Philosophy of science Books

Book SynopsisDoes human nature constrain social and political change, or do social and political changes transform human nature? Why Human Nature Matters argues that the answer to both questions is yes'. This philosophical account offers new tools for connecting biological and political perspectives on humanity. The focus is on the construction of human relations and environments, and on the complex materiality of these transformations.The structure and history of the philosophical and scientific debates on human nature show that political praxis and ideas about human nature interact in a variety of ways. Ideas about human nature affect how people live their lives, organize their societies, and imagine their futures. The book explores these processes and their implications for the present state of our species. Appeals to human nature can uphold the status quo or advocate for change, and they can be wielded for exclusion or inclusion. The book proposes ways of thinking about human Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Part I 1. Cooperation Social Beings Political Animals Superorganisms 2. Transformation Natura Pura Natura Lapsa Regnum 3. Subordination Slaves and Women Slaves and Colonies Part II 4. Essentialism Sciences and Channels Darwin’s Barnacles Ideal Types and Genealogies After Essentialism 5. Post-Essentialism Statistical Typicality Human Diversity Human Niches and Human Praxis Our Common Humanity Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSince the discovery of the structure of DNA and the birth of the genetic age, a powerful vocabulary has emerged to express science’s growing command over the matter of life. Armed with knowledge of the code that governs all living things, biology and biotechnology are poised to edit, even rewrite, the texts of life to correct nature’s mistakes. Yet, how far should the capacity to manipulate what life is at the molecular level authorize science to define what life is for? This book looks at flash points in law, politics, ethics, and culture to argue that science’s promises of perfectibility have gone too far. Science may have editorial control over the material elements of life, but it does not supersede the languages of sense-making that have helped define human values across millennia: the meanings of autonomy, integrity, and privacy; the bonds of kinship, family, and society; and the place of humans in nature.Trade Review“Can Science Make Sense of Life? highlights critical perversions in our present governance of biotechnology: confusions between decoding genetic structures and engineering happiness; conflations of privately profitable patent interests and overall human betterment; and elisions between raw data and techno-optimism’s myth-making capacity. Founder of Harvard’s Science, Technology and Society program, Sheila Jasanoff makes an urgent and eloquent case for restoring broadly democratic humanistic complexity to the governing bodies that govern our bodies.”Patricia Williams, Columbia Law School “For those of us concerned with equitable distribution of technology, biodiversity, and the long-term health of the Earth, here is a thoughtful and up-to-date resource from an experienced scholar very close to the exponentially shifting events of risk and hope.”George Church, Wyss Institute, Harvard University “This timely and important work is a powerful reminder that we are still in the midst of a scientific revolution that demands shared decision-making regarding the boundary between natural and artificial life — what life is — as well as what life is for.”Doron Weber, The Washington Post"An insightful, ambitious and sophisticated overview of the difficulties faced in protecting humanistic understandings of life when they intersect with the understandings of life offered by the post-genetic life sciences."Metascience​

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Book Synopsis'What Fauber does well is humanize these four residents of the pantheon of science... The story is seldom less than fascinating. A readable, enjoyable contribution to the history of science.' - KirkusAn intimate examination of a scientific family - that of Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei. Fauber juxtaposes their scientific work with insight into their personal lives and political considerations, which shaped their pursuit of knowledge. Uniquely, he shows how their intergenerational collaboration made the scientific revolution possible. These brave scientists called each other 'brothers', 'fathers' and 'sons', and laid the foundations of modern science through familial co-work. And though the sixteenth century was far from an open society for women, there were female pioneers in this 'family' as well, including Brahe's sister Sophie, Kepler's mother, and Galileo's daughter. Filled with rich characters and sweeping historical scope, this book reveals how the strong connections between these pillars of intellectual history moved science forward.

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Book Synopsis'The most sheerly enjoyable history of science of recent years' The Spectator'This is one of the best science books I have read in a decade' Paul DaviesLife is Simple tells the remarkable story of how a thirteenth century monk's search for simplicity led to the emergence of the modern world.We begin in the turbulent times of the medieval friar, William of Occam, who first articulated the principle that the best answer to any problem is the simplest. This theory, known as Occam's razor, cut through the thickets of medieval metaphysics to clear a path for modern science. We follow the razor in the hands of the giants of science, from Copernicus, to Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Rubin and Higgs. Its success suggests that we live in the simplest possible habitable universe and supports the revolutionary theory that our cosmos has evolved.By highlighting the very human passion, curiosity, mistakes and struggles of those who were inspired by Occam's razor to create the modern world, Johnjoe McFadden provides new insight into what science is really about. And that the principle of simplicity is as relevant today as ever.Trade ReviewLIFE IS SIMPLE tells, in an entertaining and engaging way, the remarkable story of a simple idea that begins its epic journey 800 years ago with a medieval Franciscan friar and yet somehow still influences some of the most profound ideas in science today. -- Jim al-KhaliliOccam's razor, like Hobson's choice and Schrödinger's cat, is a phrase that's entered the language. We know more or less what it means without necessarily knowing anything about its inventor or realising the immense power it has as a philosophical and scientific principle. LIFE IS SIMPLE describes brilliantly the context in which William of Occam lived and worked, and the transforming effect that his simple-seeming doctrine has had on the development of our understanding of nature and the universe. -- Philip PullmanThe most sheerly enjoyable history of science of recent years -- Simon Ings, The SpectatorI read LIFE IS SIMPLE and found myself captured by the central premise: that science, though perceived as complicated, is actually the pursuit of simplicity. Johnjoe has created a fascinating book that weaves history, science and humanity together to illuminate what science really is - a topic that could not be more timely. The world is currently waking up to the complexities of science and its role in our world, and this book is an enlightening aid to that new understanding. -- Michael Brooks, physicist and science writerIn LIFE IS SIMPLE, geneticist Johnjoe McFadden offers a breezy but well-researched look at how the razor has inspired some of science's biggest ideas...his examples illustrate with persuasive power how 'simplicity continues to present us with the most profound, enigmatic and sometimes unsettling insights' into how the universe works -- Scientific AmericanLIFE IS SIMPLE is a history that takes you through many centuries of understanding the changing language and philosophy of science. I highly recommend you buy it -- Robin Ince, broadcaster and author of The Importance of Being Interested: Adventures in Scientific CuriosityWith flair and accessibility, McFadden walks readers through Occam's many intellectually revolutionary ideas...A dense, provocative, and satisfying foray into the history of science -- Kirkus ReviewsA compelling assessment of an idea many of us know but few deeply understand -- John Keogh, BooklistI learned a great deal from reading this book and I thought that the concept of simplicity as the main plot of the story worked well -- Bernard Lightman, Distinguished Research Professor, University of York, Canada. President History of Science Society and editor of Isis, the preeminent international History of Science journal.McFadden's love for William is hard to resist. If you are at all interested in the history of ideas, this is a fabulous read. Even after you've taken a few detours through other material to become better oriented in the controversy over what exactly he's good for, William plausibly still stands as a daring, original figure who deserves a place in the Pantheon, and McFadden has done a great service in bringing the whole William and his influence to wider attention. In short, Life is Simple is enthralling. -- Prospect MagazineCenturies ago, the principle of Ockham's razor changed our world by showing simpler answers to be preferable and more often true. In Life Is Simple, scientist Johnjoe McFadden traces centuries of discoveries, taking us from a geocentric cosmos to quantum mechanics and DNA, arguing that simplicity has revealed profound answers to the greatest mysteries . . . Recasting both the history of science and our universe's origins, McFadden transforms our understanding of ourselves and our world -- Irish Tech NewsA tour through two millennia of scientific discovery . . . interesting and illuminating -- Wall Street JournalFor all its technical triumphs, science does not take place in a cultural vacuum. McFadden's wonderful and thoroughly-researched account of the history of ideas reveals how simplicity as an overarching principle weaves through all the sciences, telling us something profound about the nature of reality. His vivid descriptions and clear exposition make the subject come alive, and resonate with significance. This is one of the best science books I have read in a decade. -- Paul Davies, Regents’ Professor of Physics at Arizona State University and author of What’s Eating the Universe?Like a talented stylist or editor, courageous scientists have identified what is redundant . . . and promptly scratched it out. McFadden's book brings this observation to life using two millennia of scientific advancement, never castigating those who were wrong, but instead highlighting how they helped to shape the correct answers that came later -- Caroline Delbert, Popular MechanicsMcFadden includes much interesting material drawn from Ockham and other historical sources. His evident enthusiasm is particularly welcome as this book is directed not only at fellow scientists but also at a wider readership -- Geoffrey Cantor, Times HigherJohnjoe McFadden's delightfully lucid book is itself a model of deceptive simplicity. The words glide off the page in this trenchant analysis of nature's complexities that brings fresh life to centuries of scientific discovery and also points the way towards a clearer future -- Patricia Fara, Emeritus Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and award-winning author of Science: A Four Thousand Year HistoryThoroughly fascinating . . . Far from being a narrow specialist, [McFadden] has a firm grasp of the complexities of many branches of science . . . Breath-taking in its comprehensiveness and clarity -- Irish Times

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Book SynopsisWe often instinctively feel that our lives would be better if we lived closer to nature. In this unique book, Craig Holdrege offers a specific, practical way of taking that step which, he argues, will signficantly benefit ourselves and our world: starting to think like a plant.Plants are both dynamic and resilient, intimately connected to their environment. If we can slow down, Holdrege explains, study plants carefully and consciously internalise how they live, a transformation will begin inside us. We will become more fluid and dynamic, more strongly embedded in our world, and more sensitive and responsive. These are qualities that we need as a culture and a society if we are to be sustainable.This is a surprisingly practical guide to a new way to relate to our environment.

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Book SynopsisSearching for meaning in what Nietzsche called "the rainbow colours" around the outer edges of knowledge and imagination, Edward O. Wilson bridges science and philosophy to create a twenty-first-century treatise on human existence. Once criticised for his over-reliance on genetics, Wilson unfurls his most expansive and advanced theories on human behaviour. Whether attempting to explicate "the Riddle of the Human Species", warning of "the Collapse of Biodiversity" or creating a plausible "Portrait of E.T.", Wilson believes that humanity holds a special position in the known universe. Alarmed, however, that we are about to abandon natural selection by redesigning biology and human nature as we wish them, Wilson concludes that advances in science and technology bring us our greatest moral dilemma in millennia.Trade Review"His [Edward O. Wilson's] prose is always so lucid and eloquent." -- The Bookseller"Written in Wilson’s usual engaging and highly readable style…" -- Times Higher Education

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Book SynopsisWhy are we here? Human beings have asked themselves this question for centuries. Modern science largely argues that human beings are chance products of a purposeless universe, but other traditions believe humanity has an essential role and responsibility in creation.Lachman brings together many strands of esoteric, spiritual and philosophical thought to form a counter-argument to the nihilism that permeates the twenty-first century. Offering a radical alternative to postmodern apathy, he argues that we humans are the caretakers of the universe, entrusted with a daunting task: that of healing and repairing creation itself.This is an important book from a key thinker of our time, addressing some of the most urgent questions facing humanity.Trade Review'A worthy and important book.'-- David Taylor, Psychical Studies: The Journal of the Unitarian Society for Psychical Studies'This is a cracking book on a cracking subject by a cracking author.'-- Lynn Picknett, Magonia Review of Books'A compelling alternate vision in which the human spirit and the material world are both fully real and fully significant. Moreover, Lachman brilliantly argues that human beings have a significant role to play in bringing the entire world -- even the entire cosmos -- to completion and creative fruition... This is one of the most stimulating and significant books on the subject in years. The Caretakers of the Cosmos is an essential work for all who are curious about what makes us uniquely human, and about how we can all participate, each in our own way, in the creation of a fuller and more satisfying world.'-- David Fideler, Parabola magazine'[Lachman's] views are set out lucidly, engagingly, tentatively and accompanied by a cloud of illustrious witnesses from the Hermetic tradition and the the Kabbalah, to Blake and Goethe through to Berdyaev and Cassirer (amongst many others).'-- Nicholas Colloff, Golgonooza blog'I found Lachman’s user friendly treatment refreshing. Although the caretaker theme is common in enlightened circles such comprehensive expositions in this type of evolutionary context are rarer. Lachman's depth of reading and research are admirable, and he weaves the story well, developing what is becoming increasingly obvious – that all of human history reflects the evolution of consciousness.'-- Martin Lockley, Scientific and Medical Network Review'This is a book not short of accessibility, guts and wry, dry humour… Caretakers of the Cosmos is about our relationship to each other, the planet and the Universe – which superficially might sound rather New Age. But as I hope you might realise by now, this book could hardly be further from such glib platitudes. It's about consciousness, quantum physics, intention and engagement. In other words about the acceptance of a distinct role and a conscious commitment to it. If it all sounds like hard work, this might be the moment to remember that this relationship is about joy. But most - and to some of us, best - of all, is this book’s insistence on the 'fallacy of [human] insignificance’. And indeed this is a far from insignificant book.'-- Lynn Picknett, Magonia Review of Books'Gary Lachman offers the reader a fascinating insight into esoteric and spiritual traditions that state that the world and the cosmos are not without purpose and that humanity has an essential role to play… A noble and ambitious perspective.'-- Griet Hellinckx, Erziehungskunst

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a vivid account of the early history of molecular simulation, a new frontier for our understanding of matter that was opened when the demands of theoretical physicists were met by the availability of the modern computers. Since their inception, electronic computers have enormously increased their performance, thus making possible the unprecedented technological revolution that characterizes our present times. This obvious technological advancement has brought with it a silent scientific revolution in the practice of theoretical physics. In particular, in the physics of matter it has opened up a direct route from the microscopic physical laws to observable phenomena. One can now study the time evolution of systems composed of millions of molecules, and simulate the behaviour of macroscopic materials and actually predict their properties. Molecular simulation has provided a new theoretical and conceptual tool that physicists could only dream of when the foundations of statistical mechanics were laid. Molecular simulation has undergone impressive development, both in the size of the scientific community involved and in the range and scope of its applications. It has become the ubiquitous workhorse for investigating the nature of complex condensed matter systems in physics, chemistry, materials and the life sciences. Yet these developments remain largely unknown outside the inner circles of practitioners, and they have so far never been described for a wider public. The main objective of this book is therefore to offer a reasonably comprehensive reconstruction of the early history of molecular simulation addressed to an audience of both scientists and interested non-scientists, describing the scientific and personal trajectories of the main protagonists and discussing the deep conceptual innovations that their work produced.Trade Review“The authors focus mainly on the development of molecular dynamics, in which the motions of many atoms are simultaneously advanced and tracked in small time steps. They explain the scientific evolution of the field; provide biographies— and numerous photographs— of leading characters … . Computer Meets Theoretical Physics should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history of science.” (Christoph Dellago, Physics Today, October, 2021)Table of ContentsA new science.- The origins of simulation.- The growth of molecular dynamics.- Molecular simulation lands in Europe.- CECAM and the development of molecular simulation.- Simulation comes of age.- Quantum systems and critical phenomena.- A first finishing line and some provisional conclusions.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a unique, feminist approach to ‘sex’ dolls and ‘sex’ robots, taking a critical look at the academic and business narratives that serve to rationalise them. As new forms of pornography (porn robots), this edited volume provides an urgent women’s centred critique. The emergence of ‘sex’ robots is situated within the wider context of the attack on women’s rights and the relentless rise of techno-pornography. As an outgrowth of the industries of prostitution, pornography and child sex abuse, these objects offer new ways to dehumanise women and girls. While support for ‘sex’ robots is positioned as progressive and emancipatory, the contributors in this volume argue they reduce women to consumable parts. They explore how law, the arts, ethics, economy, politics and culture are interconnected with harmful technological developments.Table of Contents1. Introduction: The end of sex robots - for the dignity of women and girls.- 2. Modern-Day Pygmalions – Reproducing the Patriarchy.- 3. Mapping the uses of ‘sex’ dolls: pornographic content, doll brothels and the similarities with rape.- 4. Fetishism and the Construction of Male Sexuality.- 5. Playthings and Corpses - Turning Women into Dead Body Objects.- 6. Patriarchal imaginaries beyond the human: ‘Sex robots’, fetish, and fantasy in the domination and control of women.- 7. Paedophilia, child sex abuse dolls and the male sex right: Challenging justifications for men’s sexual access to children and child sexual abuse material.- 8. The Voice of the ‘Sex Robot’: From peep-show bucket to willing victim – the terrorism of women’s speech.- 9. The End of Sex Robots: Porn Robots and Representational Technologies of Women and Girls.

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Book SynopsisWhile methodological individualism is a fundamental approach within the social sciences, it is often misunderstood. This highlights the need for a discursive and up-to-date reference work analyzing this approach’s classic arguments and assumptions in the light of contemporary issues in sociology, economics and philosophy. This two-volume handbook presents the first comprehensive overview of methodological individualism. Chapters discuss historical and contemporary debates surrounding this central approach within the social sciences, as well as cutting edge developments related to the individualist tradition with philosophical and scientific implications. Bringing together multiple contributions from the world’s leading experts on this important tradition of theorizing, this collective endeavor provides teachers, researchers and students in sociology, economics, and philosophy with a reliable and critical understanding of the founding principles, key thinkers and intellectual development of MI since the late 19th century. ​ Table of ContentsPart I. The Founding Principles of MI.- 1. The Scottish Enlightenment and MI; Jeremy Shearmur.- 2. Weber /MI and sociological explanation; Wolfgang Schluchter.- 3. MI/ interpretative sociology; Stephen Turner.- 4. MI and the Austrian School of Economics; Peter Boettke.- 5. Actuality of the Weberian paradigm /MI; Thomas Schwinn.- 6. Holism and Individualism; Raymond Boudon.- Part II. MI and the Rationality Principle.- 7. IM, Rationality and Sociological Thought; Hartmut Esser.- 8. MI/Beliefs/rationality; Ian Jarvie.- 9. MI and Psychology (Emotions/Cognitive science); Paul Dumouchel.- 10. Cognitive Economy/Decisional Processes/Nudge Theory/MI; Riccardo Viale.- 11. Reasoning/beliefs/MI; Gérald Bronner.- 12. Axiological Rationality/MI; Sylvie Mesure.- Part III. MI and the Micro-Macro Link.- 13. MI/Micro–Macro Relationship in Social Science; Gustav Ramström.- 14. MI, Interpretivism and Unintended Consequences; Key Yoshida.- 15. MI/social structures; Pierre Demeulenaere.- 16. MI/micro-macro/ontology; Robert Sugden.- 17. MI/Complexity; Jean Petitot.- 18. MI/Stratification; Mohamed Cherkaoui.- Part IV. MI and Some Major Traditions of Social Science Research.- 19. MI/Marx; Jon Elster.- 21. MI/Durkheim; Massimo Borlandi.- 22. MI/ Weber/ Parsons/Schutz; Nasu Hisashi.- 23. MI/Hermeneutics/interpretative sociology; Enzo Di Nuoscio.- 24. Evolutionary Approach/Behavioral Sciences/Non-Atomistic MI; Herbert Gintis.- 25. Analytical Sociology/MI; José Antonio Noguera Ferrer.

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Book SynopsisGenius is a fascinating topic. Everyone has an opinion on it, but not a lot of clarity. Much has been written on the subject - biographies, autobiographies, technical books, popular science books, and practical manuals - but genius in all of its dimensions has yet to be addressed. This book seeks to remedy that. What follows is a work of significant breadth that hopes to facilitate a nuanced popular understanding of the definition of genius, examining all of the main theories and approaches regarding the nature and origin of brilliance, the cognitive path that geniuses follow, and the difference that exists between “geniuses” on one side and “normal people” on the other. Pragmatic indications surrounding this issue are also examined, regarding such questions as: is it possible to become a genius or is genius innate? If it is possible, what is the path – no doubt long and difficult – that one must take? Is there a method for becoming a genius that can be taught and learned? This book will appeal to anyone who has ever contemplated great ideas and works and wondered how they came into being.Trade Review“From historical and linguistic aspects to artificial intelligence (AI), the book presents centuries of thought and research on genius and related topics, including creativity, neurology, psychology, and environmental factors. … The book is written in a mixed style … . Manzocco provides many references that should help readers who want a deeper dive into any of the topics discussed in the book.” (Yishai Feldman, Computing Reviews, October 23, 2023)Table of ContentsIntroductionWhy do geniuses fascinate us? The genius as a new “hero myth” Chapter One Origin and history of the concept of genius. The scientific study of genius. How do we measure genius? Definition of genius. How do we determine who is a genius and who is not ? The concept of “misunderstood genius” and “forgotten genius” Chapter Two The typologies of genius. Is there a “generic” genius or is genius always “specialized”? Is it possible to be a genius in multiple sectors of knowledge? Genius and multiple intelligences. Political genius, military genius and business genius. Does it make sense to talk about “evil genius”? The concept of “reverse genius” (for example consider the movies of Ed Wood, so badly made as to become classics) Chapter Three Nature or culture? What produces genius, genetics, environment, free–will (if it exists), or a mixture of these things? What role does trauma have in the development of a genius? And what about education? Up to what point is genius self-taught? Among other things in this chapter we will introduce the “Darwinian theory of genius,” promoted by Dean Keith Simonton Chapter Four Genius and talent. How do they differ? Fifth Chapter Genius, IQ and intelligence. Why the link between IQ and genius is actually weak Chapter Six Genius and creativity. “Normal” creativity and “genius” creativity, difference of degree or qualitative difference? Chapter Seven Neurobiology of genius. The myth of Einstein 's brain Chapter Eight The “stroke of genius”, definition and psychological processes involved. Eureka and insight; inspiration and preparatory work. The cognitive process that leads to brilliant work: heuristics vs algorithms. Genius and serendipity Chapter Nine Is there a typical genius personality? Genius and “chameleon” personality. Genius and madness. Does madness help or hinder the work of genius? Chapter Ten Lifecycle of the genius. Surviving your own genius. The “swan song” phenomenon (the last great work of genius before the death); genius and the relationship with death. “Precocious” genius and “late bloomers” Chapter Eleven Sociability and loneliness, the presence of partners and mentors, teamwork and the concept of being “on the shoulders of giants.” Collective genius, historical epochs, zeitgeist and individual genius. Parallel discoveries Chapter Twelve What do geniuses think of their genius? Philosophy and genius; philosophy of genius. Is the genius aware of being so? Chapter Thirteenth Anders Ericsson and “deliberate practice,” or how to become a genius. Genius, performance and the rule of ten thousand hours of practice. The concept of cognitive modifiability. Can you become a genius? The geniuses and us, the “normal people.” Genius, deliberate practice and the world of sportChapter Fourteenth The future of genius. Genius and AI. Genius and Genetic Engineering. Is it - or will it be – possible to reproduce genius?

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Book SynopsisAn argument that what makes science distinctive is its emphasis on evidence and scientists' willingness to change theories on the basis of new evidence. Attacks on science have become commonplace. Claims that climate change isn't settled science, that evolution is “only a theory,” and that scientists are conspiring to keep the truth about vaccines from the public are staples of some politicians' rhetorical repertoire. Defenders of science often point to its discoveries (penicillin! relativity!) without explaining exactly why scientific claims are superior. In this book, Lee McIntyre argues that what distinguishes science from its rivals is what he calls “the scientific attitude”—caring about evidence and being willing to change theories on the basis of new evidence. The history of science is littered with theories that were scientific but turned out to be wrong; the scientific attitude reveals why even a failed theory can help us to u

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Book SynopsisDescribes the acceleration, deceleration, and inertial movement; fluid dynamics; and the motions of the earth, moon, planets, and comets. This title deals with the fundamental three laws of motion and the law of universal gravity, and more. It is suitable for scientists, scholars, and students.

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Book SynopsisIn a new approach to philosophical anthropology, Bruno Latour offers answers to questions raised in We Have Never Been Modern: If not modern, what have we been, and what values should we inherit? An Inquiry into Modes of Existence offers a new basis for diplomatic encounters with other societies at a time of ecological crisis.Trade Review[An Inquiry into Modes of Existence] is not just a book; it is also a project in interactive metaphysics. In other words, a book, plus website… Intrigued readers of Latour’s text can go online [http://www.modesofexistence.org/] and find themselves drawn into a collaborative project. Collective collaboration—some would call it ‘crowdsourcing’—is rare in philosophy, but Latour, a sociologist and anthropologist by training, is used to collaboration with scientists… Latour’s work makes the world—sorry, worlds—interesting again. And, best of all, it is a project to which you can attach yourself. -- Stephen Muecke * Los Angeles Review of Books *Magnificent… An Inquiry into Modes of Existence shows that [Latour] has lost none of his astonishing fertility as a thinker, or his skill and wit as a writer… Latour’s main message—that rationality is ‘woven from more than one thread’—is intended not just for the academic seminar, but for the public square—and the public square today is global as never before. Thanks to what Bruno Latour describes as the ‘formidable discoveries of modernism,’ we have come to share a world of material interdependence and incessant communication, just at the time when the threat of climate change gives desperate pathos to our common stewardship of the planet. Latour speaks with urgency when he asks us all to set aside the script of secular modernity—to stop insulting each other and learn to pluralize, apologize and ecologize. We must prepare ourselves for diplomacy, he says: we must talk to one another or die. -- Jonathan Rée * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisWhat is life? What is water? What is sound? In Sounding the Limits of Life, anthropologist Stefan Helmreich investigates how contemporary scientists--biologists, oceanographers, and audio engineers--are redefining these crucial concepts. Life, water, and sound are phenomena at once empirical and abstract, material and formal, scientific and social.Trade Review"Winner of the 2016 Michelle Kendrick Memorial Book Prize, Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts""This collection is extremely impressive. The notes and bibliography read like a veritable state-of-the-art of the field; the author has read and imbibed everything and everyone and is in firm command of his disciplinary landscape. Helmreich has been a leader among anthropologists in applying to science a new kind of methodologically sophisticated ethnography."---Oren Harman, European LegacyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Sounding Life, Water, Sound ix CHAPTER 1 What Was Life? Answers from Three Limit Biologies 1 CHAPTER 2 Life Forms: A Keyword Entry (with Sophia Roosth) 19 CHAPTER 3 An Archaeology of Artificial Life, Underwater 35 CHAPTER 4 Cetology Now: Formatting the Twenty-First-Century Whale 44 CHAPTER 5 How Like a Reef: Figuring Coral, 1839-2010 48 CHAPTER 6 Homo microbis: Species, Race, Sex, and the Human Microbiome 62 CHAPTER 7 The Signature of Life: Designing the Astrobiological Imagination 73 CHAPTER 8 Nature/Culture/Seawater: Theory Machines, Anthropology, Oceanization 94 CHAPTER 9 Time and the Tsunami: Indian Ocean, 2004 106 CHAPTER 10 From Spaceship Earth to Google Ocean: Planetary Icons, Indexes, and Infrastructures 116 CHAPTER 11 Underwater Music: Tuning Composition to the Sounds of Science 137 CHAPTER 12 Seashell Sound 155 CHAPTER 13 Sound Studies Meets Deaf Studies (with Michele Friedner) 164 CHAPTER 14 Chimeric Sensing 173 Life, Water, Sound Resounding 183 Acknowledgments 189 Notes 195 Index 283

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[An] engaging and inviting account of the history of the physical sciences."---Grace O'Hanlon, Library Journal"This treatment is marked by the author's emphasis on the theory's empirical basis, off eringmany examples of multiple researchers independently arriving at the same conclusion. Such emphasis distinguishes this book from more popularbooks on cosmology, and this alone makes it worth having in a university library."---A. Spero, Choice Reviews

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Book SynopsisArguing for the primacy of the material arrangements of the laboratory in the dynamics of modern molecular biology, the author develops a new epistemology of experimentation in which research is treated as a process for producing epistemic things.Trade Review“This is one of the most profound works in the history and philosophy of science in decades. One seldom encounters works of such depth and originality; its conceptual framework and analytical tools are truly pathbreaking. The literary style of the work is inspiring in its poetic qualities, and the blend of wit, playfulness, rigor, and succinctness makes for captivating reading.”—Lily E. Kay, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyTable of ContentsContents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book deals with cultural and philosophical aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) and pleads for a “digital humanism”. This term is beginning to be en vogue everywhere. Due to a growing discontentment with the way digitalization is being used in the world, particularly formulated by former heroes of Internet, social media and search engine companies, philosophical as well as industrial thought leaders begin to plead for a humane use of digital tools. Yet the term “digital humanism” is a particular terminology that lacks a sound conceptual and philosophical basis and needs clarification still – and this gap is exactly filled by this book. It propagates a vision of society in which digitization is used to strengthen human self-determination, autonomy and dignity and whose time has come to be propagated throughout the world. The advantage of this book is that it is philosophically sound and yet written in a way that will make it accessible for everybody interested in the subject. Every chapters begins with a film scene illustrating a precise philosophical problem with AI and how we look at it – making the book not only readable, but even entertaining. And after having read the book the reader will have a clear vision of what it means to live in a world where digitization and AI are central technologies for a better and more humane civilization.Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2. Robots as New (Digital) Slaves.- 3. Digital Simulations of Emotions.- 4. The Problem of Autonomy and Determination in the Digital World.- 5. The World as the Perfect Machine Universe.- 6. Digital Optimization, Utilitarianism and AI.- 7. Economic Rationality as a Software Program.- 8. Why Robots Don't Have Moral Judgment.- 9. Ethical Non-Comparability.- 10. Why AIs Fail at Moral Dilemmas.- 11. Why AIs Can't Think.- 12. Digital Virtualities and Sober Realities.- 13. On the Ethics of Internet Communication.- 14. On the Ethics of Communication between Humans and AI.- 15. Cultural Aspects of Digitalisation.- 16. Digital Education.- 17. Utopia of Liquid Democracy.- 18. Socio-Economic Aspects of Digitisation.- 19. Transhumanist Temptations.- 20. On the Metaphysics of digitalisation.- 21. Afterword.

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Book SynopsisFor decades neuroscientists understood sensory perception as a matter of external stimuli “sparking” regions of the brain. But this view has a key flaw: odors don’t line up consistently with the neural map. A. S. Barwich explores the new science of smell and urges us to rethink theories of mind and brain inspired by the mapping model.Trade ReviewThis is a special book…Barwich does philosophy that is empirically directed and historically informed. It teaches readers a lot about olfaction. It teaches us even more about what philosophy can be. -- Rachel Fraser * Times Literary Supplement *Seeks to banish entrenched prejudice against the nose. Barwich…argues that we could discover far more about consciousness if we would only relinquish our old-school fixation on sight…Rather than mapping the external world and constructing an accurate representation of it in the brain, our sense of smell seems to involve a continuous, ever-shifting negotiation between our interior and exterior lives. * Harper’s *Lively, authoritative…Aims to rehabilitate smell’s neglected and marginalized status. -- Mike Jay * Wall Street Journal *Barwich writes with charm and precision about our preconceptions of how the olfactory system works and how it is different from the other sensory mechanisms that keep us alive and (relatively) safe…An illuminating discussion of the interface between the logical coherence of philosophy and the empirical disciplines of science. -- Michael Bywater * The Spectator *Barwich melds a philosophical perspective with a rich history of olfactory science, tackling big questions with layers of perceptual, psychological, and neurobiological explanations…She offers rich discussions of olfactory perception, the conscious and subconscious impacts of smell on behavior and emotion, and the physical and behavioral details that determine what odors we inhale, furnishing broad insights into the psychology of olfaction. -- John P. McGann * Science *A beguiling analysis of olfactory experience that is fast becoming a core reference work in the field. -- Joe Humphreys * Irish Times *Barwich takes us deeper into the human stories, key advances, and dead ends of olfaction science, interspersed with philosophical theory…A timely dispatch from the research trenches, surveying a field in flux. -- Barbara Kiser * Issues in Science and Technology *An impressive work…Undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive and accessible studies of olfaction…Barwich brilliantly dovetails psychology with neurophysiology, detailing how olfaction operates by markedly distinct principles of neural representation in comparison with vision, audition, and somatosensation. -- Ekin Erkan * Perception *Barwich guides the reader into the fascinating science (both historical and contemporary) of odors and olfaction. -- Brad Thompson * The Philosophers’ Magazine *Finding out why mint smells different from a skunk’s spray turns out to be a much harder problem than why red looks different from blue. Barwich tells the fascinating story of why the science of smell has gone down many a false trail, and why the sciences of vision and audition made breakthroughs while olfaction remained mired in mystery. Smellosophy taught me a lot about my brain’s smelly world. -- Patricia Churchland, author of Conscience: The Origins of Moral IntuitionA. S. Barwich’s new book, written with passion and infectious delight, unites history, art, philosophy, and in-depth interviews with pioneers in modern olfaction science. The result will enhance every reader’s appreciation for the role of smell in human life. -- Gordon M. Shepherd, author of Neurogastronomy: How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It MattersLewis Thomas famously remarked that smell contains ‘all the mysteries’ of biology; figure it out and you will have solved most of them. A. S. Barwich is a superb documentarian of the science behind how the brain detects an enormous range of odorous molecules, while also capturing the wonder of perceiving complex smells that form lasting emotional memories. Smellosophy is a unique and wondrous blend of the science of smell, the art and practice of research, the philosophy of consciousness, and ‘all the mysteries’ in between. -- Stuart Firestein, author of Ignorance: How It Drives ScienceThis is the book on perception we have been waiting for: a scientifically-informed and philosophically astute treatment of our elusive sense of smell. A. S. Barwich skillfully guides us through the history of its study, recent discoveries, and philosophical theorizing about smell, and, in doing so, makes a significant contribution to all three. -- Barry C. Smith, Centre for the Study of the Senses, University of LondonFabulous…[A] serious work that [has] brought me a great deal of pleasure. -- Victoria Moore * Daily Telegraph *A love letter to olfaction. This book effortlessly blends science and philosophy and is a must-read for anyone with a sense of smell. -- Leslie B. Vosshall, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and The Rockefeller UniversityWell-written and engaging, Smellosophy transforms the breakdown of complex concepts into a really good read. This book is an astonishing integration of all aspects of olfaction, relevant to scientists across disciplines as well as to any reader interested in the aromas of wine, coffee, and other scents hidden in our daily experiences. -- Ann Noble, creator of the Wine Aroma WheelBarwich brings the curious science of smell to life through interviews with many of its key players. If you relish mysteries and constructing the logic to solve them, read Smellosophy. -- Terry Acree, Department of Food Science, Cornell UniversityMakes a strong case for rethinking the scientific study of odor perception…Smellosophy works to shape olfaction studies—and neuroscience writ large. -- Nedah N. Nemati * History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences *Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people temporarily lost their ability to detect smell (and the closely connected sense of taste), this book’s topic is an impetus for important scientific exploration…Smellosophy makes a strong case for rethinking the scientific study of odor perception. -- David Upegui * American Biology Teacher *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Excellent. A truly original take on the history of the Weismann Barrier and how it developed into a questionable assumption that forms the basis of various modern concepts about germ cells and regeneration.” -- Hanna Lucia Worliczek, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin“We need to see regeneration as a window into the world of biology in general, and the complex feedback loops that decide what grows, divides and dies, where and when.” -- Simon Ings * New Scientist, on "What Is Regeneration?" *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Uncovering Assumptions That Have Shaped Germ Cell Science 2 Backgrounding Conflicts within Germ Cell Science 3 Challenging Assumptions in Germline Science 4 Implications of Reenvisioning Germline Regeneration Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this enlightening and entertaining book, author and Skeptical Inquirer editor Kendrick Frazier takes readers on a journey to the contentious boundary zone between science and its antagonists: pseudoscience (pretend science) and anti-science (open hostility to science). Pseudoscience romps in the shadows of science but takes on the guise of science to excite, sell, mislead, and deceive the public. Anti-science denigrates, even denies, findings of science for ideological ends. In this dangerous age of misinformation (and dis-information), we need science’s remarkable truth-seeking tools more than ever to help counter society’s crazier impulses in which opinion, beliefs, and lies trump facts, evidence, and truth.In one sense, Shadows of Science is Frazier’s love letter to science, one of humanity’s greatest inventions, one we should exalt for its unique ability to find provisional truths about nature. In congenial prose he reports on recent discoveries and describes how science works and how its error-correcting mechanisms lead eventually to new knowledge. He tells the stories of some of our champions of science and reason. He describes the little-appreciated values of science, how it embraces uncertainty and humility, and its emphasis on fact-based observation and experiment. Pseudoscience adopts some of science’s language and has a beguiling appeal, but there the similarities end. Frazier has professionally reported on frontier scientific discoveries and observed and exposed the pretensions and dangers of pseudoscience and anti-science his entire career. Here he shares his experiences, his knowledge and insights, and his love and passion for our ability to learn what’s real about the natural world—and to identify and expose fake science, pretend science, and anti-science in all their multifarious forms.

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Book SynopsisFree yourself from cosmological tyranny! Everything started in a Big Bang? Invisible dark matter? Black holes? Why accept such a weird cosmos? For all those who wonder about this bizarre universe, and those who want to overthrow the Big Bang, this handbook gives you ''just the facts'': the observations that have shaped these ideas and theories. While the Big Bang holds the attention of scientists, it isn''t perfect. The authors pull back the curtains, and show how cosmology really works. With this, you will know your enemy, cosmic revolutionary - arm yourself for the scientific arena where ideas must fight for survival! This uniquely-framed tour of modern cosmology gives a deeper understanding of the inner workings of this fascinating field. The portrait painted is realistic and raw, not idealized and airbrushed - it is science in all its messy detail, which doesn''t pretend to have all the answers.Trade Review'Overthrowing all of modern cosmology isn't easy, but it could happen. Maybe you will be the one to do it! If you're up for the challenge, Luke A. Barnes and Geraint F. Lewis tell you exactly what you have to accomplish. Even if you don't topple the stodgy edifice of modern science, you'll certainly learn some exciting things about the universe along the way.' Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime'If you are looking for a fun rendezvous with the universe, this is the book for you! Barnes and Lewis help you understand the basics of cosmology with simplicity and clarity - quite a feat given the complexity of our universe.' Priyamvada Natarajan, author of Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas that Reveal the Cosmos'… a great starting point for budding astronomers or cosmologists who want to be able to 'debunk' would-be revolutionaries - or answer the 'but how do we know …' they're likely to get asked.' Chris North, BBC Sky at Night Magazine'A must-read for anyone interested in better understanding why cosmologists believe all those very strange things about the Universe. Mind you, new Galileo, you will still need a degree in physics and professional research training if you want to overthrow the Big Bang model, but this book might very well be the first step towards your goal.' Sunny Vagnozzi, Nature Astronomy'The general educated public has heard about many key terms of modern science: 'evolution,' 'virus,' 'quantum theory,' and the 'big bang,' for example. But the framework and methodology of science are barely understood by most … Here, Barnes (Western Sydney Univ.) and Lewis (Sydney Institute for Astronomy) inform the general reader about many fascinating aspects of astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. The book is full of scientific facts and clarifying figures. More importantly, it clarifies the routes that lead to major scientific results … Readers will gain a more than nodding acquaintance with the basics of astrophysics, including magnetic monopoles, dark matter, the inflationary model, and related key concepts … books like this will inform and educate those who respect science and are willing to learn about good science and how it is done. This should be required reading for all college students, regardless of their major.' V. V. Raman, Choice'The book is well written and includes a bit more 'how' (do we know) in addition to the 'what' of the standard model of cosmology … I enjoyed reading this book; it's a breezy but careful introduction to where we are in our understanding of the Universe and how we got there.' Phillip Helbig, The ObservatoryTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; 1. Understanding science; 2. How dark is the night?; 3. Run for the hills!; 4. Going gently into that good night; 5. An ever-changing universe; 6. The wood for the trees; 7. We are (mostly) made of stars; 8. Ripples in the night sky; Notes; Further reading; Index.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIf you want to understand human success, its biological and cultural components, start with this groundbreaking collection. Essays authored by experts from many disciplines—paleoanthropology, biology, philosophy, and more. Top-quality scholarship, jargon free. I feel proud to be part of a community of scholars such as these. * Michael Ruse, Florida State University (Emeritus) *Table of ContentsEditor and Contributor Biographies 1. Introduction: The Manifold Challenges to Understanding Human Success Hugh Desmond and Grant Ramsey Part I: What is Evolutionary Success? 2. Evolutionary Success: Standards of Value Dan McShea 3. Human Success: A Contextual and Pluralistic View Marion Hourdequin 4. Human success as a complex of autonomy, adaptation, and niche construction Bernd Rosslenbroich Part II: Explaining Human Success 5. The Origin and Evolution of Human Uniqueness Geerat Vermeij 6. Wanderlust: A View from Deep Time of Dispersal, Persistence, and Human Success Susan Antón 7. Culture as a life-history character: the cognitive continuum in primates and hominins Matt Grove 8. A Gene-Culture Coevolutionary Perspective on Human Success Kathryn Demps and Peter Richerson Part III. Human Success in the Anthropocene 9. Anthropocene patterns in stratigraphy as a perspective on human success Jan Zalasiewicz, Mark Williams, Colin Waters 10. Utter success and extensive inequity: Assessing processes, patterns, and outcomes of the human niche in the Anthropocene Agustín Fuentes 11. Adaptability and the Continuation of Human Origins Richard Potts 12. Evolving Measures of Moral Success Allen Buchanan and Rachell Powell 13. Future Human Success: Beyond Techno-Libertarianism Hugh Desmond

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Book SynopsisIn The Evolution of Moral Progress, Allen Buchanan and Russell Powell resurrect the project of explaining moral progress. They avoid the errors of earlier attempts by drawing on a wide range of disciplines including moral and political philosophy, evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, anthropology, history, and sociology. Their focus is on one especially important type of moral progress: gains in inclusivity. They develop a framework to explain progress in inclusivity to also illuminate moral regression--the return to exclusivist and tribalistic moral beliefs and attitudes. Buchanan and Powell argue those tribalistic moral responses are not hard-wired by evolution in human nature. Rather, human beings have an evolved adaptively plastic capacity for both inclusion and exclusion, depending on environmental conditions. Moral progress in the dimension of inclusivity is possible, but only to the extent that human beings can create environments conducive to extending moral standing to all human beings and even to some animals. Buchanan and Powell take biological evolution seriously, but with a critical eye, while simultaneously recognizing the crucial role of culture in creating environments in which moral progress can occur. The book avoids both biological and cultural determinism. Unlike earlier theories of moral progress, their theory provides a naturalistic account that is grounded in the best empirical work, and unlike earlier theories it does not present moral progress as inevitable or as occurring in definite stages; but rather it recognizes the highly contingent and fragile character of moral improvement.Trade ReviewHighly recommended. * J.H. Barker, CHOICE *This is a well-written book in which a novel and insightful theory of moral progress is developed. The analysis is rich and the research on which it rests is extensive. This will be of interest to students and researchers concerned with the interface of ethics and evolution, philosophy of biology, evolutionary psychology, and the importance of moral progress. * R. Paul Thompson, The Quarterly Review of Biology *Buchanan and Powell's rich book will justly be of interest to a broad variety of readers, philosophers as well as non-philosophers ... an illuminating book on a vitally important and intriguing topic. * Toni Rønnow-Rasmussen, Metascience *It seems that the book discussed might be regarded as obligatory reading for everyone interested in the idea of moral progress, but also for those who as-sume that the evolutionary past strongly affects - usually in a negative way - our current moral intuitions and patterns. * Konrad Szocik, European Society for the Study of Science and Theology *an illuminating book on a vitally important and intriguing topic. * Toni Ronnow-Rasmussen, Metascience *This book is neither about Marx nor Marxism, yet it will be of interest to any reader who, like Marx, is interested in the phenomenon of progress, and the material conditions that underlie it. Allen Buchanan and Russell Powell, philosophers with respective specializations in the fields of ethics and the philosophy of biology, offer a novel 'biocultural' theory of the conditions amenable to moral progress, and take issue with so-called 'evoconservative' views according to which our evolved psychology imposes severe constraints on the possibility of progress [...] Especially illuminating about Buchanan and Powell's biocultural theory is their analysis of the conditions that are likely to lead to an inclusivist moral response, and those likely to lead to moral exclusivism. * Jeroen Hopster, Utrecht University, Marx & Philosophy Review of Books *A compelling, well-researched, and timely book. It articulates arguably the most persuasive naturalistic theory of moral progress to date, and lays the groundwork for important and impactful research. * Michael Brownstein and Daniel Kelly, The British Journal of Philosophy of Science *This is a marvelous book...none of my worries about how to develop their proposals further lessen to any substantial degree my enthusiasm for their book [which] is remarkable in bringing us as I hope closer to a point where we can sketch and begin to confirm the kind of account they seek. * Allan Gibbard, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Why a Theory of Moral Progress is Needed Part One: What is Moral Progress? Chapter 1: A Typology of Moral Progress Chapter 2: Contemporary Accounts of Moral Progress Chapter 3: A Pluralistic, Dynamic Conception of Moral Progress Part Two: Evolution and the Possibility of Moral Progress Chapter 4: Is Evolved Human Nature an Obstacle to Moral Progress? Chapter 5: The Inclusivist Anomaly and the Limits of Evolutionary Explanation Chapter 6: Toward a Naturalistic Theory of Inclusivist Moral Progress Chapter 7: Naturalizing Moral Regression: A Biocultural Account Chapter 8: De-Moralization and the Evolution of Invalid Moral Norms Part Three: The Path Traveled and the Way Forward Chapter 9: Improvements in Moral Understanding and the Human Rights Movement Chapter 10: Human Rights Naturalized Chapter 11: Biomedical Moral Enhancement and Moral Progress Conclusion: The Future of Human Morality Appendix: Topics for Further Research

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Book SynopsisExplores the possiblity and process of evolution beyond the standard and established scientific principles.Trade ReviewA World Beyond Physics, broken into short chapters and written with infectious enthusiasm and exclamation marks, is meant as an introduction to the importance of emergence in biology. * Kevin Schilbrack, Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture *makes for stimulating reading . . . [Kauffman's] prose is reader-friendly and thought-provoking . . . I highly recommend Kauffman's book to anyone interestedin the ongoing scientific enterprise to model the transition from physical to living systems. * Ragnar van der Merwe, University of Johannesburg, Metascience *This is a delightful little book that considers the classic question, "What is life?" * P. K. Strother, CHOICE *A World Beyond Physics is a well-written and thought provoking book. It should prove a worthwhile read for anyone with an undergraduate knowledge of biology and physics who is interested in amore philosophical take on the origins, complexities, and evolution of life. * Rebekah Hall, Mathematical & Statistical Sciences and Daniel A. Charlebois, Physics, University of Alberta, The Quarterly Review of Biology *For persons with the requisite scientific background, the book will be very rewarding to read...The book has many applications to the science and theology interchange... * Jay R. Feierman, European Society for the Study of Science and Theology News and Reviews *Table of ContentsPROLOGUE CHAPTER 1: The World Is Not a Machine CHAPTER 2: The Function of Function CHAPTER 3: Propagating Organization CHAPTER 4: Demystifying Life CHAPTER 5: How to Make a Metabolism CHAPTER 6: Protocells CHAPTER 7: Heritable Variation CHAPTER 8: The Games We Play CHAPTER 9: The Stage is Set CHAPTER 10: Exaptations and Screwdrivers CHAPTER 11: AWorld Beyond Physics EPILOGUE: The Evolution of the Economy

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Book SynopsisThis is the first book to explore how to identify future-proof science. Peter Vickers takes a transdisciplinary approach in his analysis of 'scientific fact' in order to defend science against potentially dangerous scepticism.Trade ReviewHow do scientists reach consensus? It's a simple question with increasing relevance in our polarized world. Peter Vickers draws from disparate examples in physics, anatomy, palaeontology, and virology to give an under-the-hood insight into how science really works. Although his subject is weighty, his conversational prose makes for both an enlightening and engaging read. * Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs *Vickers' discussion of the Tiktaalik blends together scientific results with sophisticated and nuanced philosophical argumentation. It is to be commended for its focus on areas of science often neglected by philosophers. It's also admirably clear and accessible. This will be readable by undergraduate and postgraduate students. * Henry Taylor, University of Birmingham *This rich but accessible, example-driven book relocates the realism debate from frontier physics to the sciences that most matter to us - shifting the burden of proof in the process. * Kerry McKenzie, University of California, San Diego *Peter Vickers has written just the book we need to move forward in the ongoing debate between scientific realism and its competitors. He investigates a wide range of heterogeneous historical examples and deploys them thoughtfully to challenge virtually all of the standard positions in that debate while making the case for a novel alternative proposal of his own. I suspect that the weight of the historical evidence he has gathered will force many contributors to the realism debate to substantially modify their own existing views-it certainly had that effect on me! * P. Kyle Stanford, University of California, Irvine *Peter Vickers gives clear, convincing philosophical arguments and fascinating case studies to support bold predictions about which scientific findings will stand the test of time. * Mike T. Stuart, NYCU Taiwan and London School of Economics *For the last sixty years, history has often been interpreted as creating profound challenges for those who ascribe to more positive views about the rationality of scientific progress and the significance of scientific success. [...] Too often we hear hardened skeptics dismiss the authority of scientists on the grounds that science has been wrong before. It will be convenient in the future to direct such individuals to Vickers' book. * Metascience *Table of ContentsPreface List of Figures 1: What is future-proof science? 2: The historical challenge to future-proof science: the debate so far 3: Meckel's successful prediction of gill slits: a case of misleading evidence? 4: The Tiktaalik 'missing link' novel predictive success and the evidence for evolution 5: The judgement of the scientific community: lessons from continental drift 6: Fundamental physics and the special vulnerability to underdetermination 7: Do we know how the dinosaurs died? 8: Scientific knowledge in a pandemic 9: Core argument, objections, replies, and outlook Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisJ.S. Mill famously equated physical things with permanent possibilities of sensation. This view, known as phenomenalism, holds that a rock is a tendency for experiences to occur as they do when people perceive a rock, and similarly for all other physical things. In Phenomenalism, Michael Pelczar develops Mill''s theory in detail, defends it against the objections responsible for its current unpopularity, and uses it to shed light on important questions in metaphysics, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of mind. Identifying physical things with possibilities of sensation establishes a transparent connection between the world of physics and the world of sense, provides an attractive alternative to currently fashionable structuralist and panpsychist metaphysics, offers a fresh perspective on the problem of consciousness, and yields a satisfying theory of perception, all by taking two things notoriously resistant to reduction, chance and experience, and constructing everything eTrade ReviewThe text is clearly written, elegant in its presentation, and effectively implements all the tools of the analytic philosopher. * Choice *Table of Contents1: The World as Hypertext 2: Mill's Metaphysics 3: A Signal in the Noise 4: Possibilities for What? 5: What Kind of Possibility? 6: A Revealing Correspondence 7: Phenomenalism and Science 8: Phenomenalism and Consciousness 9: A Phenomenalist Theory of Perception 10: Choose Your Own Adventure Appendix: Defining Spacetime Relations

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Book SynopsisThis carefully documented exposé of the Intelligent Design (ID) movement contributed to the stunning victory in Federal court of eleven Dover, PA, parents who recognized ID''s threat to public education and religious freedom. Now in paperback, here is Forrest and Gross''s influential work documenting the continuity of intelligent design with traditional creationism. The new text updates ID initiatives in Kansas and Ohio and the movement''s shifting strategies in an attempt to remain viable after its legal undoing in federal court. Anyone who values science and the benefits of life in an enlightened society should know about the Wedge''s political, cultural, and religious ambitions. With a new foreword by Barry Lynn, this updated edition is an essential guide to ID''s continuing threat to public education and the separation of church and state. It is the book to turn to for an inside look at the claims and operations of the ID movement, the most recent manifestation of American creatioTrade Review"Science educators can benefit greatly by understanding creationists' motivations and strategies. These are thoroughly documented in Creationism's Trojan Horse"--SCIENCE"This is the definitive work on modern creationism, an exhaustively detailed and compelling exposure of the attempt--by the well-known process in nature called by biologists "aggressive mimicry"--to corrupt science in the service of sectarian religion. In the process, the book explores the larger and seemingly endless struggle between religion-based tribal values and science-based universal values."--Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor, Emeritus, Harvard University"Creationism's Trojan Horse documents the disturbing movement to sneak religious dogma back into science education, driven by the vague fear that Americans can't handle the truth. Educators, scientists, and politicians would do well to understand this movement and its tactics, and this book is a superb and timely analysis."--Steven Pinker, Johnston Professor, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Blank Slate"Intelligent Design 'theory' (ID) has been well described as Creationism in a cheap Tuxedo. One if its luminaries, we are told, has 'angrily denied that ID is stealth creationism.' He is right. There's no stealth about it. It is Creationism. Unfortunately, ID 'theorists' have a streetwise political professionalism to outweigh the amateurishness of their science, and we therefore cannot ignore them. Barbara Forrest and Paul Gross meticulously document their pretensions, destroy their arguments, and expose their true motivation. An excellent and sadly necessary book."--Richard Dawkins. author of The Selfish Gene"Read an account of the history of Intelligent Design and of the Discovery Institute...You can find a gold mine in Creationism's Trojan Horse"--Phi Delta KappanTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION

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Book SynopsisWhat is temperature, and how can we measure it correctly? These may seem like simple questions, but the most renowned scientists struggled with them throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. In Inventing Temperature, Chang examines how scientists first created thermometers; how they measured temperature beyond the reach of standard thermometers; and how they managed to assess the reliability and accuracy of these instruments without a circular reliance on the instruments themselves. In a discussion that brings together the history of science with the philosophy of science, Chang presents the simple yet challenging epistemic and technical questions about these instruments, and the complex web of abstract philosophical issues surrounding them. Chang''s book shows that many items of knowledge that we take for granted now are in fact spectacular achievements, obtained only after a great deal of innovative thinking, painstaking experiments, bold conjectures, and controversy. Lurking behind these achievements are some very important philosophical questions about how and when people accept the authority of science.Trade Reviewthe most important book on this subject since Bridgman's classic work of 1927... Chang's book should become mandatory reading for anyone who wants to pursue the problem of measurement further. * Donald Gillies, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science *Table of Contents1. Keeping the Fixed Points Fixed ; 2. Spirit, Air, and Quicksilver ; 3. To Go Beyond ; 4. Theory, Measurement, and Absolute Temperature ; 5. Measurement, Justification, and Scientific Progress

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Book SynopsisIf the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe is just around the corner, what would be the consequences for religion? Would it represent another major conflict between science and religion, even leading to the death of faith? Some would suggest that the discovery of any suggestion of extraterrestrial life would have a greater impact than even the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions.It is now over 50 years since the first modern scientific papers were published on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Yet the religious implications of this search and possible discovery have never been systematically addressed in the scientific or theological arena. SETI is now entering its most important era of scientific development. New observation techniques are leading to the discovery of extra-solar planets daily, and the Kepler mission has already collected over 1000 planetary candidates. This deluge of data is transforming the scientific and popular view of the existence of eTrade ReviewA brilliant analysis of the possibility that there may be other intelligent beings not easily recognised by us, for which one day evidence may be found through SETI. David Wilkinson has read widely and thought deeply about what the implications would be for belief in God. This is the science-religion dialogue as it should be. * Andrew Briggs, Professor of Nanomaterials at the University of Oxford *The church is fortunate to have someone of David Wilkinson's wide knowledge of both Science and Theology, and soundly based judgement to act as a guide. * Sir Arnold Wolfendale, FRS, 14th Astronomer Royal *A very readable and scientifically informed account of SETI and the intriguing issues it raises for theology. A superb example of the ways in which theology and contemporary science can interact in a positive way. * Professor Keith Ward *The question of whether there is intelligent extraterrestrial life is both intriguing and challenging. David Wilkinson's book provides a detailed and comprehensive discussion of the issues involved, physical, biological and theological, which many will find very illuminating. * Rev Dr John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRS *Imagine we woke up one day to news that there is intelligent life beyond Earth. What would this do to our view of our own selves and of our place in the cosmos? What would it mean for our belief in God and our relationship with Him? David Wilkinson draws on his training in Physics and Theology to grapple with these fascinating questions in a thoughtful, informed and highly lucid manner. * Carlos Frenk FRS, Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics, Durham University *Table of Contents1: Cinema, cults and meteorites: Searching for something more 2: Speculating about a plurality of worlds: The historical context of science, religion and SETI 3: Hubble and Drake: SETI and cosmology 4: The Daily Planet 5: Genesis 2.0? SETI and biology 6: Looking for a needle in a haystack: Current SETI strategies 7: Fermi's Paradox 8: The 'myths' of SETI and religion 9: SETI and the Christian understanding of creation 10: SETI and the Christian understanding of redemption 11: Be not so positive

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of the History of Physics brings together cutting-edge writing by more than twenty leading authorities on the history of physics from the seventeenth century to the present day. By presenting a wide diversity of studies in a single volume, it provides authoritative introductions to scholarly contributions that have tended to be dispersed in journals and books not easily accessible to the general reader. While the core thread remains the theories and experimental practices of physics, the Handbook contains chapters on other dimensions that have their place in any rounded history. These include the role of lecturing and textbooks in the communication of knowledge, the contribution of instrument-makers and instrument-making companies in providing for the needs of both research and lecture demonstrations, and the growing importance of the many interfaces between academic physics, industry, and the military.Trade ReviewThis is a very valuable volume that should be in every physics department library. * Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics *What a wonderful book! From 1600 to the present day, we are led through the history of physics in its many guises. We see the strange and recalcitrant phenomena, the inventive development of instrumentation and experiments, the arcane intricacy of theory, and the pervasive social, cultural and economic influences and consequences of physics. Anyone interested in the history of science will delight in this book. So will any physicist, and any philosopher of science. * Jeremy Butterfield, Trinity College, University of Cambridge *Over the last thirty years, historians of physics have re-examined and rethought almost every aspect of their subject. The time is clearly ripe for a fresh overview of the field, and Jed Z. Buchwald and Robert Fox have assembled a first rate group of scholars to provide just that. Their Handbook is filled with sharp insights on everything from Galileo's experimental practices to the role quantum physics played in the making of Silicon Valley. It will prove indispensible to anyone seeking to understand how physics has grown and shaped our view of the world over the past four centuries. * Bruce J. Hunt, University of Texas *This excellent book points out connections between instruments, observations, theories and discoveries, as well as communication among physicists. The book is replete with key references, clear figures and name and subject indexes. * Optics and Photonics News *Table of ContentsPART I: PHYSICS AND THE NEW SCIENCE; PART II: THE LONG EIGHTEENTH CENTURY; PART III: FASHIONING THE DISCIPLINE: FROM NATURAL PHILOSOPHY TO PHYSICS; PART IV: MODERN PHYSICS

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Book SynopsisThe Anthropocene defines the here-and-now time period on Earth of indelible (and possibly irreversible) human disturbance to the natural world, from habitat destruction and mass extinction to global climate change. To ameliorate and repair the damage that threatens the world''s dwindling resources and our very existence, humanity is enacting massive interventions to fuse modern technologies with long established natural processes. Advances in genetic engineering have put us on the cusp of directly shaping the DNA of every living organism (including ourselves), as well as determining the evolution of completely novel species. The author invites the reader to explore how humans have manipulated the ancient forces of evolution and the future possibilities of genetic engineering for conservation and rewilding, de-extinction, and even the creation of viable populations of entirely new species. To entertain such possibilities of synthetic biology, he forces us to wrestle with the threats and ethical conundrums that surround the unintended consequences, as well as the values that humanity places on authenticity in nature. In so doing, this accessible and thought-provoking book explores the potential future of life on planet Earth.Trade ReviewCutter presents us with a wonderfully stimulating book, elegantly weaving in personal narratives, natural history examples, and inspiring thought experiments. * Mohamed Noor, Professor of Biology and Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Duke University *This book is a must-read for anyone curious about the potential of genetic technologies to control the very fate of nature, itself. And if you happen to be someone who wants to build a dragon from scratch, then it's a good book for you, too! * Daniel Riskin, Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga, TV Host, and Producer *An excellent primer for anyone hoping to understand how today's biotechnologies - and the way we choose to use them - have the power to change all of life on Earth. * Beth Shapiro, Professor, University of California, Santa Cruz. Author of How to Clone a Mammoth and Life As We Made It *A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking book about the ways in which timeless biological processes and ever more powerful human tinkering are, together, shaping the evolutionary future. * Rob Dunn, Professor, North Carolina State University *Very well written, this book contributes to the understanding of genetic editing and the significant changes that may result from it. Essential. All readership levels. * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface Part 1: The Hearts of Nature 1: Nature in the raw, and cooked 2: Selection, naturally and otherwise 3: Ancient forces 4: Evolution's racetracks 5: Evolutionary accelerants and speed bumps 6: Carjacking genetics 7: Genetic welding 8: On the origin of species 9: Do-it-yourself speciation 10: Ongoing evolutionary outcomes Part 2: Evolutionary Futures 11: How to evolve a dragon 12: Evolutionary engineering in the flesh 13: Nature, rewilded 14: When nature comes to call 15: Inspection by the department of health, safety, and ethics 16: When we become dragons 17: A midnight coterie of transcendent fauna

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Book SynopsisCausation is a central topic in many areas of philosophy. In metaphysics, philosophers want to know what causation is, and how it is related to laws of nature, probability, action, and freedom of the will. In epistemology, philosophers investigate how causal claims can be inferred from statistical data, and how causation is related to perception, knowledge and explanation. In the philosophy of mind, philosophers want to know whether and how the mind can be said to have causal efficacy, and in ethics, whether there is a moral distinction between acts and omissions and whether the moral value of an act can be judged according to its consequences. And causation is a contested concept in other fields of enquiry, such as biology, physics, and the law. This book provides an in-depth and comprehensive overview of these and other topics, as well as the history of the causation debate from the ancient Greeks to the logical empiricists. The chapters provide surveys of contemporary debates, while often also advancing novel and controversial claims; and each includes a comprehensive bibliography and suggestions for further reading. The book is thus the most comprehensive source of information about causation currently available, and will be invaluable for upper-level undergraduates through to professional philosophers.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The Ancient Greeks ; 2. The Medievals ; 3. The Early Moderns ; 4. Hume ; 5. Kant ; 6. The Logical Empiricists ; 7. Regularity Theories ; 8. Counterfactual Theories ; 9. Probabilistic Theories ; 10. Causal Process Theories ; 11. Agency and Interventionist Theories ; 12. Causal Powers and Capacities ; 13. Anti-Reductionism ; 14. Causal Modelling ; 15. Mechanisms ; 16. Causal Pluralism ; 17. Platitudes and Counterexamples ; 18. Causes, Laws and Ontology ; 19. Causal Relata ; 20. The Time-Asymmetry of Causation ; 21. The Psychology of Causal Perception and Reasoning ; 22. Causation and Observation ; 23. Causation and Statistical Inference ; 24. Mental Causation ; 25. Causation, Action, and Free Will ; 26. Causation and Ethics ; 27. Causal Theories of Knowledge and Perception ; 28. Causation and Semantic Content ; 29. Causation and Explanation ; 30. Causation and Reduction ; 31. Causation in Classical Mechanics ; 32. Causation in Statistical Mechanics ; 33. Causation in Quantum Mechanics ; 34. Causation in Spacetime Theories ; 35. Causation in Biology ; 36. Causation in the Social Sciences ; 37. Causation in the Law

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Book SynopsisThe elegance in science is not always obvious, but it does play an important role. Here, Ian Glynn selects historical examples from a wide range of sciences to draw out the principle of elegance, highlighting the role of beauty and simplicity in science, and relating it to important philosophical issues related to inference to the best explanation.Trade Review...there is a wealth of historical information packed in here. * Times Literary Supplement *An erudite book...Well illustrated and full of historical anecdote and background, this is an elegant volume indeed. * Serge Daan, Nature *Table of Contents1. The meaning of elegance ; 2. Celestial mechanics ; 3. Bringing the heavens down to Earth ; 4. So what is heat? ; 5. Elegance and electricity ; 6. Throwing light on light ; 7. How do nerves work? ; 8. Information handling in the brain ; 9. The genetic code: a hundred years of decoding ; 10. Epilogue: a cautionary tale

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