Matter and Mind: A Philosophical Inquiry (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Matter and Mind: A Philosophical Inquiry (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Matter and Mind: A Philosophical Inquiry (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Matter and Mind: A Philosophical Inquiry (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science) ReviewMy impression of this book, which I read two or three months ago, was mediocre...- The first third offers a concise introduction in Bunge's materialist ontology, which definitely is worth reading. For a theoretical physicist like myself (despite my taste for mathematical beauty) formalisations should serve a purpose: namely solve empirical (incl. technological) problems! (Popper always emphasised this point: Definitions, conceptual issues, etc. are not interesting, therefore one ought to concentrate on real problems!) A reader may sometimes get the impression, that Bunge's system is "l'art pour l'art"; one wonders, whether the laborious construction of Bunge's conceptual apparatus is worth the trouble (particularly with the fact in mind, that no other author uses Bunge's terminology), i.e. whether it pays off in terms of scientific fecundity.
- The author sometimes treats other philosophers and thinkers very unfairly: What he critises often is but a caricature or at least a rather distorted, mutilated version of what his "opponents" really wrote. For example his harsh rejection of sociobiology and evolutionary psychology: Admittedly, many more popular books on these subjects indeed are highly speculative just-so-stories and scientifically doubtful (e.g. when the description of some drakes to lurk behind bushes and and leap out in order to sexually assault passing ducks is offered as an explanation of mens' equally sinister dispositions...), but that is certainly not representative (cf. for example, E. Voland: "Soziobiologie" or D. Buss's latest edition of his "Evolutionary Psychology")!
- His habit of insulting almost everybody that has a name in intellectual history I found rather childish and misplaced. His harsh judgements are hardly ever given any substantial arguments for. (E.g. defaming the currently dominant paradigm of biology, the gene-centred view of evolution, as a "pseudoscientific popular myth" in my eyes requires an adequately intensive or extensive argumentation.)
- Bunge's views on quantum theory (and more modern developments in physics) are outright for the most part dated or even wrong. (E.g. the Bell inequalities do not rule out theories with hidden parameters, only local ones.) Where foundational issues of physics (or biology) are concerned, look up the more recent (and deeper) literature: Roger Penrose, Jeffrey Bub, Lawrence Sklar, Hans-Dieter Zeh, Roland Omnès, etc.
- The book is pretty repetitive: Bunge's main thesis that we must not ontologically separate a function from its medium (e.g. the mind (="mental life") as a function of the brain from the brain itself) is repeated over and over and integrated into Bunge's own systemic approach, which is a middleground between a "nothing but..."-reductionism (like physicalism that does not take into account the complexity of the world and its structure, thus risking scientific sterility) and holism (which is either semantically obscure or empirically not true). That part is ok, but not too profound... The conceptual framework of Bunge's materialism is indeed exceedingly helpful to tackle some pressing problems of philosophy of science (which includes for me "philosophy of mind"). However, the main task is still to be done: elaborating a theory of consciousness. Here, the excellent analyses of contemporary thinkers like Daniel Dennett, Sean Searle, Thomas Metzinger or Susan Blackmore are rather to be considered more in detail.
-The analysis of the two mainstream approaches to the 'free will' debate, compatibilism and incompatibilism, is pretty weak. You'd better read the respective entries in the Stanford Encyclopedia (or, of course, the loci classici themselves like Hume's "Enquiry concerning Human Understand" or Schopenhauer's essay "On the Freedom of the Will" ) instead.Matter and Mind: A Philosophical Inquiry (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science) OverviewThis book discusses two of the oldest and hardest problems in both science and philosophy: What is matter?, and What is mind? A reason for tackling both problems in a single book is that two of the most influential views in modern philosophy are that the universe is mental (idealism), and that the everything real is material (materialism). Most of the thinkers who espouse a materialist view of mind have obsolete ideas about matter, whereas those who claim that science supports idealism have not explained how the universe could have existed before humans emerged. Besides, both groups tend to ignore the other levels of existence-chemical, biological, social, and technological.If such levels and the concomitant emergence processes are ignored, the physicalism/spiritualism dilemma remains unsolved, whereas if they are included, the alleged mysteries are shown to be problems that science is treating successfully.

Want to learn more information about Matter and Mind: A Philosophical Inquiry (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Evolutionary Worlds without End Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Evolutionary Worlds without End? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Evolutionary Worlds without End. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Evolutionary Worlds without End ReviewI've been reading Henry Plotkin's books ever since he put out his classic "Darwin Machines". So it was with sense of excitement and expectation that I received his "Evolutionary Worlds Without End" in the mail last week.
It doesn't have the "passion" or "fire in the belly" of his earliest works, but it is still a fascinating description of how the work by the "mainstream" players is gradually reaching a consensus about a unified Darwinist approach to the humanities and biological sciences.
Many new insights where scattered throughout the book and I was especially taken by his chapter on coevolution. A satisfying read containing a lot to think about. It definitely shows the direction in which the life sciences and humanities are heading.
Evolutionary Worlds without End OverviewDiversity and complexity are the hallmarks of living forms. Yet science aims for general causal explanations of its observations. So how can these be reconciled within the non-physical sciences?Is it possible for a science of life to conform to the requirements of a general theory - the type of theory seen in a 'hard' science such as physics? These are the questions that are explored in this important new book. In Evolutionary Worlds Without End, Henry Plotkin considers whether there is any general theory in biology, including the social sciences, that is in any way equivalent to the general theories of physics. It starts by examining Ernest Rutherford's famous dictum as to what science is. In the later chapters he considers the possibility, within an historical framework, of a general theory being based upon selection processes.Throughout, the author constructs a compelling argument for the idea that there are within biology, and that includes the social sciences, something like the general theories that make physics such powerful science. The book will be valuable for all those in the biological and social sciences, in particular, biologists, psychologists, as well as philosophers of science.

Want to learn more information about Evolutionary Worlds without End?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession ReviewThere are questions that are too big for science; are there gods, for instance, or what is love? And maybe we will never fully find out scientifically why music does what it does and why we care about it so. But for many reasons, music ought to be a profitable subject for scientific enquiry. It is, as Pythagoras knew, an activity strongly rooted in mathematics, and the physics of music is fairly well understood. It is as universal as language; all human cultures have some sort of music, indicating it does something indispensable. And we are increasingly able to figure out, with our sophisticated brain imaging gadgets, what brains do when they hear or think about music. The neuroscience of music is the area of expertise of Daniel J. Levitin, and he writes of it in _This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession_ (Dutton), a fascinating account of current music psychology. Levitin has produced a book wonderfully accessible to lay readers, since although he is an academic (he runs the Laboratory for Musical Perception, Cognition, and Expertise at McGill University), before he became a scientist, he had been a performing musician, sound engineer, and record producer, working with names like Steely Dan and Blue Oyster Cult. He does pull examples from Bach and Beethoven, but he is obviously more comfortable citing universally-known tunes like "Happy Birthday to You", "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", or "Stairway to Heaven". (Readers whose tastes range in previous epochs will possibly be surprised at the sophistication modern popular musicians have displayed.) Levitin has a good sense of humor and is a genial explainer.
He starts out with a forty page first chapter "What is Music?", which is as good a short explanation of key concepts as tone, scale, fifths, and timbre as anyone could want, and is a fine foundation for all that comes after, a collection of scientific lore and tidbits from all over. For instance, even if you are not a musician, you have a huge store of tunes in your memory. You may not have perfect pitch, the ability to know that an A flat is an A flat as soon as you hear it, but Levitin's own research has provided surprising evidence that your sense of pitch, even if you are not a musician, is really quite good. Subjects who were asked to sing a song from memory got the absolute pitch just right, or very close; they did the same with the song's tempo. There are differences in the brains of musicians and nonmusicians. The corpus callosum, the mass of fibers that connects the right brain hemisphere to the left, is larger in musicians, and is especially larger in those that started music training early. The overall lesson here, though, is that we are all musical, even if we are not musicians, and so non-expert musical brains are really very similar to expert ones. There are descriptions here of surprising research that makes clear how truly ready our brains are to incorporate musical experience. Fetuses in the last three months of gestation, for instance, can hear music within the womb, along with other outside and inside noises. Experiments have shown that if you repeatedly play a song into the womb, and then make sure the child does not hear it again after birth until it is one year old, and then play the music again, the infant will prefer hearing the womb-music rather than completely novel music. This was true whether the experimental music was Vivaldi or the Backstreet Boys.
Levitin certainly has connections; he tells of discussions with Francis Crick about themes in this book, as well as with Joni Mitchell. The final chapter, "The Music Instinct", is a response to cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, who spoke at a 1997 convention of researchers in music perception and cognition. Pinker took the dismissive stance that music was "auditory cheesecake", tickling the parts of the brain that were really for the important functions of language and (unlike language) useless as a force in human evolution. It is not surprising that Levitin and his fellow researchers disagree. Darwin himself felt that musical tones were used in conveying emotion and that those who were able to expend energy in singing or playing were demonstrating biological and sexual fitness. Musical success does make for high numbers of opportunities for spreading one's genes (just ask Mick Jagger). Interest in music peaks in adolescence, indicating a role in sexual selection. Music has been around longer than agriculture, and there is no evidence that language actually preceded music in our species. It may have promoted the cognitive development that was harnessed for speech. Only in the past few hundred years did music become a spectator activity, but in the eons when it could have shaped our social evolution, it was a group activity that may have promoted group togetherness and synchrony. It is an engaging final argument that serves to emphasize the importance of all that the book has presented before, a demonstration that looking at an important human activity in a scientific way only increases our wonder and delight in the activity itself.This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession Overview

Want to learn more information about This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought ReviewThe words from The Economist say it all -- how did we ever live without this book? It is an invaluable resource for introducing oneself to major movements, ideas, and people in modern thought. Having studied Postmodern British Literature as an undergrad, I can say the description of Derrida's Deconstruction movement is a better summarization than anything I have read -- and I think this is true for the book as a whole. It is inclusive without being cluttered, and incredibly informative yet readable.The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought Overview
A unique work of reference and a companion to all fields of modern thought.
How often are attempts to broaden your knowledge of modern thought frustrated by terms and allusions that you do not understand? In this age of rapid-fire informational exchange and unprecedented specialization, no one can honestly claim to know the whole vocabulary of modern thought, yet most people would like to understand more. The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought now provides us with a rich and reliable resource for staying on top of trends and actually enhancing our cultural literacy. With thousands of entries written by an international cast of artists, scholars, and scientists, this book offers an authoritative treasure trove of concepts defining the world in which we live.More discursive than an ordinary dictionary, more compact than an encyclopedia, and more selective than either, it covers the whole range of modern thought from the latest developments in astrophysics to recent trends in the arts. This volume is indispensable as a reference book, irresistible for browsing through - practically an education in itself.

Want to learn more information about The Norton Dictionary of Modern Thought?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Human Brain: Essentials of Behavioral Neuroscience Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Human Brain: Essentials of Behavioral Neuroscience? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Human Brain: Essentials of Behavioral Neuroscience. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Human Brain: Essentials of Behavioral Neuroscience ReviewThis book possesses all the features one would expect from a textbook on brain anatomy and physiology, with the possible exception of end of chapter activities to promote learning. And with so many concepts and terminology, that would have been a good inclusion.
The loss of a star is due to the lack of some critical information and, perhaps, an unbalanced coverage of information I would expect to find, combined with too few illustrations of complex concepts.
For example, when discussing mood disorders, one of the most prevalent, AD(H)D has been omitted. Also, in the discussion of brain plasticity, no mention is made of Hebb or his famous mnemonic, "neurons that fire together, wire together." Nor does the author even mention critical brain functions such as attention and consciousness.
Especially troubling is the exclusion of information about an exciting and highly significant discovery--"mirror neurons"-- given their impact on behavior and learning. Since the studies that discovered them were reported well before this book was published, timing does not serve as a justification for ommision of this important information.
For a book with "behavioral" in the subtitle, I would expect more physiology and less anatomy and pharmacology. Although some seminal thinkers in neuroscience such as Damasio and LeDoux are mentioned, other notables such as Candace Pert and Jeffrey Schwartz are missing.
The book covers a lot of territory in a generally understandable manner, using good textbook techniques (such as the bolding of newly introduced technical terms), but perhaps too much information, not necessarily of the right kind, or in the best way. For a better understanding of this complex subject, the reader would be advised to add other references such as Rita Carter's highly accesible overview of the brain called, "Mapping the Mind" along with some of the brain coloring books as an aid to learning brain anatomy and physiology.The Human Brain: Essentials of Behavioral Neuroscience OverviewThis book is a conceptually driven and accessible introduction to behavioral neuroscience. Focused, concise and coherent, it reflects integrative trends in the field while making human neuroscience accessible to a wider student audience.Conceptually driven and concise. The field of biological psychology and behavioral neuroscience has grown exponentially in the past decade, and most textbooks have responded by becoming bloated tomes that drown students in unnecessary factoids.Beatty provides just the essentials necessary in a text that is focused, concise, and coherent. A contemporary integrative approach with an emphasis on behavior. Some books in this market focus more on biological mechanisms at the expense of how the biology t

Want to learn more information about The Human Brain: Essentials of Behavioral Neuroscience?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

BEYOND COSMIC DICE Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy BEYOND COSMIC DICE? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on BEYOND COSMIC DICE. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

BEYOND COSMIC DICE ReviewNow is the time for everyone to read this book. You may not agree with all of it, but discussion about these issues of religion, science, and morality goes beyond being simply relevant and is truly necessary given our current world politics. Beyond Cosmic Dice is an easy read, but densely packed with important ideas. Somehow the authors have managed to pull off making the usually dry subjects of ethics, morality and religion humorous without in any diminishing the serious nature of the discussion. This is actually a page turner! I love the chapter titles, and that irreverence is reflected in the text of the book as well, but without ever being disrespectful toward the long-held beliefs that are being so effectively challenged. If you have ever questioned religion's answers to life's mysteries, then this book is a must read. I do not agree with everything the authors say, but find myself in agreement with their biggest ideas about morality and religion. I loved this book and found it a deeply satisfying read.BEYOND COSMIC DICE Overview"Beyond Cosmic Dice" offers a new perspective on the purpose and meaning of life free from any divine influence. By rejecting the false premises of religion, readers are free to pave their own road for a better life.

Want to learn more information about BEYOND COSMIC DICE?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Second Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Second Edition? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Second Edition. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Second Edition ReviewThis book is really good. it has covered almost every fundamental what an electrical engg. looks out for. It will be really helpful for the designers who are looking out for some basics. Moreover it is a compilation of all fundamentals in one book and is a bible. Hence, it should be a part of every electrical engineer's collection of books.The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Second Edition OverviewIn 1993, the first edition of The Electrical Engineering Handbook set a new standard for breadth and depth of coverage in an engineering reference work. Now, this classic has been substantially revised and updated to include the latest information on all the important topics in electrical engineering today. Every electrical engineer should have an opportunity to expand his expertise with this definitive guide.In a single volume, this handbook provides a complete reference to answer the questions encountered by practicing engineers in industry, government, or academia. This well-organized book is divided into 12 major sections that encompass the entire field of electrical engineering, including circuits, signal processing, electronics, electromagnetics, electrical effects and devices, and energy, and the emerging trends in the fields of communications, digital devices, computer engineering, systems, and biomedical engineering. A compendium of physical, chemical, material, and mathematical data completes this comprehensive resource. Every major topic is thoroughly covered and every important concept is defined, described, and illustrated. Conceptually challenging but carefully explained articles are equally valuable to the practicing engineer, researchers, and students.A distinguished advisory board and contributors including many of the leading authors, professors, and researchers in the field today assist noted author and professor Richard Dorf in offering complete coverage of this rapidly expanding field. No other single volume available today offers this combination of broad coverage and depth of exploration of the topics. The Electrical Engineering Handbook will be an invaluable resource for electrical engineers for years to come.

Want to learn more information about The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Second Edition?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Borrowed Knowledge: Chaos Theory and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Borrowed Knowledge: Chaos Theory and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Borrowed Knowledge: Chaos Theory and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Borrowed Knowledge: Chaos Theory and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines ReviewThis is an interesting book, but both its ambitions and its accomplishments are of a much narrower scope then being "a book about everything," as another reviewer put it. Mostly, it's a book about interdisciplinary metaphors, and the philosophical foundations of a case for such metaphors' being useful. However, I'm not sure if the metaphor in its title is entirely successful.
The book's jumping-off point is the late-20th Century fad for "chaos theory." Although today most physicists don't recognize it as a distinct "theory," economists, lawyers and literature scholars, among others, were all to happy to suck it into their own academic papers. Some academics, especially some physical scientists, attack this kind of poaching as illegitimate. Stephen Kellert (SK), who is, as he often reminds the reader, a "disciplinary pluralist," sets out in this book to explore the factors that might legitimate such borrowings, and to consider criteria for judging when some borrowings are more justifed or successful than others.
SK approaches these tasks with the patience, and at times the fussiness, of an academic philosopher. Even though some fields -- e.g. rhetoric and linguistics (and esp. the subculture of the latter that calls itself "critical discourse analysis") -- set themselves tasks similar to SK's, he usually manages to be both broader and more even-tempered. For example, he has some interesting things to say about how facts and values are different but not always entirely distinct; but, as a pluralist, he can tolerate this ambiguity without feeling driven to accept relativism. And SK refuses to enter into some fights, such as over the legitimacy of neoclassical economics; he explains that the book's project "primarily focuses on the ways that borrowed knowledge is used within the fields of economics, law and literature as they are currently configured in the academy" (@91).
The proverbial general reader may find this deference to the academic status quo to be a limitation of the book. Moreover, some parts of the book seem to be spent on settling issues that only academics might find problematic. E.g., SK spends a couple of pages asking and answering "Why criticize metaphors?" (@122-124). To find such a question necessary, you'd probably have to be the same odd sort of person who doubts that your pet dog or cat has mental states. I often agreed with SK's conclusions about specific cases, e.g. about economists' use of value-laden terms like "efficiency" as if they were somehow "value-free," or about how some purported references to chaos were actually referring to, say, quantum mechanics. But these conclusions seemed for the most part quite obvious to any reader with some sensitivity to metaphor, and who took an intro college physics course or reads lots of popular physics books.
SK never provides a clear definition of "borrowed knowledge,", though he comes close when he describes how some economists "look over at physicists doing their first-order work [i.e., asking questions like, how do atoms work?], borrow some of their concepts or tools, and then use them to look back at their own objects of study in a new way. This is just the phenomenon of borrowed knowledge" (@27). We aren't ever given a clear definition of "knowledge" either, though SK reifies knowledge heavily. Not only can knowledge be "borrowed," but it can "produced" (mentions of "knowledge production" abound, e.g. 20, 30, 43-44, etc.), it "resides in a disciplinary location" (rather than in, say, peoples' heads) and can be "transported ... and (hopefully) returned" (@13).
Some of SK's examples struck me as aptly described by "borrowed knowledge." E.g. he mentions an economics paper that pointed out how chaotic physical phenomena forced physicists to use a wider variety of mathematical models than they had previously; the authors concluded that economists ought to consider that, by analogy, their own simple linear equations might not be adequate to describe economic phenomena (which is different from saying that economic phenomena follow the new physical models). An even clearer example might be a paper that actually demonstrates deterministic chaos in the dynamical behavior of some economic phenomenon -- though that might better be termed an "integration" than a "borrowing".
But what about when someone name-drops "glamorous jargon" (@108) to make their own work, however irrelevant, seem more important, modern, worthy of funding, etc. Is it really *knowledge* that's being borrowed here? or is it something more like prestige or an air of trendiness? SK notes that "knowledge production is always at least partially a matter of persuasion (@60);" but this doesn't mean that persuasion (esp. of the name-dropping kind) necessarily entails knowledge production.
In addition to such persuasive uses of borrowed knowledge, SK is no less interested in "inventive" uses, which rest on metaphors. Metaphors can play a "role in generating hypotheses from current conceptualizations and transforming those conceptualizations" (@111), e.g. by "defamiliarizing stagnant assumptions" (@114). They can "induce structure" in a target field [sc. of knowledge] that lacks structure, or can "reorder part [of a highly structured field], temporarily or permanently" (@111). But here again calling something a borrowing of "knowledge" seems to depend on what you're doing (examples are my own):
A. "The Mississippi River was a strange attractor for Huck Finn." I've used a buzzword, or perhaps even a concept from chaos theory. But did I borrow knowledge? Are concepts sufficient to constitute knowledge? For example, is "blue" knowledge?
B. "Money is like energy, it can neither be created nor destroyed." Here I'm doing more than borrowing a concept, I'm also asserting something to be true about money's relation to other things (the universe, e.g.), based on my knowledge about energy in the physical world. So far so good, but the statement is false as to money, since the US Treasury can print more of it. Should one say that knowledge has been borrowed unsuccessfully, or just that it's a lousy metaphor (or simile, for rhetorical purists)? Does the answer change if the context shows that my intention was persuasive rather than inventive (e.g., that I was just trying to bamboozle my audience, who might know next to nothing about physics or money)? Now what if the statement turns out to be false about physics, too -- was there ever any "knowledge" to be borrowed?
My sense from the book is that SK would say *all* of these cases count as "borrowed knowledge". (SK does say that "getting the science wrong dooms an attempted metaphorical borrowing" sometimes, though not always, @129-130.) If so, then I think the phrase may be too broad to be helpful. Why not just use "borrowed concept" or "interdisciplinary analogy" for some of these cases, instead of lumping them all under the "borrowed knowledge" label? SK might justify this on grounds of being a "pluralist," but for the general reader "knowledge" is what SK calls a "thick" term, carrying a lot of evaluative connotations (like: dude, it's really true).
Parts of this book can be entertaining if you've studied some physics, and interesting if you're involved with interdisciplinary studies, or if you don't often read much about metaphors and discourse analysis. But the ambiguity of its definition of knowledge and the obviousness of some of its case studies ultimately made me suspect that the book is salted with a pinch of "glamorous jargon," itself.Borrowed Knowledge: Chaos Theory and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines OverviewWhat happens to scientific knowledge when researchers outside the natural sciences bring elements of the latest trend across disciplinary boundaries for their own purposes? Researchers in fields from anthropology to family therapy and traffic planning employ the concepts, methods, and results of chaos theory to harness the disciplinary prestige of the natural sciences, to motivate methodological change or conceptual reorganization within their home discipline, and to justify public policies and aesthetic judgments.Using the recent explosion in the use (and abuse) of chaos theory, Borrowed Knowledge and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines examines the relationship between science and other disciplines as well as the place of scientific knowledge within our broader culture. Stephen H. Kellert's detailed investigation of the myriad uses of chaos theory reveals serious problems that can arise in the interchange between science and other knowledge-making pursuits, as well as opportunities for constructive interchange. By engaging with recent debates about interdisciplinary research, Kellert contributes a theoretical vocabulary and a set of critical frameworks for the rigorous examination of borrowing.

Want to learn more information about Borrowed Knowledge: Chaos Theory and the Challenge of Learning across Disciplines?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Cultural Animal: Human Nature, Meaning, and Social Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Cultural Animal: Human Nature, Meaning, and Social Life? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Cultural Animal: Human Nature, Meaning, and Social Life. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Cultural Animal: Human Nature, Meaning, and Social Life ReviewFirmly based on Darwin's Evolutionary Theory, the author attempts to explain what makes humans unique cultural animals. Rather than focussing on the differences between cultures, he points out, how cultural animals (man being the only such species)are different from social animals (e.g. woolves, horses..). His explanation is, that this must have offered an evolutionary advantage to the animal, so so it evolved over time
He draws from a huge pile of information from experiments done by countless phychologists over many decades, and manages to offer logical explanations of their results.
There is much information in this book about results on human behaviour, which are interesting in their own right - even if the reader is not interested in how / why they evolved.
I can highly recommend this book to anybody, who is interested in how humans "operate", and even more so to people, who (like me)want to know the evolutionary background of human traits.The Cultural Animal: Human Nature, Meaning, and Social Life OverviewWhat makes us human?Why do people think, feel and act as they do?What is the essence of human nature?What is the basic relationship between the individual and society?These questions have fascinated both great thinkers and ordinary humans for centuries.Now, at last, there is a solid basis for answering them, in the form of accumulated efforts and studies by thousands of psychology researchers.We no longer have to rely on navel-gazing and speculation to understand why people are the way they are - we can instead turn to solid, objective findings.This book, by an eminent social psychologist at the peak of his career, not only summarizes what we know about people - it also offers a coherent, easy-to-understand, though radical, explanation.Turning conventional wisdom on its head, the author argues that culture shaped human evolution.Contrary to theories that depict the individual's relation to society as one of victimization, endless malleability, or just a square peg in a round hole, he proposes that the individual human being is designed by nature to be part of society.Moreover, he argues that we need to briefly set aside the endless study of cultural differences to look at what most cultures have in common - because that holds the key to human nature.Culture is in our genes, although cultural differences may not be.This core theme is further developed by a powerful tour through the main dimension of human psychology.What do people want? How do people think?How do emotions operate?How do people behave?And how do they interact with each other?The answers are often surprising, and along the way the author explains how human desire, thought, feeling, and action are connected.

Want to learn more information about The Cultural Animal: Human Nature, Meaning, and Social Life?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

On The Origin of the Human Mind. Three Theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy On The Origin of the Human Mind. Three Theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on On The Origin of the Human Mind. Three Theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

On The Origin of the Human Mind. Three Theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience ReviewDespite the title of the book "On the Origin of the Human Mind" is not a complete presentation of evolutionary origin of the human brain and cognitive capacity. If it is what you are looking for, you better read David Bjorklund's book "The Origin of Mind" that is the best introduction to the subject to my knowledge. Dr. Vyshedskiy's book is subtitled " Three theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience". For a book of 168 pages it is a very ambitious program. In fact the book should be better seen as a collection of three essays loosely linked by a common theme: "mental synthesis".
Dr. Vyshedskiy starts from the question "What makes us human?" If we look at apes we find that they share with us many characteristics that many people think specifically human such as self awareness, displaying emotion, smiling, reading other apes' minds, using complex social codified behaviours, using tools and transmitting a limited acquired culture to their offspring. He also credits apes, and also bees, birds, whales, and dolphins, with a limited language, something very questionable (it depends on the definition of language that one uses). He also think that abstract thinking, defined as "the process of generalization by reducing the information content of a concept or an observable phenomenon" is not specific to the human mind because "Vervet monkeys of East Africa have concept of leopard, snakes eagle and baboon"(pp. 16-7) (Here we might have a confusion between concept and representation). If language and abstract thinking do not make the difference, what will do it? Dr. Vyshedshiy's answer is "mental synthesis", something that Dr. Vyshedskiy thinks is a new theory but which has a number of things in common with other theories on the origin of language and rationality. Dr. Vyshedskiy defines mental synthesis as "the process of synthesizing a new, never-before-seen image from two or more mental images" (p. 22). Although animals are able to communicate, a chimp, for example, "cannot describe to another chimp a never-before-seen object because chimps cannot synthesize a new, never-before-seen image in their mind" (p.27). Without mental synthesis human language could never have arisen, and for that reason Dr. Vyshedskiy call human language "synthesizing language" (p. 28). The difference between non synthesizing languages and synthesizing language is that the former cannot create a new image in the listener's mind (p. 31). Animal can only learn to manipulate symbols or learn a limited number of word but they cannot use that capacity to solve problem or to plan actions. It is mental synthesis that allows us to analyse problems and to visually plan the action to be taken in our mind (p. 20). Here comes a very interesting development. Chimps can create and use tools, but the way they do it is fundamentally different from humans. For example a chimp can use a stick to fish termite. He needs to break a twig from a tree, remove the leaves and sharpen it with is teeth to shape it as a spear. The way he learns the process is by observing other apes doing it and learning the process by trial and error. It might take a chimp several months or even several years to master the whole process. The reason is that the chimp does not have a mental template of the tool. The way he learns is by remembering the actions that bring the reward through automated movements. "This long time frame of technique acquisition is similar to that is needed by humans to learn to play tennis, ski, ice-skate, play a musical instrument..." (p. 36). But when the chimps look at the stick they see only the stick. They do not see a tool and they do not have a concept of tool or even a concept of a stick for fishing termites. Here comes Dr. Vyshedskiy's theory of language: language is based on "mental synthesis" which must have evolved a long time before language appeared. Language allows human to plan their actions and to share the plan with other humans. In order to do that humans use "mental frames" which are "synthesized in the minds of the listeners" as "identical copies of the frames in the mind of the speaker. Thus the complex human language evolved to serve the purposes of synthesizing new images in the mind of the listeners" (p. 40). However pure mental synthesis is the absence of language remain possible (p. 42) and occur in different part of the brain.
In the second part of the book, Dr. Vyshedskiy tries to define when and how mental synthesis has appeared during human evolution. The origin of mental synthesis must be found in the development of the hominid's visual system. Because hominids could not compete in terms of strength and speed, when they started walking in the African savannah they had to develop a system of early recognition of predators. That new system was not based on recognition of the whole image like other animals, but on visual analysis consisting in decomposing a template of the predators in different components such as tail, ears, body, paws, etc., (pp. 75-6). Human became capable of assembling and dissembling mental image and that capacity is became the basis of mental analysis by generalizing of the mental process to other cognitive areas (p. 92). It also provides an interesting explanation of dreams and hallucinations (p. 153). In modern human, "visual analysis is primary a function of the left hemisphere and recognition of a whole object via amodal completion is primary a function of the right hemisphere" (pp. 76-7). "Improvement of the visual system in general and visual analysis in particular enable Homo habilis to manufacture the first stone choppers" because homo habilis had acquired " a mental template of a chopper"(p. 79-80). Homo habilis did not improve Oldowan tools for nearly a million year; Homo erectus erectus did not improve Acheulean tools for nearly two million years. The stasis in tool manufacturing can only be explained "by the limitation of the brain structure" (p. 80) (In my view it can also be explained by the absence of mirror neurons not yet developed). It is the refinement of the visual system that "drove the evolution of hominids" (p. 81). "Around 2.4 million years ago, the visual analysis system acquired elements of voluntary analysis" (p. 92) and 2 million years ago "the visual and prefrontal cortices developed significantly in Homo ergaster and Homo erectus" allowing "voluntarily dissecting the visual percept into fine details" (p.132). Development of the speech apparatus came later and was a consequence of a better visual system. "As hominids were able to separate more and more elements from the visual image, they needed more and more words to describe these elements" (p. 82). However it is only Homo sapiens that became fully able to synthesize mental image and to develop synthesizing language.
Part three of the book is more technical and tries to identify how mental image are formed at the neuronal level. It implies the solving by evolution of many technical problems such as neuronal synchronization (pp. 115-21) and the specialization of different areas in the prefrontal cortex (pp. 121-30). As those problems are covered by standard neuroscience literature I will not go into the details. Suffice is to say that the different part of a mental image are stored in different part of the brain and must be reassembled when the brain want to recall a memory (p. 107). This fact allows the synthezation of "never-before-seen image" by combining different components of different images. "The final step of the evolution of Homo was the acquisition of mental synthesis. About 100,000 years ago, the prefrontal cortex of Homo sapiens developed the capacity to synchronize several neuronal ensembles in one frame of consciousness" (p. 133).
I gave only three stars to the book for several reasons. (a) Mental synthesis is not a fully developed theory and more "work in process". The theory appears to be more an intuition that something solidly demonstrated. The author often gives the impression to be in hurry with no time for details. Facts that presented as "new" are sometimes known for decades. Scientific methodology is often weak. (b) The three part of the book are not integrated leading to overlap and repetition. (c) Dr. Vyshedskiy is obviously well versed in biology and neurosciences but does not seem to have any knowledge of development psychology, cognitive psychology and more important theories of the origin of language and rationality (evolutionary linguistic and psycholinguistic). (d) The book often lack in precise references for the facts and research quoted and therefore is difficult to use and to quote in an academic context. Despite all these flaws, in only 168 pages Dr. Vyshedskiy has achieved a very illuminating synthesis of a large array of scientific facts and produced a coherent theory of great interest. The theory might not be as new or as original as the author thinks, but there is an interesting convergence with other researches showing that the author might be close to truth. Whereas most theories in evolutionary linguistic put the emphasis on neuronal requirements for language, Dr. Vyshedskiy shows that the evolution of pre-linguistic cognitive capacity are as much vital as the evolution of linguistic capacity for understanding how modern human intellectual capability evolved. A more detailed and focussed book would be welcomed. I can only wish that Dr. Vyshedskiy, who apparently has accepted a management position in a R&R company, will return soon to academic life.
On The Origin of the Human Mind. Three Theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience Overview
Some of the most time-honored questions in philosophy, psychology, and neurosciencecenter on the uniqueness of the human mind. How do we think? What makes us sodifferent from all the other animals on planet Earth? What was the process thatcreated the human mind? Is this process unique or can it be repeated on otherplanets? The book "On the Origin of the Human Mind" attemptsto provide an answer to these questions. It is organized into three chapters:

Chapter I "Uniqueness of the Human Mind" introducesthe reader to recent research into animal behavior, communication, culture andlearning, as well as controlled animal intelligence experiments and offers anew hypothesis of what makes the human mind unique.

Chapter II "Evolution of the Human Mind" combines latestgenetics research and archeological discoveries to help readers understand hominidevolution. The author discusses the forces that influenced the development ofthe hominid intelligence and offers a step-by-step theory that links improvementin visual information processing to speech development and to the types of stonetools manufactured by the hominids.

Chapter III "The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience"takes the reader on an exciting journey into the neurobiology of the human mind.The author introduces the reader to the structure and function of the brainand then presents recent insights into brain organization derived from cognitivepsychology, brain imaging, animal experiments, and the studies of patients withdiseases of the brain. The book concludes with a unifying theory of the mindand a discussion of the evolution of the human brain and the uniqueness of thehuman mind from the neurological perspective.

Audience The book speaks best to readers who want to approach the mind from a scientificperspective. The book is written in easy-to-read engaging style. No previousknowledge in psychology, paleoanthropology, or neuroscience is necessary.

Hardcover edition The book is illustrated and printed in full-color.


Want to learn more information about On The Origin of the Human Mind. Three Theories: Uniqueness of the Human Mind, Evolution of the Human Mind, and The Neurological Basis of Conscious Experience?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Early Human World Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Early Human World? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Early Human World. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Early Human World ReviewThis has to be the greatest series on ancient history! When have you come across a series of history books that presents things in a fun, detailed, often humorous way? My children talk about the chapters we read long after we are done with our lessons. They retain the facts and love the time we spend learning them. I was looking for a series with a different approach to history textbooks, when I came across The World in Ancient Times series. Those books are everything I had hoped for and more:
captivating, easy to read, full of wonderful anecdotes, and pictures. They have a secular approach to history, with attention to details so well put together I read them ahead of the kids just for the fun of it! This first volume starts from the beginning with the origin of earth and ends with human settlements in North America (about 1000 years ago). These books are comparable in tone and excellence to the Joy Hakim series of historical science books (Aristotle Leads the Way) which we are using as well.The Early Human World OverviewA six-million-year-old jaw bone in Ethiopia proves to be a piece of the earliest hominid discovered-so far. Big Mama, who used a tree branch to escape from a zoo in Holland, is found sipping chocolate milk at a local restaurant. Nandy, a 50,000-year-old skeleton surrounded by flower pollen in Iraq, casts doubt on the beastly reputation of an early hominid. Found frozen in the Alps, Ötzi reveals what people in Europe ate 5,000 years ago. Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba, a chimpanzee, a Neandertal, and the Iceman are just some of the characters who make up The Early Human World.Peter Robertshaw and Jill Rubalcaba tell the story of early human life using an incredible variety of primary sources: 3.5-million-year-old footprints preserved by a volcano provide evidence of our ancestors' walking on two legs. Stone flakes fashioned 2 million years ago prove early hominids used tools. Bears, lions, and rhinoceroses painted in a cave 30,000 years ago reveal our ancestors' artistic side. An 8,500-year-old dog grave shows the extraordinarily long history of man's best friend. This evidence helps archaeologists decipher not just how we came to be the Homo sapiens we are today, but also what life may have been like for our earliest ancestors. The first Australians encountered freakishly gigantic beasts: kangaroos as big as houses and tortoises the size of cars. The Sahara Desert was once a fertile land, supporting herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. The Early Human World takes readers to sites around the world as archaeologists piece together the clues to our past.For grades 6-8.

Want to learn more information about The Early Human World?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems ReviewI really enjoyed this book that I used in conjunction with a university summer course. I thought it was very well written and informative. The only drawback is that it is not written for any specific GIS software (e.g. ArcGIS) so it has to be very general and unbiased in its explanation of concepts.Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems OverviewLocate your place in the exciting field of GISIn existence since 1962, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are really coming into their own today. And not just in your car's GPS system or your cell phone's tracking capabilities. GIS is finding applications throughout science, government, business, and industry, from regional and community planning, architecture, and transportation to public health, crime mapping, and national defense.Michael DeMers's Fundamentals of Geographic Information, Fourth Edition brings an already essential text up to date, capturing the significant developments in the field and responding to the needs of a diverse set of readers, from geographers to students in a host of other fields.If you are a non-geographer or new to GIS, get a quick introduction to the "lay of the land" of GIS through the new "Spatial Learner's Permit" section. Then join in the excitement of discovery with GIS databases as you absorb the such concepts and skills as digital geographic data and maps, GIS data models, spatial analysis, measurement and classification, cartographic modeling, and GIS design.Responding to both the needs and technical skills of today's students, this Fourth Edition:* Makes concepts accessible to students from a wide range of backgrounds* Offers more practical and relevant coverage of GIS design and implementation* Reflects the latest changes in GIS applications* Examines in greater depth the underlying computer science behind GIS* Uncovers the most recent developments on GIS research* Expands coverage of the increasingly robust literature on cartographic visualization* Includes Web-based labs and links to current and updated dataset resourcesTaking an open-ended, hands-on approach that gets you to ask your own questions about the underlying concepts, the Fourth Edition helps you not only master the basics but acquire the active problem-solving skills that are a key component of success in the GIS industry.

Want to learn more information about Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Evolutionary Psychology: The Science of Human Behavior and Evolution Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Evolutionary Psychology: The Science of Human Behavior and Evolution? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Evolutionary Psychology: The Science of Human Behavior and Evolution. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Evolutionary Psychology: The Science of Human Behavior and Evolution ReviewIt's always nice when the item arrives quickly and in the condition it is reported to be in. Highly recommend this seller.Evolutionary Psychology: The Science of Human Behavior and Evolution OverviewWritten in a lively and engaging manner, this new work places evolutionary psychology within the broad sweep of our primate heritage and the full scope of our evolutionary story. Beginning with the basics of evolution, the book first unpacks the far-ranging saga of human evolution, then moves on to examine motor behavior and emotions, sexual behavior and mate selection, and higher cognition.

Want to learn more information about Evolutionary Psychology: The Science of Human Behavior and Evolution?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Psychology in Action Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Psychology in Action? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Psychology in Action. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Psychology in Action ReviewAn excellent textbook that helps global as well as analytical learners by providing both written information as well as a wealth of charts and pictures.
I used this for my General Psychology Class. It was probably one of the first textbooks I used that I could understand, being that I learn by looking at pictures rather than reading. It helped me. It covers Psychology generally and doesn't focus on any one disorder in particular, so there are a lot of disorders listed and a good amount of information on each, but they are not explored in depth, you'd need a textbook or book especially for say Depression, in order to get the most information on it. But it does a good job for what it is.
I hope this review helped you. :)Psychology in Action OverviewA new edition of the enormously popular introduction that makes learning psychology an active, hands-on experience! The text helps students examine their own personal studying and learning styles and apply what they are learning to their everyday lives, while offering ongoing study tips and psychological techniques for mastering the material. Most importantly, students are provided with numerous opportunities to immediately assess their understanding. This text also includes a handy study and review guide.

Want to learn more information about Psychology in Action?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Who Was Adam: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Who Was Adam: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Who Was Adam: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man ReviewAre humans just advanced apes or have they been specially created in the image of God? Publications by scientists almost never ask the question, whereas publications by theists seldom examine the scientific data that relates to the question.
However, two scientists raised in non-Christian homes, Fuz Rana (Ph.D. in chemistry) and Hugh Ross (Ph.D. in astronomy), have written a new book (Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man) that examines the question of human origins by comparing biblical and evolutionary models.
The second in a series of books designed to produce a comprehensive biblical creation model, Reasons To Believe scholars, Rana and Ross present a biblical creation model that makes 13 specific predictions on the nature and origin of mankind, then go on to examine the evidence published in the latest scientific studies. One example from the biblical creation model is the predicted discrepancy between the origin dates for male and female genetic lines. The Bible claims that there was a genetic bottleneck at the Genesis flood. Whereas all females can trace their ancestry back to Eve (through the three wives of Noah's sons), all males trace their Y-chromosomes through Noah (through his three sons). This predicted discrepancy for molecular dates of mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome data is actually seen in the scientific literature. In addition to the mtDNA and Y-chromosome data, Who Was Adam? examines molecular dates from nuclear genes, numerous varieties of non-coding genetic elements, and human parasites. All these data confirm a recent origin date for Homo sapiens sapiens. Other chapters examine the hominid fossil record as it relates to specific evolutionary models compared to the biblical creation model. Chapter 5 examines the question whether we can detect the image of God in modern humans that differentiates them from hominids in the fossil record. Specific hominid species are examined in detail, including Homo erectus, Homo neandertalensis, and chimpanzees. A chapter devoted to the development of bipedalism shows that the extensive changes required for this form of locomotion appeared in early hominids, with no apparent selective Darwinian driving force. An examination of hominid brain sizes shows no gradual increases within species, but large jumps as new species appeared on the scene. Opponents of the idea that humans are intelligently designed often point to the presence of "junk" (non-coding) DNA in the genomes of both apes and humans. Chapter 14 examines the most recent evidence that shows that non-coding DNA is certainly not junk, but provides vital regulatory functions for coding genes.
One chapter stands out as being somewhat out of place in a book on human origins. Chapter 6, "The best possible time" examines the timing of the appearance on humans in the context of the history of the universe and the history of the earth. Although peripherally-related to the question of intelligent design, it would seem to be more relevant to discussions of cosmology and the anthropic principle.
Although the book seems to be marketed to Christians (from the title), it will probably have more broad appeal within secular circles, since it does present an excellent, up-to-date review of the current scientific literature on human origins. Does a biblical creation model for human origins present a scientifically-respectable alternative to neo-Darwinian evolution? Read the book and make your own decision.Who Was Adam: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man OverviewScientists Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross introduce a testable scientific model for humanity's origin--a Biblical model--that sheds light on the latest findings on evolution and the origins of man.

Want to learn more information about Who Was Adam: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry ReviewMario Livio's title suggests an exploration of unsolvable equations, in particular the drama enshrouding the mathematical conundrum of solving general, fifth degree polynomial equations, known as quintics. His subtitle, "How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry," indicates that his work will also explore the role of symmetry in ultimately resolving the question of whether such polynomials could be solved by a formulas using nothing more than addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and nth roots. These two subjects portend an interesting discussion on the solvability of equations and the peculiar mathematical race in Renaissance Europe to "discover" the magical formulas for solving cubics and quartics.
One could reasonably expect that the groundbreaking work of Tartaglia, Cardano. Ferraro, Galois, Abel, Kronecker, Hermite, and Klein would be encompassed in this survey, and indeed they are. However, purchasers of this book are given no indication that they will spend well over half their reading time on rehashes of Abel's tragic life story and the mythology of Evariste Galois's foolish death, Emmy Noether's challenges as a woman mathematician in Germany, a history of group theory, Einstein's theory of relativity, the place of string theory in modern cosmology, the survival benefits of symmetry in evolution, Daniel Gorenstein's 30-year proof that "every finite simple group is either a member of one of the eighteen families or is one of the twenty-six sporadic groups," a trite and unnecessary diversion on human creativity, and finally, an even more outlandish (and utterly inconclusive) "comparison" of Galois's brain with that of Albert Einstein. The persevering reader can only conclude that anything and everything that remotely touches upon the quintic and Galois's work was given a chapter of its own, a mathematical version of "everything but the kitchen sink." The end result is an unfortunate mishmash, a sort of treetop skimming of modern mathematics, post-Newtonian physics, and cognitive theory.
Sadly, Mr. Livio misses a number of opportunities to enlighten his readers on the theory of polynomials, the nature of their roots, and the curious symmetries one encounters. For example, he makes no effort to discuss the nature of polynomial roots beyond a short Appendix, and he passes on the chance to detail the marvelous symmetry of imaginary roots in equations such as x^6 = 1. While he outlines the general thrust of Galois's approach to the unsolvability of quintics, Livio also mentions that Hermite found a method to solve the general quintic using elliptic functions, but we are not told how such a solution is discovered. What about sixth degree polynomials and beyond? Mr. Livio doesn't tell us - he's too busy worrying over the fairness of the first draft lottery in 1970. There is also the small matter of the author's style of explication. At times, such as his introduction to symmetry, he writes for a general, non-mathematical audience. Later, he tosses out references to elliptic functions without explanation and culminates his group theory discussion with sentences like, "We can use the family tree of these subgroups to create a sequence of composition factors (order of the parent group divided by that of the maximal normal subgroup)."
What THE EQUATION THAT COULDN'T BE SOLVED really needed was a good editor to bring these widespread ramblings into focus. A bit of truth in advertising might have been appropriate as well, but a book entitled "The Role of Group Theory in Modern Mathematics and Science" (primarily what this book is about, along with the author's peculiar obsession with Evariste Galois's death by duel) wouldn't tap well into the market developed by Keith Devlin, John Allen Paulos, Ian Stewart, Eli Maor, Simon Singh, and other popularizers of mathematics for mass market audiences. In the end, this book falls short of its companions for its sheer lack of focus and somewhat misleading cover presentation. At times, the book is interesting; at others, regrettably, it's simply too much of a superficial slog through too many loosely connected disciplines.The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry Overview

Want to learn more information about The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved: How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Intelligent Universe: AI, ET, and the Emerging Mind of the Cosmos Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Intelligent Universe: AI, ET, and the Emerging Mind of the Cosmos? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Intelligent Universe: AI, ET, and the Emerging Mind of the Cosmos. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Intelligent Universe: AI, ET, and the Emerging Mind of the Cosmos ReviewHaving read Gardner's earlier work Biocosm: The New Scientific Theory of Evolution: Intelligent Life Is the Architect of the Universe, I was prepared for "The Intelligent Universe" to be the work of a visionary thinker who is not afraid to speculate about the cosmological principles underlying our universe. I cherish the work of authors who are not afraid to think big. Gardner does not disappoint in the grandeur of his vision. If you think there is nothing new under the sun, I encourage you to read "The Intelligent Universe". One can't help but find enlightening material in the book. Oliver Wendell Holmes said "Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." This sentiment certainly applies to my reading of Gardner's book.
Gardner's book is, however, not without flaws. One criticism I won't make of the book is that the ideas are hopelessly speculative. The book employs the kind of theoretical flights of fancy that John Horgan dismisses as "ironic science" in his book The End of Science (Helix Books), a book which says that science is asymptotically approaching a point at which there won't be any major new scientific theories, not because of science's failures but because science has been so successful. I mention Horgan because the scope of Gardner's vision encourages me to believe that we haven't even begun to exhaust our potential to develop breathtaking scientific theories of the cosmos. I came away from The Intelligent Universe with an excitement about the power of large-scale thinking about the universe.
Having said that, while Gardner presents an original "story", weaving together the work of numerous cosmologists and other scientists, perhaps paradoxically, the book often reads as a rehashing of the ideas of numerous big-picture thinkers. Maybe both perspectives can be accurate: Gardner summarizes the work of many while putting together the pieces in a unique way. There is nothing wrong with synthesizing the views of one's peers. However, the book too often lapses into a series of synopses of the big ideas of other scientific thinkers, brilliant though these thinkers may be.
To give you an idea of Gardner's method I reproduce the train of thought found in a few early chapters. Gardner uses extended paragraph-long quotations to run through the following thinkers (not all of which Gardner ultimately endorses):
Fred Hoyle on the fine-tunedness of physical constants, Francis Crick on directed pansperma (the idea that extraterrestrials seeded the biosphere with the first life forms on Earth), Stephen Wolfram and Ed Fredkin on cellular automata principles underlying physics, Seth Lloyd on the cosmos as quantum computer, Erwin Schrodinger on quantum physics underlying life, John Wheeler's on the "participatory anthropic principle" (the idea that only with conscious life does the universe summon itself into being), John Koza on genetic programming, Roger Penrose on the quantum physical underpinnings of consciousness, (leading to a gloss on the implications of combining quantum computing and genetic programming). Then Gardner begins the next chapter with Mark Bedau on artificial life, with an interlude about the perils of nanotechnology run amok, alluding to Michael Crichton's techno-thriller Prey. After that, we move on to topic of the technological singularity, where Ray Kurzweil plays a prominent role, both for his vision of smarter-than-human artificial intelligence and his optimism about the prospects for immortality. In the same chapter Gardner describes how Vernor Vinge forsees the arrival of super-human intelligence as more likely to result from intelligence amplification (at least at first) than from artificial intelligence.
Many of the later chapters work in a similar fashion, cycling through the big ideas of major thinkers. If a book is going to run through thinkers as this one does I guess what I would wish for is a book with the kind of comprehensiveness of The Anthropic Cosmological Principle (Oxford Paperbacks). Instead, too often there is only a superficial treatment of one thinker before we move on to another superficial treatment of the big idea of the next thinker. Such a technique is particularly unsatisfying for someone who is already familiar with many of the thinkers presented. I would relish a deeper engagement with the work of many of the thinkers treated. So one problem that I have with the book is simply that it is not in-depth enough. The body of the text takes up 196 pages, with an additional 46 pages comprising reprints of three articles from the International Journal of Astrobiology and Complexity magazine (2 articles).
I don't mean to dismiss Gardner's writing style. The value of his approach was demonstrated to me by his discussion of Beatriz Gato-Rivera's proposed solution to the Fermi Paradox. I had never heard of Gato-Rivera but Gardner's treatment of her position in The Intelligent Universe provided a nice jumping off point to her work. It is easy to see how the book could function as a window into a lot of other scientific topics. I was wondering how Gardner would reconcile the Fermi Paradox with Gardner's view that the universe is "hard-wired" to produce intelligent life, and Gato-Rivera's work figures prominently in his proposed resolution to the conundrum, although, characteristically, there is no attempt made to contradict this hypothesis or to pronounce on the merits of any alternative explanations.
"The Intelligent Universe" ultimately attempts to answer what Brian Greene has called the biggest of the big questions: Why is the universe life-friendly? Gardner, bold and original thinker that he is, thinks he knows the answer. His solution is the Selfish-Biocosm Hypothesis. The central claim of his Selfish-Biocosm Hypothesis is "that the ongoing process of biological and technological emergence, governed by still largely unknown laws of complexity, could function as a von Neumann controller, and that a cosmologically extended biosphere could serve as a von Neumann duplicating machine in a conjectured process of cosmological replication." In other words, the universe comes to life and then reproduces itself through the creation of other universes. This comes right out of Gardner's first book Biocosm. In this picture, human beings (or other intelligent life forms) might be thought of as the mitochondria of the cells that make up the universe as organism. The Intelligent Universe can be seen as the exploration of this basic storyline, and this includes dealing with the religious implications of the radically new perspective afforded by the Selfish-Biocosm Hypothesis. All in all, the story is well worth reading.The Intelligent Universe: AI, ET, and the Emerging Mind of the Cosmos Overview

Want to learn more information about The Intelligent Universe: AI, ET, and the Emerging Mind of the Cosmos?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Cognition, Brain, and Consciousness, Second Edition: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Cognition, Brain, and Consciousness, Second Edition: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Cognition, Brain, and Consciousness, Second Edition: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Cognition, Brain, and Consciousness, Second Edition: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience ReviewI have been teaching "Mind, Brain and Behavior", and introductory course in Cognitive Neuroscience, for the past 10 years to college students at Columbia University and the City University of New York. After using Gazzaniga, Ivry and Mangun's "Cognitive Neuroscience: Biology of the Mind" for 8 of those years, I decided to try the Baars text because it appeared to have a strong overarching theme that would provide for greater pedagogy than my previous text. Indeed, skimming the text and the chapters suggests that it would be a beautiful, up-to-date and well-integrated treatment of cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on consciousness that is aligned with my own interests. So I assigned it to my class of 100.
I should have read it more carefully before doing that. In fact, I spent the semester trying to help them figure out what the figures really meant (since they didn't actually match what was discussed in the text much of the time), clarify concepts that came out of the blue, and generally apologizing to the students for all the clerical errors. It was frustrating for them and for me. Many of them wanted their money back from the publisher.
For students who are trying to learn new material, poor editing is particularly damaging because it creates unnecessary confusion (on top of the necessary confusion that comes with approaching challenging material). Even experts or interested laypeople shouldn't have to struggle through such poor editing in order to get information.
Needless to say, I'm not using the Baars text anymore. Hopefully, the 2nd edition will be better edited. I don't think it could be worse - in fact I've never read anything that was so poorly executed.
One positive note: I would say that the powerpoint slides that came with the instructor's version of the text were actually more useful than most instructor materials. Also, it has a cool bookmark.Cognition, Brain, and Consciousness, Second Edition: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience Overview
This is the fully revised and updated second edition of the very sucessful introductory textbook on cognitive neuroscience. Written by two leading experts in the field, thisbook takes a unique thematic approach to introduce concepts of cognitive neurosciences, guiding students along a clear path to understand the latest findings whether or not they have a background in neuroscience. New to this edition are Frontiers in Cognitive Neuroscience text boxes; each one focuses on a leading researcher and their topic of expertise. There is a new chapter on Genes and Molecules of Cognition, and all other chapters have been thoroughly revised, based on the most recent discoveries.

New edition of a very successful textbook
Completely revisedto reflect new advances, and feedback from adopters and students
Includes a new chapter on Genes and Molecules of Cognition
Student Solutions available at http://www.baars-gage.com/

For Teachers:


Rapid adoption and course preparation: A wide array of instructor support materials are available online including PowerPoint lecture slides, a test bank with answers, and eFlashcords on key concepts for each chapter.
A textbook with an easy-to-understand thematic approach: in a way that is clear for students from a variety of academic backgrounds, the text introduces concepts such as working memory, selective attention, and social cognition.
A step-by-step guide for introducing students to brain anatomy: color graphics have been carefully selected to illustrate all points and the research explained. Beautifully clear artist's drawings are used to 'build a brain' from top to bottom, simplifying the layout of the brain.

For students:


An easy-to-read, complete introduction to mind-brain science: all chapters begin from mind-brain functions and build a coherent picture of their brain basis. A single, widely accepted functional framework is used to capture the major phenomena.
Learning Aids include a student support site with study guides and exercises, a new Mini-Atlas of the Brain and a full Glossary of technical terms and their definitions.
Richly illustrated with hundreds of carefully selected color graphics to enhance understanding.


Want to learn more information about Cognition, Brain, and Consciousness, Second Edition: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication ReviewReview of the Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication. (Susannah Priest, Editor) Sage Publications, Volumes 1 and 2.
Reviewer W. P. Palmer.
It is not convenient to review an encyclopedia by reading it from A to Z and certainly this reviewer does not claim more than to have looked at a small selection of entries. The Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication has 1095 numbered pages (1144 claimed) and more than three hundred substantial entries. These entries are mainly of 1500 words or more, so topics are well developed. There is a good index and there are listings of entries and contributors as well as appendices of university science communication programs and an annotated bibliography which relates to some issues commonly discussed in science communication.
The contributors are in the main university academics from American universities and the science communication programs mentioned largely American programs, but there are a scattering of contributions from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. The format is large with double column pages on a good paper and with a tidy appearance, making the encyclopedia comfortable to read. There is little illustration, but every entry has relevant extra readings recommended.
Who does this encyclopedia aim to inform? The encyclopedia is said to inform a broad audience of graduate and undergraduate students in communications, mass media, and journalism as well as postgraduate practitioners. The key themes of the encyclopedia are wide-ranging and include:
*Associations and Organizations
*Audiences, Opinions, and Effects
*Challenges, Issues, and Controversies
*Changing Awareness, Opinion, And Behavior
*Critical Influences and Events
*Global and International Aspects
*Government Agencies (US)
*History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science
*Important Figures
*Journal Publications
*Key Cases and Current Trends
*Law, Policy, Ethics, and Beliefs
*Major Infrastructural Initiatives
*Practices, Strategies, and Tools
*Professional Roles and Careers
*Public Engagement Approaches
*Theory and Research
*Venues and Channels
Such students have a range of backgrounds so the encyclopedia is particularly useful to those who have limited exposure to scientific concepts. Because of the wide range of topics that science journalists might need to write about, the choice of entries for such a venture is difficult and there is little doubt that some will find problems with some omissions and duplication. However there are few rival publications in the field of science and technology communication. Perhaps future editions might interconnect the various entries where similar topics are mentioned.
However the encyclopedia is an excellent start and should be purchased by university and general libraries, with some school libraries giving it consideration as it could be very useful in helping senior students with their projects.
BILL PALMER
Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication Overview

Want to learn more information about Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems ReviewBackground info:
I have been an ASIC engineer since 1986. I have designed many ASICs in Verilog and VHDL. I have 7 books on VHDL including Dr. Navabi's text.
Some of the VHDL books out there are more like cookbooks: too many code examples and not enough explanation. Navabi's book is NOT a cookbook.
Further, it is hard to do a direct comparison to other VHDL texts. In a way it would be like comparing apples and oranges. While some VHDL texts try to explain everything about VHDL, other books like Dr. Navabi's explain the more useful parts of VHDL as being used by a digital systems or ASIC designers. While other books are mostly for RTL coders with very little testbench and system level modeling info. In my opinion, test is extremely important as well as modeling at the system level. Many books out there do not do a good job on those aspects. Most books provide very brief explanations of test benches and/or system level modeling.
This book is highly useful for a digital systems design engineer or architect. This book is not only covers coding for RTL synthesis but doing the testbenches, and sytem level modeling as well. This book has a very good balance between all the main uses of the VHDL modeling langauage.
Here is my overview of the chapters :
The first two chapters provides you with a history of modeling languages and the reason VHDL was created. I recommend that you read these chapters, especially if this is your first modeling language. The chapters are not long, but it provides a very good high level overview to modeling, synthesis, and test.
Chapter three gets you up and running quickly by providing simple examples to give you a good introduction to behavioral and structural VHDL.
Chapters 4 though 9 are heart of the VHDL aspect of the book.
Chapter 4 is very important. It describes VHDL inertial and concurrent timing in great detail. In fact, I believe Dr. Navabi's book is the best available in this aspect! It is important to understand for modeling and especially testing purposes. Chapter 5 is on structural VHDL. it is a good place to start since it is the easiest to understand. Chapter 6 introduces procedures, functions, packages, generics, and configurations. I like the way this chapter is written. Other books are not as easy to read as this one. Great examples and its clearly written as is the entire book actually. Chapter 7 digs into the VHDL types, operators, and attributes. Chapter 8 covers guarding and signal resolution. It also provides a good state machine example. Once you get through Chapter 8, pat yourself on the back because you got through the hard parts of VHDL! VHDL is a harder language to learn than Verilog. But for good reason, VHDL is much more powerful and structured than Verilog in my opinion. You can code faster in Verilog, but the code is not typically as readable as VHDL. Most of the VHDL codes I have seen are much more readable. Some of the Verilog code I have seen are downright nasty looking and time consuming to interpret. Chapter 9 starts to put it (chapters 6-8) all together by more thorough examples behavioral modeling: testbenches/harnesses, arbitration/handshaking, etc.
Chapters 10-11 puts it all together with some system examples : cpu, dma, system bus modeling/timing/interfacing, etc. even memory caches! These are not complicated examples but they are real world examples. All of the techniques are still begin used today. If they were more complicated examples the book would need to be much bigger. However, these are great examples that ties everything up. Once you complete chapter 11, you are well on your way! You will have accomplished something!
Don't overlook Chapters 12 (advanced modeling) and the appendices (esp. App. B, the synthesis subset). This additional information puts Navabi's book above other VHDL books in my opinion.
Conclusion:
It is difficult to create a VHDL book to be 'the' book for all types and levels of designers and engineers (architectural, RTL coders, testbench and verification, etc.) But, in my opinion this book comes closest. I highly recommend this book! I have many books on VHDL. This book is valuable to me as a reference and has helped me tremendously - it's a keeper! All the codes work and I only found one insignificant typo. I can not say that about any of my other VHDL books. In fact, I will probably soon be getting rid of some of my VHDL books to make space on my shelves for new books. I'll be keeping Navabi's VHDL book as a permanent reference- for sure! I recommend this book for beginners because I like the way it progresses and delivers the material: in the right order and in the right amount. I recommend this book for moer advanced people as well, I am sure that it has material that is not covered in other VHDL books. And it makes a great reference as well.
P.S.
There are recent additions to VHDL that are not discussed in this book..namely VHDL-AMS, which adds analog extentions. However, it is still very young and most simulators do not support the analog extentions yet.VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems OverviewThe definitive guide to VHDLÑnow updated with the new VHDL93 standard! Here's the new second edition of the authoritative reference engineers need to guide them through the use of VHDL hardware description language in the analysis, simulation, and modeling of complicated microelectronic circuits. The number and depth of its relevant and practical examples and problems is what sets this edition apart from other VHDL texts. It includes extensive new material to bring the guide fully up to date with the new VHDL93 standard, including new chapters on design flow, interfacing, modeling, and timing, as well as appendixes on logic synthesis and description styles.

Want to learn more information about VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...