Why do people come to reject climate science or the safety and efficacy of vaccines, in defiance of the scientific consensus? A popular view explains bad beliefs like these as resulting from a range of biases that together ensure that human beings fall short of being genuinely rational animals. This book presents an alternative account. It argues that bad beliefs arise from genuinely rational p…
Witchcraft is often thought of, wrongly, as a thing of the past. In fact, it continues to be taken seriously by people all over the world. But because the subject of this study is, specifically, early modern witchcraft and its dramatic representation, it will be necessary to clarify what the term ‘witch’ meant within this specific context. As several early modern authors on witchc…
One central aim of science is to provide explanations of natural phenomena. What role(s) does mathematics play in achieving this aim? How does mathematics contribute to the explanatory power of science? Rules to Infinity defends the thesis, common though perhaps inchoate among many members of the Vienna Circle, that mathematics contributes to the explanatory power of science by expressing conce…
How ought we to live? What really exists? How do we know? This book introduces important themes in ethics, knowledge, and the self, via readings from Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hegel, Darwin, and Buddhist writers. It emphasizes throughout the point of studying philosophy, explains how different areas of philosophy are related, and explores the contexts in which philosophy was and is studied.
A fascination with the night sky is integral to the story of what it is to be human. The history of our relationship with dark skies is diverse and rich, a connection across space and time that has shaped and been shaped by society, culture, and reli-gion, as well as science. Beyond the astronomical, scientific understandings about the universe, the stars, planets, and moon have proved inspirat…
This open access book takes a human-focused multidisciplinary look at the ways in which autonomous technology shapes experience, affecting human lives and ways of working in settings ranging from the arts, design, and service to maritime and industry. The book focuses on the humane, observing how technology can be designed and implemented in an ethical, human-centered way. Chapters in this book…
In the ethnographical examination of entrepreneurial-creative places such asmakerspaces, incubators, or living labs, I frequently encountered assertions andexplanatory patterns imbued with emotion. Interestingly, these narratives oftenseem to evade a conscious acknowledgement of their emotional nature. Instead,participants describe experiences asmagical moments, visions of a brighter future,afl…
Th is is a book about practical reason, action, and emotion in Kant. My aim is to answer what is the real importance of emotion for Kant. I will try to show that Kant had considerable views about emotions and that he was not blind to their importance in action in general. My object is not moral action, but action in general, including weak and even evil ones. My purpose is to show that Kant de…
In an age where science and technology hold sway and the humanities face a crisis, this book explores the evolving role of literature. It delves into how American self-help culture shapes contemporary ideals of success, mindfulness, and happiness, with a particular focus on its influence in science communication, notably in TED talks. Moreover, it underscores the enduring relevance of literatur…
Physiognomy and ekphrasis are two of the most important modes of description in antiquity and represent the necessary precursors of scientific description. The primary way of divining the characteristics and fate of an individual, whether inborn or acquired, was to observe the patient’s external characteristics and behaviour. This volume focuses initially on two types of descriptive literatur…
What is happening to perceptions of time, durability and reality in the 21th century? This anthology explores a diversity of uncommon insights about time, as seen from our historical and geographical standpoint. It sheds new light on how construction, perception and regulation of time influences a person’s whole being in the world, collectively and individually, in the short and long run, fro…
The Global Wireless charts a history of wireless beginning in the 1910s, when it was used as a tool for global communication, and ending as it declined and slowly fell from view after World War I. Examining the political negotiations and international communication networks, the book demonstrates how a wireless technology had already spread around the globe a century ago and prompted a radical …
Questions about ‘security’ provide a lens that brings issues of national independence into sharp focus. In the first instance, security concerns the ability of a state to protect its inhabitants from danger. The idea that security is the first responsibility of government has long been a political mantra. But choosing strategies to ensure a country’s eff…
The book Becoming Human: Li Zehou’s Ethics offers a critical introduction and in-depth analysis of Li Zehou’s moral philosophy and ethics. Li Zehou, who is one of the most influential contemporary Chinese philosophers, believes that ethics is the most important philosophical discipline. He aims to revive, modernize, develop, and complement Chinese traditional ethics through what he calls …
Islamic Sensory History, Volume 2: 600–1500 presents a selection of texts translated into English from Arabic and Persian. These selected texts all offer illustrative engagements with issues related to the sensorium in different times, places, and social milieus throughout the early and medieval history of Islamic societies. Each chapter is prefaced by an introductory essay by the translator,…
Linnaeus, the Swedish taxonomist, was wrong when he named our species Homo sapiens, i.e. wise man. We are not. We do too many senseless, destructive and irresponsible things to deserve that label. Actually, we need to be educated. Fortunately, we can be educated. We can transform ourselves. We are Homo educandus. Sadly, our current school system is broken. In fact, it does not support education…
This book presents a concise history of the scientific discovery of the mind. Although people have speculated about the nature and functioning of their minds for thousands of years, it was only about 200 years ago that they replaced the philosophical armchair with the laboratory and began to investigate the mind scientifically. Surprisingly, the work of one of the founders of scientific psychol…
Many of us insist the main impediment to a full, successful life is the outside world. In fact, the most common enemy lies within: our ego. Early in our careers, it impedes learning and the cultivation of talent. With success, it can blind us to our faults and sow future problems. In failure, it magnifies each blow and makes recovery more difficult. At every stage, ego holds us back. Ego Is…
Surveying the major facts, concepts, theories, and speculations that infuse our present comprehension of time, the Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture explores the contributions of scientists, philosophers, theologians, and creative artists from ancient times to the present. By drawing together into one collection ideas from scholars around the globe and in a wide ran…
This book’s cover image is a self-portrait painted by the British psychoanalyst and author Marion Milner. Dressed in the painter’s archetypal blue smock, at easel and with palette and brush at hand, Milner rests her gaze intently on the canvas as the viewer catches her in the act of creation. The painting is undated but, given the subject’s youthful appearance, was likely created during M…
Research on concepts has concentrated on the way people apply concepts online, when presented with a stimulus. Just as important, however, is the use of concepts offline, when planning what to do or thinking about what is the case. There is strong evidence that inferences driven by conceptual thought draw heavily on special-purpose resources: sensory, motoric, affective, and evaluative. At the …
Whatever else he may have become and if he indeed became ‘what one is’, Michel Foucault (15 October 1926–25 June 1984) was first and foremost a philosopher and an activist historian of ideas. Since he started publishing his provocative philosophical works in the late 1950s, he always maintained a unique interest in the role of the intellectual as both a…
The eighteenth-century philosopher George Berkeley faced criticisms fromcontemporaries who argued that his metaphysical system, that is, idealism,lacked a compelling solution to the problem of evil. In response, Berkeleydid not propose a solution to the problem of evil. Instead, he pointed outthat his system was not unique in failing to solve the problem; everyalternative system had also encoun…
Tame anxiety and take back control of your life with this "genius" (Cosmopolitan) no-f*cks-given guide from the bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck and Get Your Sh*t Together. Do you spend more time worrying about problems than solving them? Do you let unexpected difficulties ruin your day and do "what ifs" keep you up at night? Sounds like you need to Calm the…
My dad had high hopes for me to become a profession-al golfer. In my early teens, I could out-drive his golfing buddies, who would gape at my easy swing and hand–eye–body precision. This would pump up my father’s de-termination to groom my natural ability. He entered me in summer tournaments throughout the Pacific North-west. But I lacked the cutthroat drive…
I have touched down in the Star Wars franchise on several occa-sions to illustrate a historical paradox I once dared name “Nazi Psychoanalysis.”1 Let me say right off that this study will not look more closely at the Star Wars movies.2 Instead, it will explore a terrain between the science fiction and fantasy genres that the success of George Lucas’s 1977 film illuminated and …
Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives: Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us and under what circumstances -- Mental boundaries give us the freedom t…
When asked simple questions about global trends?what percentage of the world’s population live in poverty; why the world’s population is increasing; how many girls finish school?we systematically get the answers wrong. So wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will consistently outguess teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers. In Factfulness, Professor …
This book challenges, with several powerful arguments, some of our deepest beliefs about rationality, morality, and personal identity. The author claims that we have a false view of our own nature; that it is often rational to act against our own best interests; that most of us have moral views that are directly self-defeating; and that, when we consider future generations the conclusions will …
In Trauma and Memory, bestselling author Dr. Peter Levine (creator of the Somatic Experiencing approach) tackles one of the most difficult and controversial questions of PTSD/trauma therapy: Can we trust our memories? While some argue that traumatic memories are unreliable and not useful, others insist that we absolutely must rely on memory to make sense of past experience. Building on his 45 y…
Why do some people appear to obtain a disproportionate share of income and wealth? The French economist Thomas Piketty, in his book Capital in the Twenty-First Century, frames the problem in a rather old-fashioned way as a tussle between capital and labour. His main thesis is that inequality is rising because the rate of return on capital, held disproportionately by the wealthy, exc…
Mereka bukan sekedar menjadi penikmat kata yang didapatnya dari buku. Lebih dari itu, para pelopor kecerdasan yang sudah menghibahkan hidupnya dalam dunia perpustakaan telah membawa perubahan sosial. Meski punya latar belakang pendidikan yang berbeda, para pegiat literasi itu memiliki pandangan misi yang sama. Di tengah keterbatasan, kerap mengeksplorasi ilmu dan menyusun peradaban di lingkung…
We are all familiar with the many reasons why we should fight poverty. Poor people do not have enough money to meet their basic needs, are excluded from society, are often not given proper respect, or can become easy prey at the hands of others who want to dominate them. In the domains of both material and immaterial goods, there is a widespread understanding about what it means w…
"‘Love is harder to explain than hunger, for a piece of fruit does not feel the desire to be eaten’: Denis Diderot’s Éléments de physiologie presents a world in flux, turning on the relationship between man, matter and mind. In this late work, Diderot delves playfully into the relationship between bodily sensation, emotion and perception, and asks his readers what it means to be human i…
Here is a spectacular and informative guide to the 21st century and beyond. Original photography and artworks illustrate the extraordinary visions of the future of scientists, artists and inventors through the ages, offering a unique "eyewitness" view of a world we are yet to know. See an insect robot learning to walk, a hypersonic plane, a calendar for the next century, a space hotel and a mil…
In June 2009, a thread on the forum SomethingAwful.com asked usersto participate in a Photoshop challenge involving the creation of imagesdisplaying a paranormal feature. One user named Victor Surge, whosereal name was later revealed to be Eric Knudsen, uploaded two grainyblack-and-white images in response to this call. These pictures showeda faceless and uncannily tall figure in a suit lurking…
Marcus Aurelius is said to have been fond of quoting Plato’s dictum, and those who have written about him have rarelybeen able to resist applying it to Marcus himself. And indeed, if we seek Plato’s philosopher-king in the flesh we could hardly do better than Marcus, the ruler of the RomanEmpire for almost two decades and author of the immortal Meditations. Yet the title is one that Marcus …
n this chapterIexploreGraeco-Roman techniques of, and attitudes towards,time measurement,from the twin perspectivesofeverydaylife andmedicine. Isurvey literary and archaeological evidence for the twomain available technol-ogies of timemeasurement,sundials and water-clocks, and consider what thisevidence tells us about their differential accessibility and context of use, andabout Roman attitudes…
What could be more fascinating than the workings of the human mind? This stunningly illustrated survey in Sterlings Milestones series chronicles the history of psychology through 250 landmark events, theories, publications, experiments, and discoveries. Beginning with ancient philosophies of well-being, it touches on such controversial topics as phrenology, sexual taboos, electroshock therapy, …
Understanding the mystery of consciousness goes to the heart of the human condition. Consciousness is what makes us human and understanding its nature is to know what it is to be human and what the world is like. Consciousness does not make us special among the animals, but human consciousness captures the essence of our being as animals. W…
‘Metaphysical poetry’ is a problematic term: it is broad and the phe-nomenon it denotes has blurred borderlines. In the eyes of some of the leading figures within classicist aesthetics, this description seemed pejorative, suggesting poems that were too detached from the rules of rationalised discourse, and often invoked contradictory ideas. T.S. Eliot pointed this out in his essay The Metap…
The project I have undertaken is to account for ethical perception (aisth?sis) in Aristotle’s ethics—to give perception a place of importance in ethi-cal reasoning, choice, and action—and to offer an account of the faculty of perception that is expansive enough to include reception of the ethical significance of particulars. This project is motivated phil…
What is time?Afirst,intuitiveanswer maybethat time isadimension of thephysical universe. As such, it existsand has always existed independentlyofhuman experience.Wethus find it natural to assigntemporal identitiestoeventsthat took place millions ofyearsbefore humanity even came into being,inpar-ticular in areas such as astrophysics,geology, and palaeontology. Weknow,orwe think we know,that the …
This open access book provides an overview of issues of scientific responsibility. The volume comprises three types of contributions: first, analyses of the responsibility of science; second, analyses of the structural conditions for science and its responsibility; and third, normative versions of scientific responsibility. The questions and problems dealt with include science as a profession, …
Our best science tells us wonderful things. The cold and dark skies of our universe were not so long ago in their entirety in a state of unimaginably high energy and temperature. The detritus that exploded from it congealed into stars, planets, and galaxies. These systems of celestial masses are in turn held together by a curvature of the geometry of space and time itself. On a most minute scal…
Adorno believed that a circular relationship was established between immediacy and mediation. Should we now say that this model with its clear Hegelian influence is outdated? Or does it need some theoretical integration? This volume addresses these questions by covering the performance of music, its technological reproduction and its modes of communication – in particular, pedagogy and dissem…
To fight the gods—you must first become a slave. Our universe is dead. All that’s left are memories. But the powers indigenous to the new world are fighting back. Alexander, a handsome immigrant fleeing trouble in his poor native land, doesn’t even have a claim to his own name in the magic-rich city of Norio, where they call him Aleixo. But his name may be the least of what the sorcerers …
Compelling evidence from industrial working practice demonstrates that in many critical infrastructure companies, decision-makers find it difficult to get objective information about safety and technological risks. Management theory postulates that executives manage their subordinates through information: they receive information from various sources, proce…
Realize your psychic potential with the Tarot! Everyone is psychic to one degree or another. And with The Everything Tarot Book, 2nd Edition, you’ll unlock the mysteries of the cards and thus boost your innate psychic abilities. Completely revised, this easy-to-use guide has everything you need to conduct complete Tarot readings for yourself and others. The Tarot deck has been used for …
Jeremy Bentham’s writings on Australia, new authoritative editions of which are now published in a volume entitled Panopticon versus New South Wales and other writings on Australia1 in The Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham, have had a profound and enduring influence across a number of fields. For instance, according to the historian John Gascoigne, s…