的各種科學範疇，以及量子物理學如何將所有理論接近完整地統合。

在書中，作者也針對一些學說和理論進行理性探討，例如：

 有關大爆炸的正統宇宙論缺乏支持的證據；
 生物化學的正統解釋，生命源始醞釀來自原湯理論（primordial soup），但是這個說法缺乏實驗支持，未必是真；
 現在的新達爾文主義許多方面有關進化的正統說法，要不是缺乏科學基礎，就不可能是事實；
 儘管許多科學領域斷言，有智慧人類的出現是進化過程的一個類別，反映不同程度上的生命進化；
 唯一出現在人類自我反思意識所隱藏的合作、複雜和集中的模式，能使人類決定未來的進化，這一發現挑戰正統科學的基礎共識。

《宇宙智者》是一本具野心、有突破性的科普書，注定成為科學思潮的經典作。

John Hands，花費十年時間致身於宇宙起源到人類進化的科學理論研究，他畢業於倫敦大學的化學系，也是該校第一位President of the Union的研究生，並聯合進行兩項研究專案，出版數本關於社會科學的非文學，同時，他也獲英國政府委任為Co-operative Housing Agency的主任，為三個政府委員會提供服務。他現任公開大學（Open University）教授物理、倫敦大學學院（University College London）皇家文學基金的學者。

“A magisterial, persuasive and thought provoking survey of the horizons of modern science.”──Dr James Le Fanu, author of The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine
“John Hands is an astute observer of recent trends in scientific ideas bold enough to point out what he sees as sense and nonsense and intelligently explain why. Even in cases where one might disagree, the arguments are thought-provoking”──Paul Steinhardt, Albert Einstein Professor in Science, Princeton University

“It often takes an outsider to see the limitations of conventional science. As far as biological evolution is concerned, John Hands has done a remarkable job of disentangling the many topics that are long overdue for reinterpretation. The enormous effort he has made to cover so many evolutionary questions is heroic. That is the first step to making progress. A major accomplishment.”──Professor James Shapiro, author of Evolution: A View From The 21st Century
“This is a truly exceptional piece of work.”──Tim Crane, Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge

“A work as bold, broad, and challenging as this will no doubt tweak the bias any one of us may have regarding a particular event, but, then, so did Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.”──Jeffrey Schwartz, Professor of Physical Anthropology and of The History & Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh

“Any conventional Darwinist (and I am one of them) will find a lot to take exception to: but disagreement is the fuel of progress and if you enjoy an argument this is the book for you.”──Professor Steve Jones, author of The Language of the Genes.

“An audacious and admirable book…written with engaging style, and the strongest scientific ideas across a swathe of fields in physics and biology are presented lucidly.”──Larry Steinman, Professor of Neurological Sciences, Stanford University.
“A fine book… brave, very wide ranging, synoptic.”──Professor Stuart Kauffman, author of At Home in the Universe

“John Hands…came to realise, and makes us realise, how much we don't know. Nevertheless, he is optimistic, and when he comes to human evolution and a schematic view of our history, he is hopeful and sees progress in understanding and co-operation. From his book we get that big picture he sought.”──Professor David Knight, author of The Making of Modern Science