Motor Control Electronics Handbook

Book Description

This is a clear, up-to-the-minute guide to controlling all types of motors—with precise, adaptable intelligence. Featuring the latest in electronics technology, this expert-written guide gives you everything from the fundamentals to cutting-edge design tips, including real-life examples with software code. With this insider's guide to electronic control technology, you'll be ready to make motors work better now and into the future.

Customer Reviews:

Good addition to your motor control library........2002-01-30

Overall, the book presents fairly practical hardware solutions to motor controllers design from industrial, automotive, to appliances.
It is a good book for those doing motor controller designs. It covered power device protection well and author seems to have practical experience and says when he has or has not tried out circuits presented in the book.
For those doing a lot of detailed control algorithyms, like PID, adaptive etc., or firmware development, if you are using motorola microcontrollers, the example code works well, however since flow chart or description of algorithym is not presented, and is buried in the code example, you are out of luck. Also, I think if it expands to cover DSP, and multiaxis controllers, it would be great. More details on the actual applications of say
speed or torque control using position feedback like digital encoders may help those beginners in motor controls.
I agree with another reviewer that it is one of the better books on motor control electronics that is out there. Definitely, a good companion to a firmware book on controls or actual application notes on application of micro or dsp's in motor controls.

Comprehensive book on motor control.......2001-04-19

Excellent book covering all aspects of motor control. This book did a very good job of covering control electronics, intermediate drive electronics and power devices. In addition it covered distributed drive controllers, sources of noise, and design principals. It had examples of a range of motor drive types including AC, DC PM, brushless, etc. It relied a little too much on Motorola parts but all in all it was an excellent book and a valuable resource.

Motor Control Electronics Handbook.......1999-10-20

Motor Control Electronics Handbook by Richard Valentine(Editor

good book on variable speed theory........1999-05-09

I have been interested in electric motor controls for use in robotics for some time. This is the best book on the subject I have found so far. The book assumes you have a fairly complete knowledge of IGBTs, Mosfets and a solid background in electronics. Lacks important information on 3 phase, two phase, and single phase induction motor operation theory. Has good description of various problems produced by variable speed drives. There is a good theoretical overview of variable speed drive techniques.

An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic

Average customer rating:

Especially good on Bayesianism and Frequentism
unlike any other probability text
Hacking gets everything right except for Keynes
For anyone, any thinker
What do you mean, "probably"?

An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic
Ian Hacking
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521775019

Book Description

This is an introductory textbook on probability and induction written by one of the world's foremost philosophers of science. The book has been designed to offer maximal accessibility to the widest range of students (not only those majoring in philosophy) and assumes no formal training in elementary symbolic logic. It offers a comprehensive course covering all basic definitions of induction and probability, and considers such topics as decision theory, Bayesianism, frequency ideas, and the philosophical problem of induction. The key features of the book are: * A lively and vigorous prose style* Lucid and systematic organization and presentation of the ideas* Many practical applications* A rich supply of exercises drawing on examples from such fields as psychology, ecology, economics, bioethics, engineering, and political science* Numerous brief historical accounts of how fundamental ideas of probability and induction developed.* A full bibliography of further reading Although designed primarily for courses in philosophy, the book could certainly be read and enjoyed by those in the social sciences (particularly psychology, economics, political science and sociology) or medical sciences such as epidemiology seeking a reader-friendly account of the basic ideas of probability and induction. Ian Hacking is University Professor, University of Toronto. He is Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Fellow of the British Academy, and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. he is author of many books including five previous books with Cambridge (The Logic of Statistical Inference, Why Does Language Matter to Philosophy?, The Emergence of Probability, Representing and Intervening, and The Taming of Chance).

Customer Reviews:

Especially good on Bayesianism and Frequentism.......2007-06-14

(FOUR AND A HALF STARS)
This is more an intro to the PHILOSOPHY of probability and inductive logic than an intro to the MATHEMATICS of probability of inductive logic, although some of the basic mathematical ideas are covered (which is useful if you're gonna discuss the philosophy). Do not get this book if you're just looking for a typical mathematical intro to statistics. But DO get this book if you want to know about the foundations of Bayesianism or are interested in the Frequentists vs. Bayesian debate. It is the best intro out there on the Frequentists/Bayesians issue, and it is extremely helpful for someone who is trying to get a handle on Bayesian reasoning. Also, those who are more into the mathematical aspects of probability could find this book useful in giving them a wider perspective on the subject. On the whole, it's clearly written and fun to read, although it is not an "easy" book. A basic knowledge of probability theory and some initial grasp of induction are good to have before reading this. But overall, it's highly recommended for those who want to know about the conceptual underpinnings of probability/induction in general, and Bayesian and Frequentism specifically.

unlike any other probability text.......2006-04-18

Unlike standard books on probability, Hacking gives a strong introduction to the basic concepts, drawn from his background in philosophy. Several passages discuss writers like Hume and Popper. I've never seen a probability text like this one!

There is also a good selection of problems, along with answers.

If you are already familiar with the basic ideas, it might still be worthwhile to read Hacking. To get a deeper understanding.

Hacking gets everything right except for Keynes.......2004-06-30

Hacking's book is a job well done.He blends history,philosophy,logic,mathematics,statistics and science with wit and judicious scrutiny in general.Unfortunately,the book is slightly marred by inaccurate and/or incorrect statements about J. M. Keynes and/or his logical theory of probability.Describing Keynes as a"belief dogmatist"is way off the mark given Keynes's penchant for changing his mind as new and/or relevant information and analysis became available over his lifetime.Secondly,it is bizarre for Hacking to claim that Keynes had no use for frequency-type probability theories and jeered at the idea of relative frequency holding in the long run because in the long run we are all dead.(Hacking,pp.146-151).The only frequency theory Keynes ever rejected was that of John Venn.Keynes always considered frequency theories to be accurate and correct for some cases.However,they were not general in scope but limited in their applicability.The interested reader should consult chapter 8 of Keynes's A Treatise on Probability(1921).Finally, Keynes rejected the fallacy of long runism or conditional apriorism because of its unsound argument.The fact that in the long run some process may converge to a particular outcome in the limit offers no support to a do-nothing policy in the present.If the only available relevant evidence bearing on the probability of a proposition is frequency data then the logical probability is the same as the relative frequency estimate.The only caveat Keynes would add would be that the frequency data should have passed the Lexis Q Test for stability.

For anyone, any thinker.......2002-06-06

I would HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone (including business men) who must make decisions with incomplete information and under uncertainty. Instead of focusing on the mechanics of statistics, it focuses on how to think about risky propositions.

I bought this book while working on a particular problem in machine learning, at a point where I had started realizing that I was losing clarity on my definition of probability. I was using the mechanics, but didn't clearly understand why the use was valid. This seemed an odd and embarrassing circumstance at the time, how could I not understand what "probability" means? As it turns out this confusion is one shared broadly in history of science, and in current applications of statistical mechanics.

Prof Hacking's writing is clear and entertaining, clearly aimed at engaging the reading audience.

What do you mean, "probably"?.......2002-02-14

The best thing about this book is that it teachs basic probability theory while keeping the reader constantly aware of the on-going debate regarding what it means to talk in terms of probabilities, and of how that debate has shaped the development of probability theory. If you are a student taking a course in probability and statistics who would like to genuinely understand the conceptual basis of all those formulas they are teaching you, I suggest you read this book.

Some readers will be disappointed by this book. Since the book concentrates on the conceptual basis of probability and inductive logic, it does not give the reader enough technical tools to really do much applied mathematics. On the other hand, by the time Hacking gets around to discussing what students of philosophy will likely view as the big philosophical pay-off of probability theory (i.e. Bayesian and frequentist contributions to the problem of justifying induction) he devotes to them a mere 20 pages of not terribly deep discussion.

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Developing a Teacher Induction Plan: A Guide for School Leaders
Barbara L. Brock , and Marilyn L. Grady
Manufacturer: Corwin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0761931139

Book Description

Help teachers move past the grind of daily survival to the fulfillment of career-long professional development!

Imagine someone telling you that, within three years, your new teachers would leave the profession for which they trained so hard. That’s what is happening to 30% of today’s promising new teachers who are not given the mentoring, direction, and professional development that is so desperately needed to keep them focused and enthusiastic. To handle this growing challenge of teacher attrition, teacher induction experts Barbara L. Brock and Marilyn L. Grady offer a comprehensive program-crafted with school leaders and staff developers in mind-which provides strategies both for supporting beginning teachers, and for retaining and developing these promising, highly qualified teachers.

Written in an accessible workbook style format, this guide covers:

Designing a multiyear developmental program including the orientation process, mentoring, directed activities, seminars, and workshops
The responsibilities of the induction team
Assessment of current issues, including attrition and past retention efforts
Program evaluation from initial assessment to the sharing of results

When beginning teachers receive the support they need, not only do they truly contribute to their schools, but they also set out to do what they chose to do-prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s world.

Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach

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Pretty good
not good
Good overview of 20th century philosophy of science
A Splendid intro to common-sense epistemology!
An Original, Creative Philosophy

Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach
Karl R. Popper
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0198750242

Book Description

The essays in this volume represent an approach to human knowledge that has had a profound influence on many recent thinkers. Popper breaks with a traditional commonsense theory of knowledge that can be traced back to Aristotle. A realist and fallibilist, he argues closely and in simple language that scientific knowledge, once stated in human language, is no longer part of ourselves but a separate entity that grows through critical selection.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good.......2006-04-17

Many reviewers have already put down a lot of information and advice on this book which I agree with and endorse. Karl Popper = brilliant philosopher of science, and his epistemology is pretty provocative. This book is about that epistemology.

I just wanted to point out, though, that Popper did not originate the idea of "Three Worlds" as most of the reviewers here seem to assert. He picked it up from Frege and ran with it. If you want the astounding arguments and proofs for the existence of said "Three Worlds," read "On Sense and Reference" and "Thought" by Frege--you can probably find both articles for free, online. If not, pick up virtually any anthology of analytic philosophy--they should be in there.

not good.......2003-07-01

This is a useless book, as I learnt after various re-readings of it and other philosohy of science books. The main points of the first chapter (on the problem of induction) have been long ago refuted by "the scourge of popperian deductivism", the great American philosopher Adolf Grünbaum. Popper's purported "solution" to the problem of induction is not taken seriously by professional philosophers (not to mention inductive logicians like Gaifman et. al.). The impression that one gets in the first (and last) reading of this chapter is the same as Schrödinger's, who said after reading Popper's Logik der Forschung (as reported by Feyeraband): "He says he does something about Hume's problem - but he doesn't, he just talks, and talks, and talks, and Hume's problem is still unsolved".

One of the notions which pervade the whole book, "verisimilitude", had been defined by Popper in a seemingly unobjectionable way in the 1960s, and verisimilitude was thought by Popperians (including Popper) to be an accessible and legitimate aim of science, given that truth was seen as an important but very elusive target. Popper even tells us here (chapter 8) that with his novel definition he has rehabilitated the notion of "verisimilitude" just as Tarski had rehabilitated the notion of truth. This turned out to be a vain hope. Popper's definition of verisimilitude was shown to be completely wrong - in that two FALSE theories could not be compared with respect to their verisimilitude in Popper's sense -, and moreover, since the 1970s all the work which has been done on this topic seems to support the conclusion that verisimilitude is neither a clear nor a useful a notion. Yet Popper had maintained that "we cannot do without this idea". The consequences of this failure for Popper's account of scientific knowledge, and for this book in particular, should therefore be evident for everyone. Moreover, the negative results concerning verisimilitude were discovered after the first edition of this book had been published. The make-shift amendments in the second edition are hardly enough to improve matters.

The conception of knowledge as a Darwinian process is a nice idea, but it is rather vague and also too emphatic and one sided: knowledge also has its "Lamarckian" aspects. The story about the amoeba and Einstein (Einstein is not ESSENTIALLY more intelligent than the ameba) is funny. The production of correct answers cannot, it seems, be reduced to the sheer overproduction of hypotheses and the elimination of incorrect ones. The process of HOW some hypotheses are designed from initial data is also important - a logic of discovery, that is. Popper is not interested in this, despite the title of his classic book on scientific method - the reason being...that any process of discovery is not DEDUCTIVELY VALID!

Another curious feature of the "objective knowledge" which Popper describes is that it resides in a platonic heaven of "statements in themselves": it is a knowledge "without a knowing subject" (sic), although, curiously enough, it is somehow dependent (if I understood this platonic myth correctly) on what we humans do.

The chapter on "The aim of Science" contains a point which was made by Popper in 1949. Newton's theory does not entail Kepler's third law nor Galileo's law of falling bodies: it is actually incompatible with them. The incompatibility with Galileo's law was perhaps more well known before Popper wrote this essay than the incompatibility with Kepler's law. But the lesson which Popper derives from this, namely, that inductivism is refuted, is certainly spurious.

The chapter on clouds (inderterministic systems) and clocks (deterministic systems) is suggestive in the poetic wording and the stories, but does not add much to the debate of determinism-indeterminism. Popper believes that all systems are clouds, although some more clocklike than others. Here is an argument: the determinist thesis implies that a deaf physicist would have been be able to write Mozart's compositions just by knowing Mozart's physical state at a certain time and predicting what he would write in the pentagram; but this is absurd. Therefore determinism is wrong.

The chapter on Evolution and the tree of knowledge is all wrong. Popper's views on the (un)scientific character of evolutionary theory were shown to be wrong by scientists and philosophers alike. This time, Popper says that the only thing Darwin did was to show that evolutionary explanations "can exist", that is, "are not logically impossible" (!), and that no Darwinist has ever provided evolutionary explanations of anything at all. Later Popper admitted that his views on Darwinism were sheer mistakes, but even so the later reformulations of his views were found to be also terribly misleading and confused. What is even more curious, Popper objects to the usual definition of fitness in terms of reproduction rates on the grounds that it does not take into account that such rates might be due not to fitness but to fecundity; but his amended statistical definition of comparative fitness (A is more fit than B if its survival rate is greater and its fecundity rate is less or equal) has all the vices of every attempt to DEFINE fitness in terms of survival rates: it renders evolutionary explanations circular (A survived because fit, and A is fit because it survived).

The "Logic" part of Popper's "A realist view of Logic, Physics and History" (ch. 8) is extremely odd. He defends classical logic on sheer PRAGMATIC grounds (its utility as a canon of critical procedure), but he does not answer the question of whether there is any CORRECT logic amongst the many logics, which is the WHOLE question of "realism" about logic.

The chapter on Tarski (ch.9) is also mainly incorrect. His discussion of the problem of truth bearers in note 1 is completely muddled and rash. For instance, he says that he employs "sentence" as a synonym of "interpreted sentence OR PROPOSITION" (!). The interpretation of Tarski's theory as a theory of correspondence with FACTS is entirely arbitrary. Tarski nowhere talks about facts, but Popper speaks EVERYWHERE about them, even of "supposed" facts, of "real" facts, of "the world of facts" and what not. He also says that "Tarski's theory" allows us to define REALITY as "that with which true sentences correspond". Reality would in turn be "the set of real facts". It is needless to say that these grotesque fancies are not to be found nor suggested in Tarski's careful and precise work on truth.

There is almost nothing to be learnt from this book, and much to become confused about.

Good overview of 20th century philosophy of science.......2002-12-08

In a recent article on the relation between natural philosophy and quantum chromodynamics (the physical theory of the strong nuclear interaction), Frank Wilcek, a well-recognized researcher in elementary particle physics, included the following entertaining passage:

A man walks into a bar, takes a seat on the next-to-last stool, and spends the evening chatting up the empty stool next to him, being charming and flirtatious, as if there were a beautiful women in that empty seat. The next night, same story. And the next night, same story again. Finally the bartender can't take it any more. She asks, "Why do you keep talking to that empty stool as if there were a beautiful woman in it?".

The man answers, "I am a philosopher. Hume taught us that it's logically possible that a beautiful woman will suddenly materialize on that stool, and no one has ever refuted him. If one does appear, then obviously I'll seem very clever indeed, and I'll have the inside track with her."

"That's ridiculous", says the bartender, who happens to be a physicist. "Plenty of very attractive women come to this bar all the time. You're reasonably presentable, and extremely articulate; if you applied your charm on one of them, you might succeed".

"I thought about trying that," he replies, "but I couldn't prove it would work."

I included this passage in this review not to ridicule the work of David Hume but to emphasize that his philosophy of science is in no way troubling. The author of this book though spent most of his professional life attempting to refute the views of Hume and then justify the practice of science "objectively". In the first few paragraphs of this book, the author sounds bitter about the lack of recognition for his work on "the problem of induction", which he felt Hume had shown to have devastating consequences on the "truth" of science. The search for an objective, rational "foundation" of science has occupied the time of this author and many others, who hold to the idea that scientific knowledge needs such a foundation and the Humean challenge must be answered. To those readers who agree with the author in this regard, this book would be of interest. To those who do not, this book could possibly be read as an exercise in mental gymnastics. There are some places in the book where issues are raised that are important in fields such as artificial intelligence, but as a whole the book is typical of 20th century philosophy of science: it holds as axiomatic that scientific knowledge needs an underlying foundation.

Since I personally do not believe the David Hume has to be answered at all, a review of the author's arguments against Hume would be misplaced. Having read Hume's works in detail, and having walked away from them puzzled as to why they are considered so "formidable" or "devastating", my interest in this book was purely subjective: that of gaining insight as to why many philosophers of science are so deeply troubled by Hume's philosophy and other science skeptics. Finishing the book still left my questions unanswered in this regard, and judging by a perusal of the literature on the philosophy of science, Humean skepticism is still considered the "thing to answer". Scientific truth is still held in doubt to a large degree, and debates on it in the social and political realm usually take place in the context of religion or why creationism should be taught in the public schools.

But science needs no foundation. The game of philosophy should now be what consequences science has for philosophy. What theories of truth, of ethics, of knowledge, are possible for philosophy because of science? If this book were rewritten to reflect this attitude, its content would be very different, possibly more elaborate in its views. The avenues that science opens up in ethics, epistemology, and ontology are rich in information theory, mathematics, logic, and many other areas. Scientific and technological advances are exploding at an unprecedented rate, and no Humean challenge or backlash can stop it.....thankfully.

A Splendid intro to common-sense epistemology!.......2002-11-21

To those who've not read Popper before, I highly reccomend that you statrt now- and with this book. To those who have experienced these pages first-hand, you understand why Popper and the theories herein are so important.

As short-windedly as possible, I'd like to say how I came to read him. I had forayed into philosophy through Ayn Rand who managed to convince me- as she does so many readerss- that philosophy is a chasm between soft relativism and hard objectivism. Either one believes in absolute truth and reasons 100% ability to grasp it, she wrote, or that truth is a chimera and as such, reality is mutable. I believed her. Later though, I grew restless. Truth is out there, I supposed, but how can we guarantee that our beliefs are and will always be correct? Grudgingly, I read Popper and it all made sense.

Most are familiar with Poppers theories on demarcation and epistemology but this book goes into great detail on both in clear, enjoyable language. Truth, Popper tells us, is absolute. It is certainty that creates the dilemma. Since experience has shown us that objective reality exists, science works but does not take us the full way. Theories are superceded and what once seemed true may not tomorrow. So the ultimmate test of a theory should not be whether it can be VERIFIED- if we look for supporting evidence of a pretty good yet minorly false theory, we'll probably find it- but whehter the theory can be FALSIFIED- if we look for evidence against a pretty good yet minorly false theory, it's easier, quicker and beter to find IT. What does this mean? Reality exists, otherwise why do science- it's just our CERTAINTY of any belief that will prove elusive. This book, in its small yet powerful essays, explains, examines and defends this theory of an evolutionary approach to knowledge (i.e., science.) Popper is not Foucoult; his intention is not to destroy science but to enhance it.

If you're like me, in awe of Popper's theories, perplexed as to why more people aren't and would like to read others who give similar views, one can do no better than C.S. Pierce and John Dewey. Especially Dewey's "Quest for Certainty" which underlines the experimental process of knowledge and breaks down the false dualism of knowledge and action. Also, Michael Polanyi and Thomas Kuhn (don't believe what Kuhn's critics, even Popper himself, says about him) have similar approaches. for a contemporaary Popperian style, read Susan Haack's "Manifesto of a Passionate Moderate." Not to dissuade you from reading this first as this is the starting points, the other books are enhancements. Fall in love with science!

An Original, Creative Philosophy.......2001-12-29

When an undergraduate in college, I was mainly exposed to so called "Continental" philosophy which seems to have a tendency, to say the least, toward bosh, and to analytic philosophy which seems to have a tendency, to say the least, toward triviality, plus, since it was a Catholic college, selections from Plato, Aristotle, and medieval metaphysicians.
I could not really acclimate myself with these doctrines. It is in a sense unfortunate that I found an alternative outside my formal schooling. With Popper I found someone who is readable--I think that any intelligent general reader can understand him--original, and with an outlook congruent with natural science.
He is known for his ideas on scientific method--that science does not really "prove" theories, but creates conjectures which have rich empirical content and withstand falsification. With ideas like this, decades ago, he attacked doctrines like Marxism, and psycho-analysis. Demolishing the claims of these doctrines may seem to be no big deal today, but decades ago they were major tools of our intellecutal elites.
This book covers old ground such as his views on science but also, it seems to me, breaks new ground. A new contribution is his theory of the Three Worlds, which I think is fruitful. He also deals with the question of free will, which I sense is the weakest part of his book.
Popper distinguishes three realms or 'worlds.' World1 is the world of physical objects; World2 is the world of our subjective beliefs, thoughts, feelings; World3 is what he calls an objective world of knowledge, the objective contents of thought--the knowledge contained in books, musuems, libraries, etc.
Popper holds that most philosophers considered the object of epistemology--the theory of knowledge--to be World2. Popper argues that this is misguided. He thinks it is, to use his words, "irrelevant." The proper object for epistemology is World3. We should concern ourselves not with justifying our subjective beliefs but with objective theories--their contents, the arguments supporting them, etc.
A theory of knowledge based on World3 has some interesting ramifications. It is immune from modern relativistic attacks (this is my personal view). World2 epistemology has premises, both implicit and explicit, that make it vulnerable to relativistic attacks. World3 epistemology, instead, proceeds with the GROWTH of knowledge. Another interesting feature of World3 is that, even though it is man-made, it is autonomous. If humanity were to disappear, World3 will still be "outthere". World3 is created by individuals with certain goals, but the contents of World3 seem to have a life of its own(and this is very metaphorical). It can be used by others in different ways, it leads to new problems and solutions not considered before, etc.
Popper also deals with the problem of understanding in the humanities. There are some who hold that there is a difference between understanding in the natural sciences and understanding in the human sciences--that in fields like history, psychology, sociology, one has to understand by a method which seems to me to be something like a mystical intuitive grasp of the thoughts of another. Popper thinks that this is old hat. The method to, say, reconstruct a damaged ancient text is fundamentally no different from understanding regularities in nature.
Popper died not too long before the advent of the world wide web. It seems to me that Popper's ideas on the three worlds are very applicable to the world wide web. The World Wide Web would fall under the category of World3. It has an ever expanding content of knowledge, of conjectures, of arguments and discussion. Being a part of World3, it is human made, but the world wide web has a certain autonomy. A road built on the web by one person for one thing can be used in different ways by different people.

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Everything you wanted to know about tuning but were afraid to ask
Excellent Reference
More for beginners than advanced tuners
The info I have been looking for

Engine Management: Advanced Tuning
Greg Banish
Manufacturer: S-A Design
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932494421

Book Description

As tools for tuning modern engines have become more powerful and sophisticated in recent years, the need for in-depth knowledge of engine management systems and tuning techniques has grown. Tuning engines can be a mysterious art, all engines need a precise balance of fuel, air, and timing in order to reach their true performance potential. This book explains how the EFI system determines engine operation and how the calibrator can change the controlling parameters to optimize actual engine performance. Engine Management: Advanced Tuning takes engine-tuning techniques to the next level. It is a must-have for tuners and calibrators and a valuable resource for anyone who wants to make horsepower with a fuel-injected, electronically controlled engine. Author Greg Banish is a calibration engineer with extensive aftermarket performance calibration experience. He has a BSME from GMI Engineering and Management Institute (Kettering University). With over a thousand unique calibrations performed over five years, he has worked with enthusiasts and OEMs alike to improve the performance and driving behavior of a wide range of vehicles. The book contains detailed equations, graphs, and illustrations. Also included are valuable and practical examples, including real-world examples based upon the author’s experience that will help more advanced readers apply this new information to situations that are commonly seen during calibration.

Customer Reviews:

Everything you wanted to know about tuning but were afraid to ask.......2007-10-02

I found the book to be most informative relative to the fundementals of Engine tuning and explained the major components and their functionality in a simple, easily understood way. Highly recommend for new or medium level tuners, or even just "enquiring minds" who want to know how the technology works. It leaves you with a strong foundation to build on.

Excellent Reference.......2007-08-27

This book is invaluable if you have ever thought about tuning your car or having someone else tune it for you. It starts from the basics and goes through what is required to maximize performance. I now use it as my basic reference.

More for beginners than advanced tuners.......2007-07-30

This book was a disappointment. The overview of EFI was fine, but the advanced tuning section was very thin. The author never got into any concrete tuning advice but just kept stressing to "give the engine what it wants". The rest of the book was spent on general EFI info that can be had for free by downloading Holley's tuning manual for the Commander 950 system.

The info I have been looking for.......2007-07-02

This book came right out and gave me a real tuning strategy from start to finish. A "plan of attack" if you will. It seemed to lean towards a certain brand when discussing the various systems. However, my system has customer support for that type of detail. I am confident that this book will be a major player in switching to a standalone. Worth every penny and then some in my eyes.

Sneak up on the tune and stay off of the bleeding edge.

Readings in the Philosophy of Science: From Positivism to Postmodernism

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not 'perfect'
Argumentation at Its Best!
A walk in the clouds of thought

Readings in the Philosophy of Science: From Positivism to Postmodernism
Theodore Schick
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0767402774

Book Description

This anthology traces the development of thinking in the philosophy of science from logical positivism to the present. Subsequent articles often clarify or critique preceding ones. As a result, students get a sense of how philosophical theories develop in response to one another.

Customer Reviews:

not 'perfect'.......2006-12-28

so-so text...
it's funny that it represents reason as opposed to the faith (meaning Christian faith). The entire section is called "reason versus faith" - that's weird... Faith is not versus reason.
Book is kinda alright, but it subliminally biased a little (well, where are the unbiased textbooks anyway?)...
Text presents some good essays, but could have been better...

Argumentation at Its Best!.......2003-02-15

This book is organized under 9 sections each containing several papers and excerpts written by well-known philosophers of science. Each section deals with a major theme in the philosophy of science such as the nature of scientific theories, reason vs. faith, some contemporary issues like the philosophy of physics, psychology and biology, and more.

What makes this book unique is that each paper (or excerpt) is followed by a paper (or excerpt) supporting an opposing argument to one just presented. The juxtaposition of two texts provides the reader with adequate material with which to ponder. The author's purpose does not appear to give the reader two options from which to choose the "better" argument, for this would be the fallacy of false alternative... nor does the author do this to encourage the reader to find a "happy" compromise between opposing arguments, for this would be utilizing the defeated Socratic dialectic... the purpose is to promote critical thinking in the reader. Analogically speaking, this book is to the reader (philosopher) what weights are to a body builder. It is the food for thought! A well-organized intelligent read I highly recommend!

A walk in the clouds of thought.......2001-05-02

As a former student of Dr.Schick, I can credit him with teaching me the value of critical thinking, and how to do it. Here, is an excellent collection of great thinkers, with insight and commentary on the nature of life, man, and mind. Anyone who wants to know his or her place in the world, or simply enjoys lively debate and exploration into the great questions that shape our world, would appreciate this edition.

The Emergence of Probability: A Philosophical Study of Early Ideas About Probability, Induction and Statistical Inference

Average customer rating:

Again,Hacking gets it right except for Keynes's theory
A stimulating tour de force

The Emergence of Probability: A Philosophical Study of Early Ideas About Probability, Induction and Statistical Inference
Ian Hacking
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521318033

Book Description

Historical records show that there was no real concept of probability in Europe before the mid-seventeenth century although the use of dice and other randomizing objects was commonplace. Ian Hacking here presents a philosophical critique of early ideas about probability, induction and statistical inference and the growth of this new family of ideas in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The contemporary debate centres round such figures as Pascal, Leibniz and Jacques Bernoulli. What brought about the change in ideas? The author invokes in his explanation a wider intellectual framework involving the growth of science, economics and the theology of the period.

Customer Reviews:

Again,Hacking gets it right except for Keynes's theory.......2004-07-15

Moving from Pascal and Bernoulli in the 16th and 17th centuries through Keynes, Carnap,Ramsey, de Finetti and Heisenberg in the 20th century,Hacking(H)does a commendable job blending the philosophy and history of science with the history and philosophy of probability.H's tie in of Pascal's Wager and decision theory is just one example of his ability to connect the ideas of different centuries to each other.However,there is one small criticism that must be made.It is in regards to J M Keynes's logical theory of probability put forth in A Treatise on Probability(TP) in 1921.H bases his assessment of Keynes's theory on one chapter of the TP alone.That chapter,chapter 3,was to be regarded as an introduction only.Keynes's point was that,in general,a probability could not be measured by a single number or numeral alone,i.e.,probabilities were "nonnumerical"or not by a single numeral(number).In general,Keynes argued that most probabilities required TWO numbers to specify the probability estimate,a lower bound and an upper bound.In Part II of the TP Keynes refers to his theory of "approximation".In modern terminology,Keynes's interval estimates are "indeterminate" or"imprecise" probabilities.Given the above summary of Keynes's approach to probability,the following statement by H is incorrect and very misleading:"Indeed Keynes argued masterfully in Chapter 3 of his A Treatise on Probability that many comparisons of probability are necessarily qualitative and cannot be represented by real numbers."(Hacking,p.73)While it is true that most probabilities cannot be represented by A SINGLE REAL NUMBER,most probabilities can be represented by TWO REAL NUMBERS in Keynes's approach.A strictly qualitative approach would be practically useless.Probability would not be the guide to life.

A stimulating tour de force.......2000-10-24

This is a great book. Hacking describes the development of probability and statistics from the Renaissance to David Hume. His central questions are: What were Pascal, Huygens, Leibniz, Jacques Bernoulli, and all the others really doing? What problems were they trying to solve? What limitations were they working under? How did all this fit into other intellectual and mathematical problems of the day? How did all this affect the subsequent development of probability and statistics? Some of this clears up minor details that I had never grasped before, such as what was the problem with two dice that Pascal solved for the Chevalier de Mere. More important is the description of the intellectual implications of the development of modern probability and statistics. I had not known that the very name "probability" grew out of a profound religious and intellectual argument between the Jansenist Pascal and the Jesuits.

The book is full of historical gems. For example, the Dutch and English governments in the seventeenth century became infatuated with annuities as a way to finance theor expenses, especially wars. Most of the schemes were actuarially unsound. The early statisticians devoted a lot of energy to this problem and this led to major advances. Unfortunately the governments were not always pleased to be told they had no clothes. It all sounds terribly up to date.

Book Description

The explosive progress of logic, since Frege, has produced applications in linguistics, mathematics and computer science. Students and practitioners of any of these fields, and of philosophy, will find this book an excellent reference or introduction. Now expanded to include non-classical logic, logic for the computer, and more. The central concepts are explained as they come into play in informal writing and conversation--argument, validity, relevance, and so on. This study guide progresses to concepts such as probability calculus.

Customer Reviews:

The Tool (Your Mind).......2006-09-17

To solve the riddle beguiling the world
School your mind in the fine art of logic:
No method besides will conjure the clues.

The cosmos concealed is cut and unfurled
By disciples of proof; earthbound magic
Spies the truth behind the mystical ruse.

Unable to deal with angel or ghost?
Take a leaf from the good book of nature;
The rational choice discarded by most:
Plain wisdom reveals the wonders that are.
Reject the unreal and you'll travel far
Out of the past and into the future!

With Aristotle's labor near to hand,
A powerful tool is yours to command.

-Jate

Very good introductory/review logic book.......2005-03-14

I was took a few logic courses back when completing my bachelors. After several years as with everything else oyur memory becomes stale. I've decided to go to law school so I needed a logic review before taking the LSAT. This book is perfect for that. Clear concise explanations and examples, written very well and doesn't leave you asking questions about the ideas the author is trying to convey to you. I defiitely recomeend this book for the avid knowledge junky or for academic purposes.

Excellent value, well written, a bit old fashioned........2003-06-10

The good news. This book is excellent value for the money, and is the best written Schaum's Outline I have ever read. It is certainly not excessively mathematical, compared to nearly everything that passes for logic nowadays. Schaum's outlines are seldom written by first-raters in their respective fields. This is a clear exception; Varzi is a first rate contemporary philosopher. I would even call this book an excellent example of modern scientific communication.

The bad news. The book's approach to logic is a bit on the old fashioned side. Much of the material on traditional logic could have been omitted. The book shares a flaw that is sadly all too common: trivial propositions take 20-40 lines to prove. The refutation tree or natural deduction machinery of this and other contemporary texts is far too ponderous. This book, like all too many books in the philosophical logic tradition, devotes time to topics that leave me cold, such as modal logic. Meanwhile, it slights or omits topics that fascinate me, such as mereology, the isomorphism between truth functors and Boolean algebra, and metatheory. I like probability and inductive logic and feel that these have a great deal to offer to logic and philosophy, but this book only scratches the surface of these topics. The main consumers of logic nowadays are computer scientists. It is not at all clear that this book would be of any value to them. On the other hand, this is an excellent book for a philosophy major.

excellent introduction to the mechanics of logic.......2003-03-27

This book is an excellent introduction to what I call the
mechanics of logic. If you are interested in metalogic
proofs, like the deduction theorem, then don't look here.
This book teaches the basics of logic. It presents logic
in several different ways: using Aristole's version (strictly
for historical reasons), using Venn diagrams, a Hilbert-style
logic (rules to introduce and remove boolean operators), and
semantic tableaux. Also, it first introduces propositional
logic, then it proceeds to predicate logic. The book has
a peculiar approach that it does not introduce functions (not
predicate functions) until much later.

One of the more interesting chapter covers fallacious arguments.

A book chock full of logic.......2002-08-20

"Schaum's Outlines Logic" covers more material than you can learn in a single semester course in logic. If you will select what to learn after you buy the book, include the chapter on logical fallacies.

Logical fallacies are noticable in conversation and in your own thinking. You can find fallacies in newspaper articles, political speeches, and your arguments with your loved ones.

My first college course in logic covered the propositional calculus, the final exam involved solving argument forms for validity. This book covers propositional calculus in a chapter, before it goes on to the predicate calculus in two following chapters. You need mathematics skills to handle the pace this book sets, chapter by chapter. You'll find it easier to follow along if you already know some logic. So stick out the earlier chapters to make it through the later chapters. A bonus final chapter gives you a peek at advanced studies in logic, if those might interest you.

Book Description

*A complete, definitive source for the design, manufacture, application, and testing of small electric motors less than ten horsepower *Gives motor design engineers, test technicians, and engineers top-to-bottom coverage of materials used in motor manufacturing, as well as how-to advice on selecting the right design and assembly method *Includes a full section on motor applications

Download Description

A complete, definitive source for the design, manufacture, application, and testing of small electric motors less than ten horsepower *Gives motor design engineers, test technicians, and engineers top-to-bottom coverage of materials used in motor manufacturing, as well as how-to advice on selecting the right design and assembly method *Includes a full section on motor applications

Customer Reviews:

filled with mistakes, poorly edited.......2007-06-08

This book has some good points. Most notably, it contains a lot of detailed data and information related to the design and mass production of motors. The problem is knowing which information to trust. As a case in point, I counted 28 formula errors within the first chapter alone. In my view, errors of this type and number are unacceptable -- they undermine whatever value the book might otherwise have. Regrettably, other serious flaws exist. For example, the editors chose (incredibly) to repeat entire sections of the book: literally word-for-word. Apparently, they were either asleep, or else they thought a bigger handbook would sell better.

The truly sad thing is that the book does have potential, and it is evident that a lot of work must have gone into it on the part of its many participants. Perhaps with some capable and conscientious editing work, a second edition will be more worthwhile. In the mean time, there are other resources that are much more deserving of one's valuable time and money.

Don't buy as an Ebook.......2004-06-04

I ordered a copy of the Ebook through our purchasing department. I figured that an ebook would be good because we can get it right away.

The problem is this:

The guy in purchasing bought the ebook and downloaded it for me.
Because of the DRM copy protection, the book can only be read on the computer in purchasing. It will NOT open on any other computer. It will not print. I can't view the book from my computer so it is useless to me. You don't find this out until after you have purchased the book!

Copy protection only inconviences legitimate users. People who want to illegally break the copy protection won't be bothered at all.

For $85 for and eBook, they could have less restrictive licensing. If they want to make it this restrictive, sell it for $10.

DON'T waste your money on the eBook version

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