Phone that predicts crimes before they happen

The plot of Far from the Madding Crowd is guided by a series of coincidences which many readers interpret as acts of fate. Among these events are the loss of Gabriel's sheep, the less-than-fortuitous first meeting of Bathsheba and Troy, and their chance encounter of Fanny on the roadside. Much like in Greek tragedy, many Thomas Hardy novels feature an act of fate which spurs the events of the narrative to their inevitably tragic conclusion - although the conclusion of this novel is not tragic for all involved.

Can free will exist if the future is known in advance? The world's most powerful spy software company is launching a tool that can use phones to alert police of future crimes.

Do we need to build an AI god? Humanity faces existential threats: climate breakdown, nuclear war, economic collapse. One man thinks it is time to hand the reins to a higher power.

Is too much choice stressful? Most people want to be free to do whatever they like, but some philosophers argue that this is impossible and would be a recipe for unhappiness. 

Some have said that Far from the Madding Crowd depicts a triumph of love, but this triumph is not without its hurdles. When Bathsheba teases Boldwood with a satirical valentine, he becomes immediately infatuated with her, and Gabriel rebukes her for misunderstanding how forcefully love can take hold. Bathsheba receives her comeuppance when she mistakes her lust for Troy for love and rushes into a miserable marriage with him, whilst he is madly in love with her former servant Fanny. In all, then, there are multiple examples of love and none of them seem particularly conducive to happiness. The union between Gabriel and Bathsheba at the end of the novel, though, is quite different. The reader is left with the impression of a rare salvatory love, a pure, constant and optimistic force amid death, fire, famine and financial ruin.

Can fish teach us about relationships? They could not be more different from humans. But one writer says life lessons from the humble rainbow trout saved her romance.

Have we forgotten how to have relationships? A top writer says that Tinder and Hinge have caused an epidemic of anxiety and insecurity. But others say they do more good than harm.

But can it be defined? As people around the world prepare for Valentine's Day tomorrow, we look at what some of the wisest thinkers in history have said about love.  

Bathsheba is a classic Hardy heroine, free-thinking and with a desire for independence. Unlike her counterparts in Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, due to her wealth she has the opportunity to realistically fulfil this goal. She lives in relative independence, choosing leisurely between suitors without haste and ruling over her farm self-sufficiently before her inauspicious marriage to Troy. However, her independence also renders her unwilling to heed the counsel of those around her, and she proves herself often stubborn and vain.

Does being alone mean being lonely? The last surviving member of an uncontacted tribe died in Brazil after 26 years of solitude. But is a life without others really such a bad thing?

Should Scotland leave the UK? On 4 July the USA will celebrate its independence day. Some Scottish nationalists are hoping that in years to come, they will be able to join in.

The monk who thinks the world is ending

Did Confucius get it right? As the world descends into chaos, many are looking for a big idea to solve all our problems. Some think we found the answer thousands of years ago.

The characters in Far from the Madding Crowd navigate a turbulent class system which is subject to constant change. Bathsheba witnesses a rapid climb in social status, while Oak loses his. Her process of choosing a suitor is defined by class, as she battles with her feelings of obligation towards marrying the most eligible suitor, Boldwood. Meanwhile Troy, as a soldier, seems to stand outside the system of social class.

Should there be a limit to wealth? Right now the world's rich and powerful are meeting in the small Swiss resort of Davos. Some think we would all be better off without them.

Should rich firms do more to help? Millions of people are struggling to pay their bills as the cost of energy and food spirals. But few agree on who exactly should shoulder this burden.

Is society too focused on the idea of self-improvement? For years, politicians have promised that hard work equals success. Now one leading philosopher says the idea of merit is a myth.

The critic Norman Page said that "Far from the Madding Crowd is often classified as a pastoral novel, though it would probably be just as accurate to describe it as anti-pastoral". Although the novel integrates the classic features of a pastoral romance, it is underscored by the random tragedies of fate common across Hardy's novels, which highlight human life's fragility and precariousness. There are both tragic characters, such as Fanny Robin and Boldwood, and tragic events, such as the loss of Gabriel's sheep.

Is this the greatest scandal of our age? The UN refugee agency says the sea crossing is more deadly than ever. Activists say Europe is failing migrants and making the crisis worse.

Is there a way out of the horror? Seven international aid workers were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza this week as Netanyahu's "mighty vengeance" on Palestine records almost 33,000 Palestinian fatalities.

Can we stop young people carrying knives? The murder of a fifteen-year-old girl in Croydon on Wednesday has revived conversations about England's knife crime "epidemic".