Philosophy of mind Books

Book SynopsisBBC R4 Book of the WeekBrilliant' GuardianFascinating and often delightful' The TimesWhat if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter?In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared.Tracking the mind's fitful development from unruly clumps of seaborne cells to the first evolved nervous systems in ancient relatives of jellyfish, he explores the incredible evolutionary journey of the cephalopods, which began as inconspicuous molluscs who would later abandon their shells to rise above the ocean floor, searching for prey and acquiring the greater intelligence needed to do so a journey completely independent from the route that mammals and birds would later take.But what kind of intelligence do cephalopods possess? How did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life, become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are so packed with neurons that they virtually think for themselves'? By tracing the question of inner life back to its roots and comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives, Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind and on our own.Trade ReviewPraise for Other Minds: ‘Entrancing and profound’ Financial Times ‘A superb, coruscating book’ Literary Review ‘Startlingly incisive … refreshing guidance’ New York Times ‘The beauty of Godfrey-Smith’s book lies in the clarity of his writing; his empathy, if you will. He takes us through those early stirrings in the seas of deep time, from bacteria that sense light and can taste, to cnidarian jellyfish, the first organisms to exhibit nervous systems, which he describes wonderfully.’ Philip Hoare, Guardian ‘Fascinating and often delightful … This book ingeniously blends philosophy and science to trace the epic journey from single-celled organisms of 3.8 billion years ago to the awakening and development of cephalopod consciousness.’ The Times ‘As poignant as anything you will read this year’ Mail on Sunday ‘In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a philosopher, skilfully combines science, philosophy and his experiences of swimming among these tentacled beasts to illuminate the origin and nature of consciousness.’ The Economist ‘A delight on so many levels’ Dive magazine ‘To investigate these astonishing animals with such empathy and rigour is achievement enough. To do so while casting light on the birth and nature of consciousness, as Peter Godfrey-Smith does here, is captivating.’ China Miéville, author of Kraken ‘I love this book, its masterful blend of natural history, philosophy, and wonder … It’s a captivating story, and Peter Godfrey-Smith brings it alive in vivid, elegant prose … A must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of the mind – ours and the very other, but equally sentient, minds of the cephalopods.’ Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of Birds

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Book SynopsisNotes and Introduction by Mark G. Spencer, Brock University, Ontario John Locke (1632-1704) was perhaps the most influential English writer of his time. His Essay concerning Human Understanding (1690) and Two Treatises of Government (1690) weighed heavily on the history of ideas in the eighteenth century, and Locke’s works are often ? rightly ? presented as foundations of the Age of Enlightenment. Both the Essay and the Second Treatise (by far the more influential of the Two Treatises) were widely read by Locke’s contemporaries and near contemporaries. His eighteenth-century readers included philosophers, historians and political theorists, but also community and political leaders, engaged laypersons, and others eager to participate in the expanding print culture of the era. His epistemological message that the mind at birth was a blank slate, waiting to be filled, complemented his political message that human beings were free and equal and had the right to create and direct the governments under which they lived. Today, Locke continues to be an accessible author. He provides food for thought to university professors and their students, but has no less to offer the general reader who is eager to enjoy the classics of world literature.

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Book SynopsisDevelops a theory of contemporary culture that relies on displacing economic notions of cultural production with notions of cultural expenditure. This book represents an effort to rethink cultural theory from the perspective of a concept of cultural materialism, one that radically redefines postmodern formulations of the body.

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Book SynopsisIn his exciting and original view of the universe, Itzhak Bentov has provided a new perspective on human consciousness and its limitless possibilities. Widely known and loved for his delightful humor and imagination, Bentov explains the familiar world of phenomena with perceptions that are as lucid as they are thrilling. He gives us a provocative picture of ourselves in an expanded, conscious, holistic universe.Trade Review"Dazzles the imagination and causes you to rethink everything you ever thought you knew about the nature of reality." * Jean Houston, The Foundation for Mind Research *"A ground-breaking work. Clear, imaginative, and inspiring, it offers a revolutionary image of the human mind and the universe." * Dr. Stanislav Grof, Author of Beyond the Brain *"A brilliantly executed theoretical romp through the universe. . . to do all this with humor and suspense is indeed a major accomplishment." * Dr. Montague Ullman, Director, Maimonides Medical Center *Table of Contents Preface by William A. Tyler Introduction 1. Sound, Waves and Vibration 2. A Look Through a Supermicroscope 3. A Morse Code of Action and Rest 4. An Experiment with Time 5. Quantity and Quality of Consciousness 6. Relative Realities 7. The Parable of the Bicycle 8. A Model of the Universe 9. The "How to" of Intuitive Knowledge 10. Some Reflections on the Creator Epilogue Appendix: Stresses and the Body Introduction The Physio-kundalini Syndrome Appendix Bibliography

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Book SynopsisRelax, unwind and soak up the wisdom of the sloth with the slowest page turner you'll ever read.From tidying and Hygge, to living Lagom, the endless pressure to be happier, live better, sleep soundly, and eat mindfully can be exhausting. But this year's lifestyle trend finally delivers the perfect antidote welcome to the year of the sloth.Sloths are mindfulness in action. Contemplative, deliberate, relaxed, and focused. They resist the rat race, the incessant pressures from society to be more productive, and they don't care how many steps they've logged on their fitness tracker. Long-limbed, a little bit shaggy, and a lot wide-eyed, they're wonderful creatures, not to mention completely adorable.Here you can enjoy take-it-slow wisdom inspired by sloths; including advice on sleep (more restorative than a 6am run), eating and exercise' (sloths are the original pioneers of slow food and yoga after all), work (did you know that lazy people have higher IQs?), family life, and love.Dispelli

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Book SynopsisMarcus Aurelius Antoninus was the sixteenth emperor of Rome -- and by far the most powerful and wealthy man in the world. Yet he was also an intensely private person, with a rich interior life and deep reservoirs of personal insight. He collected his thoughts in notebooks, gems which have come to be called his Meditations. Never intended for publication, the work survived his death and has proved an inexhaustible source of wisdom and one of the most important Stoic texts of all time. In often passionate language, the entries range from essays to one-line aphorisms, and from profundity to bitterness.Marcus wrote to console himself in the face of the shortness of life, the shoddiness of the world, and the challenges of being human. He asks the very same questions that every thinking person must ask themselves today: Does the universe have a moral purpose, and what is my role in it? What exactly is it to be a good person, and how do I get there? Life is short: what does that mean for me? How can I get to know myself better? Anyone who is puzzled by such questions or searching for answers will profit from this timeless book, which is both an important historical document and a personal spiritual diary.This annotated edition will be the definitive translation of this classic and much-beloved text, with copious notes that will illuminate one of the greatest works of popular philosophy for new readers and enrich the understanding of even the most hardcore Stoic.

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Book SynopsisGregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. This anthology of his major work contains a foreword by his daughter Mary Katherine Bateson.

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Book SynopsisAs read on BBC Radio 4's 'Book of the Week', a timely, moving and profound exploration of how writers, composers and artists have searched for solace while facing loss, tragedy and crisis, from the historian and Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Michael Ignatieff.'This erudite and heartfelt survey reminds us that the need for consolation is timeless, as are the inspiring words and examples of those who walked this path before us.' Toronto StarWhen we lose someone we love, when we suffer loss or defeat, when catastrophe strikes – war, famine, pandemic – we go in search of consolation. Once the province of priests and philosophers, the language of consolation has largely vanished from our modern vocabulary, and the places where it was offered, houses of religion, are often empty. Rejecting the solace of ancient religious texts, humanity since the sixteenth century has increasingly placed its faith in science, ideology, and the therapeutic.How do we console each other and ourselves in an age of unbelief? In a series of portraits of writers, artists, and musicians searching for consolation – from the books of Job and Psalms to Albert Camus, Anna Akhmatova, and Primo Levi – writer and historian Michael Ignatieff shows how men and women in extremity have looked to each other across time to recover hope and resilience. Recreating the moments when great figures found the courage to confront their fate and the determination to continue unafraid, On Consolation takes those stories into the present, movingly contending that we can revive these traditions of consolation to meet the anguish and uncertainties of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewIlluminating and moving, these wide-ranging portraits of men and women seeking answers in dark times . . . appeal to us all, as a universal quest and an intimate personal testament. -- Jenny Uglow, author of Mr. Lear: A Life of Art and NonsenseAn extraordinary meditation on loss and mortality - drawing on all of Michael Ignatieff’s powers as a philosopher, a historian, a politician and a man. -- Rory Stewart, author of The Places in BetweenReading this book is like taking a walk along a winding path with a dear friend and sharing life’s travails . . . At the end, you feel enlivened, fortified, and somehow just a little wiser. This is a bold, brilliant, and yes, moving book. -- Lisa Appignanesi, author of Everyday Madness: On Grief, Anger, Loss and LoveIn an age when we are so much in need of solace, Michael Ignatieff went looking for it in textsand times whose assumptions are profoundly different from our own . . . elegant, humane and intensely rewarding. -- Kwame Anthony Appiah, author of The Lies that Bind: Rethinking IdentityIt is at once illuminating, moving and consoling, to follow Michael Ignatieff as he searches formoments of consolation across the centuries. With resolute honesty Ignatieff follows the searchinto his own inner life, grappling, as we all must do, with failure, loss, and death. -- Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve: How the World Became ModernThis is an extraordinarily moving book. The idea of solidarity in time is itelf consoling, amidst so much loss: in Ignatieff’s words, “we are not alone, and we never have been”. -- Emma Rothschild, author of The Inner Life of EmpiresA wonderful balance of literary survey and personal reflection, this book is wide-ranging, moving, and stylishly written. It makes the perfect introduction to a genre that never goes out of fashion. -- Sarah Bakewell, author of How to Live and At the Existentialist CaféOn Consolation is splendidly immune to the panics of our age. Written with eloquence in anaffecting spirit of humility by a man of uncommon intelligence, for many of its readers thisbook will be—is there any higher praise for a study of this subject?—useful. -- Leon Wieseltier, author of KaddishA passionate, thought-provoking, unpredictable book. -- Carlo Ginzburg, author of Threads and TracesReading [Ignatieff's] memorable portraits of historical figures who needed, sought, lost, or found consolation leaves the reader with a deeper appreciation of the profound challenges and possibilities that life lays before every one of us. -- Mark Lilla, author of The Reckless MindAn inspiration for those in need of words to carry on with life. * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisFor many decades, the proponents of `artificial intelligence'' have maintained that computers will soon be able to do everything that a human can do. In his bestselling work of popular science, Sir Roger Penrose takes us on a fascinating tour through the basic principles of physics, cosmology, mathematics, and philosophy to show that human thinking can never be emulated by a machine.Oxford Landmark Science books are ''must-read'' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary masterpiece. * Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathmatical Society *Perhaps the most engaging and creative tour of modern physics that has ever been written * Sunday Times *A superb book... provocative and absorbing * Physics Today *A bold, brilliant, groundbreaking work... When Mr Penrose talks, scientists listen * New York Time Book Review *. . One cannot imagine a more revealing self-portrait than this enchanting, tantalising book... Roger Penrose reveals himself as an eloquent protagonist, not only of the wonders of mathematics, but also of the uniqueness of people. * Nature *I fail to see how anybody can remain unmoved by the book's central theme, which concerns the nature of human beings... His style is relaxed and entertaining, There are nuggets on almost every page. * Financial Times *Table of ContentsPrologue 1: Can a Computer Have a Mind? 2: Algorithms and Turing Machines 3: Mathematics and Reality 4: Truth, Proof, and Insight 5: The Classical World 6: Quantum Magic and Quantum Mystery 7: Cosmology and the Arrow of Time 8: In Search of Quantum Gravity 9: Real Brains and Model Brains 10: Where Lies the Physics of the Mind? Epilogue References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Care of the Soul has struck a national nerve." -- Dallas Morning News "I soulfully recommend it without reservation." -- John Bradshaw, author of Homecoming "The sincerity, intelligence and style -- so beautifully clean -- of Tom Moore's Care of the Soul truly moved me. The book's got strength and class and soul, and I suspect may last longer than psychology itself." -- James Hillman, author of Re-Visioning Psychology "This book just may help you give up the futile quest for salvation and get down to the possible task of taking care of your soul. A modest, and therefore marvelous, book about the life of the spirit." -- Sam Keen, author of Fire in the Belly "Thoughtful, eloquent, inspiring." -- Alix Madrigal, San Francisco Chronicle "Care of the Soul has struck a national nerve." -- Colleen O'Connor, Dallas Morning News

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Book SynopsisA succinct, approachable guide to the origins, development, key texts, concepts, and practices of yoga.Yoga is practiced by many millions of people worldwide and is celebrated for its mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. And yet, as Daniel Simpson reveals in The Truth of Yoga, much of what is said about yoga is misleading. For example, the word ?yoga? does not always mean union. In fact, in perhaps the discipline?s most famous text?the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali?its aim is described as separation: isolating consciousness from everything else. And yoga is not five thousand years old, as is commonly claimed; the earliest evidence of practice dates back about twenty-five hundred years. (Yoga may well be older, but no one can prove it.)The Truth of Yoga is a clear, concise, and accessible handbook for the lay reader that draws upon abundant recent scholarship. It outlines these new findings with practitioners in mind, highlighting ways to keep traditions alive in the twenty-first century.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Popular books on the illusion of self tend to be crass and sensationalist, the academic ones dull and turgid. Jay L. Garfield has successfully followed the less trodden middle way. As a result, the promise of losing yourself in a book has never been more literal."---Julian Baggini, Times Literary Supplement"Passionate, logical, and thought-provoking."---David Greder, Reading Religion"Incisive. . . .This book makes a valuable contribution."---David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer

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Book SynopsisFind inspiration from one of the most important books in the world''s literature . . . __________The I Ching is a book of oracles containing the whole of human experience. Used for divination, it is a method of exploring the unconscious; through the symbolism of its hexagrams we are guided towards the solution of difficult problems and life situations. It can also be read as a book of wisdom revealing the laws of life to which we must all attune ourselves if we are to live in peace and harmony.''The I Ching'', or ''Book of Changes'', a common source for both Confucianist and Taoist philosophy, is one of the first efforts of the human mind to place itself within the universe. It has exerted a living influence in China for 3,000 years, and interest in it has been rapidly spreading in the West.

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Book SynopsisA powerful and important exploration of how addiction functions on social, psychological and biological levels, integrated with the experience of being an addict, from an acclaimed philosopher and former addict.What is addiction? Theories about what kind of thing addiction is are sharply divided between those who see it purely as a brain disorder, and those who conceive of it in psychological and social terms. Owen Flanagan, an acclaimed philosopher of mind and ethics, offers a state-of-the-art assessment of addiction science and proposes a new ecumenical model for understanding and explaining substance addiction.Flanagan has first-hand knowledge of what it is like to be an addict. That experience, along with his wide-ranging knowledge of the philosophy of mind, psychology, neuroscience, and the ethics and politics of addiction, informs this important and novel work. He pairs the sciences that study addiction with a sophisticated view of the consciousness-brain/body relation to make his core argument: that substance addictions comprise a heterogeneous set of psychobiosocial behavioral disorders. He explains that substance addictions do not have one set of causes, such as self-medication or social dislocation, and they do not have one neural profile, such as a dysfunction in dopamine system. Some addictions are fun and experimentation gone awry. Flanagan reveals addiction to be a heterogeneous set of disorders, which are picked out by multifarious cultural, social, psychological, and neural features.Flanagan explores the ways addicts sensibly insist on their own responsibility to undo addiction, as well as ways in which shame for addiction can be leveraged into healing. He insists on the collective shame we all bear for our indifference to many of the psychological and social causes of addiction and explores the implications of this new integrated paradigm for practices of harm reduction and treatment. Flanagan''s powerful new book upends longstanding conventional thinking and points the way to new ways of understanding and treating addiction.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Ikigai urges individuals to simplify their lives by pursuing what sparks joy for them. . . . Much in the same way that The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up emphasizes ‘choosing what we want to keep, and not what we want to get rid of,’ [Ikigai] demonstrates that aging could be an opportunity to keep working, keep smiling, keep active, and keep being social.” —KonMari Newsletter“Want to live longer? Keep super busy. If hygge is the art of doing nothing, ikigai is the art of doing something—and doing it with supreme focus and joy. . . . Pack up those cozy blankets and candles you purchased in last year’s hygge-fueled Ikea spree. Fall’s biggest imported lifestyle trend is ikigai, and it might help you live to 100.” —New York Post“Originating from a country with one of the world’s oldest populations, ikigai is becoming popular outside of Japan as a way to live longer and better. . . . [It] is helping people live longer on Okinawa as it gives them purpose.” —World Economic Forum“The Japanese concept of ikigai (the happiness of being busy) [is] attainable and even an important key to living longer.” —Elle.com“Discovering your ikigai, or passion, can be one of the greatest journeys you will embark on.” —Forbes“Enjoy a cup or two of green tea as you digest this small, charming book.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune“A must-follow lifestyle hack . . . Think feng shui with Venn diagrams—although this time there is no need to move the front door.” —The Guardian“Ikigai is what allows you to look forward to the future even if you’re miserable right now. . . . It might just help you live a more fulfilling life.” —BBC “A refreshingly simple recipe for happiness.” —Stylist“An attractive and absorbing book.” —The Bookseller“Persuasively shows that small changes can help readers find more joy and purpose in their lives [with] clear, succinct information . . . skillfully compiled . . . into an engaging, easily accessible format with lists, charts, and illustrations.” —Publishers Weekly“Ikigai gently unlocks simple secrets we can all use to live long, meaningful, happy lives. Science-based studies weave beautifully into honest, straight-talking conversation you won’t be able to put down.” —Neil Pasricha, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation

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Book SynopsisBy not compromising his higher vision, Jonathan learns the meaning of love and kindness and gets the ultimate payoff â transcendence.

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Book SynopsisA lively and approachable meditation on how we can transform our digital lives if we let a little Nietzsche in.

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Book SynopsisA new edition of a classic work that originated the “embodied cognition” movement and was one of the first to link science and Buddhist practices.This classic book, first published in 1991, was one of the first to propose the “embodied cognition” approach in cognitive science. It pioneered the connections between phenomenology and science and between Buddhist practices and science—claims that have since become highly influential. Through this cross-fertilization of disparate fields of study, The Embodied Mind introduced a new form of cognitive science called “enaction,” in which both the environment and first person experience are aspects of embodiment. However, enactive embodiment is not the grasping of an independent, outside world by a brain, a mind, or a self; rather it is the bringing forth of an interdependent world in and through embodied action. Although enacted cognition lacks an absolute foundation, the book shows how

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together a collection of essays written by scholars inspired by Eugene Gendlin's work, particularly those interested in thinking with and beyond Gendlin for the sake of a global community facing significant crises. The contributors take inspiration from Gendlin's philosophy of the implicit, and his theoretical approach to psychology. The essays engage with Gendlin's ideas for our era, including critiques and corrections as well as extrapolations of his work. Gendlin himself worried that knowing about a problem is too often conflated with actions that might lead to change; the essays in this book point to a form of understanding that is activated, an embodied and immediate way of thinking about today's problems. Throughout the volume, the contributors creatively engage with Gendlin's work and its applicability to the complex, pressing crises of our time: the Covid-19 pandemic, environmental/climate issues, racism, sexism, economic inequality, and other factorsTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Starting from Experience, and Knowing When You Do 2. Where is Emotion? Gendlin's Radical Answer 3. Is Responsibility Implicit? 4. The Experiencing Model: Saying What We Mean in the Context of Focusing and Psychotherapy 5. The Responsive Order, Oppressive Order, and Disorder in Human Growth: Challenging and Carrying Forward Postmodernism 6. Liberating language: Gendlin and Nietzsche on the refreshing power of metaphors 7. Missing the Felt Sense: When Correct Political Answers Go Wrong 8. Toward a Concept of "Freedom to Make Sense" 9. Kangaroo Know-how: Animal practices from the perspective of implying 10. Is an Intricate Institution a Paradox or an Oxymoron? Gendlin's Political Optimism, the Formal Limitation of Politics, and the Relevance of Activity Theory 11. Epilogue: Showing How he Means - Thinking Along with Gene Gendlin

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Book SynopsisAnnie Reiner's introduction to Wilfred Bion's theories of mind presents Bion's intricate ideas in an accessible, original way without compromising their complexity.Reiner uses comparisons to painting, literature and philosophy, and detailed clinical examples, to provide an experience of Bion's work that can be felt as well as thought. The book explores many of Bion's theoretical and clinical innovations, and examines the controversy surrounding his concept of O. Reiner provides evidence of a continuity between Bion's early ideas and his later, more esoteric work.W. R. Bion's Theories of Mind will be essential reading for psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic candidates, as well as students of psychoanalytic and psychological history, and anyone looking for a readable introduction to Bion's work.Trade Review'Annie Reiner's excellent, thought-provoking book is one of the best expositions of Bion's ideas and clinical work. This clear, accessible and deep reflection on Bion's thinking and clinical practice, is based on first-hand, intimate knowledge absorbed through Reiner’s acquaintance with Bion himself. Moreover, it is an impressive account of Reiner's own thinking, grounded in many years of clinical work and important theoretical developments. Her thoughts on the natural continuity between Bion's early and late work, the origins of the mind and of thinking, and the presence of the transcendental, spiritual dimension in human experience, are invaluable. Anyone interested in human experience, philosophy and psychoanalysis will surely find in this book much needed, touching and evocative food for thought.'Joshua Durban, child and adult training and supervising psychoanalyst, The Israeli Psychoanalytic Society (IPA), The Sackler School of Medicine, The psychotherapy program, Tel-Aviv University, Israel'There are many books on Bion. This one is different: it captures what is revolutionary about Bion’s thinking in a fresh and clear way. Reiner, who was a student of Bion in the 1970s, and is now one of the foremost Bion scholars, traces the origins of his thinking concerning the concept of O from its very beginnings in his work on the selected fact, through his work on the ‘no-thing’ and ‘thoughts without a thinker’, and finally to his most developed conception of O as it informs intuition, which is all that we can know. This is a beautifully written book that captures the imagination of the reader, inviting him or her to think with Reiner about the development of Bion’s ideas.'Thomas Ogden, M.D. San Francisco. Member and supervising analyst at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (SFCP)'Dr. Reiner has written a remarkable book, describing essentials of the work of W.R. Bion with unusual clarity. Bion’s ideas are explored in depth, and applied to her work with analysands, which is presented in detail, and relevant to the specific theories being discussed.'Michael Paul, M.D. Los Angeles. Member and senior training analyst at the Psychoanalytic Center of California (PCC), and the New Center of Psychoanalysis (NCP)Table of ContentsForeword Introduction 1. Limitations of Language in the Psychic Realm 2. The No-Thing 3. The Selected Fact 4. Thoughts Without a Thinker 5. The Royal Road to O 6. Continuity in Early and Late Bion: An Integrative Approach References

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsForeword: Philosophy in Furs by Catherine Malabou Translators’ Note Introduction Approach Origins Animality Taking Care Intelligence Potential The Sensory Celebration (I) Sales Pitch Language Sources Justice and Forgiveness East A Silent Transformation Feeling and Sensibility The Symbolic Force of Gentleness Free Form Pure Gentleness? Patrolling Sensory Celebration (II) Counterfeits Exhaustion Penumbra “Master and Man” by Tolstoy The Sensory Celebration (III) Sublimation Cruelties In Hell Listening Trauma and Creation At the Confines Clandestine Gentleness The Sensory Celebration (IV) Childhood Gentleness of Melancholy Dolce Vita A Gentle Revolution Notes Index

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Book SynopsisWell-being, happiness and quality of life are now established objects of social and medical research. Does this science produce knowledge that is properly about well-being? What sort of well-being? The definition and measurement of these objects rest on assumptions that are partly normative, partly empirical and partly pragmatic, producing a great diversity of definitions depending on the project and the discipline. This book, written from the perspective of philosophy of science, formulates principles for the responsible production and interpretation of this diverse knowledge. Traditionally, philosophers'' goal has been a single concept of well-being and a single theory about what it consists in. But for science this goal is both unlikely and unnecessary. Instead the promise and authority of the science depends on it focusing on the well-being of specific kinds of people in specific contexts. Skeptical arguments notwithstanding, this contextual well-being can be measured in a valid and credible way - but only if scientists broaden their methods to make room for normative considerations and address publicly and inclusively the value-based conflicts that inevitably arise when a measure of well-being is adopted. The science of well-being can be normative, empirical and objective all at once, provided that we line up values to science and science to values.Trade ReviewA Philosophy for the Science of Well-Being is a foundational text in well-being studies and should be an early port of call for PhD students and others venturing into the field. It is timely, constructive and readily comprehensible. Economists should not avoid it simply because it is a philosophical text - its arguments are critical reading. * Mark Fabian, Economic Record *This is a brilliant book. The very idea of mid-level theories of well-being as the linchpin fastening the philosophy of well-being properly upon its science is original and important. The book is also impressive in its breadth, linking subjects as diverse as contextualism, theory construction, objectivity, and validation around the topic of well-being. Finally, its style is crystal-clear and to the point. * Raffaele Rodogno, Journal of Moral Philosophy *I can strongly recommend A Philosophy for the Science of Well-Being. The book will yield its greatest returns among two groups: Those within the field of philosophy (primarily interested in moral philosophy and/or the philosophy of science); and researchers in the social sciences (primarily those interested in social welfare and social policy; as well as measurement)... Alexandrova writes in a clear and coherent fashion. Topics and themes are carefully re-introduced (without redundancy) throughout the book, gently guiding the reader toward new concepts and new connections between topics. * Daniel J. Dunleavy, Metapsychology *After a careful and accessible review of the philosophical issues and those tied to science, respectively, Alexandrova offers readers a way through the challenges ... Psychologists pursuing research on well-being and related topics should read this wonderful work; failing to heed Alexandrova's insights will imperil their own arguments and findings. Highly recommended. * D. S. Dunn, CHOICE *Anna Alexandrova's ambitious and timely book tackles these concerns head-on, raising important questions regarding the relationship between philosophy and science, and offering insights into how one might inform the other. ... The theory Alexandrova offers is thorough, detailed, and complex. ... Alexandrova's book is an important contribution to the study of well-being that warrants a careful study. It raises genuine challenges for both philosophers and scientists of well-being. If we take these challenges seriously, the study of well-being will no doubt progress. * Lorraine L. Besser, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *This ambitious book is a significant contribution to the study of well-being and, more broadly, to our understanding of the relationship between philosophy and science. Its clear prose and clean structure make the book a pleasure to read. ... Alexandrova's book breaks new grounds. My hope is that contemporary philosophers and scientists will subscribe to Alexandrova's programme. If there are enough of us - both philosophers and scientists - who are willing to carry out the kind of research Alexandrova has proposed, it may generate new projects that involve deep, interdisciplinary collaborations that can truly enrich the field of well-being. * Richard Kim, Utilitas *Essential reading for philosophers and social scientists who are puzzled by the concept of well-being and its tenuous relationship to empirical studies that purport to measure it. Alexandrova's contextual view of well-being and her account of how a science can address normative questions break new ground. * Daniel M. Hausman, Herbert A. Simon and Hilldale Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison *As the first book-length treatment of the philosophy of science underlying the science(s) of well-being, Anna Alexandrova's book isn't just a contribution to the field * it helps define it. This book will serve as the starting point for any serious discussion of the philosophy of science of well-being for years to come.Erik Angner, Stockholm University *In this superb book, Anna Alexandrova argues that the science of well-being derives its explanatory and normative power from theories that inhabit that unexplored sweet spot between philosophers' abstractions and psychologists' facts. By illuminating these "mid-level" theories, Alexandrova articulates fresh new answers to questions that have long bedeviled scholars: What is well-being? How can we measure it? And what steps can we take to promote it? This is philosophy at its best * clear, bold, deeply interdisciplinary, and driven by an optimistic vision that sees philosophy as having a crucial role to play in helping us to understand how to improve people's lives.Michael Bishop, Florida State University *A masterful synthesis of the philosophy and science of well-being. Alexandrova's book is compulsory reading for anyone interested in the philosophy or the science of well-being, particularly anyone with a view * optimistic or pessimisticof how much each field can learn from the other.Guy Fletcher, University of Edinburgh *It is difficult for philosophers like myself to accept that our theories of well-being should be both useful for and answerable to empirical research. I suspect many scientists are similarly tempted to set philosophy aside. If Anna Alexandrova's groundbreaking book doesn't convince us to work together, nothing will. * Antti Kaupinnen, University of Tampere *Anna Alexandrova has done an extraordinary job in fusing exciting new research in philosophy, psychology, social science, and economics to address the core issues in the foundations of well-being studies. The book contains a myriad of valuable insights and novel ideas that help us understand the concept of well-being, its measurement and application. No researcher interested human flourishing can afford to ignore it. * Julian Reiss, Durham University *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Part 1: Tools for Philosophy 1. Is There a Single Concept of Well-Being? 2. Is There a Single Theory of Well-Being? 3. How to Build a Theory: The Case of Child Well-Being Part 2: Tools for Science 4. Can the Science of Well-Being Be Objective? 5. Is Well-Being Measurable? 6. Psychometrics as Theory Avoidance Afterword Appendix A Appendix B Works Cited

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Book SynopsisIn Admirable Evasions, Theodore Dalrymple explains why human self-understanding has not been bettered by the false promises of the different schools of psychological thought. Most psychological explanations of human behavior are not only ludicrously inadequate oversimplifications, argues Dalrymple, they are socially harmful in that they allow those who believe in them to evade personal responsibility for their actions and to put the blame on a multitude of scapegoats: on their childhood, their genes, their neurochemistry, even on evolutionary pressures.Dalrymple reveals how the fashionable schools of psychoanalysis, behaviorism, modern neuroscience, and evolutionary psychology all prevent the kind of honest self-examination that is necessary to the formation of human character. Instead, they promote self-obsession without self-examination, and the gross overuse of medicines that affect the mind.Admirable Evasions also considers metaphysical objections to the assumptions of psychology, and suggests that literature is a far more illuminating window into the human condition than psychology could ever hope to be.

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Book SynopsisLOS ANGELES TIMES AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER • The powerful memoir of a young doctor and former college athlete diagnosed with a rare disease who spearheaded the search for a cure—and became a champion for a new approach to medical research.“A wonderful and moving chronicle of a doctor’s relentless pursuit, this book serves both patients and physicians in demystifying the science that lies behind medicine.”—Siddhartha Mukherjee, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene David Fajgenbaum, a former Georgetown quarterback, was nicknamed the Beast in medical school, where he was also known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled by his condition, which they had yet to even diagnose. Floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for a second chance, the equivalent of a dramatic play to second the game into overtime.Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived—only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease, an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed while on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: Between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends, and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world-class researchers to tackle them. Instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he would attempt to align them himself. More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, Fajgenbaum has seen his hard work pay off: A treatment  he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when the forces of determination, love, family, faith, and serendipity collide.Praise for Chasing My Cure“A page-turning chronicle of living, nearly dying, and discovering what it really means to be invincible in hope.”—Angela Duckworth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit“[A] remarkable memoir . . . Fajgenbaum writes lucidly and movingly . . . Fajgenbaum’s stirring account of his illness will inspire readers.”—Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.The discourses of the great Stoic philosopher Epictetus are regarded as some of the most influential teachings of the ancient world. Born into slavery and sent into exile before setting up a school of philosophy, Epictetus delivered a series of lectures where he argued that true happiness comes only when we learn to distinguish what is within our power and what is beyond our personal control.Using George Long's 1890 translation, this edition includes a selection of Epictetus' key principles, as well as a manual of his core philosophy, the Encheiridion. With clarity, conviction and timeless wisdom that is as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago, these teachings navigate the complexities of the human condition and offer rational guidance for the turmoil of modern life.

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Book SynopsisExamining the links between today’s ideas of radical life extension and age-old notions of immortality From Plato’s notion of generation to Derrida’s concept of survival to such modern phenomena as anti-aging treatments, cryogenics, cloning, and whole-brain uploads, Adam Rosenthal’s Prosthetic Immortalities shows how the dream of indefinite life has always been a technological one: a matter of prosthesis. He argues that every biological instance of perpetual life, from one-celled organisms to rejuvenating jellyfish to Henrietta Lacks’s “immortal” cancer cells, always results in the transformation of the original being. There can, therefore, be no certainty of immortality. Yet, because finite mortal life is already marked by difference, division, and change, as Rosenthal concludes: “the problem of immortality will not cease to haunt us.” Prosthetic Immortalities examines the pers

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Book SynopsisAccording to Peter van Inwagen, visible inanimate objects do not, strictly speaking, exist. In defending this controversial thesis, he offers fresh insights on such topics as personal identity, commonsense belief, existence over time, the phenomenon...Trade Review"A fascinating, densely argued, and highly original book on the metaphysics of material objects. The objections van Inwagen raises to the standard views on material parthood are not easily answered. Moreover, his examination of the topic of personal identity is a significant contribution to the philosophy of the mind."—Philosophical Review"Commonplace things such as hawks and handsaws pose philosophical problems at least as imposing as those presented by abstract objects such as numbers and divine beings. Van Inwagen argues vigorously for the view that our world contains . . . only living organisms, the activity of whose various parts constitute a life and against psychological accounts of personal identity. This gives only a rough idea of the contents of this rich and rewarding book."—Review of Metaphysics"There is much to bee learned from this book. . . . Material Beings is a refreshing example of straight-on, full-speed metaphysics. Van Inwagen goes where his arguments lead him—and they lead him to some remarkable places indeed."—Philosophy and Phenomenological Research

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Book SynopsisPhilosophy has much to offer psychiatry, not least regarding ethical issues, but also issues regarding the mind, identity, values, and volition. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry offers the most comprehensive reference resource for this area every published - one that is essential for both students and researchers in this field.Trade ReviewThe Handbook, both as history and analysis, will be indispensible to the growing number of philosophers engaged in traditional 'Morals' and the 'Philosophy of Mind' who feel the need to explore and make sense of the concepts of psychiatry. Psychiatry itself, still picking its way through internal confusions and dissensions, is turning more and more to philosophy, some of it highly obscure. For such practitioners, too, this book will be a wonderful tool. It is a timely and monumental work. * Mary Warnock *This handbook is another milestone in the International Perspectives in Philosophy and Psychiatry series. Its 73 chapters, grouped in 8 sections, deal with all aspects of the relation between philosophy and psychiatry from the perspectives of philosophers and a psychiatrists... The chapters are accessible for readers of different disciplines, philosophically illuminating and very helpful in broadening and deepening our understanding of the mental, of personhood and of psychic illness. They combine conceptual analysis with profound historical perspectives; and they discuss central notions in various contexts, thereby demonstrating the complexity of the issues and problems. For sure Philosophy and Psychiatry will soon become an irreplaceable source for everyone working in the field. * Michael Quante, Department of Philosophy, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster *This invaluable collection brings together many of the most prominent figures in the philosophy of psychiatry. The volume is a testament to the high quality of research emerging from this rapidly expanding and relatively new field. The volume provides a helpful aerial representation of the terrain, and lays the ground for future innovative work in the discipline. The Handbook contains valuable contributions on the history of the discipline, and it shows how the field is relevant to rigorous research in many areas of contemporary philosophy and relevant to clinical practice. Readers of the volume will be convinced that the philosophy of psychiatry is an enduring and deeply rewarding area of interdisciplinary study. * Gary J. Gala, and Daniel D. Moseley, Ph.D., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *The publication of The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry is a useful marker of the growth of this field and its establishment as an important and flourishing part of philosophy. But it has more than symbolic meaning; it will be a resource that professionals both in philosophy and other areas of study turn to for a variety of purposes. * Christian Perring, Professor of Philosophy, Dowling College, New York; Metapsychology Online Reviews *Table of ContentsSECTION ONE: HISTORY; SECTION TWO: CONTEXTS OF CARE; SECTION THREE: ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS; SECTION FOUR: SUMMONING CONCEPTS; SECTION FIVE: DESCRIPTIVE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY; SECTION SIX: ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIES; SECTION SEVEN: EXPLANATION AND UNDERSTANDING; SECTION EIGHT: CURE AND CARE

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Book Synopsis‘Immensely learned and ambitious…seam-bursting eclecticism and polymathic brio… This is by any standards a significant book and its author deserves high praise.’ Literary Review To imagine – to see that which is not there – is the startling ability that has fuelled human development and innovation through the centuries. As a species we stand alone in our remarkable capacity to refashion the world after the pictures in our minds. Traversing the realms of science, politics, religion, culture, philosophy and history, Felipe Fernández-Armesto reveals the thrilling and disquieting tales of our imaginative leaps. Through groundbreaking insights in cognitive science, he explores how and why we have ideas in the first place, providing a tantalising glimpse into who we are and what we might yet accomplish. Fernández-Armesto shows that bad ideas are often more influential than good ones; that the oldest recoverable thoughts include some of the best; that ideas of Western origin often issued from exchanges with the wider world; and that the pace of innovative thinking is under threat.Trade Review‘Immensely learned and ambitious…seam-bursting eclecticism and polymathic brio…This is by any standards a significant book and its author deserves high praise.’ * Literary Review *‘It is hard to do justice to the grand sweep of this book and the intriguing detail with which it abounds. If this is a book about ideas, there is one on every other page… brilliantly stimulating.’ * New Statesman *‘What we get here is an urbane and civilised observer, broad in his sympathies, mildly distrustful of religion, very distrustful of certainties and enthusiastic about pluralism. You may not always agree with him, but he’s very good company.’ * Evening Standard, Book of the Week *‘He is never less than stimulating. As a product himself of the liberal and sceptical decades of the later 20th century, there is a sense in his writing not of tenacious advocacy but a certain playfulness. All ideas – including his own – are stabs at understanding, part of the process that defines our species, the perennial urge to make sense of the world around us.’ * Spectator *‘A stimulating history of how the imagination interacted with its sibling psychological faculties – emotion, perception and reason – to shape the history of human mental life.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Beginning with cognitive science, this global survey sweeps through leaps of thought from prehistory to today – a journey from unification to uncertainty, lit by minds such as China’s fourth-century-BC master of paradox Hui Shi and paradigm-smashing mathematician Henri Poincaré. Today, Fernández-Armesto argues, the trend is shifting as our homogenized “global culture” threatens the very exchanges that spark heroic ideas.’ * Barbara Kiser, Nature *‘[An] idiosyncratic, wide-ranging intellectual history…thought-provoking stuff.’ * BBC History Magazine *‘A bracing account of the central roles imagination, memory and language have played in human development around the world…Fernández-Armesto has the measure of just about everything…studded with pungent apophthegms and mordant aphorisms. Few pages go by without the reader smiling or, occasionally, laughing.’ * The Tablet *‘…a triumph. Preternaturally erudite, always intelligible, often witty, Out of Our Minds should be essential reading not just for historians of ideas, but for all readers interested in the human past.’ -- Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford‘Brilliant and profound, Out of Our Minds is a masterly survey of humanity’s unique imaginative leaps, from hominid cannibalism to our current global convergence. Fernández-Armesto is the leading practitioner of big history, and here he takes on no less than the entire span of human history. Gone are the great men, replaced instead by the ideas – good and bad – that have made us human. Written with his trademark panache and wry humour, this book challenges every assumption you’ve ever had about who we are and where we came from.’ -- Jerry Brotton, Professor of Renaissance Studies, Queen Mary University of London, and author of A History of the World in 12 Maps‘A sparkling account of how imagination and ideas have shaped the strange history of Homo sapiens over more than two hundred thousand years.’ -- David Christian, author of Origin Story‘With its majestic sweep, this refreshing book covers a great many subjects with considerable authority. Felipe Fernández-Armesto is a gifted writer, guiding the reader through subtleties without failing to illustrate his complex ideas with a telling example.’ -- Daniel Lord Smail, Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of History, Harvard University

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Book SynopsisWe already know how much of our data is collected and used to profile and target us. ?The real question is why, knowing all this, do we keep going back for more? ''Great book'' Matt Ridley, author of How Innovation Works''Essential reading'' Pete Etchells, author of Unlocked''An urgent must-read'' Tiffany Jenkins, author and broadcaster, presenter of BBC Radio 4's A History of Secrecy''Enticing and highly addictive'' Stephen Senn, statistician and author of Dicing with Death''A pleasure to read'' Stian Westlake, Executive Chair, Economic and Social Research CouncilTechnology has delivered a world that we expect to revolve around us, our needs and preferences, and our unique personalities. We willingly hand over intimate information about ourselves in return for a world that's easier to navigate.We live in the Personalised Century, where we view ourselves in terms of what rather than who we are the objects of others' recognition, rather than the subjects and authors of our own lives. Is this a sign of our shrinking sense of self?Interrogating the historical currents that have brought us here, Harkness envisages a messier, riskier and less comfortable world than the one into which we're sliding. Challenging readers to look at what's missing from their personalised menus, Technology is not the Problem encourages us to look afresh at the familiar: not just the technology we use every day, how we relate to the world and those around us.

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Book SynopsisShaun Gallagher offers an account of psychopathologies as disorders of the self. The Self and its Disorders develops an interdisciplinary approach to an ''integrative'' perspective in psychiatry. In contrast to some integrative approaches that focus on narrow brain-based conceptions, or on symptomology, this book takes its bearings from embodied and enactive conceptions of human experience. Gallagher offers an understanding of the self as a pattern of processes that include bodily, experiential, affective, cognitive, intersubjective, narrative, ecological and normative factors. He provides a philosophical analysis of the notion of self-pattern; then, drawing on phenomenological, developmental, clinical and experimental evidence, he proposes a method to study the effects of psychopathologies on the self-pattern. The book includes specific discussions of schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, depression, borderline personality disorder, and autism, among other disorders, as well as the effectTable of ContentsIntroduction 1: A pattern theory of self 2: The nature of patterns 3: A threefold method for studying the self-pattern 4: Dynamical relations in the self-pattern 5: Disorder, dissociation and disruption in self-narrative 6: Phenomenological anchors: Mapping experiences of agency and ownership 7: Autonomy in the self-pattern: Implications for deep brain stimulation and affordance-based therapies 8: Artificial transformations of the self-pattern 9: Mindfulness in the self-pattern 10: The cruel and unusual phenomenologies of torture and solitary confinement Bibliography

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Book Synopsis“[An] acute and powerful vision . . . offers a renaissance of humane values.”—Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life   Plato called it “daimon,” the Romans “genius,” the Christians “guardian angel”; today we use such terms as “heart,” “spirit,” and “soul.” While philosophers and psychologists from Plato to Jung have studied and debated the fundamental essence of our individuality, our modern culture refuses to accept that a unique soul guides each of us from birth, shaping the course of our lives. In this extraordinary bestseller, James Hillman presents a brilliant vision of our selves, and an exciting approach to the mystery at the center of every life that asks, “What is it, in my heart, that I must do, be, and have? And why?”   Drawing on the biographies of figures such as Ella Fitzgerald and Mohandas K. Gandhi, Hillman argues that character is fate, that there is more to each individual than can be explained by genetics and environment. The result is a reasoned and powerful road map to understanding our true nature and discovering an eye-opening array of choices—from the way we raise our children to our career paths to our social and personal commitments to achieving excellence in our time.   Praise for The Soul’s Code “Champions a glorious sort of rugged individualism that, with the help of an inner daimon (or guardian angel), can triumph against all odds.”—The Washington Post Book World “[A] brilliant, absorbing work . . . Hillman dares us to believe that we are each meant to be here, that we are needed by the world around us.”—Publishers Weekly

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