Philosophy of science Books

Book SynopsisSocial visionary Joseph Chilton Pearce’s indictment of cultural imprinting as the cause of humankind’s cruel and violent behavior • Refutes the Neo-Darwinist assumption that violence is inherent in humanity • Identifies religion as the sustaining force behind our negative cultural imprinting • Shows how infant-adult interactions unconsciously block the creative spirit We are all too aware of the endless variety of cruel and violent behavior reported to us in the media, reminded daily that in every corner of the world someone is suffering or dying at the hands of another. We have to ask: Is this violence and cruelty endemic to our nature? Are we, at our foundation, really so murderous? In The Death of Religion and the Rebirth of Spirit, Joseph Chilton Pearce, life-long advocate of human potential, sounds an emphatic and convincing no. Pearce explains that beneath our awareness, culture imprints a negative force-field that blocks the natural rise of the spirit toward its innate nature of love and altruism. Further, he identifies religion as the primary cultural force behind this negative imprinting. Drawing from recent neuroscience, neurocardiology, cultural anthropology, and brain development research, Pearce explains that the key to reversing this trend can be found in the interaction between infants and adults. The adult mind-set effectively compromises the infant’s neural and hormonal interactions between the heart and the higher evolutionary structures of the developing brain, thus keeping us centered primarily in our most primitive and defensive neural foundations, generation after generation. Pearce shows us that if we allow the intelligence of the heart to take hold and flourish, we can reverse this unconscious loss of our true nature.

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Book SynopsisAn increasing number of enthusiasts are attracted by the rich variety of rocks and minerals around us, and new ways of looking at them.In this book, Walther Cloos views the Earth as a living organism, with different kingdoms of nature -- mineral, plant and animal – as stages left behind as the earth developed. He argues that everything currently inert and static was once dynamic and living.The author considers many different aspects of geology, including chapters on oil, sedimentary rocks, radioactivity, volcanoes and metals.Written over fifty years ago, this book is a classic, pioneering a scientific, geological understanding of Rudolf Steiner's spiritual insights into the evolution of the earthThe previous edition of this book was published as 'The Living Earth'.

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Book SynopsisRhythm and number underpin our lives, from the days of the week and the times of the day to the number of letters in the alphabet. But do we ever stop to consider the deeper meaning behind these every day realities?In Uncovering the Secrets of Time and Number Wolfgang Held offers a fascinating exploration of this question. He looks at why there are seven days in a week and how each day resonates with different soul moods in the human being, for example why Tuesday is a good day for making mistakes and why Friday is the day of beauty and creativity. He also explores the qualities of numbers from one to thirty-one, explaining how many things have an inherent number attached to them: one sun, two parents, three meals a day, four seasons. The practical insights brought together in this book can help the reader become more conscious of their relationship to time and number, allowing them to organise their lives in a harmonious way.Previously published as Rhythms of the Week and Other Explorations of Time and The Quality of Numbers 1 to 31.

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Book SynopsisAlfred North Whitehead (1861-1947), a mathematician and logician by training, was the author of highly original works at the crossroads of science and philosophy which explore the nature of the world around us and its temporal flow.Convinced that everyday terms distort reality, Whitehead invented or borrowed terms more appropriate to his project. The word 'Process', which gives its title to his most famous work Process and Reality (1929), is central to his thinking. Process introduces his vision of nature as a succession of crystallizations, each of which proves the finite granularity of time: the instant does not exist. It also implies a confrontation with the theory of relativity and quantum physics. Whitehead's perspective allows for the occurrence of creative novelties, but necessitates that the world cooperates with a deity, the role of which is examined in this book's last chapter.In Alfred North Whitehead, Philosopher of Time, the author mixes biographical elements with intellectual advances, from logicism to philosophies of nature. A compelling introduction to Whitehead's demanding work, this book deciphers a metaphysical landscape often considered too abstract to be approachable, but points out the philosopher's imperfections with respect to the scientific advances of our time.

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Book SynopsisIn the philosophical language of Aristotle and the Greeks of Antiquity, 'Physics' roughly translates as 'the order of nature', covering what we would now differentiate as philosophy, science, politics, humanities and religion. One of Aristotle's great works, of which we here present an abridged edition, The Physics is an investigation into the nature of being, of the world and its place in the universe. Although philosophically much broader, it provides the foundation for the later work of Galileo and Isaac Newton, and prefigures Albert Einstein's breakthrough theories on time, space and the motion of stars. The FLAME TREE Foundations series features core publications which together have shaped the cultural landscape of the modern world, with cutting-edge research distilled into pocket guides designed to be both accessible and informative.

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Book SynopsisDemocratizing Technology provides a much-needed fresh perspective on the regulation of chemicals, and an important contribution to green thinking about technology.Caroline Lucas, Green Party MEP. This book is an excellent critique of the current risk-based approach to technology. By exploring the philosophical underpinnings and the practical applications of current policy on science and technology, Chapman exposes the serious flaws in allowing economic considerations to dominate the agenda in this area. Her proposals for reform are expertly constructed and deserve urgent and serious consideration by policy-makers.Dr Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director, Scientists for Global Responsibility. In this important book Anne Chapman argues that decisions about technology should answer a republican question: what kind of public world should we create through technology? Democratizing Technology deserves to be read widely. John ONeill, Professor of Political Economy, University of Manchester, UK A welcome addition to the new, more empirical and applied literature in philosophy of technology. This book will be essential reading for a variety of scholars and for the general reader intent on understanding, and criticizing, our chemically made world.Andrew Light, Interim Director, Program on the Environment, University of Washington, US What is technology? How do humans use it to build and modify the world? What are the relationships between technology, science, economics and democratic governance? What, if any, are our ethical and political responsibilities and choices in how we develop, deploy and control technology in democratic states? Democratizing Technology sets out to answer these questions. Focusing on the most widespread and pervasive technology - chemicals - this groundbreaking volume peels apart the critical technology debate to look at the relationship between humans, technology and the biological world. Attention is given to the immensely important new regulations, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals), the EUs largest ever legal framework, discussing the problems that are likely to occur in REACHs reliance on risk assessment methods and suggesting an alternative way forward for the regulation of chemicals. Providing much-needed clarity and insight into the heart of key debates in science and technology, risk analysis and mitigation, and domestic and international law, this volume arrives as a breath of fresh air.Trade Review'Democratizing Technology is an interesting book with contorversial opinions and proposals. [...] The book is a good candidate for the start of many interesting discussions in and out the classroom. Recommended.' R.E. Buntrock, formerly, University of Maine, USA 'Where the book excels is the thoughtful exploration of questions of profound relevance to public health, such as divergence between our understanding, our behaviours and public policies with respect to risk and responsibility. The analysis provides innovative insights for behaviouralists, policy development in both theoretical and practical spheres, ethicists, political analysts, environmental health scholars and all who encounter technology, and wonder about how we personally and collectively respond to technology in our midst.' Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 'An interesting book with controversial opinions and proposals... Recommended' ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface * Acknowledgements * Introduction * What is Technology? * Technology as World-Building * Technology, Science and the Economy * The Regulation of Chemicals * Risk * Assessing Risks from Chemicals * The Ethical and Political Framework of Regulation * Responsibility * Making Decisions about Technology * Index

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Book SynopsisA fascinating glimpse into the secret world of water drops and how they manifest on a range of materials from salt to gemstones and tears. Lavishly illustrated, this is a window into a natural world of astounding beauty.

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Book SynopsisThis book traces the history of life-concepts, with a focus on the vegetable souls of Aristotle, investigating how they were interpreted and eventually replaced by evolutionary biology. Philosophers have long struggled with the relationship between physics, physiology, and psychology, asking questions of organization, purpose, and agency. For two millennia, the vegetable soul, nutrition, and reproduction were commonly used to understand basic life and connect it to “higher” animal and vegetable life. Cartesian dualism and mechanism destroyed this bridge and left biology without an organizing principle until Darwin. Modern biology parallels Aristotelian vegetable life-concepts, but remains incompatible with the animal, rational, subjective, and spiritual life-concepts that developed through the centuries. Recent discoveries call for a second look at Aristotle’s ideas – though not their medieval descendants. Life remains an active, chemical process whose cause, identity, and purpose is self-perpetuation.Trade Review“Life Concepts, Mix (Harvard) provides a comprehensive treatise of the soul, emphasizing nutritive or vegetable souls, from the concept's beginnings with Homer and pre-Socratic philosophers to significant development of the disparate views of Plato and Aristotle. … As a philosophical and theological work, Mix provides a meaningful and engaging account of a deep, enduring subject.” (Z. B. Johnson, Choice, Vol. 56 (8), April, 2019)​Table of Contents1. Vegetable Souls? 2. Greek Life – Psyche and Early Life-Concepts 3. Strangely Moved – Appetitive Souls in Plato 4. Three Causes in One – Biological Explanation in Aristotle 5. Life in Action – Nutritive Souls in Aristotle 6. Plants versus Animals in Hellenistic Thought 7. The Breath of Life – Nephesh in Hebrew Scriptures 8. Life after Life – Spiritual Life in Christianity 9. Invisible Seeds – Life-Concepts in Augustine 10. Aristotle Returns – A Second Medieval Synthesis 11. Life Divided – Vegetable Life in Aquinas 12. Mechanism Displaces the Soul 13. Divided Hopes – Physics versus Metaphysics 14. Ghosts in the Machine – Vitalism 15. The Same and Different – Early Theories of Evolution 16. Vegetable Significance – Evolution by Natural Selection 17. “Vegetables” versus Modern Plants 18. Counting Lives- Regulators and Replicators 19. What Can Be Revived (and What Cannot)

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Book SynopsisThis innovative book proposes a unique and original perspective on the nature of the mind and how phenomenal consciousness may arise in a physical world. From simple sentient organisms to complex self-reflective systems, Faye argues for a naturalistic-evolutionary approach to philosophy of mind and consciousness. Drawing on substantial literature in evolutionary biology and cognitive science, this book offers a promising alternative to the major theories of the mind-body problem: the quality of our experiences should not, as some philosophers have claimed, be associated with subjectivity that is not open for scientific explanation, nor should it be associated with intrinsic properties of the brain. Instead, Faye argues that mental properties are extrinsic properties of the brain caused by the organism’s interaction with its environment. Taking on the explanatory gap, and rejecting the ontological pluralism of present naturalist theories of the mind, Faye thus proposes a unified view of reality in which it is possible to explain qualitative mental presentations as part of the physical world. Table of ContentsChapter 1: Flipping the Debate.- Chapter 2: Our Animal Mind.- Chapter 3: Subjectivity in a Biological Perspective.- Chapter 4: A Difference That Is No Difference.- Chapter 5: Why Identity Is Not Enough.- Chapter 6: Functionalism, Mechanisms, and Levels of Reality.- Chapter 7: The Environment Is What Matters.- Chapter 8: Understanding Consciousness.- Chapter 9: Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis book is an investigation of the ideological dimensions of the disciplinary discourses on science in line with the scholarly tradition of historical epistemology. It offers a programmatic treatment of the political-epistemological problematic along three entangled lines of inquiry: socio-historical, epistemological and historiographical. The book aims for a meta-level integration of the existing scholarship on the social and cultural history of science in order to consider the ways in which struggles for hegemony have constantly informed scientific discourses. This problematic is of primary relevance for scholars in Science Studies, philosophers, historians and sociologists of science, but would also be relevant for anybody interested in scientific culture and political theory.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Political Epistemology: Positioning Science Studies.- Chapter 2. The Logic of Science and Technology as a Developmental Tendency of Modernity.- Chapter 3. On Both Sides of the Iron Curtain: The Marxist Struggle for Cultural Hegemony and HPS for a ‘Free Society’.- Chapter 4. Toward a Socio-Political History of Science: From Structures to Hegemonies.- Chapter 5. Hegemony and Science: Epistemological and Historiographical Perspectives.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book offers a unique and practically oriented study of organisational and national conditions for implementing Responsible Research Innovation (RRI) policies and practices. It gives the reader a thorough understanding of the different aspects of RRI, and of barriers and drivers of implementation of RRI related policies. It shows how different organisational and national contexts provide unique challenges and opportunities for bringing RRI into practice. The book provides concrete examples and offers the reader both a theory-based understanding of the topic, as well as guidance for action. The target audience encompasses, in addition to RRI students and scholars in particular, all students and scholars in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). The book is also of interest to students and scholars in the fields of research ethics, philosophy of science, organisational governance in the research system and organisational theory more generally. Finally, the book is of use to practitioners in research conducting and funding organisations working to implement RRI. Table of Contents1. About this report.- 2. General introduction to the RRI-Practice Study. - 3. Organizational Drivers for Responsible Research and Innovation.- 4. Organizational Barriers for Responsible Research and Innovation.- 5. Discussion of key findings in the organisational study.- 6. Overview of national discourse by country.- 7. How national contexts affect the RRI keys and dimensions.- 8. The who, why and how questions and the AIRR dimensions.- 9. Discussion and conclusion on the national comparison.

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Book SynopsisThis book discusses a link between statistical theory and quantum theory based on the concept of epistemic processes. The latter are processes, such as statistical investigations or quantum mechanical measurements, that can be used to obtain knowledge about something. Various topics in quantum theory are addressed, including the construction of a Hilbert space from reasonable assumptions and an interpretation of quantum states. Separate derivations of the Born formula and the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation are given. In concrete terms, a Hilbert space can be constructed under some technical assumptions associated with situations where there are two conceptual variables that can be seen as maximally accessible. Then to every accessible conceptual variable there corresponds an operator on this Hilbert space, and if the variables take a finite number of values, the eigenspaces/eigenvectors of these operators correspond to specific questions in nature together with sharp answers to these questions. This paves a new way to the foundations of quantum theory. The resulting interpretation of quantum mechanics is related to Hervé Zwirn's recent Convivial Solipsism, but it also has some relations to Quantum Bayesianism and to Rovelli's relational quantum mechanics. Niels Bohr's concept of complementarity plays an important role. Philosophical implications of this approach to quantum theory are discussed, including consequences for macroscopic settings.The book will benefit a broad readership, including physicists and statisticians interested in the foundations of their disciplines, philosophers of science and graduate students, and anyone with a reasonably good background in mathematics and an open mind.Table of Contents1. The epistemic view upon science.- 2. Statistical inference.- 3. Inference in an epistemic process.- 4. Towards quantum theory.- 5. Aspects of quantum theory.- 6. Macroscopic consequences.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a considered yet entertaining reflection on the progress of modern scientific research. The winding path of science can only be understood by revealing the personal, human side of scientific research, demystifying the actions of the scientist and exposing the human drama on the stage of science. The book looks at the true nature of contemporary science and scientists through the lens of the personal experiences of the author, a renowned and leading materials scientist, over the last half century. It examines the positive threads of modern scientific progress in sober juxtaposition to the manifest negative developments arising from stiff competition within the current academic landscape. A collection of stories and real-life anecdotes is presented in parallel to the career of the author, providing a first-hand account of important achievements in the field of materials science. As a result, this book provides fascinating reading for students, seasoned scientists, and anybody else interested in the workings and machinations of modern science.Trade Review“This is a fascinating book that should appeal to anyone wanting to have a view of the life of a typical academic scientist. … this book is thought provoking and should be of interest to anyone already working in science, especially those intending to work in science. There are many warnings and, at the same time, delights to be found in the numerous anecdotes and descriptions provided by the author. It is a generally good and entertaining read.” (A. Mike Glazer, Journal of Applied Crystallography, Vol. 56, 2023)“The book is a mixture of family history, the history of science, an insight into the politics of science, impressions of the publishing world … . It is recommended reading for researchers at all levels who are interested in materials-science research, funding and politics. … This book is a gem. A gem in the rough perhaps, but all the more genuine and valuable (to many) for that.” (C. Barry Carter, Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 58, 2023)Table of ContentsThe Parents.- Growing Up.- Touching Science; School Years.- The Notions Science and Physical Law.- The Becoming of a Scientist.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book provides an overview of issues of scientific responsibility. The volume comprises three types of contributions: first, analyses of the responsibility of science; second, analyses of the structural conditions for science and its responsibility; and third, normative versions of scientific responsibility. The questions and problems dealt with include science as a profession, ambivalence of research and dual-use, innovation vs. precaution, notions of responsibility, the role of science within society and its relation to human rights, as well as scientific and public discourses. The book addresses scholars in the fields of Science Studies and Research Policy.This is an open access book.Table of ContentsPreface.- Part 1. Analyses of the Responsibility of Science.- 1. Responsibility in Science: The Philosophical View (Hans Lenk).- 2. Science as a Profession and its Responsibility (Harald A. Mieg).- 3. Corporate Responsibility: A Principle of Responsive Adjustment (Peter A. French).- Part 2. The Social Sciences View: Structural Conditions for Science Responsibility.- 4. Science Policy: From the Linear Model to Responsible Research and Innovation (Philip Macnaghten).- 5. European Law: The Precautionary Principle and Science-based Innovation in Europe (Ellen Vos & Kristel de Smedt).- 6. History of Science: Ambivalence(s) in the Research and use of Nuclear Energy (Horst Kant).- Part 3. The Scientists' Voice on the Responsibility of Science.- 7. Between Parrhesia and Fake: Scientific Responsibility Today (Rainer E. Zimmermann).- 8. On the Responsibility of Science for Guaranteeing Human Rights: In the Fight Against Human Degradation, Racism, and Anti-Semitism (Klaus Fuchs-Kittowski).- 9. The Ambivalences of the Digital: Humans and Technologies Between new Options (dreams) and (un)noticeable Losses (Hartmut Graßl et al.)- Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book shows how the study of multi-hadron production phenomena in the years after the founding of CERN culminated in Hagedorn's pioneering idea of limiting temperature, leading on to the discovery of the quark-gluon plasma -- announced, in February 2000 at CERN.Following the foreword by Herwig Schopper -- the Director General (1981-1988) of CERN at the key historical juncture -- the first part is a tribute to Rolf Hagedorn (1919-2003) and includes contributions by contemporary friends and colleagues, and those who were most touched by Hagedorn: Tamás Biró, Igor Dremin, Torleif Ericson, Marek Gaździcki, Mark Gorenstein, Hans Gutbrod, Maurice Jacob, István Montvay, Berndt Müller, Grazyna Odyniec, Emanuele Quercigh, Krzysztof Redlich, Helmut Satz, Luigi Sertorio, Ludwik Turko, and Gabriele Veneziano.The second and third parts retrace 20 years of developments that after discovery of the Hagedorn temperature in 1964 led to its recognition as the melting point of hadrons into boiling quarks, and to the rise of the experimental relativistic heavy ion collision program. These parts contain previously unpublished material authored by Hagedorn and Rafelski: conference retrospectives, research notes, workshop reports, in some instances abbreviated to avoid duplication of material, and rounded off with the editor's explanatory notes.About the editor: Johann Rafelski is a theoretical physicist working at The University of Arizona in Tucson, USA. Born in 1950 in Krakow, Poland, he received his Ph.D. with Walter Greiner in Frankfurt, Germany in 1973. Rafelski arrived at CERN in 1977, where in a joint effort with Hagedorn he contributed greatly to the establishment of the relativistic heavy ion collision, and quark-gluon plasma research fields. Moving on, with stops in Frankfurt and Cape Town, to Arizona, he invented and developed the strangeness quark flavor as the signature of quark-gluon plasma.Trade Review“The book is undoubtedly an ideal companion to all those who wish to recall the birth of one of the main areas of today’s concepts in high-energy physics, and it is definitely a well-deserved credit to one of the great pioneers in their development.” (Frithjof Karsch, CERN Courier, June, 2016)Table of ContentsPart I Reminiscences: Rolf Hagedorn and Relativistic Heavy Ion Research.-- Part II The Hagedorn Temperature.- Part III Melting Hadrons, Boiling Quarks Heavy Ion Path to Quark-Gluon Plasma.- Acronyms.

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Book SynopsisIn this compendium of essays, some of the world’s leading thinkers discuss their conceptions of space and time, as viewed through the lens of their own discipline. With an epilogue on the limits of human understanding, this volume hosts contributions from six or more diverse fields. It presumes only rudimentary background knowledge on the part of the reader.Time and again, through the prism of intellect, humans have tried to diffract reality into various distinct, yet seamless, atomic, yet holistic, independent, yet interrelated disciplines and have attempted to study it contextually. Philosophers debate the paradoxes, or engage in meditations, dialogues and reflections on the content and nature of space and time. Physicists, too, have been trying to mold space and time to fit their notions concerning micro- and macro-worlds. Mathematicians focus on the abstract aspects of space, time and measurement. While cognitive scientists ponder over the perceptual and experiential facets of our consciousness of space and time, computer scientists theoretically and practically try to optimize the space-time complexities in storing and retrieving data/information. The list is never-ending. Linguists, logicians, artists, evolutionary biologists, geographers etc., all are trying to weave a web of understanding around the same duo. However, our endeavour into a world of such endless imagination is restrained by intellectual dilemmas such as: Can humans comprehend everything? Are there any limits? Can finite thought fathom infinity? We have sought far and wide among the best minds to furnish articles that provide an overview of the above topics. We hope that, through this journey, a symphony of patterns and tapestry of intuitions will emerge, providing the reader with insights into the questions: What is Space? What is Time?Chapter [15] of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. Table of ContentsPhilosophy: Śrīharṣa on the Indefinability of Time by Jonathan Duquette and Krishnamurti Ramasubramanian.- Why Spacetime Has a Life of its Own by James Robert Brown.- From Time to Time by Nathan Salmon.- Relativity Theory may not have the last Word on the Nature of Time: Quantum Theory and Probabilism by Nicholas Maxwell.- Space as a Source and as an Object of Knowledge: The Transformation of the Concept of Space in the Post-Kantian Philosophy of Geometry by Francesca Biagioli.- Space, Time and (how they) Matter by Valia Allori.- The Phenomenology of Space and Time: Husserl, Sartre, Derrida by Hans Herlof Grelland.- Time and Space in Ancient India, Pre­-Philosophical Period by Michael Witzel and Nataliya Yanchevskaya.- Time in Physics and Time in Awareness by E. C. G. Sudarshan.- Physics: The Future’s Not Ours to See, by Tony Sudbury.- Nature’s Book Keeping System by Gerard ‘t Hooft.- An anomaly in space and time and the origin of dynamics by Joan A. Vaccaro.- Spacetime and Reality: Facing the Ultimate Judge by Vesselin Petkov.- Hermann Weyl’s Space-Time Geometry and its Impact on Theories of Fundamental Interactions by Norbert Straumann.- Space, Time, and Adynamical Explanation in the Relational Blockworld by W.M. Stuckey, Michael Silberstein, and Timothy McDevitt.- Matter, Space, Time, and Motion: A Unified Gravitational Perspective by C. S. Unnikrishnan.- Spacetime is Doomed by George Musser.- Mathematics: Geometry and Physical Space by Mary Leng.- The Geometry of Manifolds and the Perception of Space by Raymond O. Wells, Jr.- Topos Theoretic Approach to Space and Time by Goro C. Kato.- Paradox? The Mathematics of Space-Time and the Limits of Human Understanding by Paul Ernest.- General Relativity, Time, and Determinism by James Isenberg.- “Now” has an infinitesimal positive duration by Reuben Hersh.- The Fundamental Problem of Dynamics by Julian Barbour.- What’s wrong with the Platonic ideal of space and time? by Lorenzo Sadun.- Biology/Cognitive Science: Syntactic Space by Rajesh Kasturirangan.- Time measurement in living systems: Human understanding and health implications by L Abhilash and Vijay Kumar Sharma.- The cellular space-the space of life by Pier Luigi Luisi.- The consciousness of space, the space of consciousness by Mauro Bergonzi and Pier Luigi Luisi.- Time and Suffering (False metaphors, (de)synchronous times, and internal dynamics) by Norman Sieroka.- Evolutionary Time and the Creation of the Space of Life by Randall E. Auxier.- Computer Science: A computational mathematics view of space, time and complexity by David H. Bailey and Jonathan M. Borwein.- The Black Hole in Mathematics by A. K. Dewdney.- Gödel’s Ontological Dreams by Gary Mar.- ‘Photographing the Footsteps of Time’: Space and Time in Charles Babbage’s Calculating Engines by Doron Swade.- Gödel incompleteness and the empirical sciences by N. C. A. da Costa and F. A. Doria.- Miscellaneous: The Novel and the Map: Spatiotemporal Form and Discourse in Literary Cartography by Robert T. Tally Jr.- Time, Space, and the Human Geographies of Opportunity by Donald G. Janelle.- Losing Time and Space: Experiencing Immersion by Diana J. Reichenbach. <

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis volume marks a phase of accomplishment in the work of the World Phenomenology Institute in unfolding a dialogue between Occidental phenomenology and the Oriental/Chinese classic philosophy. Going beyond the stage of reception, the Oriental scholars show in this collection of studies their perspicacity and philosophical skills in comparing the concepts, ideas, the vision of classic phenomenology and Chinese philosophy toward uncovering their common intuitions. This in-depth probing aims at reviving Occidental thinking, reaching to its intuitive sources, as well as providing Chinese thinking with a precise apparatus of expression toward its rejuvenation in a new significance. Studies by Korean and Chinese phenomenologists: Nam-In Lee, Inhui Park, Benjamin I. Schwartz, Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, Sitansu Ray, Zhang Xian, Zhang Qingxiong, Tsung-I Dow, Ashok K. Gangadean, Yushiro Takei, Louise Sunderarajan, Gregory Tropea, James Sellmann, Tyong Bok Rhie, Sang-Ki Kim, Daniel Zelinski, Qingjie Wang, Calvin O. Schrag, Jung-Sun Han. Table of ContentsThe Theme: The Metaphysical Harmony of Life as the Vocation of Philosophy: Oriental Philosophy in a Dialogue with Phenomenology. Inaugural Reflections. The Ethical and the Meta-Ethical in Chinese High Cultural Thought; B.I. Schwartz. Part I: Phenomenology of Life Answering the Call of our Times for the Harmony of the Spheres of Existence: Cosmos, Bios, Culture. Nature in the Ontopoiesis of Life: From the Cosmic Dissemination to the Human Cultivation of the Logos; A-T. Tymieniecka. Wissenschaftliche Lebensphilosophie als Grundcharakter der Phänomenologie; Nam-In Lee. The Natural and the Cultural; Inhui Park. The Tagore-Einstein Conversations: Reality and the Human World, Causality and Chance; S. Ray. Part II: Constituting/Reconstituting the Human World of Life: Consciousness, Subject, Intentionality, Mind. Husserl's Intentionality and the `Mind' in Chinese Philosophy; Zhang Xian. Die Grundstruktur des Bewußtseins: Husserl und Xiong Shili im Vergleich; Qingxiong Zhang. The Twofold Phenomenon in Naming: a Reflection from the Confucian-Taoist Yin-Yang Dialectical, Monistic Perspective; Tsung-I Dow. Phenomenology as a Critique of Cognition - A Dialogue on Husserl's `The Idea of Phenomenology'; Zhang Qingxiong. Meditative Reason and the Holistic Turn to Natural Phenomenology; A.K. Gangadean. Part III: The Poetic Divination as the Gist of Life. The Aesthetics of Process and Human Life; Y. Takei. Dwelling Poetically: a Heideggerian Interpretation of Ssu-K'ung T'u's Poetics; L. Sundararajan. I'Ching Divination and the Absolutely Poetic Reconstruction of Intentionality; G. Tropea. Part IV: Heaven and Earth and In-Between. On the Myth ofCosmogony in Ancient China; J. Sellmann. Eine Hermeneutik des Symbols im `Buch der Wandlungen' und die Seinserhellung; Tyong Bok Rhie. The Religious-Mythical Attitudes of the East Asians and Husserl's Phenomenology; Sang-Ki Kim. Towards a Phenomenology of Mystical Being; D. Zelinski. Part V: Metaphysical Underpinnings of the Intercultural Dialogue. Heidegger and Inter-Cultural Dialogue; Qingjie Wang. Communication in the Context of Cultural Diversity; C.O. Schrag. Kritik an der neokonfuzianischen Vernunft; Jung-Sun Han. Annex: Opening Statement of the Conference in Seoul, August 17th&endash;18th, 1992; Young-Ho Lee. Index of Names.

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Book SynopsisNew biotechnologies have propelled the question of what it means to be human – or posthuman – to the forefront of societal and scientific consideration. This volume provides an accessible, critical overview of the main approaches in the debate on posthumanism, and argues that they do not adequately address the question of what it means to be human in an age of biotechnology. Not because they belong to rival political camps, but because they are grounded in a humanist ontology that presupposes a radical separation between human subjects and technological objects.The volume offers a comprehensive mapping of posthumanist discourse divided into four broad approaches—two humanist-based approaches: dystopic and liberal posthumanism, and two non-humanist approaches: radical and methodological posthumanism. The author compares and contrasts these models via an exploration of key issues, from human enhancement, to eugenics, to new configurations of biopower, questioning what role technology plays in defining the boundaries of the human, the subject and nature for each. Building on the contributions and limitations of radical and methodological posthumanism, the author develops a novel perspective, mediated posthumanism, that brings together insights in the philosophy of technology, the sociology of biomedicine, and Michel Foucault’s work on ethical subject constitution. In this framework, technology is neither a neutral tool nor a force that alienates humanity from itself, but something that is always already part of the experience of being human, and subjectivity is viewed as an emergent property that is constantly being shaped and transformed by its engagements with biotechnologies. Mediated posthumanism becomes a tool for identifying novel ethical modes of human experience that are richer and more multifaceted than current posthumanist perspectives allow for.The book will be essential reading for students and scholars working on ethics and technology, philosophy of technology, poststructuralism, technology and the body, and medical ethics.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. A Cartography of the Posthuman.- Chapter 3. The Human Enhancement Debate: For, Against and from Human Nature.- Chapter 4. Towards a Non-Humanist Posthumanism: The Originary Prostheticity of Radical and Methodological Posthumanism.- Chapter 5. From Molar to Molecular Bodies: Posthumanist Frameworks in Contemporary Biology.- Chapter 6. Posthuman Subjectivity: Beyond Modern Metaphysics.- Chapter 7. Technologically Produced Nature: Nature Beyond Schizophrenia and Paranoia.- Chapter 8. New Modes of Ethical Selfhood: Geneticization and Genetically Responsible Subjectivity.- Chapter 9. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisNamed a Top Five Book of 2012 by Physics Today, USA.“Anderson has put together an entertaining and instructive collection of highly readable reviews, columns, talks, and unpublished essays on science and the scientists he has known. He is rarely inappropriately provocative, and he is a pleasure to read.”Physics TodayPhilip Anderson was educated at University High School in Urbana, Illinois, at Harvard (BS 1943, PhD 1949), and further educated at Bell Laboratories, where his career (1949-1984) coincided with the greatest period of that remarkable institution. Starting in 1967, he shared his time with Cambridge University (until 1975) and then with Princeton, where he continued full time as Joseph Henry Professor until 1997. As an emeritus he remains active in research, and at press time he was involved in several scientific controversies about high profile subjects, in which his point of view, though unpopular at the moment, is likely to prevail eventually. His colleagues have made him one of the two physicists most often cited in the scientific literature, for several decades.His work is characterized by mathematical simplicity combined with conceptual depth, and by profound respect for experimental findings. He has explored areas outside his main discipline, the quantum theory of condensed matter (for which he won the 1977 Nobel Prize), on several occasions: his paper on what is now called the “Anderson-Higgs mechanism” was a main source for Peter Higgs' elucidation of the boson; a crucial insight led to work on the dynamics of neutron stars (pulsars); and his concept of the spin glass led far afield, to developments in practical computer algorithms and neural nets, and eventually to his involvement in the early years of the Santa Fe Institute and his co-leadership with Kenneth Arrow of two influential workshops on economics at that institution. His writing career started with a much-quoted article in Science titled “More is Different” in 1971; he was an occasional columnist for Physics Today in the 1980s and 1990s. He was more recently a reviewer of science and science-related books for the Times (London) Higher Education Supplement as well as an occasional contributor to Science, Nature, and other journals.Table of ContentsPersonal Reminiscences; History; Philosophy and Sociology; Science Tactics and Strategy; Genius; Science Wars; Politics and Sciences; Futurology; Complexity; Popularization Attempts.

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Book SynopsisSince antiquity, opposed concepts such a s t he One and the Many, the Finite and the Infinite, and the Absolute and the Relative, have been a driving force in philosophical, scientific, and mathematical thought. Yet they have also given rise to perplexing problems and conceptual paradoxes which continue to haunt scientists and philosophers. In Oppositions and Paradoxes, John L. Bell explains and investigates the paradoxes and puzzles that arise out of conceptual oppositions in physics and mathematics. In the process, Bell not only motivates abstract conceptual thinking about the paradoxes at issue, he also offers a compelling introduction to central ideas in such otherwise-di¬ cult topics as non-Euclidean geometry, relativity, and quantum physics.These paradoxes are often as fun as they are flabbergasting. Consider, for example, the Tristram Shandy paradox: an immortal man composing an autobiography so slowly as to require a year of writing to describe each day of his life—he would, if he had infinite time, never complete the work, although no individual part of it would remain unwritten … Or imagine an English professor who time-travels back to 1599 to offer a printing of Hamlet to William Shakespeare, so as to help the Bard overcome writer’s block and author the play which will centuries later inspire an English professor to travel back in time … These and many other of the book’s paradoxes straddle the boundary between physics and metaphysics, and demonstrate the hidden difficulty of many of our most basic concepts.Trade Review“Who else but John Bell could write a book like this one? One of the leading logicians of our day, Bell uses the role of conceptual oppositions and the paradoxes to which they occasionally give rise to take readers on a whirlwind tour through great swaths of the history of human thought. The sophisticated discussion of deep and difficult topics is highly digestible thanks to Bell wearing his expertise lightly and presenting things with dollops of his clever—and sometimes silly—humour.” — David DeVidi, University of Waterloo“Bell is a master of simplicity and clarity, while sacrificing nothing of accuracy and erudition. His enthusiasm for his subject is palpable and infectious. Oppositions and Paradoxes is a pleasure to read.” — Graham Priest, CUNY Graduate Center“John L. Bell is the true philosophical heir of Bertrand Russell, and his new book, Oppositions and Paradoxes, exemplifies all the best traits in Russell’s legacy. His presentation of philosophical paradoxes and perplexities in logic, mathematics, and physics is a model of lucidity and economy, and his analysis of these problems is secure and sane. Oppositions and Paradoxes is readily accessible and a sure path into some of philosophy’s greatest themes.” — Bradley Bassler, University of GeorgiaTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsWhat Is This Book About?Chapter I: The Continuous and the DiscreteContinuity and DiscretenessThe Pythagorean School and Incommensurable MagnitudesAtomismThe Stoics and the Continuum Theory of MatterZeno’s ParadoxesContemporary Versions of Zeno’s Paradoxes: SupertasksInfinitesimalsChapter II: Oppositions and Paradoxes in Mathematics: Set Theory and the InfiniteSet Theory and the One/Many OppositionParadoxes of the InfiniteUncountable InfinitiesSet-Theoretic AntinomiesThe Axiom of ChoiceChapter III: The Strange Universe of Non-Euclidean GeometryHyperbolic GeometryRiemannian GeometryChapter IV: Puzzles and Paradoxes of Time TravelTime Travel into the Past: Branching TimelinesTemporal LoopsTime Travel into the FutureThe Future Time ViewerTwo-Dimensional TimeTemporal InterdictsTime Travel as a Physical PossibilityChapter V: Puzzles and Paradoxes of Relativity TheorySpecial RelativitySpacetimeFaster-than-Light Particles in Special Relativity: TachyonsGeneral Relativity: The Principle of EquivalenceBlack HolesChapter VI: Puzzles and Paradoxes in Quantum PhysicsWaves vs. ParticlesHeisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and Bohr’s Principle of ComplementarityQuantum TunnelingThe Riddle of PolarizationSchrödinger’s Cat ParadoxInterpretations of Quantum TheoryThe EPR Paradox and NonlocalityChapter VII: Cosmic EnigmasThe Beginnings of CosmologySteady-State vs. Big BangThe Problem of the Origin of the UniverseDark Matter, Dark Energy, and Cosmic AccelerationThe Argument from Design vs. the MultiverseA Philosophical CodaAppendix 1: Paradoxes in Logic and LanguageThe Liar ParadoxThe Liar, the Truth-Teller, and the Dice ManCurry’s ParadoxThe Grelling-Nelson ParadoxBerry’s ParadoxRichard’s ParadoxThe Paradox of the HeapAppendix 2: Reflections on the Constant and the ChangingAppendix 3: Oppositions in Kant’s PhilosophyAppendix 4: The Principle of Microstraightness, Nilpotent Infinitesimals, and the Differential CalculusFurther ReadingList of OppositionsList of ParadoxesIndex

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Book SynopsisThis innovative book concentrates on the important distinction between philosophy of medicine and medical philosophy, by expanding the focus from knowing that of the first term to the knowing how of the latter. Thus, the idea of patient and provider self-discovery becomes integral part, method, and strategy at the basis of therapeutic treatment. Among the most important contributions of this volume, the definition of Central Medicine, overcoming the dichotomy Western-Eastern medicine and Traditional-Integrative approaches, is presented under the lenses of hermeneutics, with particular regards to neurosciences, psychiatry, and psychology. Evidence-Based and Patient-Centred Medicine are analysed within the debate on placebo and non-specific effects. Furthermore, the clinical research presented in the appendix investigates the patient-doctor relationship, and the interactive nature of human relationships in general, including environment, personal beliefs, and perspectives on lifes meaning and purpose. Tomasis research covers neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and medicine. In this book, a wide array of questions and answers pertaining to these areas is presented in a clear, readable, and detailed way, satisfying the needs of professionals, students, and anyone who enjoys the exploration of the complexity of human mind, brain, and heart.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The hybrid practices featured in this collection speak to collaboration and participation, between disciplines and between presenters and audiences. They speak to a fluidity of working in and across scientific, artistic, and performance disciplines." * Leonardo *"...[a] welcome addition to the field of hybrid practices." * Espace *"Specialists interested in inhabiting a range of situated environments from new points of view will find many rewards in Hybrid Practices." * Isis: A Journal of the History of Science Society *"This book. . . . show[s] how interdisciplinarity allowed each community to reflect and find its place in a changing world. . . .[it] is well edited and allows a relevant understanding of all the case studies." * Technology and Culture *Table of ContentsForeword Saralyn Reece Hardy and Rebecca Blocksome Introduction: Reassessing Hybrid Practice David Cateforis, Steven Duval, and Shepherd Steiner PART I: FALLOUT: CREATIVITY AND INVENTION IN, AS, OR BETWEEN ART, SCIENCE, AND GOVERNMENT 1. Launching “Hybrid Practices” in the 1960s: On the Perils and Promise of Art and Technology / Anne Collins Goodyear 2. Identity, Rhetoric, and Method in the Collaborations of Experiments in Art and Technology, the Artist Placement Group, and the Art and Technology Program at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art / Steven Duval 3. Fallout and Spinoff : Commercializing the Art-Technology Nexus / W. Patrick McCray 4. Beyond Method and without Object: Subject as Inquiry in the Irwin-Wortz Collaboration / Dawna Schuld 5. Monuments to the Period We Live In / Craig Richardson PART II: AFFECTIVE FEEDBACK: TIME, PLAY, AND CONTAGION AS SYSTEMS OF PARTICIPATION 6. Sounding Snows: Bodily Static and the Politics of Visibility during the Vietnam War / Erica Levin 7. Contagious Creativity: Participatory Engagement in the Magic Theater Exhibition (1968) / Cristina Albu 8. Programming and Reprogramming the Institution: Systems Politics in Hans Haacke’s Photoelectric Viewer-Programmed Coordinate System / John A. Tyson PART III: THRESHOLDS OF THE VISIBLE: TECHNOLOGIES OF THE EVERYDAY 9. Technologies of Indeterminacy: John Cage Invents / Sandra Skurvida 10. Dramaturgical Devices and Stanley Milgram’s Hybrid Practice / Maya Rae Oppenheimer 11. Prostheses or Technical Extensions: Rereading the Work of Bernd and Hilla Becher / Shepherd Steiner Supplement: The Hale Experiments: Object-Oriented Ventriloquy during the Cold War An ESTAR(SER) project by the Prosopopoeia Working Group Acknowledgments List of Contributors List of Illustrations Index

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Book SynopsisAmong the great ironies of quantum mechanics is not only that its conceptual foundations seem strange even to the physicists who use it, but that philosophers have largely ignored it. Here, Bernard d'Espagnat argues that quantum physics--by casting doubts on once hallowed concepts such as space, material objects, and causality-demands serious reconTrade Review"Bernard d'Espagnat eschews the technical philosophical and mathematical jargon ... while nonetheless getting deeply into the consistency and plausibility of significant metaphysical claims. For all collections on the philosophy of science... Highly recommended."--Choice "In this valuable work, Bernard d'Espagnat brings his considerable expertise in contemporary physics to bear on the difficult philosophical issues arising from the current understanding of the subatomic domain."--Thomas Oberdan, Isis "Written in a very readable style, without an overload of mathematical equations, Of Physics and Philosophy unfolds the exotic features of quantum physics to the accompaniment of philosophical commentary. It is without doubt a work of immense scholarship, and will probably hold its own till the mysteries in the field are adequately understood. D'Espagnat's scholarship is helping understand the bizarre implications of quantum theory in investigating everything from free will and the paranormal to the enigma of consciousness."--Sudhirendar Sharma, CaravanTable of ContentsPreface to the English Edition xi Foreword 1 PART 1: PHYSICAL FACTS AND RELATED CONCEPTUAL PROBLEMS CHAPTER 1: Broad Overview 13 1-1. A General Picture 13 1-2. Some Useful Definitions 21 CHAPTER 2: Overstepping the Limits of the Framework of Familiar Concepts 32 2-1. Introduction 32 2-2. From Aristotle's Ontology to Descartes' Near Realism and Galilean Ontology 32 2-3. A Small Digression on Ontology 34 2-4. A Gradual Overstepping 37 2-5. Trajectories and Misleading "Pieces of Evidence" 38 2-6. On the Existence or Nonexistence of Hidden Things: Particles and Dirac's Sea 41 2-7. A "Fabricated" Ontology 46 2-8. Indications for What Follows 48 CHAPTER 3: Nonseparability and Bell's Theorem 51 3-1. Correlation at-a-Distance: Bell's Theorem 51 3-2. Locality and the Bell Theorem 58 3-3. Discussion and Philosophical Implications 71 CHAPTER 4: Objectivity and Empirical Reality 89 4-1. Strong Objectivity and Weak Objectivity (Alias Intersubjectivity) 89 4-2. The Measurement Problem and Empirical Reality 101 4-3. "Quantum Rules" and "von Neumann's Chain" 110 CHAPTER 5: Quantum Physics and Realism 113 5-1. Strong Objectivity and Realism 113 5-2. Intersubjective Agreement 127 5-3. Intersubjective Agreement and Empirical Reality 127 5-4. Conceptual Glimpses; Carnap, Quine, Primas; Relative Ontologies 129 CHAPTER 6: Universal Laws and the "Reality" Question 134 6-1. The "Theoretical Framework" Notion 134 6-2. Antiuniversalism and "Realism about Entities" 136 6-3. "Pythagorism" ("Einsteinism") 142 6-4. Remarks Concerning Two "Macrorealisms" 145 6-5. Quantum Mechanics as a Universal Theoretical Framework 146 6-6. Antirealism 148 CHAPTER 7: Antirealism and Physics; the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Problem; Methodological Operationalism 152 7-1. "Value of a Quantum Physical Quantity" in the Antirealist Framework 152 7-2. Operationalism (Alias "Instrumentalism") 156 7-3. On "Meaning" and "Prediction" 166 CHAPTER 8: Measurement and Decoherence, Universality Revisited 168 8-1. Introduction 168 8-2. Decoherence 177 8-3. Decoherence and State Robustness 189 8-4. The Everett-Zurek Semirealist Approach 190 8-5. Universality Revisited 192 CHAPTER 9: Various Realist Attempts 196 9-1. Introduction 196 9-2. On Our Intellectual Craving for Realism 196 9-3. The Broglie-Bohm Approach 199 9-4. The So-Called "Modal" Interpretation 206 9-5. The Heisenberg Representation: It Does Not, by Itself, Yield a Solution 209 9-6. Feynman's Reformulation and the Corresponding "Fabricated Ontology" 211 9-7. A "Realism of Signification" 216 9-8. Nonlinear Realist Quantum Theories 220 9-9. Outlook 222 CHAPTER 10: Schrodinger's Cat, Wigner's Friend, and Veiled Reality 225 10-1. Introduction 225 10-2. Of Pointers and Cats 225 10-3. Wigner's Friend 228 10-4. The Veiled Reality Hypothesis 236 PART 2: A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS CHAPTER 11: Science and Philosophy 249 11-1. The Impossible Split 249 11-2. Epistemology in the Late Twentieth Century 250 11-3. A Critical Glance at Some Claims 255 11-4. Physics and Linguistics 258 11-5. Sociologism 261 11-6. The End of Certainties? 263 CHAPTER 12: Materialisms 265 12-1. Introduction 265 12-2. Dialectical Materialism 265 12-3. The So-Called "Scientific" Materialism 266 12-4. "Neomaterialism" and Physics 272 12-5. The Purely Philosophical Aspects of Neomaterialism 276 12-6. Materialism and Wisdom 281 CHAPTER 13: Suggestions from Kantism 282 13-1. Introduction 282 13-2. A Look at Kantism 282 13-3. Facing the Refusal of the Independent Reality Notion 291 13-4. Kant and Our Contemporaries 306 CHAPTER 14: Causality and Observational Predictability 312 14-1. Introduction 312 14-2. Causes and Laws 312 14-3. Determinism and Causality 315 14-4. Determinism and Chaos 316 14-5. Quantum Indeterminacy 319 14-6. Predictability and Reliability Revisited 326 14-7. The Influence Notion Revisited 330 CHAPTER 15: Explanation and Phenomena 333 15-1. Introduction 333 15-2. The Notion of Explanation 333 15-3. Back to the "Explanatory Power of Predictive Rules" Question 342 15-4. Empirical Reality and Abstractions, Explanation, and Empirical Causality 344 15-5. The Rainbow Analogy 347 15-6. Removing the "Paradox of the Dinosaurs" 351 15-7. The "False Explanation" Question 352 CHAPTER 16: Mind and Things 354 16-1. Empiricism, Positivism, and So On 354 16-2. Phenomenalism 355 16-3. Ambiguities about Innatism 366 16-4. Poincare, Conventionalism, and Structural Realism 368 CHAPTER 17: Pragmatic-Transcendental versus Veiled Reality Approaches 376 17-1. Introduction 376 17-2. Replies to Michel Bitbol's and Herve Zwirn's Objections 376 17-3. The Pragmatic-Transcendental Approach 396 17-4. A Few Notes on Zwirn's Approach 402 CHAPTER 18: Objects and Consciousness 405 18-1. Introduction 405 18-2. Truth: Definitions and Criteria 406 18-3. Objects and "Orders," or "Levels," of Reality 408 18-4. A Few Remarks Concerning Sensations 411 18-5. On the Question of the Plurality of Minds 426 CHAPTER 19: The "Ground of Things" 429 19-1. Introduction 429 19-2. Mystery, Affectivity, and Meaning 429 19-3. Do Things Have a "Ground"? Pro and Con Received Arguments 434 19-4. Some Consequences of the Evolution of Physics 443 19-5. The Veiled Reality Conception Reexamined 449 APPENDIX 1: The Bell Theorem 465 A. Proof 465 B. A Simplified Proof 470 C. A Glance at the Experimental State of Things 473 D. Historical Comments and a Short Bibliography 474 APPENDIX 2: Consistent Histories, Counterfactuality, and Bell's Theorem 477 APPENDIX 3 Correlation-at-a-Distance in the Broglie-Bohm Model 483 References 485 Name Index 493 Subject Index 497

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Book SynopsisAn essential introduction to the philosophy of biologyThis is a concise, comprehensive, and accessible introduction to the philosophy of biology written by a leading authority on the subject. Geared to philosophers, biologists, and students of both, the book provides sophisticated and innovative coverage of the central topics and many of the latest developments in the field. Emphasizing connections between biological theories and other areas of philosophy, and carefully explaining both philosophical and biological terms, Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses the relation between philosophy and science; examines the role of laws, mechanistic explanation, and idealized models in biological theories; describes evolution by natural selection; and assesses attempts to extend Darwin''s mechanism to explain changes in ideas, culture, and other phenomena. Further topics include functions and teleology, individuality and organisms, species, the tree of life, and human nature. The bookTrade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "Tracing the history of the great debates and ideas that punctuated this specialty, Peter Godfrey-Smith offers a clear and accessible introduction, which extends to the review of its current key issues. This book will interest course philosophers and biologists, but also sociologists and psychologists, as the issues come from classic biology and philosophy."--Romaric Jannel, Liens Socio "Peter Godfrey-Smith's Philosophy of Biology ... [is] a great way to get up to speed on all the issues that working biologists love to debate amongst themselves... [N]on-specialists should not be put off. Godfrey-Smith's style is engaging, almost conversational."--John Farrell, Forbes.com "Here, Godfrey-Smith, a prominent and prolific scholar working in the field, delivers an elegant and stimulating analysis of key areas in the life sciences where conceptual questions arise regularly... Godfrey-Smith provides an exemplar of expositional clarity and philosophical insight for those who would imitate his approach in these domains."--Choice "[O]ne of the very best textbooks in its field."--Brian Garvey, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "[A]lthough it is too brief to be the only text for any course, it would be a perfect addition to or foundation for the reading list for many. And no practicing biologist who reads it is likely to think her time was wasted."--W. Ford Doolittle, Current Biology "Philosophy of Biology can be recommended mainly as an excellent resource for teachers. They will find an up to date overview of important topics and can rely on the further reading sections to supplement this volume with additional material."--Christina Behme, Metapsychology "Philosophy of Biology is a valuable addition to the introductions already out there, and one that stands out in many ways."--Joeri Witteveen, History and Philosophy of Life SciencesTable of ContentsPreface ix CHAPTER ONE Philosophy and Biology 1 CHAPTER TWO Laws, Mechanisms, and Models 11 CHAPTER THREE Evolution and Natural Selection 28 CHAPTER FOUR Adaptation, Construction, Function 50 CHAPTER FIVE Individuals 66 CHAPTER SIX Genes 81 CHAPTER SEVEN Species and the Tree of Life 100 CHAPTER EIGHT Evolution and Social Behavior 120 CHAPTER NINE Information 144 References 159 Index 179

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Shapin and Schaffer work out the implications of these debates [between Hobbes and Boyle] for the history of science with great skill of interpretation and exposition. They use their findings and their analysis to give an explanation of the experimental enterprise in general, which, although it is not philosophical in nature, always takes philosophy most seriously. This is simply one of the most original, enjoyable and important books published in the history of science in recent years."--Owen Hannaway, Technology and Culture "If any proof of the intellectual buoyancy or intrinsic worth of the history and philosophy for science was needed, nothing better could be provided than this study by Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer... Their findings suggest the futility of wrenching science from its ideological context, and not only with respect to the seventeenth century; they also detect parallels with the crisis of confidence affecting contemporary science."--Charles Webster, The Times Literary Supplement Praise for Princeton's previous editions: "Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer have ventured beyond ordinary history of science or history of ideas to produce a novel 'exercise in the sociology of scientific knowledge.' ... a historical study rich in new interpretations and notable for the use of sources of a kind not hitherto fully exploited by scholars."--Clive Holmes, American Historical Review "[T]he most influential text in our field since Thomas Kuhn'sStructure of Scientific Revolutions."--James Secord, Isis "This is simply one of the most original, enjoyable, and important books published in the history of science in recent years."--Owen Hannaway, Technology and Culture "[A]n unparalleled vignette of the birth pangs of a new style of reasoning."--Ian Hacking, British Journal for the History of Science "Before Shapin and Schaffer, other historians of science had studied scientific practice; other historians had studied the religious, political and cultural context of science. No one, before Shapin and Schaffer, had been capable of doing both at once."--Bruno Latour, author ofWe Have Never Been Modern "There is every reason to regard this as one of the most important achievements in science studies in the late twentieth century."--John H. Zammito, author ofA Nice Derangement of Epistemes "One of the most influential books in the modern history of science."--Melinda Baldwin, Physics Today

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Longlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, PEN America""One of Waterstones' Books of the Year 2020: Popular Science""Longlisted for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books for Young Adults""The role of happenstance in determining the fate of the world may seem a matter for philosophy more than science, but Carroll, a biologist, shows how central the idea is to everyday existence." * New York Times Book Review *"With conversational wit, Carroll encourages us to embrace the randomness of the world."---Scott Hershberger, Scientific American"The Yucatan asteroid is an epic example of the sheer randomness which, as Sean B. Carroll argues in this short but thought-provoking book, rules both the universe and our own lives."---Nick Rennison, Daily Mail"Carroll takes readers on an entertaining tour of biological discovery that emphasizes the dominant role played by chance in shaping the conditions for life on Earth. Along the way, he provides insights and humor that make the book a quick, lively read that both educates and entertains. . . . Books such as this remind us to make our unlikely time here count."---Ivor Knight, Science"Carroll’s work renders hefty topics accessible, exploring the perfect storm of events responsible for evolution, the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and every living person’s conception."---Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine"It is to biologist Sean B. Carroll’s credit that he’s found a way of taking a puzzle that could easily fill volumes (and probably has filled volumes), and presenting it to us in a slim, non-technical, and fun little book."---Dan Falk, Undark"A history book about humanity told with wit and style."---John Brandon, Forbes"A short, sweet, and scientifically solid view of life." * Kirkus, starred review *"I couldn’t put it down. If you’re at all interested in science, you’ll keep turning these pages."---Flora Taylor, American Scientist"If you enjoyed Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, you'll like this breezy, equally amusing trip through time. . . . A stellar little book about science.""---Jenny Nicholls, Waiheke Weekender"In Carroll, three traits that are rare in themselves conjoin in an even rarer alignment: a command of multiple scientific fields, an unrivaled ability to clearly explain complex scientific concepts, and a deep instinct for storytelling. It is only fitting that such an unlikely combination produced A Series of Fortunate Events, since this discipline-spanning, highly engaging volume is all about the unlikely combinations that gave rise to all life, to the human species, and to each of us as unique individuals."---Barbara N. Horowitz, The Quarterly Review of Biology"Entertaining and informative, Carroll’s latest is a real eye-opener."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Golf games, coincidental immunity, and pandemics: A Series of Fortunate Events ranges from examining trivial events to sobering ones, but remains relevant throughout, revealing how chance affects everyday life."---Rebecca Foster, Foreword Reviews"Entertaining and informative, Carroll’s latest is a real eye-opener."---Dr Alyson Hitch, The Bay"This book lays bare how often unpredictable events have shaped our world; it educates, engages, and entertains."---R. M. Denome, Choice"A short and charming book that will give you a new appreciation of the vagaries of life and their influence."---Ian Simmons, Fortean Times"This is an accessible and fun book but be forewarned that it might leave you wanting more. Personally, I take that as a good sign."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist

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Book SynopsisOver the last forty years, scientists have uncovered evidence that if the Universe had been forged with even slightly different properties, life as we know it - and life as we can imagine it - would be impossible. Join us on a journey through how we understand the Universe, from its most basic particles and forces, to planets, stars and galaxies, and back through cosmic history to the birth of the cosmos. Conflicting notions about our place in the Universe are defined, defended and critiqued from scientific, philosophical and religious viewpoints. The authors'' engaging and witty style addresses what fine-tuning might mean for the future of physics and the search for the ultimate laws of nature. Tackling difficult questions and providing thought-provoking answers, this volumes challenges us to consider our place in the cosmos, regardless of our initial convictions.Trade Review'My colleagues, Geraint and Luke, in A Fortunate Universe, take you on a tour of the Cosmos in all of its glory, and all of its mystery. You will see that humanity appears to be part of a remarkable set of circumstances involving a special time around a special planet, which orbits a special star, all within a specially constructed Universe. It is these sets of conditions that have allowed humans to ponder our place in space and time. I have no idea why we are here, but I do know the Universe is beautiful. A Fortunate Universe captures the mysterious beauty of the Cosmos in a way that all can share.' Brian Schmidt, Australian National University, Canberra, and Nobel Laureate in Physics (2011), from the Foreword'Geraint Lewis and Luke Barnes provide a breathtaking tour of contemporary physics from the subatomic to the cosmological scale. Everywhere they find the Universe to be fine-tuned for complex structure. If the quark masses, or the basic forces, or the cosmological constant had been much different, the Universe would have been a sterile wasteland. It seems that the only reactions are either to embrace a multiverse or a designer. The authors have constructed a powerful case for the specialness of our Universe.' Tim Maudlin, New York University'The Universe could have been of such a nature that no life at all could exist. The anthropic question asks why the constants of nature that enter various physical laws are such as to permit life to come into being. This engaging book is a well-written and detailed explanation of all the many ways these physical constants affect the possibility of life, considering atomic, nuclear and particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. It then discusses in an open-minded way the variety of explanations one might give for this strange fine-tuning, possible solutions ranging from pure chance, existence of multiverses, or theistic explanations. The book is the most comprehensive current discussion of this intriguing range of issues. Highly recommended.' George Ellis, University of Cape Town'Lewis and Barnes' book is the most up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive explication of the evidence that the Universe is fine-tuned for life. It is also among the two most philosophically sophisticated treatments, all the while being accessible to a non-academic audience. I strongly recommend this book.' Robin Collins, Messiah College, Pennsylvania'… charming, intelligent and exceedingly well-written … a gentle stroll through the details of the Standard Model of particle physics, as well as the Standard Model of cosmology, but [the authors] lead us with such a light hand, a streak of humour and a lack of pedantry that the information is easily absorbed … Lewis and Barnes show us how small changes lead to a variety of disasters. ('Ruining a universe is easy' Mr. Barnes quips) … Is [our universe] a happy coincidence, as the authors ask each other in an amusing mock debate modeled on one Galileo wrote 400 years earlier, or is there some deeper reason? Where does science go from here? Does what has been popularly called a theory of everything exist? Is there a multiverse? Must we be satisfied with an anthropic principle? The authors discuss these questions and more in a final dialogue.' Gino Segrè, The Wall Street Journal'A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos by Geraint Lewis and Luke Barnes, is a nice up to date book for the general (educated) public on modern physics and cosmology. If covers modern cosmology and some of the Big Questions of our times, in particular the issue of anthropomorphism how 'fine tuned' our Universe is.' Steinn Sigurðsson, ScienceBlogs (www.scienceblogs.com)'… what is truly unique about this book is that it presents the data at a popular level so that the material is accessible to anyone interested in this topic … As I read the book, I was awestruck by the finely-tuned constants and conditions that had to be just right to get a universe that would permit life … This evidence should move each one of us to ask, what is the best explanation of this incredible fine-tuning?' Tim Barnett, Stand to Reason (www.str.org)'A Fortunate Universe is basically a book of physics, written by two scientists who are fascinated by the question 'Why are we here?' The language is straightforward, the style is easy, often witty, with short digestible paragraphs, and yet the subject-matter is inevitably dense and demanding … It is pleasing to come across the line 'we do not know' so regularly in this book about the fundamentals of science, which echoes the book of Job … When science reaches its limits, we have to consider a different kind of explanation for why the laws of nature are as they are, and why they are so finely tuned for the emergence of intelligent life. … [The authors] wonder if classical arguments for the existence of God have anything to say about the fine-tuning of the universe, speculating whether God is a necessary being and whether our sense of truth and morality hint at God's inevitable existence.' Adam Ford, Church Times'In this book, the authors deal with nothing less than the question of how it is possible that we exist. In an introductory and a closing chapter, the first of which introduces the subject in a simple dialogue, and the latter, in turn, completes the dialogue in the same colloquial manner, the authors draw a detailed picture of our universe and, in particular, how peculiar our existence is. … Reading this book is a great pleasure, not only intellectual, but also entertaining. … They describe what is and what could be. They give their audience well-founded, solid scientific arguments, chat with them, and then leave their own thoughts. A highly readable, enriching, and knowledgeable book.' Matthias Bartelmann, translated from Sterne und Weltraum'The title claims that the Universe is finely tuned for the existence of life. The authors provide evidence for this, investigate various possible explanations, and rebut the most common criticisms … the book provides an opportunity to learn more at an accessible level … The case is well made that the Universe is finely tuned for life; the interesting question is why. It could be coincidence … Or could the Universe be no other way? … Was it designed? Did it evolve? Or are there many universes in a Multiverse, and we shouldn't be surprised that we live in one which allows life? … The arguments are clear; references are provided for those wishing to delve deeper; essentially all points of view are presented … This is an important topic and the book is a good summary of the field. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to those interested in the big Question.' Phillip Helbig, The Observatory'It is the vivid, direct tone and writing style of a friendly physics lecture that perhaps most sets this text apart among popular-level science books about 'big questions' … [The book] provides a big picture of the physics of fine-tuning, mostly accessible in lay terms, and gives aspiring philosophers of physics a taste of the tone and intellectual style one can find at cosmology conferences. Beyond that, it does so by showing the readers that a response from philosophers might be welcome. Because the authors make clear how their thinking is informed by works in metaphysics, philosophy of physics, epistemology, and the philosophy of religion, they tell the readers how they think philosophy does or could contribute, and where they think they do not know enough to see how it might.' Yann Benétreau-Dupin, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews'This book is for anyone who has ever wondered: 'Why is it so?' With colourful analogies and admirably accurate simplifications, Geraint and Luke have succeeded in making much of modern physics and cosmology comprehensible … They address the biggest questions of science. What is dark energy? What is dark matter? Why is there something rather than nothing? Why is there more matter than antimatter? Where did the laws physics come from? Do we live in a multiverse? Do we live in a simulation? How different could the universe have been? If God is omnipotent, why does evil exist? … Not even the popular scientist and writer Paul Davies tries to address so many important big questions in one book … I enjoyed the book a lot, but I disagreed with the main thesis. No matter what your religious beliefs are, this book will make you think.' Charley Lineweaver, The Conversation (www.theconversation.com)'What makes this part of the book different from many other works on fine-tuning is the degree to which Lewis and Barnes explain the physics of fine-tuning … they explain how the proton mass is a function of the quark masses, and these in turn of the Higgs field, and this in turn, perhaps, of supersymmetry. The reader's understanding of fine-tuning is deepened, and [they] … [come] to see that at every level fine-tuning appears. … [T]he authors discuss the philosophical issues that surround fine-tuning. The handling of these issues displays Luke Barnes's philosophical sophistication. Barnes is thoroughly familiar with the work of analytic philosophers on these issues and has interesting contributions to make to the discussion. … I highly recommend it for students of fine-tuning.' William Lane Craig, Philosophia Christi'Geraint Lewis and Luke Barnes's lucid, fast-paced, and funny new book might best be summed up in their own words: 'Our conclusion is that the fundamental properties of the Universe appear to be fine-tuned for life'. As the authors carefully explain in A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos, it doesn't matter whether other kinds of life are out there. It's enough that there is life here on Earth to raise the question of why the universe is the way it is, seemingly fine-tuned to allow for life. After all, in the vast parameter space of hypothetical universes, life is a tight fit. Change the fundamental constants, or the basic laws of physics, or the low-entropy, free-energy-rich initial state of the universe, and the story on Earth would have been radically different. Life has very little wiggle room.' Marcelo Gleiser, Physics Today'The tone is lively, and these authors are witty; their banter is appealing; and the indulgences are infrequent and always welcome. … Both authors of A Fortunate Universe are physicists and cosmologists, so they are in a position to avoid the scientific inaccuracies that weaken other attempts to explore the philosophical consequences of cosmic fine-tuning. On the other hand, it is rare to find physicists capable of avoiding even elementary errors in discussing the metaphysical implications of their work. But I can find at least no obvious misunderstandings in Lewis and Barnes's discussions of Aristotle or Boethius or Aquinas. Equally refreshing, they seem to have enough humility to recognize that philosophical investigations, like scientific investigations, do require a serious investment of time and study. … We may be approaching a new era in the relation between science and philosophy. Stranger things have happened in human history.' Tucker Landy, InterpretationTable of ContentsForeword Brian Schmidt; Preface; 1. A conversation on fine-tuning; 2. I'm only human!; 3. Can you feel the force?; 4. Energy and entropy; 5. The Universe is expanding; 6. All bets are off!; 7. A dozen (or so) reactions to fine-tuning; 8. A conversation continued; Further reading; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisDr Francis S. Collins, head of the Human Genome Project, is one of the world's leading scientists, working at the cutting edge of the study of DNA, the code of life. Yet he is also a man of unshakable faith in God. How does he reconcile the seemingly unreconcilable? In THE LANGUAGE OF GOD he explains his own journey from atheism to faith, and then takes the reader on a stunning tour of modern science to show that physics, chemistry and biology -- indeed, reason itself -- are not incompatible with belief. His book is essential reading for anyone who wonders about the deepest questions of all: why are we here? How did we get here? And what does life mean?

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Waterstones' Books of the Year 2020: Popular Science""Shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Prize for Science Books""One of the Financial Times' Summer Books of 2020: Science""One of the Financial Times' Best Books of 2020: Science""One of Symmetry Magazine's Top Physics Books of 2020""Many distinguished physicists have set out to explain their weird and wonderful world to lay readers but few have done so with the simple elegance of Al-Khalili, a physics professor at the University of Surrey best known for his radio and television programmes about science. He calls this book 'an ode to physics'; it is also an ode to joy in science."---Clive Cookson, Financial Times"Jim Al-Khalili's The World According to Physics is a thrilling ride . . . [it] makes cutting-edge physics easily understandable and makes it clear why he fell in love with the subject as a teenager."---Richard Webb, New Scientist"Broadcaster and quantum physicist Jim Al-Khalili is a superb guide to the fundamental principles of quantum theory, relativity and thermodynamics." * Mail on Sunday *"Al-Khalili shows how physics can enrich our understanding not just of the world around us, but of ourselves, too."---Hannah Shaddock, Radio Times"A deeply insightful exploration into reality itself."---Jonathan Wells, Gentleman's Journal"A fantastic book . . . [it] helped me to remember what I first loved about the subject."---Daniel Bennett, BBC Science Focus Podcast"A quantum physicist and BBC host introduces modern physics by explaining its fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, then describing the field’s three pillars—quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics." * Publishers Weekly *"This book is a refreshing, equations-free, occasionally philosophical take on what physics is all about that should appeal to physicists and the public alike." * Nature Astronomy *"Ever wanted to get into quantum physics, but been afraid to try? This book might be the answer. Bestselling author and BBC host Jim Al-Kahlili invites us to understand reality and the universe better as he explains modern physics to us."---Claire Handscombe, Book Riot"People should enjoy physics, says Al-Khalili, and you can’t help thinking as you are propelled along through the historical and familiar principles, as well as more recent and emerging ideas, that he is entirely correct. . . . The beauty of [Al-Khalili's] approach is that it keeps open the sense of wonder, discovery and possibility that is so attractive to the non-specialist reader."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Teachers will be able to mine Al-Khalili’s text for wonderful facts and examples that are scattered throughout the book. . . . Al-Khalili has melded his expertise in physics and as a science communicator to very good effect indeed."---Rick Marshall, Physics Education"Al-Khalili travels from the quantum to the cosmological in exploring the science of matter, energy, space and time that underlie all our everyday experiences and technologies."---Mike Perricone, Symmetry Magazine"This very insightful book illustrates why physics matters to everyone and calls on anyone and everyone to engage in the profound adventure of pursuing truth in the world around us."---Ali Kaya, Abakcus

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Book SynopsisThe definitive account of the great Bohr-Einstein debate and its continuing legacyIn 1927, Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein began a debate about the interpretation and meaning of the new quantum theory. This would become one of the most famous debates in the history of science. At stake were an understanding of the purpose, and defense of the integrity, of science. What (if any) limits should we place on our expectations for what science can tell us about physical reality?Our protagonists slowly disappeared from the vanguard of physics, as its centre of gravity shifted from a war-ravaged Continental Europe to a bold, pragmatic, post-war America. What Einstein and Bohr had considered to be matters of the utmost importance were now set aside. Their debate was regarded either as settled in Bohr''s favour or as superfluous to real physics.But the debate was not resolved. The problems of interpretation and meaning persisted, at least in the minds of a few stubborn physicists, such as David Bo

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Book SynopsisEvidence-Based Technical Analysis examines how you can apply the scientific method, and recently developed statistical tests, to determine the true effectiveness of technical trading signals. Throughout the book, expert David Aronson provides you with comprehensive coverage of this new methodology, which is specifically designed for evaluating the performance of rules/signals that are discovered by data mining.Trade Review"…his book is well written and contains a great deal of information that is of value…." (The Technical Analyst, May/June 2007)Table of ContentsAcknowledgments. About the Author. Introduction. PART I Methodological, Psychological, Philosophical, and Statistical Foundations. CHAPTER 1 Objective Rules and Their Evaluation. CHAPTER 2 The Illusory Validity of Subjective Technical Analysis. CHAPTER 3 The Scientific Method and Technical Analysis. CHAPTER 4 Statistical Analysis. CHAPTER 5 Hypothesis Tests and Confidence Intervals. CHAPTER 6 Data-Mining Bias: The Fool’s Gold of Objective TA. CHAPTER 7 Theories of Nonrandom Price Motion. PART II Case Study: Signal Rules for the S&P 500 Index. CHAPTER 8 Case Study of Rule Data Mining for the S&P 500. CHAPTER 9 Case Study Results and the Future of TA. APPENDIX Proof That Detrending Is Equivalent to Benchmarking Based on Position Bias. Notes. Index.

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Book SynopsisResurrects the largely forgotten figure of Velikovsky and uses his strange career and surprisingly influential writings to explore the changing definitions of the line that separates legitimate scientific inquiry from what is deemed bunk and to show how vital this question remains to us today.Trade Review"A slyly funny writer.... Make no mistake: Michael D. Gordin's sympathies are not with the occult. His fascination with pseudoscience is more like a negative method: the experts define the boundaries of their domain by fending off the quacks. For Gordin, pseudoscience is an instrument by which he takes the temperature of the past.... The Pseudoscience Wars is a relatively slim volume, but Gordin siphons into it an overwhelming amount of information." (New Republic) "Those who are interested in how bad ideas start, how they diffuse, how they covet and resist confrontation, and how they wax and wane in popularity over time will find much food for thought in this gripping book." (Science) "Scholarly and highly readable.... Michael D. Gordin's historical analysis of pseudoscience remains disturbingly relevant." (Nature)"

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Book SynopsisA flexible and comprehensive introduction to the main currents in philosophy of science.

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Book SynopsisWhat is life? This is among the most difficult open problems in science, right up there with the nature of consciousness and the existence of matter. All the definitions we have fall short. None help us understand how life originates or the full range of possibilities for what life on other planets might look like.In LIFE AS NO ONE KNOWS IT, physicist and astrobiologist Sara Imari Walker argues that solving the origin of life requires radical new thinking and an experimentally testable theory for what life is. This is an urgent issue for efforts to make life from scratch in laboratories here on Earth and missions searching for life on other planets.Walker proposes a new paradigm for understanding what physics encompasses and what we recognize as life. She invites us into a world of maverick scientists working without a map, seeking not just answers but better ways to formulate the biggest questions we have about the universe. The book culminates with the bold proposal of a new theory for identifying and classifying life, one that applies not just to biological life on Earth but to any instance of life in the universe. Rigorous, accessible, and vital, LIFE AS NO ONE KNOWS IT celebrates the mystery of life and the explanatory power of physics.

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Book Synopsis‘Fascinating’ – Brian Cox, Mail on Sunday Books of the Year Where are we? Who are we? Do our beliefs, hopes and dreams hold any significance out there in the void? Can human purpose and meaning ever fit into a scientific worldview? Award-winning author Sean Carroll brings his extraordinary intellect to bear on the realms of knowledge, the laws of nature and the most profound questions about life, death and our place in it all. From Darwin and Einstein to the origins of life, consciousness and the universe itself, Carroll combines cosmos-sprawling science and profound thought in a quest to explain our world. Destined to sit alongside the works of our greatest thinkers, The Big Picture demonstrates that while our lives may be forever dwarfed by the immensity of the universe, they can be redeemed by our capacity to comprehend it and give it meaning.Trade Review‘It’s very much in the tradition of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, which is one of my all-time favourite science books. Books like that are not only about science, they put science in the wider context of our society…they explain and present not only the things we’ve learned about a relatively esoteric subject, but link those discoveries to our experience. Learning about nature teaches us about ourselves and how we should behave. I think that the best science books make that connection.’ -- Professor Brian Cox, ‘science writers on the books that inspired them’, Guardian‘An extraordinarily ambitious synthesis of science and philosophy…The Big Picture impresses. Carroll is a lively and sympathetic author who writes as well about biology and philosophy as he does about his own field of physics.’ * Clive Cookson, Financial Times *‘Bold...rich in detail and absorbing.’ * Tim Radford, Guardian *‘Sean Carroll’s lucid The Big Picture reveals how the universe works and our place in it. Carroll, a philosophically sophisticated physicist, discusses consciousness without gimmicks, and deftly shows how current physics is so solid that it rules out ESP for ever.’ * Observer *‘A humane and compelling story for our increasingly secular age.’ * Manjit Kumar, Literary Review *‘A highly enjoyable and lucid tour through a wide range of topics…even if you don’t agree with what [Carroll] says, you are unlikely to be enraged by such an urbane and engaging lecturer; more likely, you will be enthralled.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Language, philosophy, quantum mechanics, general relativity – they’re all in The Big Picture. Sean Carroll is a fantastically erudite and entertaining writer.’ -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of New York Times bestseller The Sixth Extinction‘Weaving the threads of astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and philosophy into a seamless narrative tapestry, Sean Carroll enthralls us with what we’ve figured out in the universe and humbles us with what we don’t yet understand. Yet in the end, it’s the meaning of it all that feeds your soul of curiosity.’ -- Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey‘Carroll beautifully articulates the world view suggested by contemporary naturalism. Thorny issues like free will, the direction of time, and the source of morality are clarified with elegance and insight... This is a book that should be read by everybody.’ -- Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics‘A tour de force that offers a comprehensive snapshot of the human situation in our infinitely strange universe, and it does this with highly accessible language and engaging storytelling.’ * Salon.com *‘Carroll’s new book reveals how physicists’ quest to better understand the fundamental laws of nature has led to astonishing insights into life, the universe, and everything.’ -- Sabine Hossenfelder, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies‘[Carroll] sets out to show how various phenomena, including thought, choice, consciousness, and value, hang together with the scientific account of reality that has been developed in physics in the past 100 years. He attempts to do all this without relying on specialized jargon from philosophy and physics and succeeds spectacularly in achieving both aims.’ * Science *‘From the Big Bang to the meaning of human existence, The Big Picture is exactly that – a magisterial, yet deeply fascinating, grand tour through the issues that really matter. Blending science and philosophy, Sean Carroll gives us a humane perspective on the universe and our place in it. As gripping as it is important, The Big Picture can change the way you think about the world.’ -- Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish‘Instead of feeling humbled and insignificant when gazing upward on a clear starry night, Carroll takes us by the hand and shows us how fantastic the inanimate physical Universe is and how special each animate human can be. It is lucid, spirited, and penetrating.’ -- Michael Gazzaniga, author of Who's in Charge? and Tales from Both Sides of the Brain‘In this timely exploration of the universe and its mysteries – both physical and metaphysical – Sean Carroll illuminates the world around us with clarity, beauty and, ultimately, with much needed wisdom.’ -- Deborah Blum, director, Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, author of The Poisoner’s Handbook‘A nuanced inquiry into ‘how our desire to matter fits in with the nature of reality at its deepest levels,’ in which Carroll offers an assuring dose of what he calls "existential therapy" reconciling the various and often seemingly contradictory dimensions of our experience.’ -- Maria Popova, Brain Pickings‘Sean Carroll is a leading theoretical cosmologist with the added ability to write about his subject with unusual clarity, flare, and wit.’ -- Alan Lightman, author of The Accidental Universe and Einstein’s Dreams‘Carroll is the perfect guide to this wondrous journey of discovery. A brilliantly lucid exposition of profound philosophical and scientific issues...’ * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[Renn’s] new tour de force, The Evolution of Knowledge, addresses all those concerned with science’s fate. . . . In the 1930s, at a moment of existential crisis comparable to today’s, [Edmund] Husserl likewise sought to reorient science around shared human experiences and common human needs. Yet Husserl, a notoriously opaque writer, had little hope of communicating his message to the scientific community. With this lucid and accessible book, Renn stands a far greater chance of success."---Deborah R. Coen, Science"This is an important book and one that powerfully advances our understanding of how knowledge operates in society while directly engaging with pressing contemporary issues."---Geoffrey Cantor, Times Higher Education"A global history of knowledge is a breathtakingly ambitious project. . . . Renn faces down the difficulties of crafting such an account with skill and resolve. The result is provocative and challenging."---Joseph D. Martin, Physics Today"In The Evolution of Knowledge, both academics and nonacademics concerned with the state of our planet will find a lot to think with and elaborate on. This erudite, rich, and important book indeed opens conversations rather than closing them."---Raf De Bont, Isis"This book should be required reading for all who consider themselves students of the history of knowledge."---Alfred Freeborn, History of Human Sciences"An inspiring survey of the products of Renn's long career."---Jeremy Trevelyan Burman, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences

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Book SynopsisPresents the basic approaches underlying Stafford Beera s thinking since the publication of his first book in 1959. Deals with a philosophy of science relevant to management and particularly with the nature of models. Demonstrates all major points through examples quoted of management science applications to industry and government.Table of ContentsTHE NATURE OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH. An Initial Posture. On Fixing Belief. Some Dangerous Precedents. The Wedged Bear. The New Look. THE ACTIVITY OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH. About Models. Models in Aspic. The Formal Languages. A Walk in the Ramified System. Apollo's Gift. THE RELEVANCE OF CYBERNETICS. About Systems. Coping with Complexity. Controlling Operations. Self-Organizing Systems. Controlling Enterprises. OUTCOMES. The Outcome for Industry. Information and Automation. The Outcome for Government. The Outcome for Management Science. On Practicability. Index.

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Book SynopsisOffering an engaging and accessible portrait of the current state of the field, Philosophy of Science: A New Introduction shows students how to think philosophically about science and why it is both essential and fascinating to do so. Gillian Barker and Philip Kitcher reconsider the core questions in philosophy of science in light of the multitude of changes that have taken place in the decades since the publication of C.G. Hempel's classic work, Philosophy of Natural Science (1966)--both in the field and also in history and sociology of science and the sciences themselves. They explore how philosophical questions are connected to vigorous current debates--including climate change, science and religion, race, intellectual property rights, and medical research priorities--showing how these questions, and philosophers' attempts to answer them, matter in the real world. Featuring numerous illustrative examples and extensive further reading lists, Philosophy of Science: A New Introduction is ideal for courses in philosophy of science, history and philosophy of science, and epistemology/theory of knowledge. It is also compelling and illuminating reading for scientists, science students, and anyone interested in the natural sciences and in their place in global society today.Trade ReviewThis new textbook from Barker and Kitcher is a wonderful attempt to create a new thoroughly more modern kind of general philosophy of science course that embraces the true expansiveness of the field and the modern concern of philosophers to move beyond traditional epistemological and metaphysical debates In a very short space of text, this book makes a highly accessible case for an open and inclusive philosophy of science. * Metascience *This is a fine book. It provides interesting insights into the philosophy of science underpinning most natural-science research Villy Søgaard, University of Southern DenmarkTable of ContentsEACH CHAPTER ENDS WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING; CHAPTER 1: SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY; CHAPTER 2: THE ANALYTIC PROJECT; CHAPTER 3: THE VIEW FROM THE SCIENCES; CHAPTER 4: SCIENCE, HISTORY, AND SOCIETY; CHAPTER 5: CRITICAL VOICES; CHAPTER 6: SCIENCE, VALUES, AND POLITICS

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Book SynopsisPsychologists, sociologists, philosophers, historians - and even scientists themselves - have often tried to decipher the basis for creativity in science. Some have attributed creativity to a special logic, the so-called scientific method, whereas others have pointed to the inspirations of genius or to the inevitable workings of the zeitgeist. Finally, some have viewed scientific breakthroughs as the product of chance, as witnessed in the numerous episodes of serendipity. Too often these four alternative interpretations are seen as mutually exclusive. Yet the central thesis of this book is that the chance, logic, genius, and zeitgeist perspectives can be integrated into a single coherent theory of creativity in science. But for this integration to succeed, change must be elevated to the status of primary cause. Logic, genius and the zeitgeist still have significant roles to play but mainly operate insofar as they enhance, or constrain the operation of a chance combinatorial process.Trade Review"This engaging and insightful book explores the four candidates that traditionally have been suggested to explain creativity in science. Recommended." -R.M. Davis, Albion College, CHOICE"Simonton is a very clear writer, and the empirical support he marshals is impressive. Although the book begins with an advisement of mathematical formulae to be used, Simonton does not bog the reader down with equations. Instead, he affirms the superiority of the change approach as an overarching explanation to scientific creativity with a thorough account of how the causal predictions based on the logic, genius, and zeitgeist perspectives ultimately contradict available data." -Christopher H. Ramey, Department of Psychology, Florida Southern College, Philosophical PsychologyTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction: scientific creativity; 2. Creative products; 3. Combinatorial processes; 4. Scientific activity; 5. Creative scientists; 6. Scientific discovery; 7. Consolidation: creativity in science; References; Index.

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