Science & Nature Books
Oxford University Press Secret Worlds
Book SynopsisOur senses are very limited compared to those of other species; some animals see ultraviolet light, communicate using electricity, or navigate long distances with magnetic information. Martin Stevens discusses the remarkable senses in nature and what they are used for, uncovering how they work and how they are shaped by ecology and the environment.Trade Reviewa riveting new volume that explores the extraordinary senses of animals....This volume brings the wonders of these sensory worlds to a more general audience. * Michael J. Ryan, Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol.97, no.1 *While paying its dues to those amazing abilities of animals, Secret Worlds has some very intriguing things to say about the evolution and plasticity of the sense - and above all, the cost of acquiring them. [... ] One can only hope that Stevens will return with fresh insights in a few years. * Simon Ings, New Scientist *Table of ContentsPreface 1: A Plethora of Senses 2: Singing Mice and Painting Pictures with Sound 3: For My Eyes Only 4: Electric Attraction 5: Stars of the Tactile World 6: Smelling in Stereo 7: Homing Turtles and Animal Magnetism 8: A Changing World
£20.69
Oxford University Press Decoding Reality
Book SynopsisFor a physicist, all the world is information. The Universe and its workings are the ebb and flow of information. We are all transient patterns of information, passing on the recipe for our basic forms to future generations using a four-letter digital code called DNA. In this engaging and mind-stretching account, Vlatko Vedral considers some of the deepest questions about the Universe and considers the implications of interpreting it in terms of information. He explains the nature of information, the idea of entropy, and the roots of this thinking in thermodynamics. He describes the bizarre effects of quantum behaviour -- effects such as ''entanglement'', which Einstein called ''spooky action at a distance'', and explores cutting edge work on harnessing quantum effects in hyperfast quantum computers, and how recent evidence suggests that the weirdness of the quantum world, once thought limited to the tiniest scales, may reach into the macro world. Vedral finishes by considering the ansTrade ReviewBy turns irreverent, erudite and funny, Decoding Reality is - by the standard of books that require their readers to know what a logarithm is - a ripping good read...Not since David Deutsch's magestierial 'The Fabric of Reality' has a physicist given us such a wide-ranging and intriguing picture of how quantum mechanics constructs the world. * Seth Lloyd, New Scientist *Well written and engaging, the book provides a constant flow of new ideas. * Science *The author evinces great enthusiasm and curiosity throughout. * Steven Poole, The Guardian *By turns irreverent, erudite and funny, Decoding Reality is...a ripping good read. * Seth Lloyd, New Scientist *A wide-ranging and intriguing picture of how quantum mechanics constructs the world. * Seth Lloyd, New Scientist *Excellent, thought-provoking book. * BBC Focus Magazine, Marcus Chown *An engaging, non-technical exploration of what the new theory of quantum information and computation tells us about life, the universe, and everything. * David Deutsch, author of The Fabric of Reality *Let Vedral guide you skilfully through the wonderland of modern physics - where nothing is as it seems. This is the finest treatment I have read of the weird interplay of quantum reality, information and probability. * Paul Davies, author of The Eerie Silence and The Goldilocks Enigma *Vedral's book goes to dizzying heights in answering the very big question: can one understand all of reality from a scientific point of view? * Sheldon Richmond, Science and Education *Table of ContentsPrologue 1: Creation Ex Nihilo: Something from Nothing 2: Information for all SeasonsPart One 3: Back to Basics: Bits and Pieces 4: Digital Romance: Life is a Four-Letter Word 5: Murphy's Law: I Knew this Would Happen to Me 6: Place Your Bets: In It to Win It 7: Social Informatics: Get Connected or Die Tryin'Part Two 8: Quantum Schmuntum: Lights, Camera, Action! 9: Surfing the Waves: Hyper-Fast Computers 10: Children of the Aimless Chance: Randomness versus DeterminismPart Three 11: Sand Reckoning: Whose Information is It, Anyway? 12: Destruction ab Toto: Nothing from Something Epilogue Notes Index
£11.39
Oxford University Press Photosynthetic Life
Book SynopsisWritten primarily for mid- to upper-level undergraduates, this title the mechanisms of photosynthesis, its role in the evolution of plant-related organisms, from cyanobacteria to flowering plants, and its wider ecological and climatic significance. The primer brings together the latest research to show how the process of photosynthesis has evolved over the last three to four billion years - from its beginnings in bacteria to the various refinements now present in modern land plants. The authors explain how repeated endosymbiotic and gene gain/loss events have led to the evolution of the various algal groups and related non-photosynthetic groups, and how photosynthesis was modified as plants evolved and diversified into different ecological niches around the world. The role of photosynthesis in the alteration of the geology and biology of the earth, which enabled the colonisation of the land by plants and animals, is also explored. Finally, this title examines the limitations of photosyTable of Contents1: Photosynthesis, oxygen and the evolution of life 2: Bacterial origins of photosynthesis 3: Eukaryotic photosynthesis 4: Endosymbiosis: How eukaryotes acquired photosynthesis 5: Evolution of the algae 6: Evolution of the land plants 7: Future prospects for photosynthesis and plant evolution
£23.99
Oxford University Press A Dictionary of Biology
Book SynopsisThis new eighth edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect recent progress in the fields of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, with particular expansion to the areas of research design and plant and animal development. Over 120 new entries include de-extinction, ecological footprint, rewilding, and Zika virus, now totalling over 5,600 authoritative and up-to-date entries. Numerous appendices include classifications of the animal and plant kingdoms, SI units, Nobel prizewinners, and a new appendix on anatomical terms. With new diagrams and updated web links, this remains the market-leading dictionary for students of biology, both at sixth form college and university level.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Ideally suited to students of biology, either at secondary or university level, or as a general reference source for anyone with an interest in life sciences * Journal of Anatomy *Lives up to its expectations; the entries are concise but explanatory. Cross-referencing and diagrammatic illustrations are welcome, additional features * Biologist *Table of ContentsPrefaceA-Z entriesAppendicesSI unitsSimplified phylogenetic tree of the animal kingdomSimplified phylogenetic tree for plantsGeological time scaleModel organisms and their genomesMajor mass extinctions of speciesNobel prizewinning contributions to biologyEvolutionAnatomical termsUseful websites
£13.49
Oxford University Press Smell
Book SynopsisMatthew Cobb explores the sense of smell - its complex evolutionary history, and its many functions in a wide variety of animals, including humans. He describes the latest scientific research into this remarkable faculty, involving the brain as much as the nose, and reveals surprising insights into animal and human life.Table of ContentsList of illustrations 1: How we smell 2: Smelling with genes 3: Animal olfaction 4: Human smelling 5: The future of smell 6: Smelling to remember, remembering smells 7: Chemical signals Further reading Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Dementia
Book SynopsisAs more of us live longer, the fear of an old age devastated by brain diseases like dementia is growing. Many people are already facing the challenges posed by these progressive and terminal conditions, whether in person or because they are caring for loved ones. Dementia is now the fifth most common cause of death across the world. It is small wonder that understanding, preventing, and finally curing these illnesses is now a global priority. Recent advances in brain research have given scientists a better chance than ever of finding ways to help patients, carers, and clinicians dealing with dementia. Yet there is still no effective treatment. Why has progress been so slow? And what can we all do to reduce our chances of getting the disease? In this Very Short Introduction Kathleen Taylor offers a guide to the science of dementia and brain ageing. Never forgetting the human costs of brain disorders - movingly illustrated throughout the book - she also discusses their costs to society. Clearly explaining the research, she sets out the main ideas which have driven dementia science, and the new contenders hoping to make a breakthrough. Taylor also looks at risk factors, and how to lower our chances of succumbing to dementia. Assessing current and potential treatments, including both drugs and other approaches, she explains, clearly and gently, what help is available for someone who is diagnosed with dementia, and how to boost the chances of living well with the condition.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1: The challenge of dementia 2: What causes dementia? 3: Beyond amyloid 4: Risk factors 5: Diagnosis and treatment 6: The future of dementia References Further reading Useful organisations and websites
£9.49
Oxford University Press Cell Signalling
Book SynopsisWritten primarily for students embarking on an undergraduate bioscience degree, this primer provides a clear introduction to the main aspects of cell signalling in biological systems, demystifying the subject for those new to the field. The primer provides an overview of cell signalling and highlights its importance in all organisms, before going on to describe the main components of cell signalling and examples of signal transduction pathways. The discussion then progresses on to key physiological conditions in which cell signalling has an instrumental role: cancer, apoptosis and diabetes. After getting to grips with the fundamentals of the subject, Cell Signalling opens a discussion on the future of the discipline, including how manipulation of cell signalling pathways is seen as the biggest target for the pharmaceutical industry, and how crop diseases, plant survival during stress, and post-harvest storage are all influenced by cell signalling pathways.Cell Signalling is supported bTable of Contents1: Introduction to cell signalling 2: Signals and their perception 3: Modifications to proteins that control cell signalling 4: Intracellular signals 5: Cell signalling disorders; cancers and apoptosis 6: Stress responses and the changing cell environment 7: Future challenges and perspectives in cell signalling
£24.99
Oxford University Press Coral Reefs
Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringCoral reefs are among the most beautiful, and most diverse, of ecosystems. Early seafarers were wary of them, naturalists were confused by them, yet many coastal people benefited greatly from these mysterious rocky structures that grew up to the surface of the sea. They have been rich in their supply of food, and they provided a breakwater from storms and high waves to countless coastal communities that developed from their protection. Their scale is enormous and their value high. Found in countless locations around the world, from the Indo-Pacific coral reef province to the Caribbean and Australia, they support both marine and human life.But today coral reefs are in trouble, with many dying or suffering from over-exploitation, pollution, and the warming and acidification of the oceans. Understanding reefs, their conservation and management, is vital, and so is conveying this to authority if we are to preserve these remarkable ecosystems. In this Very Short Introduction Charles Sheppard describes the complex structure and interdependencies of a reef, how reefs have evolved, the diversity of marine life that they support, and their importance to the human population who live beside them. This new edition describes the latest research on the complex symbioses of coral animals with microorganisms. It also highlights the scale of the challenge facing our reefs today, following recent ocean heatwaves - part of wider climate disruption - that killed half the world''s reefs, and considers what can be done to preserve these essential and vibrant ecosystems.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1: Geology or biology? 2: Ancient reefs and islands 3: The architects of a reef 4: The resulting structure - a reef 5: Microbial and planktonic engines of the reef 6: Reef fish and other major predators 7: Regional scale pressures on reefs 8: Global scale pressures on reefs - Climate change 9: Doing something about it Further Reading Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press The Badgers of Wytham Woods
£40.84
Oxford University Press Epidemiology
Book SynopsisWhat is epidemiology? What are the causes of a new disease? How can pandemics be prevented? Epidemiology is the study of the changing patterns of disease and its main aim is to improve the health of populations. It''s a vital field, central to the health of society, to the identification of causes of disease, and to their management and prevention. Epidemiology has had an impact on many areas of medicine; from discovering the relationship between tobacco smoking and lung cancer, to the origin and spread of new epidemics. However, it is often poorly understood, largely due to misrepresentations in the media.In this Very Short Introduction Rodolfo Saracci dispels some of the myths surrounding the study of epidemiology. He provides a general explanation of the principles behind clinical trials, and explains the nature of basic statistics concerning disease. He also looks at the ethical and political issues related to obtaining and using information concerning patients, and trials involving placebos.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. What is epidemiology? ; 2. Measuring health and disease ; 3. Searching for the causes of diseases ; 4. Establishing the causes of a disease ; 5. Testing how to control a disease ; 6. Following-up people's health ; 7. Enquiring back into people's lives ; 8. Mapping health and disease ; 9. From epidemiology to medicine, prevention, and public health ; 10. Epidemiology between ethics and politics
£9.49
Oxford University Press Blood
Book SynopsisBlood is vital to most animals. In mammals it transports oxygen and food, carries away waste, and contains the white cells that attack invading microbes. Playing a central role in life, it has had profound cultural and historical significance and plays an important role in religious ritual. Blood was one of the four humours in early Western medicine and is still probably the major diagnostic tool in the doctor''s armoury. In this Very Short Introduction, Chris Cooper analyses the components of blood, explains blood groups, and looks at transfusions, blood tests, and blood-borne diseases. He considers what the future may hold, including the possibility of making artificial blood, and producing blood from stem cells in the laboratory.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewBlood is over-flowing with such fascinating historical observations, as well as with an equally generous amount of practical information that everyone possessing blood should know. * The Well-Read Naturalist *Table of Contents1: A history of blood 2: What is blood? 3: Fighting Disease 4: Haemoglobin 5: Blood pressure and blood flow 6: Blood transfusion 7: Epilogue: the future of blood Further Reading Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Developmental Biology
Book SynopsisFrom a single cell - a fertilized egg - comes an elephant, a fly, or a human. How does this astonishing feat happen? How does the egg ''know'' what to become? How does it divide into the different cells, the separate tissues, the brain, the fingernail - every tiniest detail of the growing foetus?These are the questions that the field of developmental biology seeks to answer. It is an area that is closely linked to genetics, evolution, and molecular biology. The processes are deeply rooted in evolutionary history; the information is held in genes whose vital timings in switching on and off is orchestrated by a host of proteins expressed by other genes. Timing is of the essence. Here, the distinguished developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert gives a concise account of what we now know about development, discussing the first vital steps of growth, the patterning created by Hox genes and the development of form, embryonic stem cells, the timing of gene expression and its management, chemical signalling, and growth.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Vertebrates ; 3. Invertebrates and plants ; 4. Morphogenesis ; 5. Germ Cells and Sex ; 6. Cell differentiation and stem cells ; 7. Organs ; 8. Nervous System ; 9. Growth, Cancer and Ageing. ; 10. Regeneration ; 11. Evolution ; Further reading
£9.49
Oxford University Press Hormones
Book SynopsisHormones are vital to the workings of the body, and while many people are aware of what hormones do, few have an appreciation of the nature and importance of the endocrine system. In this Very Short Introduction, Martin Luck explains what hormones are, what they do, where they come from, and how they work.Trade Reviewan informative and readable overview to the subject * Guardian *Table of Contents1. Hormones, history, and the shoulders of giants ; 2. What and how ; 3. Nuns, catastrophes, and the mysteries of reproduction ; 4. Water, salt, and blood pressure ; 5. The hard stuff: calcium, cells, bones, and cancer ; 6. Appetite, fat, and obesity ; 7. The thyroid gland ; 8. Light and dark ; 9. Changing perspectives ; Further reading ; Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press Fractals
Book SynopsisMany are familiar with the beauty and ubiquity of fractal forms within nature. Unlike the study of smooth forms such as spheres, fractal geometry describes more familiar shapes and patterns, such as the complex contours of coastlines, the outlines of clouds, and the branching of trees. In this Very Short Introduction, Kenneth Falconer looks at the roots of the ''fractal revolution'' that occurred in mathematics in the 20th century, presents the ''new geometry'' of fractals, explains the basic concepts, and explores the wide range of applications in science, and in aspects of economics.This is essential introductory reading for students of mathematics and science, and those interested in popular science and mathematics.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewFractals: A Very Short Introduction is an obvious starting point for lay readers interested in fractals. It presents the key ideas and explains their context and significance, while introducing and using some very basic mathematics. * Danny Yee's Book Reviews *a most enjoyable, 'short read' * Institute of Mathematics *[A] very well-written introduction to fractals for non-specialists ... Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. The fractal concept ; 2. Self-similarity ; 3. Fractal dimension ; 4. Julia sets and the Mandelbrot set ; 5. Random walks and Brownian motion ; 6. Fractals in the real world ; 7. A little history ; Further reading
£9.49
Oxford University Press Minerals
Book SynopsisMinerals existed long before any forms of life, playing a key role in the origin and evolution of life; an interaction with biological systems that we are only now beginning to understand. Exploring the traditional strand of mineralogy, which emphasises the important mineral families, the well-established analytical methods (optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction) and the dramatic developments made in techniques over recent decades, David Vaughan also introduces the modern strand of mineralogy, which explores the role minerals play in the plate tectonic cycle and how they interact with the living world. Demonstrating how minerals can be critical for human health and illness by providing essential nutrients and releasing poisons, Vaughan explores the multitude of ways in which minerals have aided our understanding of the world.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewan excellent choice for those curious to dig deeper into the mineral world. * Geoscientist *Table of Contents1. The mineral world ; 2. Studying minerals ; 3. Minerals and the interior of the Earth ; 4. Earth's surface and the cycling of minerals ; 5. Minerals and the living world ; 6. Minerals as resources ; 7. Minerals past, present, and future ; Further reading ; Index
£9.49
Oxford University Press The History of Physics
Book SynopsisHow does the physics we know today - a highly professionalised enterprise, inextricably linked to government and industry - link back to its origins as a liberal art in Ancient Greece? What is the path that leads from the old philosophy of nature and its concern with humankind''s place in the universe to modern massive international projects that hunt down fundamental particles and industrial laboratories that manufacture marvels? This Very Short Introduction introduces us to Islamic astronomers and mathematicians calculating the size of the earth whilst their caliphs conquered much of it; to medieval scholar-theologians investigating light; to Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, and Newton, measuring, and trying to explain, the universe. We visit the ''House of Wisdom'' in 9th-century Baghdad; Europe''s first universities; the courts of the Renaissance; the Scientific Revolution and the academies of the 18th century; and the increasingly specialised world of 20th and 21st century science. Highlighting the shifting relationship between physics, philosophy, mathematics, and technology - and the implications for humankind''s self-understanding - Heilbron explores the changing place and purpose of physics in the cultures and societies that have nurtured it over the centuries. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA comprehensive treatment of the history of physics in the West * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer *Pick up a copy to get to grips with the 2500-year history of physics. * Tushna Commissariat, Physics World *Elegantly written and entertaining. * Daan Wegener, Isis Review *This book is essential reading. Insightful ... never boring. * Frost Magazine *delightful... Heilbron leaves us rooted in lived reality * Nature, Robert P. Crease *manages to pack an awful lot into that very short space ... interesting and informative for non-scientists * A Hermit's Progress *The book is effectively a short history of ideas that moves around the cultures of Europe depending on time and place, so there is a fascinating chapter on Islamic contributions. * Network Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Invention and Diversity in Greece and Rome 2: Selection and Development in Islam 3: Domestication in the West 4: A Second Creation 5: Classical Physics and its Cure 6: From Old World to New 7: By Way of Conclusion References and Further Reading Index
£9.49
The University of Chicago Press The Cybernetic Brain
Book SynopsisCybernetics is often thought of as a grim military or industrial science of control. This title follows the history of cybernetics' impact on the world, from contemporary robotics and complexity theory to the Chilean economy under Salvador Allende.Trade Review"By focusing on the developments in Britain, Andrew Pickering's The Cybernetic Brain opens wide new vistas for exploring cybernetic practice and its legacy.... As a protean science with connections to psychiatry, theater, music, politics, and counterculture, it was a lot more glamorous and fun than previous accounts of the field would have us believe." (Science)"
£30.40
The University of Chicago Press The Story of Spin
Book SynopsisAll atomic particles have a particular spin, analagous to the rotation of the Earth about its axis. This mysterious quality has vast practical importance to topics as wide-ranging as the stability of atoms and stars and magnetic resonance imaging. This is an accessible treatment of the subject.
£26.60
The University of Chicago Press The Arts of the Microbial World
Book SynopsisThe first in-depth study of Japanese fermentation science in the twentieth century. The Arts of the Microbial World explores the significance of fermentation phenomena, both as life processes and as technologies, in Japanese scientific culture. Victoria Lee's careful study documents how Japanese scientists and skilled workers sought to use the microbe's natural processes to create new products, from soy-sauce mold starters to MSG, vitamins to statins. In traditional brewing houses as well as in the food, fine chemical, and pharmaceutical industries across Japan, they showcased their ability to deal with the enormous sensitivity and variety of the microbial world. Charting developments in fermentation science from the turn of the twentieth century, when Japan was an industrializing country on the periphery of the world economy, to 1980 when it had emerged as a global technological and economic power, Lee highlights the role of indigenous techniques in modern science as it took shape in Japan. In doing so, she reveals how knowledge of microbes lay at the heart of some of Japan's most prominent technological breakthroughs in the global economy. At a moment when twenty-first-century developments in the fields of antibiotic resistance, the microbiome, and green chemistry suggest that the traditional eradication-based approach to the microbial world is unsustainable, twentieth-century Japanese microbiology provides a new, broader vantage for understanding and managing microbial interactions with society.Trade Review"Lee... describes many interesting developments associated with the modern production of various types of sake, including processes related to nutrition, alcohol content, and flavors, ultimately influencing the Japanese manufacture of antibiotics." * Choice *"The Arts of the Microbial World is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the industrial food system. * Isis *"In this brilliant tour de force, Lee orchestrates science, politics, and production to show how microbes—and the understanding of microbes—shaped Japan’s distinctive modernity. If you’ve ever eaten soy sauce or drunk sake, you’re the beneficiary of age-old fermentation practices. This deep-rooted knowledge, based on the insight that life is fermentation, played a vital role in the twentieth-century developments that put Japan at the forefront of modern medicine, food processing, and environmental understanding. This nuanced history demonstrates that although scientific problems may be universal, scientific practices are subtly shaped by culture and politics." -- Julia Adeney Thomas, coauthor of The Anthropocene: A Multidisciplinary Approach"In The Arts of the Microbial World, Lee explores how Japanese scientists treated microbes not as threats, but as gifts, from which they conjured new foods, drinks, drugs, fuels, and tastes. The result is a thrilling and surprising new history of fermentation biology that offers a nuanced counterpoint to western, gene-centric histories. Wonderfully written and brilliantly researched, this is compelling and exciting work." -- Christopher Otter, Ohio State University"Lee successfully pursues a sustained argument that remains integrated and coherent even as she explores its varied instantiations in different topics, times, and locations. The originality of the book lies not only in providing a history of Japanese fermentation science in the twentieth century in its institutional, economic, and cultural dimensions, but especially in demonstrating the continuing importance of an indigenous craft tradition in shaping the twentieth-century field. In doing so she convincingly shows the inadequacy of interpreting Japanese fermentation science as simply a case of technology transfer." -- John Lesch, University of California, BerkeleyTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION Microbe History 1 SAKE AND SHŌYU Remaking Mold Cultures 2 NUTRITION No Longer a Land of Plenty 3 NATION Asia’s Microbial Gardens and Japanese Knowledge 4 ALCOHOL Empire in Practice 5 ANTIBIOTICS Domesticating Penicillin 6 FLAVOR To Screen for Gifts CONCLUSION The Science of Modern Life Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£38.00
The University of Chicago Press Crossing the Boundaries of Life Günter Blobel and
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Based solely on its originality, wealth of detail, and subject matter, Crossing the Boundaries of Life deserves to be on the must-read list of every historian of the twentieth-century life sciences.” * Journal of the History of Biology *"Based on personal contact and archival research, including an epilogue addressing contending epistemic debates (cellular context vs. molecular processes), this book provides an excellent account of how paradigm shifts actually occur in science. The text is readable for a general audience and provides a host of primary resources. . . . Highly recommended." * Choice *“Those who are willing to be guided through the rough and tumble of a long experimental research trajectory and its details will be richly rewarded in the end. To the reviewer's knowledge, this book is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of what it means to do cell biology at the molecular level, and to trace historically how it came to be done.” -- Hans-Jörg Rheinberger * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (translated from German) *"This complexity of the cell, and equally—if not more so—the complexity of the history of the scientific study of the cell, is something that struck me most forcibly as I wended my way through the pages of Karl Matlin’s Crossing the Boundaries of Life. . . . there is a rich vein of information as well as ideas for entire historical projects to be mined in this book." * Metascience *"Matlin charts new terrain in the history of the life sciences. His book is original, relevant, and provides a wealth of new stories and conceptual problems for the history and philosophy of cell and molecular biology. This exciting piece of scholarship covers a crucial episode of these sciences which merits scholarly attention. Matlin moves the field a step forward." -- Mathias Grote, author of Membranes to Molecular MachinesTable of ContentsPreface Prologue. A Very Small Difference . . . Part I. The Cytologist’s Dilemma 1. The Living Substance 2. The Membrane Boundary 3. Breakthroughs Part II. From Cells to Molecules 4. The Endoplasmic Reticulum 5. The Signal Hypothesis 6. The Strange Case of the Signal Recognition Particle 7. Enemies, Real and Imagined 8. The Light at the End of the Tunnel Part III. Form Redux 9. Topogenesis and Spatial Information 10. In Vitro Veritas? 11. Form, Context, and the Epistemic Strategy of Cell Biology Epilogue. 1975 and All That A Note on Sources References
£79.80
The University of Chicago Press The Nature of the Future
Book SynopsisThe Nature of the Future plumbs the innovative, far-ranging, and sometimes downright strange agricultural schemes of nineteenth-century farms in the northern US. The nostalgic mist surrounding farms can make it hard to write their history, encrusting them with stereotypical rural virtues and unrealistically separating them from markets, capitalism, and urban influences. The Nature of the Future dispels this mist, focusing on a place and period of enormous agricultural vitalityantebellum New York Stateto examine the largest, most diverse, and most active scientific community in nineteenth-century America. Emily Pawley shows how improving farmers practiced a science where conflicting visions of the future landscape appeared and evaporated in quick succession. Drawing from US history, environmental history, and the history of science, and extensively mining a wealth of antebellum agricultural publications, The Nature of the Future reveals how improvers transformed American landscapes aTrade ReviewWinner * History of Science Society 2021 Philip Pauly Prize *"Pawley has written a powerful book that should shatter popular myths that portray antebellum rural New York as a “virtuous, sentimental, unchanging” bastion of the family farm. . . . This is an important story that should be foundational reading for anyone interested in the roots of our modern food system. . . . Scholars of capitalism and the environment will find much to mine in Pawley’s book." * Environmental History *"Readers will discover an important idea and a fascinating detail on every page of this remarkable book." * Business History Review *"An important work, deeply researched, strikingly incisive, and stunningly original. . . . Pawley adds depth and nuance to our understanding of antebellum culture and society. . . . And because Pawley approaches her subject matter with both a discerning eye and a sense of delight, her prose, for all its erudition, is laced with charm and wit. . . . If The Nature of the Future whets our intellectual appetites for more, it is because Pawley’s scholarship has yielded a bumper crop of food for thought. Dig in." * Agricultural History *"Provocative and engaging. . . This concise and elegantly written monograph makes an excellent contribution to the social, cultural, and economic historiography of New England as well as antebellum America more broadly." * New England Quarterly *“The Nature of the Future is a crisply written and lively account of agricultural improvement in the antebellum Northeast. Come for the mammoth squashes, drunken plants, and butter battles; stay for the incisive and illuminating history, brilliantly told.” -- Wendy A. Woloson, author of Crap: A History of Cheap Stuff in America“In this book, Pawley deftly hands us invention, experimentation, evidence, truth . . . and mulberries. In nineteenth-century bookkeeping of field nutrients, raucous debates over apple varieties, and Thoreau’s sarcasm, she discovers the science, economics, and commercial imagination that shaped American farming and our modern meals. The writing is a delight—insightful, sure, and often funny. The Nature of the Future will be of keen interest to historians of capitalism, place, and food—and to anyone helping chart our environmental present.” -- Conevery Bolton Valencius, author of The Lost History of the New Madrid Earthquakes“Pawley shatters historians’ preconceptions about who and what belong in the histories of science and capitalism. Even the animals, plants, and soils have captivating pasts. Vivid and witty, this book rewrites the history of the early US from the perspective of those who fed it.” -- Jessica M. Lepler, author of The Many Panics of 1837Table of ContentsIntroduction: Bending Reality with Large Strawberries Part 1 Performances 1 Capitalist Aristocracy 2 No Ordinary Farmers Part 2 Experiments 3 Experiments All for Worldly Gain 4 Trying Machines Part 3 Futures 5 Coining Foliage into Gold 6 Divining Adaptation Part 4 Values 7 Truth in Fruit 8 The Balance-Sheet of Nature Epilogue Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Notes Index
£26.60
The University of Chicago Press Astrotopia
Book SynopsisA revealing look at the parallel mythologies behind the colonization of Earth and spaceand a bold vision for a more equitable, responsible future both on and beyond our planet. As environmental, political, and public health crises multiply on Earth, we are also at the dawn of a new space race in which governments team up with celebrity billionaires to exploit the cosmos for human gain. The best-known of these pioneers are selling different visions of the future: while Elon Musk and SpaceX seek to establish a human presence on Mars, Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin work toward moving millions of earthlings into rotating near-Earth habitats. Despite these distinctions, these two billionaires share a core utopian project: the salvation of humanity through the exploitation of space. In Astrotopia, philosopher of science and religion Mary-Jane Rubenstein pulls back the curtain on the not-so-new myths these space barons are peddling, like growth without limit, energy without guilt, and salTrade Review"A gung-ho approach to speed would violate the considerations of space ecology promoted by Rubenstein in Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race. Rubenstein, while expertly dismantling some overblown claims of companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, proposes a gentler mode of space exploration that refuses to rehearse the violent history of colonialism on earth. In a way her vision recalls Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock’s Prime Directive: to avoid interference with other life forms. The original Star Trek series began in 1966, only months after the death of Sergei Korolev. Perhaps it still has something to teach us." -- Steven Poole * Wall Street Journal *"The vision is to mine the lunar surface for rocket fuel that can then propel us all the way to Mars—and beyond, as humanity takes its self-appointed place in the stars. Rubenstein told me that vision makes her want to throw up. . . . Rubenstein argues that today’s corporate space race—helmed by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and others who propose to 'save' humanity from a dying planet—is actually rehashing old Christian themes that go all the way back to the fifteenth century, when European Christians colonized the Americas. Remember how Donald Trump described the Artemis mission and eventual settlement of the moon and Mars? He called it 'America’s manifest destiny in the stars.' But as Rubenstein points out, not everyone thinks it’s the moon’s destiny to be strip-mined, or Mars’s destiny to be settled by human colonists. In fact, some believe these celestial bodies should have fundamental rights of their own." -- Sigal Samuel * Vox *"That techno-utopian agenda, which too frequently anchors public discussion of extraterrestrial exploration, was critiqued last year in Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, by Mary-Jane Rubenstein, professor of religion and science at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. She notes the quasi-religious fervor of ‘astrosavior’ Musk and his devotees: the planet is doomed, cries its richest man, who promises salvation elsewhere for the faithful. His is not the only voice that matters. What about the Navajo Nation, who regard other worlds as sacred? We should not be sacrificing a space Greta to social media trolls to argue the toss; we need governments brave enough to make new rules in space that respect and benefit us all.” * Financial Times *"Rubenstein succeeds in highlighting both the debate over whether future space exploration and exploitation should be led by government or entrepreneurial entities and the manner in which neoliberal, private-sector emphases have come to dominate the thinking of a particular segment of the pro-space community. Her criticisms of this phenomenon—part of a growing body of literature in environmental studies, Afrofuturism, and anticolonialism investigations—are on point.” -- Roger D. Launius * Science *“In the cold war, space exploration’s wonders served a race between political systems. Today, argues religion and science scholar Rubenstein, they are subject to commercial rivalry, notably between billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, who are littering space and advocating it as a refuge from Earth’s destruction. She argues that we must eschew such myopic, colonialist ‘astrotopia,’ and listen instead to a sort of ‘pantheistic mysticism’—valuing and learning from the cosmic environment—scorned by past imperialists.” -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *"If you find this state of affairs depressing—if your fascination with the Moon, Mars and other wonders of our solar system is increasingly tempered by concerns that a small but powerful group of people seems hell-bent on mucking them up—then you should run, not walk, to your nearest bookseller for a copy of Astrotopia. . . . It offers a concise but stinging critique of the current 'New Space' era, giving succour to space fans everywhere who are, in Rubenstein’s words, 'sick over the decimation of this planet and horrified that this planet isn’t enough for the decimators.' . . . When I review a book, I like to mark important passages and pithy phrases with sticky notes. By the time I finished Astrotopia, my copy had more paper flags than a Jubilee street party. I hope this review illustrates why this was so, and why Rubenstein’s arguments deserve the widest possible hearing among people who dream of exploring space without exploiting it." -- Margaret Harris * Physics World *“A version of spaceflight's story that isn't told often enough.” -- Meghan Bartels, News Reporter * Scientific American, "55 Books Scientific American Recommends in 2023" *"Rubenstein is not only brilliant at putting together and analyzing ideas; she’s also a lively (and quite accessible) writer." * Christian Century *"Rubenstein is not against utopianism, but she argues that Silicon Valley techno-utopianism is fraudulent, using the rhetoric of science and reason to disguise the fact that its promises are actually unscientific and unrealistic. Instead, she advocates that we get our ideas for a beautiful human future from a diverse array of other sources, from feminist science fiction to indigenous thinkers. Rubenstein offers us a starting point for thinking about how we might forge a path for our species that is egalitarian and humane." * Current Affairs *"Rubenstein takes apart the mindset that wants to establish outposts on the moon, mine water and metals, and colonise Mars. . . . Should we study and explore space? Yes, but not if science means heedless exploitation, argues the book. Ethical exploration would avoid damage and violence and prioritise knowledge over profit. It would keep earth’s own needs first, like using technology to better track weather and disaster, or deploying billionaire surpluses on this planet before remaking others. Otherwise, what we do to the earth, we will do outside earth." * Times of India *"I’m not a pantheist but the argument does carry some weight: our rationalistic relationship with the modern world has denied us of any real, meaningful connection with Mother Nature. We’re instead too focused on our divine destiny in the stars. But if we ruin the Moon or Mars or any other planet, then what is really the point of it all in the first place? . . . In the conclusion of Astrotopia, Rubenstein asserts the need for a pantheist revolution against the Western view of God as a single entity. Instead we should embrace God as being within everything. It’s a fundamental rewriting of our position in the cosmos, and a repositioning of the cosmos around us. A more spiritual approach to spacefaring might just allow us to avoid our earthly mistakes, and explore space ethically. And if we learn any lessons from our time here on Earth, it should not be ‘how space belongs to us, but how we belong to it.’ As Carl Sagan said, we are, each of us, made of star-stuff." -- James Tatam * Nature Astronomy *"Astrotopia makes a powerful argument that we are approaching space exploration with the same old imperial Christian mythology, making space merely a thing to be exploited." -- Hilary Lamb * Engineering and Technology *"Rubenstein's work is always delightfully readable and engagingly enlightening, but Astrotopia feels more immediate, because the message is both timely and urgent. A book of cultural criticism as well as consciousness raising, Astrotopia is meant to reach beyond the philosophers of religion and space historians to the interested layperson who needs to know how the world’s wealthiest people are 'rehashing' themes of Christian conquest to justify their manifest destiny in space. . . . Astrotopia is downright fun when it’s centered on the two focus-pulling, spotlight-stealing, grand-gesturing, dueling ringmasters themselves—Musk and Bezos—mostly because Rubenstein’s tone as she recounts the litanies of their outsized ideas is that of an exasperated Greek chorus." -- Catherine L. Newell * The Revealer *"Few books of late have given me such pause as Rubenstein’s thoughtful Astrotopia. Like many, I had considered space travel an untrammeled good (despite its origins in the destructive political rivalries of the Cold War and recent reliance on individual, stupidly-rich capitalists to move its development forward). Like many, I would love a Star Trek universe where humans peaceably coexist and thrive on hundreds of new worlds, the sins of the past behind us as we progress together in the noble spirit of exploration ever onward into bright futures. But what Rubenstein makes so clear is that today that kind of future utopia seems wholly unlikely. Without a severe imaginative reset, we may be doomed to repeat our imperialist and colonialist sins of the past, this time with the planet at stake." -- Jeremy Brett * Ancillary Review of Books *"Astrotopia presents an examination of the current state of space exploration juxtaposed with the history of previous periods of exploration—and exploitation—here on Earth. Rubenstein . . . brings a particularly interesting perspective to the subject in examining not only the histories themselves but the motivations concurrent with them. . . . What’s more, she caps her examination with the presentation of an alternative of how the future of space exploration might unfold if undertaken with appropriate reflection upon the past, and a reexamination of the motivations and methods for its continuance." -- Johannes E. Riutta * Well-read Naturalist *"A new book, Astrotopia, lays out in the most fascinating terms the ways in which things are very much going wrong up there beyond the wild blue yonder. . . . In the end, it’s not the Tesla in orbit that bothers. It’s this: 'When asked why he wants to "save" humanity by sending us to Mars rather than addressing injustice, poverty and climate change on Earth, Musk will often laugh and say, "F— Earth." Earth is done; Earth is history; Earth is so last eon.' . . . Sure, we can and should go joy-riding in our planetary neighborhood. But we still have a chance to save the most hospitable planet we know, Rubenstein writes. Let’s give it the old college try before saying F-it.” -- Larry Wilson * Orange County Register *"Why are American taxpayers giving billions in contracts to Elon Musk to send astronauts back to the Moon, and dangling a second contract for a lunar lander to Jeff Bezos, two of the world’s richest tech billionaires? For the answer to these questions, I strongly suggest you read Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race. . . . In highly entertaining prose, Rubenstein unpacks the absurdity of Musk and Bezos’s space ambitions while exploring the larger issue of how our national priorities for space continue to be guided by destructive myths instead of sustainable, peaceful ones." -- Micah L. Sifry * The Connector *"Astrotopia is superb and will fascinate anyone curious about the current space fervor." * Booklist *"Rubenstein lends fresh energy to a familiar debate about the value of space programs, dreams of mining the solar system, and colonizing the moon and Mars." * Kirkus Reviews *"A singular perspective on space technology, with unexpected comparisons to colonialism that will make readers think twice about the future of humanity on other planets." -- Jennifer Moore * Library Journal *"In Astrotopia, the philosopher Rubenstein argues that the twenty-first-century private space race being carried out by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and others has become a ‘mythological project’ analogous to the type of ‘imperial Christianity’ that was used by Europeans to colonize more than half the planet. Discussing the era of private competition in space, known as NewSpace, she argues that we need to act now to prevent it from being rapaciously exploited by capitalists. Yet perhaps the most provocative portion of the book looks toward the past: Rubenstein convincingly demonstrates that NASA and US politicians used Christian imperialist language to justify the Apollo missions. In other words, it’s no coincidence that the Apollo 8 crew read from the book of Genesis while orbiting the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968." * Physics Today *"In her book Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, religion professor Mary-Jane Rubenstein describes the pull of the cosmos as 'mythic.' And she’s right: there is something truly spiritual about our cosmos—it has a God-like ability to make you feel small. As Rubenstein beautifully writes, 'Innumerable suns warming scadzillions of planets, with oceans and dust storms and cloud microbes and who knows what else, all in constant motion through infinite space and time, and here you are, making a cheese sandwich, nowhere in particular.'" * New Voices *"This book critically analyzes the motivations of commercial space entities from the perspective of a professor of religion, science, and technology. The early commercial space flight endeavors described in the book are appropriately compared to the exploits of early colonialists who ventured into ‘unexplored’ lands in pursuit of resources and settlement opportunities. Rubenstein also provides convincing examples of how many of the ongoing commercial space activities are not fully evaluated for various ethical issues related to space operations, including the issues raised by the prospects of, e.g., space tourism, outer space settlement, and exploitation of planetary resources. The author unapologetically describes how the commercial space flight missions currently sensationalized in the news are reminiscent of the avaricious and contentious European colonization of territories outside continental Europe. She points out, moreover, that the benefits of these high-profile space flight activities are not inclusive to all and that policy makers have not fully considered the ownership of outer space territories and natural resources extracted from other planets. Ample references support the chapters. Highly recommended." * Choice *“A timely book that makes an important and well-argued point: that the new space race, indeed much like the old one, is driven largely by a combination of an instinct for capitalist exploitation and colonization coupled to a quasi-religious impulse drawing on some of the worst of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Astrotopia ought to stimulate some much-needed debate.” -- Philip Ball, author of "The Modern Myths: Adventures in the Machinery of the Popular Imagination"“One of the most philosophically sophisticated, mythically impactful, contemporarily relevant, and wickedly funny books I have read in a very long time. ‘Influential’ is a grotesque understatement. ‘Game-changing’ is more like it.” -- Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of "The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of Knowledge"“The NewSpace era is marked by growing excitement and worry. The most significant issue moving forward is how to prevent destructive practices from crystallizing as the space endeavor grows. The first thing to do is to dispel the myth from the reality, and this book is one attempt to do that. For this field to advance, we need more critical perspectives that are forward-looking and suggest a pathway toward alternative hopeful and inclusive space futures.” -- Timiebi Aganaba, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, College of Global Futures, Arizona State University“This book is a must-read for anyone who believes that the space race is a romantic enterprise defining humanity’s destiny. Alas, as Rubenstein argues with wit and urgency, the space race is a reinvention of the worst colonialism has to offer, a mythologized narrative of exploitation and hubris poised to turn outer space into ‘another theater of greed and war.’” -- Marcelo Gleiser, Appleton Professor of Natural Philosophy, Dartmouth College, 2019 Templeton Prize Laureate“Astrotopia is an adventurous ride into outer space. Rubenstein masterfully places our desire to travel the cosmic seas within a historical and religious context, which is illuminating. Sublimely entertaining, Rubenstein brings levity to such a complex subject matter. To understand the future of the space industry, Astrotopia is a must-read.” -- Ingrid LaFleur, founder and director, The Afrofuture Strategies Institute“Astrotopia is a timely and lively read that helps us see the old myths behind NewSpace. Rubenstein exposes the religious and imperialistic roots of our outer-space plans, challenging us to rethink our motivations and justifications for our dreams of leaving Earth. Anyone who has ever asked why we are so intent on going to Mars and elsewhere, and especially those of us who consider ourselves space enthusiasts, should read this and ask whether we’re really satisfied with the futures being drawn up for us by astro-oligarchs or whether there may be other, and better, options.” -- David Grinspoon, coauthor of "Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto"Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: We Hold This Myth to Be Potential 1 Our Infinite Future in Infinite Space 2 Creation and Conquest 3 The American Promised Land 4 The Final Frontier 5 Whose Space Is It? 6 The Rights of Rocks 7 Other Spacetimes Conclusion: Revolt of the Pantheists Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press The Inspiration Machine
Book SynopsisTrade Review“In this moment when generative AI is being declared the successor to human creativity, Wilf offers us a vital counternarrative. His nuanced ethnographic investigations challenge myths of autonomy in either creative practitioners or computational machines while insisting on the cultural/historical embeddedness and situated practices of meaning-making. This book should become an obligatory reference for anyone speaking about computational creativity.” * Lucy Suchman, author of Human-Machine Reconfigurations *“The Inspiration Machine powerfully unsettles both commonplace imaginaries and banal critiques of how digital technology shapes and reshapes contemporary art-making. Along the way it clearly establishes Wilf as anthropology’s leading theorist of modernity’s vexed relationship to creative practice.” * Steven Feld, VoxLox Media Arts *“The Inspiration Machine is itself a model and an inspiration, a highly original and ethnographically rich exploration of digital art-making. Drawing upon three revelatory case studies—and on a broad and subtle engagement with contemporary theory—Wilf illuminates the complex mutual entanglement of machinic creativity with human practices, aesthetics, and sociality. This is a singular study of emergent relationalities in unexpected places and practices and wonderful to think with.” * Don Brenneis, University of California, Santa Cruz *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Toward an Anthropology of Computational Creativity PART I Jazz: Mimicry, Originality, Sociality 1 “I Prefer Playing with It to Playing with Most People”: The Computer as a Musical Conversation Partner 2 An Island of Interactivity in an Ocean of Nonreactivity: The Trade-Offs of a Made-to-Order Artificial Musical World 3 “A Device That Would Generate New Musical Ideas”: The Computer as a Source of Musical Inspiration 4 Separating Noise from Signal: The Ethnomethodological Uncanny as Aesthetic Pleasure in Human-Machine Interaction PART II Poetry: Indeterminacy, Potentiality, Intentionality 5 Computer-Generated Poetry and Some of Its Aesthetic and Technical Dimensions 6 “I Randomize, Therefore I Think”: Computational Indeterminacy and the Tensions of American Liberal Subjectivity 7 Analog Precursors and Their Digital Logical End: The Oulipo 8 Crosscurrents and Opposing Perspectives Conclusion: Neither Our Doom nor Our Salvation: Open-Ended Digital Systems and Cultural Critique Notes References Index
£26.60
The University of Chicago Press Principles of Animal Behavior 5th Edition
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£77.90
University of Chicago Press Sensing Qualia
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£22.50
The University of Chicago Press Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime and
Book SynopsisIn this book, the author provides an pedagogical introduction to the formulation of quantum field theory in curved spacetime. The main features of the theory and the relations between different approaches are clarified here along with the Unruh effect and the Hawking effect.
£25.65
Penguin Books Ltd The Changing Mind
Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE ORGANIZED MIND ''Everyone we know needs this remarkable book ... Essential for the rest of your life'' Daniel H. Pink, author of When and Drive'' ''The secrets of ageing well ... a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why'' Sunday Times ____________________________________________ We have long been encouraged to think of old age as synonymous with a decline in skills. Yet recent studies show that our decision making improves as we age, and our happiness levels peak in our eighties. What really happens to our brains as we get older? In The Changing Mind (published in America as Successful Aging), neuroscientist and internationally bestselling author Daniel Levitin invites us to dramatically shift our understanding of aging, demonstrating the many benefits of growing older. He draws on cTrade ReviewThe secrets of ageing well ... Daniel Levitin is a distinguished American neuroscientist and this is a serious, evidence-based guide to what really works and why * Sunday Times *A fact-filled and optimistic guide to ageing well ... Levitin is an invaluable kind of scientist ... The Changing Mind is replete with curious facts ... Optimism is a life-preserver. His book bubbles with it. Levitin makes a strong case for the consolations if not the joys of age -- John Sutherland * The Times *Optimistic in tone ... Levitin loves to tell stories ... he's a good companion * Evening Standard *Comprehensive and fascinating insight into the evolving human brain. This book could change your life * Professor Stephen Westaby, author of 'Fragile Lives' *None of us can afford to ignore Daniel Levitin's The Changing Mind ... The good news is that it's not all downhill: according to Levitin our decision-making skills and happiness levels actually increase in later life * New Statesman *The idea that your mind has to decline with age is false - and there is plenty we can do to keep it sharp * Telegraph *Neuroscientist Levitin delves into the multiple-trace theory of memory, the ageing microbiome, fats and the brain, the impacts of neural implants, and the joys of non-retirement. A clear-eyed, insightful overview of the neurophysiological healthspan * Nature *Delivers welcome news about the ageing brain: it is happier, quicker and often much healthier than you may imagine * New Scientist *Daniel Levitin's refreshing perspective on ageing will change your opinion on this unique phase of life and challenge the 'slowing down' stereotype. Using a scientific and thoroughly engaging approach, Levitin convinces us that with medical advances alongside positive lifestyle changes described in this book, we can all look forward to older age as a fulfilling and exciting chapter in our lives * Dr Rupy Aujla, author of The Doctor’s Kitchen *This is a book that can make things feel a whole lot brighter * Big Issue *If you're planning to age, read this book. Wise, sensitive, and insightful, Levitin shares the tools that allow you to optimize the process * David Eagleman, author of 'The Brain' *A wise, insightful, and beautifully-written book on how we can navigate the waters of time. Helpful for readers at any age. * Daniel Gilbert, author of 'Stumbling on Happiness' *Predictions are perilous, but here's one I can make with certainty: Tomorrow you and I will be older than we are today. That's why you, I, and everyone we know needs this remarkable book. With a scientist's rigour and a storyteller's flair, Daniel Levitin offers a fresh approach to growing older. He debunks the idea that ageing inevitably brings infirmity and unhappiness and instead offers a trove of practical, evidence-based guidance for living longer and better. The Changing Mind is an essential book for the rest of your life. * Daniel H. Pink, author of 'When' and 'Drive' *A compelling primer on our amazingly dynamic brains and the steps we can all take to harness that potential * Dr Rahul Jandial, author of 'Life Lessons from a Brain Surgeon' *An uplifting exploration of the brain, and how it does not age as we often fear * Camilla Cavendish, author of 'Extra Time' *
£9.99
Dorling Kindersley Ltd Science
Book SynopsisA writer, broadcaster, and photographer, Editorial Consultant Adam Hart-Davis is a popular and respected explainer of science and engineering. He presented the BBC series What the Romans Did For Us, followed by further programmes on the Victorians, Tudors and Stuarts, and Ancients. He also co-presented Tomorrow's World, Science Shack, The Cosmos: A Beginner's Guide, and Just Another Day, about the science and technology of everyday life. He is the author of more than 35 books on science, invention, and history.
£28.00
Dorling Kindersley Ltd The Beginners Dog Training Guide How to Train a
Book SynopsisUnleash your dog''s potential and build a rewarding relationship that will last a lifetime!From walking on a loose lead to carrying the shopping, The Beginner''s Dog Training Guide has everything you need to know to train your dog and ensure you have a happy canine companion. Choose the right dog breed for you and then keep your dog healthy by understanding their exercise, diet, and grooming needs. Follow clear, step-by-step explanations and illustrations to learn every aspect of owning and training a dog, from basic obedience to advanced tricks.Expert advice accompanied by over 800 clear photographs provide a user-friendly visual guide to training your dog, by showing you exactly what to do. Filled with tips and tricks, this book will help you become the owner of a well-behaved, healthy, and happy dog!This dog training book promises:- An easy-to-follow approach to understanding dog behaviour and dog training based on the latest r
£9.99
Dorling Kindersley Ltd The Science Book
Book SynopsisDid the universe start with a Big Bang? Is light a wave, a particle or both? Is a Theory of Everything possible?Explaining the key milestones in the field of science in a clear and simple way, The Science Book answers these questions and more besides, and is the perfect introduction to the subject. Untangling knotty theories and shedding light on abstract concepts, entries unpack each complex idea with a combination of easy-to-follow explanations, innovative graphics, and intriguing quotes.Discover the most important theories of history's greatest scientists, why Copernicus's ideas were so contentious, how Einstein developed the concept general and special relativity, and the reasoning behind Crick and Watson's proposed structure for DNA, and much more besides.Fully revised and updated with eight brand-new pages of content, The Science Book is a truly accessible and comprehensive route into a fascinating subject. Packed with scientific q
£16.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Zoologists Guide to the Galaxy
Book SynopsisA Times/Sunday Times Book of the Year DISCOVER HOW LIFE REALLY WORKS - ON EARTH AND IN SPACE ''A wonderfully insightful sidelong look at Earthly biology'' Richard Dawkins''Crawls with curious facts'' Sunday Times_________________________We are unprepared for the greatest discovery of modern science. Scientists are confident that there is alien life across the universe yet we have not moved beyond our perception of ''aliens'' as Hollywood stereotypes. The time has come to abandon our fixation on alien monsters and place our expectations on solid scientific footing.Using his own expert understanding of life on Earth and Darwin''s theory of evolution - which applies throughout the universe - Cambridge zoologist Dr Arik Kershenbaum explains what alien life must be like. This is the story of how life really works, on Earth and in space._________________________''An entertaining, eye-opening and, above all, a hopeful view of what - or who - might be out there in the cosmos'' Philip Ball, author of Nature''s Patterns''A fascinating insight into the deepest of questions: what might an alien actually look like'' Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins''If you don''t want to be surprised by extraterrestrial life, look no further than this lively overview of the laws of evolution that have produced life on earth'' Frans de Waal, author of Mama''s Last HugTrade ReviewI love The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy by Arik Kershenbaum. Although it sets out to be (and is) about alien life, what emerges is a wonderfully insightful sidelong look at Earthly biology -- Richard Dawkins, via TwitterIf you don't want to be surprised by extraterrestrial life, look no further than this lively overview of the laws of evolution that have produced life on earth. -- Frans de Waal, author of Mama’s Last HugA fun, and thoroughly biological, exploration of possible and impossible alien beings. If you'd love to know what real aliens from other planets might really be like, this is the book for you -- Susan Blackmore, author of Seeing MyselfSurveying the deep-time of evolution on Earth and his own cutting-edge research into animal communication, Kershenbaum provides a fascinating insight into the deepest of questions: what might an alien actually look like -- Lewis Dartnell, author of OriginsWhen we search for aliens, what are we searching for? If life exists on other worlds, it might look very different to life 'as we know it', but Arik Kershenbaum makes a persuasive and entertaining case that we needn't be completely in the dark. There are some rules that all beings with a claim to be alive must observe, and for which life on our planet can serve as a guide. This is an eye-opening and, above all, a hopeful view of what - or who - might be out there in the cosmos -- Philip Ball, author of Nature's PatternsEvolutionary theory helps us explain patterns in the past, and combined with a rich understanding of natural history and biodiversity, predict what might be discovered in the future. Arik Kershenbaum takes us on a joyous voyage of animal diversity and illustrates the singular importance of natural selection in explaining life - here on Earth - and what will likely be discovered throughout the galaxy. A stimulating read! -- Daniel T. Blumstein, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los AngelesThis is no mere frivolous exercise in arm-waving (or tentacle-waving) and baseless speculation. Instead, what emerges is a fascinating plunge into the deep-time history of life on Earth and animal evolution in all its glorious diversity . . . To comprehend the alien is to know thyself * The Times *The book crawls with curious facts . . . [Kershenbaum] is fascinating on how aliens might communicate -- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *A wonderful mix of science-based speculation and entertaining whimsy -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd This Way to the Universe
Book Synopsis''Extraordinary'' Leonard Susskind''A rare event'' Sean Carroll_____When leading theoretical physicist Professor Michael Dine was asked where you could find an accessible and authoritative book that would teach you about the Big Bang, Dark Matter, the Higgs boson and the cutting edge of physics now, he had nothing he could recommend.So he wrote it himself.In This Way to the Universe, Dine takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of modern physics - from Newtonian mechanics to quantum, from particle to nuclear physics - delving into the wonders of our universe at its largest, smallest, and within our daily lives. If you are looking for the one book to help you understand physics, written in language anyone can follow, this is it._____''A tour de force of literally all of fundamental physics'' BBC Sky at Night magazine''Everything you wanted to know about physics but were afraid to ask'' Priyamvada NatarajaTrade ReviewThis book is a rare event: a grand overview of the leading ideas in modern fundamental physics, presented by someone who is a true master -- Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to HereThis book, written by one of the great masters of modern physics, is an extraordinary journey into what we know, what we hope to know, and what we don't know, about the universe and the laws that govern it -- Leonard Susskind, author of The Theoretical Minimum seriesIt is not an easy task to take the complexities of theoretical physics . . . and translate it into common prose. It is even more difficult to make it accessible to the lay enthusiast. The author has done an admirable job and hasn't shirked away from many of the more difficult and arcane topics. As a comprehensive and uncompromising tour de force of literally all of fundamental physics, there can be few better alternatives * BBC Sky at Night magazine *Renowned physicist Michael Dine takes us from the innards of the atom to the depths of black holes in this readable . . . celebration of science's most mind-bending discipline. The text is conversational and full of delightful asides . . . Dine's enthusiastic storytelling makes the read worth it for those who want to finally wrap their mind around string theory or the Higgs boson -- Tess Joosse * Scientific American *Michael Dine takes the reader on a fascinating and wide-ranging tour of the world of physics, both theoretical and experimental, emphasizing the remarkable discoveries that make up modern physics and the daunting challenges that remain. Dine is a leader in theoretical physics and tells the story of the last few decades based on his own personal experiences and involvement -- Edward Witten, theoretical physicist and professor at the Institute for Advanced StudyEverything you wanted to know about physics but were afraid to ask. This Way to the Universe is a fascinating and sweeping tour of the history of ideas in modern physics and cosmology from a remarkable theoretical physicist and engaging storyteller. A riveting read, the book offers a ringside view to many of the latest theoretical and experimental developments from a key protagonist. A treat for the intellectually curious -- Priyamvada Natarajan, author of Mapping the HeavensDine delivers a detailed, if often sceptical, account of the great questions and often unsatisfactory answers to problems in astro- and quantum physics, examining such topics as the Big Bang, inflation theory, galaxy formation, black holes, dark matter and energy, string theory, and supersymmetry . . . Excellent popular science * Kirkus *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before
Book SynopsisScience is a serious business, right? Wrong. Scientists have been participants in the best reality show of all time, with all the highs, lows, bust-ups, and strange personalities of any show on telly today. From Luke O''Neill - the science teacher you wish you''d had - this hugely accessible history of science reveals the human stories behind the biggest discoveries.For example, we meet Charles Darwin as he weighs up the pros and cons of marrying his cousin: ''constant companion'' vs ''less money for books''. Tough call.To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before covers everything from space travel and evolution to alchemy and AI. Written by one of our leading scientists, this is an insider''s account that celebrates the joy of science. It is filled with all the juicy bits that other histories leave out.
£11.69
MIT Press Ltd A New Understanding of Mental Disorders
Book SynopsisA new computational and dimensional approach to understanding and classifying mental disorders: modeling key learning and decision-making mechanisms across different mental disorders.Even as researchers look for neurobiological correlates of mental disorders, many of these disorders are still classified solely according to the manifestation of clinical symptoms. Neurobiological findings rarely help diagnose a specific disease or predict its outcome. Although current diagnostic categories are questionable (sometimes labeling common states of human suffering as disorders), traditional neuroimaging approaches are not sophisticated enough to capture the neurobiological markers of mental disorder. In this book, Andreas Heinz proposes a computational and dimensional approach to understanding and classifying mental disorders: modeling key learning and decision-making mechanisms across different mental disorders. Such an approach focuses on the malleability and diversity of human beh
£22.80
MIT Press Ltd Evolution The Modern Synthesis The MIT Press
Book SynopsisThe definitive edition of one of the most important scientific books of the twentieth century, setting out the conceptual structure underlying evolutionary biology.This classic work by Julian Huxley, first published in 1942, captured and synthesized all that was then known about evolutionary biology and gave a name to the Modern Synthesis, the conceptual structure underlying the field for most of the twentieth century. Many considered Huxley's book a popularization of the ideas then emerging in evolutionary biology, but in fact Evolution: The Modern Synthesis is a work of serious scholarship that is also accessible to the general educated public. It is a book in the intellectual tradition of Charles Darwin and Thomas Henry Huxley—Julian Huxley's grandfather, known for his energetic championing of Darwin's ideas. A contemporary reviewer called Evolution: The Modern Synthesis “the outstanding evolutionary treatise of the decade, perhaps the century.
£43.20
MIT Press Too Smart How Digital Capitalism is Extracting
Book SynopsisWho benefits from smart technology? Whose interests are served when we trade our personal data for convenience and connectivity?Smart technology is everywhere: smart umbrellas that light up when rain is in the forecast; smart cars that relieve drivers of the drudgery of driving; smart toothbrushes that send your dental hygiene details to the cloud. Nothing is safe from smartification. In Too Smart, Jathan Sadowski looks at the proliferation of smart stuff in our lives and asks whether the tradeoff—exchanging our personal data for convenience and connectivity—is worth it. Who benefits from smart technology?Sadowski explains how data, once the purview of researchers and policy wonks, has become a form of capital. Smart technology, he argues, is driven by the dual imperatives of digital capitalism: extracting data from, and expanding control over, everything and everybody. He looks at three domains colonized by smart technologies' collection and control
£18.90
MIT Press Ltd The NuclearWater Nexus
Book SynopsisAn edited collection that takes a deep dive into the complex interactions between nuclear energy and water.Splitting atoms is a water-intensive business. To operate efficiently and safely, a standard nuclear reactor needs around 50 cubic meters (13,000 gallons) of water per second?equivalent to the flow of a mid-sized river or large irrigation canal. In The Nuclear-Water Nexus, Per Högselius and Siegfried Evens bring together 25 authors from 12 countries to explore the resulting entanglements between society, technology, and nature. This collection of writing shows how nuclear energy?s dependence on water has shaped the atomic age in decisive ways. Water has been the key factor in forging a global nuclear geography, as the water needs of nuclear facilities require them to be located near the sea, major rivers, canals, or lakes. As an unintended consequence of such locations, nuclear facilities have become vulnerable to droughts, floods, erosion, and climate change?in a much more dramatic way than most other energy installations. Unsurprisingly, the ?wet? geography of nuclear energy also translates into threats to the wet environment, in the form of both radioactive contamination and thermal pollution. Water has, over the years, generated social conflicts?and cooperation?between nuclear energy and other water-intensive activities, such as agriculture, fisheries, navigation, military activities, hydropower production, drinking water supply, landscaping, leisure and tourism?and even fossil fuel extraction. This book examines these processes through a set of in-depth case studies.
£55.80
HarperCollins Publishers THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF CATS How to understand
Book SynopsisDo you speak to your cat? Do you feel your cat understands you and vice versa?Cat lovers across the globe know cats can speak. In this compelling new book, Susanne Schotz a professor at Sweden's Lund University shares insights into her long-standing cat communication research. Proving that cats not only speak to one another, but also to their human caretakers.This clever book teaches us how to better understand our cats by translating their sounds, recognising their meaning in different situations and giving practical tips to understand them better.Unlocking the cat code, this crash course in cat phonetics is the perfect gift for cat-lovers everywhere.
£9.49
Yale University Press Invisibility
Book SynopsisA lively exploration of how invisibility has gone from science fiction to factTrade Review“The science of invisibility remains largely theoretical and abstract. It is in the literature that the field comes alive, and Gbur may be the world’s leading expert on invisibility fiction.”—Nathaniel Rich, New York Times Book Review“Gbur steers us through the sometimes challenging history of the ideas on which current research depends. . . . A list that helps us appreciate the potential benefits of invisible cats.”—Richard Dunn, Times Literary Supplement“Gbur shows how optical science and ideas about the atom intertwined over two centuries. . . . I defy you not to spend your next paycheck hunting down the wilder items in Gbur’s ‘Invisibibliography.’”—Simon Ings, Fortean TimesA CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2023“Invisibility is such an addictive book, packed with smart and weird science, literature and culture, Greg Gbur’s elegant prose, and the fascinating question of whether we may one day be able to achieve that long-held dream of vanishing in a shimmer of light.”—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the 20th Century“A lovely, well-informed book on the science and fiction of invisibility.”—Ulf Leonhardt, author of Geometry and Light: The Science of Invisibility“Greg Gbur weaves an engaging tapestry of literature, history, and physics to illustrate how an idea that has captivated human imagination for thousands of years may one day become a reality.”—Liz Heinecke, author of Radiant: The Dancer, The Scientist, and a Friendship Forged in Light“A well-written and engaging overview of the history of optics, taking the reader on a fascinating scientific journey.”—Andrea Alù, founding director of the Photonics Initiative at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center
£23.75
National Academies Press A Survey of Attitudes and Actions on Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£69.35
National Academies Press Origins Worlds and Life
Book SynopsisThe next decade of planetary science and astrobiology holds tremendous promise. New research will expand our understanding of our solar system's origins, how planets form and evolve, under what conditions life can survive, and where to find potentially habitable environments in our solar system and beyond. Origins, Worlds, and Life: A Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032 highlights key science questions, identifies priority missions, and presents a comprehensive research strategy that includes both planetary defense and human exploration. This report also recommends ways to support the profession as well as the technologies and infrastructure needed to carry out the science. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction to Planetary Science, Astrobiology, and Planetary Defense2 Tour of the Solar System: A Transformative Decade of Exploration3 Priority Science Questions4 Question 1: Evolution of the Protoplanetary Disk5 Question 2: Accretion in the Ou
£73.91
Elsevier Science Integrated Population Models
Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book represents the fourth in a series involving one or both of these authors. Their volumes all provide the theory underpinning the models, a heuristic description of the models, and R code for implementing them. Their books and accompanying workshops are fueling a rapid shift in the approach to analyses of ecological data. This newest work will move population ecology fully into the Bayesian paradigm. Every important advance in methodology is, however, a double-edged sword; with the increased analytical power comes an increase in the number and magnitude of potential errors. Integrated population models are no exception. Schaub and Kéry address many of these potential problems but they could have been a bit stronger in emphasizing the importance of such problems. Despite this minor criticism, this is an important volume that will revolutionize the practice of population ecology. Every population ecologist should own a copy." --The Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of Contents1. Introduction Part I: Theory of Integrated Population Models2. Basics of Bayesian Modeling3. Introduction to Stage-Structured Population Models4. Components of Integrated Population Models5. Introduction to Integrated Population Models6. Benefits of Integrated Population Modeling7. Assessment of Integrated Population Models8. Integrated Population Models with Density-Dependence9. Retrospective Population Analyses10. Population Viability Analyses Part II: Integrated Population Models in Practice11. Woodchat Shrike12. Peregrine Falcon13. Greater Horseshoe Bat14. Hoopoe15. Black Grouse16. Barn Swallow17. Elk18. Cormorant19. Grey Catbird20. Kestral21. Black Bear22. Conclusions
£88.19
Taylor & Francis Ltd Plankton Guide to Their Ecology and Monitoring
Book SynopsisThis Second Edition of Plankton is a fully updated introduction to the biology, ecology and identification of plankton and their use in monitoring water quality. It includes expanded, illustrated descriptions of all major groups of freshwater, coastal and marine phytoplankton and zooplankton and a new chapter on teaching science using plankton. Best practice methods for plankton sampling and monitoring programs are presented using case studies, along with explanations of how to analyse and interpret sampling data.Healthy waterways and oceans are essential for our increasingly urbanised world. Yet monitoring water quality in aquatic environments is a challenge, as it varies from hour to hour due to stormwater and currents. Being at the base of the aquatic food web and present in huge numbers, plankton are strongly influenced by changes in environment and provide an indication of water quality integrated over days and weeks. Plankton are the aquatic version of a cTable of Contents1. The importance of plankton. 2. Plankton processes and the environment. 3. Plankton-related environmental and water quality issues. 4. Sampling methods for plankton. 5. Freshwater phytoplankton: diversity and biology. 6. Coastal and marine phytoplankton: diversity and ecology. 7. Freshwater zooplankton: diversity and biology. 8. Coastal and marine zooplankton diversity and biology. 9. Plankton in the classroom.
£54.14
Taylor & Francis Why Its OK to Trust Science
Book SynopsisWhy trust science? Why should science have more authority than other ways of knowing? Is science merely a social construct? Or even worse: a tool of oppression? This book boldly takes on these and other explosive questionsâlodged by ideologues on the left and the rightâand offers readers a well researched defense of science and a polemic addressed to its detractors. Why Itâs OK to Trust Science critically examines the recent history of critiques of science, including those in academia from scholars like Bruno Latour, Simon Schaffer, and Thomas Kuhn. It then presents case studies drawn from recent advances in the field of dinosaur paleontology, showing how science generates objective knowledge, even during revolutionary episodes. The book next looks at how that same objective knowledge can be gained even when researching extremely complex issues, using climate science to distinguish between genuine skepticism âupon which science dependsâfrom dogmatic denial. The Table of ContentsIntroduction: What Has Science Done for me Lately?; 1: The "Science Wars" and Why They Had to be Won; 2: The Facts About Social Constructivism; 3: Thomas Kuhn: Foe of Science?; 4: Thomas Kuhn: Friend of Science?; 5: Can We Have Good Science and the Right Values?; 6: Dinosaur Revolutions; 7: How We Know About Big, Complex Things; Conclusion; Bibliography;
£24.32
CRC Press Introduction to Holography
Book SynopsisThis fully updated second edition of Introduction to Holography provides a theoretical background in optics and holography with a comprehensive survey of practical applications. It is intended for the non-specialist with an interest in using holographic methods in research and engineering.The text assumes some knowledge of electromagnetism, although this is not essential for an understanding of optics, which is covered in the first two chapters. A descriptive approach to the history and principles of holography is followed by a chapter on volume holography. Essential practical requirements for successful holographic recording are explained in detail. Recording materials are considered with detailed discussions of those in common use. Properties peculiar to holographically reconstructed images are emphasised as well as applications for which holography is particularly suitable. Mathematical tools are introduced as and when required throughout the text with important results derived in detail. In this new edition, topics such as photopolymers, dynamic holographic displays, holographic optical elements, sensors, and digital holography are covered in greater depth. New topics have been added, including UV and infrared holography, holographic authentication and encryption, as well as particle beam, X-ray, and acoustic holography. Numerical problems are provided at the end of each chapter.This book is suitable for undergraduate courses and will be an important resource for those teaching optics and holography. It provides scientists and engineers with knowledge of a wide range of holographic applications in research and industry, as well as an understanding of holographyâs potential for future use.
£43.69
WW Norton & Co The Age of Living Machines
Book SynopsisFrom the former president of MIT, the story of the next technology revolution, and how it will change our lives.Trade Review"... entertaining and prescient..." -- Science"Your amazing guide to the future of biology is the former president of the Aladdin's cave that is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology." -- Summer Reading 2019 - New Scientist
£19.94
Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales) Science Order and Creativity
Book SynopsisOne of the foremost scientists and thinkers of our time, David Bohm worked alongside Oppenheimer and Einstein. In Science, Order and Creativity he and physicist F. David Peat propose a return to greater creativity and communication in the sciences. They ask for a renewed emphasis on ideas rather than formulae, on the whole rather than fragments, and on meaning rather than mere mechanics. Tracing the history of science from Aristotle to Einstein, from the Pythagorean theorem to quantum mechanics, the authors offer intriguing new insights into how scientific theories come into being, how to eliminate blocks to creativity and how science can lead to a deeper understanding of society, the human condition and the human mind itself. Science, Order and Creativity looks to the future of science with elegance, hope and enthusiasm. Trade Review"An outstanding probe of the creative process in science."-Marilyn Ferguson, author of The Aquarian Conspiracy"A rare combination of depth and breadth, this probing book stirs both the mind and the heart, and attracts and inspires on many levels: philosophical, scientific, existential and spiritual."-Dr. Renée Weber, author of Dialogues with Scientists and Sages: The Search for UnityTable of ContentsPreface. Introduction. Chapter 1 - Revolutions, Theories and Creativity in Science. Chapter 2 - Science as Creative Perception-Communication. Chapter 3 - What is Order?. Chapter 4 - The Generative Order and the Implicate Order. Chapter 5 - Generative Order in Science, Society, and Consciousness. Chapter 6 - Creativity in the Whole of Life. Chapter 7 - The Order Between and Beyond.
£16.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of
Book SynopsisIn a letter of 1932, Karl Popper described Die beiden Grundprobleme der Erkenntnistheorie The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge as a child of crises, above all of the crisis of physics.'Finally available in English, it is a major contribution to the philosophy of science, epistemology and twentieth century philosophy generally.The two fundamental problems of knowledge that lie at the centre of the book are the problem of induction, that although we are able to observe only a limited number of particular events, science nevertheless advances unrestricted universal statements; and the problem of demarcation, which asks for a separating line between empirical science and non-science.Popper seeks to solve these two basic problems with his celebrated theory of falsifiability, arguing that the inferences made in science are not inductive but deductive; science does not start with observations and proceed to generalise them but with problems, Table of ContentsPreface 1978 Introduction 1978 Exposition [1933] Book I: The Problem of Induction (Experience and Hypothesis) The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge Volume I 1. Formulation of the Problem 2. Deductivism and Inductivism 3. The Problem of Induction 4. The Normal-Statement Positions 5. Kant and Fries 6. The Probability Positions 7. The Pseudo-Statement Positions 8. Conventionalism 9. Strictly Universal Statements and Singular Statements 10. Back to the Pseudo-Statement Positions 11. Pseudo-Statement Positions and the Concept of Meaning 12. Conclusion Appendix: The Critique of the Problem of Induction in Schematic Representation Book II: The Problem of Demarcation (Experience and Metaphysics) The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge Volume II (Fragments) Part 1: Fragments 1932 1. Sketch of an Introduction 2. Formulation of the Problem 3. On the Question of Eliminating Subjectivist Psychologism 4. Transition to the Theory of Method 5. The Method of Exhaustion. -- "State of Affairs" and "Fact". -- Universal Diversity 6. Sketch of a Theory of Empirical-Scientific Methods (Theory of Experience) Part 2: Fragments 1933 7. Orientation 8. Philosophy 9. The Problem of Methodology 10. Comments on the So-Called Problem of Free Will 11. The Problem of Free Will 12. The Problem of the Randomness in Probability Statements Appendix: Summary Excerpt (1932) from The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge. Editor’s Postscript. Index of Names. Index of Subjects.
£19.99
