Average customer rating:
- Excellent!
- So, what's your story?
- We forget that we're animals....
- Another Look at Knowledge.
- A Real "Gem" (Apologies to D. C. Stove)
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Tree of Knowledge
Humberto R. Maturana , and
Francisco Varela
Manufacturer: Shambhala
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0877736421
Release Date: 1992-03-31 |
Book Description
"Knowing how we know" is the subject of this book. Its authors present a new view of cognition that has important social and ethical implications, for, they assert, the only world we humans can have is the one we create together through the actions of our coexistence. Written for a general audience as well as for students, scholars, and scientists and abundantly illustrated with examples from biology, linguistics, and new social and cultural phenomena, this revised edition includes a new afterword by Dr. Varela, in which he discusses the effect the book has had in the years since its first publication.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-09-25
This book, if read carefully, will change the way that you look at the world. It is powerful and insightful.
So, what's your story?.......2007-05-03
I came to this book years ago through, of all things, a two-year course in business and sales, for which it was required reading along with "Computers and Cognition", another eye-opener; the latter anticipated the current transactional nature of the Internet. You might ask how a work as theoretical and speculative as "Tree of Knowledge" could be part of a pragmatic and hardnosed business course, and that is one key to its attraction for me: as intellectually intriguing as the ideas and assertions in this book are, even more engaging is how they might actually change the way we act in the world.
The authors drill down to molecular biology and then carefully build upward their premise that we construct the worlds we live in out of language. Each of us exists inside a story we tell ourselves about the way the world is, and we are completely contained within that story. In that sense, we interact with other people through the way our stories talk to their stories. And the success of our relationships and the effectiveness with which we act in our world is dependent on how well we can recognize the stories of others and understand the nature of our own story.
This is good news, once we recognize it, because we are a narrative species. On my way to work in the morning, I am telling myself a story about the way I want my day to go: what I expect, what I want to accomplish, how I will confront the challenges along the way. The story I tell myself about my life has heroes and villains, goals and challenges, grand themes and petty foibles. The more we understand the grand, rich, complex stories those around us are telling themselves, the more we can overcome misunderstandings, conflicts and cultural dissonance - the more, in a sense, we can constuct a meta-story that serves us all as human beings.
This is not a quick and simple read, but it is so logically and carefully laid out that I never felt lost along the journey. It is a wonderful book to read in tandem with a friend, or as part of a book club. The discussion and the "aha!" experiences it prompts make for a lively exploration of its ideas. Part of the joy of "Tree of Knowledge" is its potential for promoting tolerance of those different from us, through recognition of what drives their story rather than through compromising our own values.
"ladylucero", in her review, noted that "Tree of Knowledge" is required reading in some American universities. I read that in the authors' native Chile it is even taught in high schools. This, I believe, is good news: the earlier in life we recognize how our individual stories drive our hopes and expectations, our fears and disappointments, the more capable we will be of living well with our fellow human beings.
We forget that we're animals...........2005-09-20
Amazing piece of work. Very slow reading... meaty. Well written. This should be the primer for every field of study in every country. We are first and foremost biological organisms. We live in language like fish in a fish bowl. Fish can't distinguish water. It defines them. Same with language with human beings... we are defined by our listening and speaking and don't have a clue.
The illustrations are the best... I think it is one of the most important books of our time.
Another Look at Knowledge........2004-12-14
Excellent and superb are words that come to mind while reviewing this work. The authors, Drs. Humberto R. Maturana (biologist, University of Chile) and Francisco J. Varela (Foundation de France Professor of Cognitive Sciences and Epistemology, Paris) attempted and succeeded in providing a clear and concise work in a difficult field. Their goal was to "propose a way of seeing cognition not as a representation of the world 'out there,' but rather as an ongoing bringing forth of a world through the process of living itself."
Knowing how we know, or how we perceive is the subject of this intriguing work. In writing on this subject, the authors present a refreshing and new approach to cognition-one which has dramatic cultural, social and ethical ramifications.
The work, originally published in 1987 and re-released in 1992 as a revised edition, is attractive, colorful and well-illustrated. Unlike many books, whose pictures, graphs and figures merely fill space, each illustration performs a beneficial and needed service. In ten chapters, the reader is led slowly through the concepts and disciplines of perception, classification, heredity, biology, psychology, sociology and philosophy.
Since its initial publication, The Tree of Knowledge has received favorable attention from the public, has been out of stock in most bookstores and has been used as an undergraduate text at the University of California. While stimulating the imagination of readers it has, however, not received the scholarly acclaim it richly deserves.
Dr. Carl Edwin Lindgren, DEd
Former Member of the Royal Institution of Great Britain
A Real "Gem" (Apologies to D. C. Stove).......2004-11-18
Maturana's antinomous conclusions are based on the following (embarassingly) invalid inference:
1. All knowing is doing and all doing is knowing
2. Therefore, we can't know the way the world is.
They might just as well have argued:
1. I must use my eyes to see the world.
2. Therefore, I can't see the world.
Book Description
This greatly expanded second edition of Survival Analysis- A Self-learning Text provides a highly readable description of state-of-the-art methods of analysis of survival/event-history data. This text is suitable for researchers and statisticians working in the medical and other life sciences as well as statisticians in academia who teach introductory and second-level courses on survival analysis. The second edition continues to use the unique "lecture-book" format of the first (1996) edition with the addition of three new chapters on advanced topics:
Chapter 7: Parametric Models
Chapter 8: Recurrent events
Chapter 9: Competing Risks.
Also, the Computer Appendix has been revised to provide step-by-step instructions for using the computer packages STATA (Version 7.0), SAS (Version 8.2), and SPSS (version 11.5) to carry out the procedures presented in the main text.
The original six chapters have been modified slightly
to expand and clarify aspects of survival analysis in response to suggestions by students, colleagues and reviewers, and
to add theoretical background, particularly regarding the formulation of the (partial) likelihood functions for proportional hazards, stratified, and extended Cox regression models
David Kleinbaum is Professor of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Kleinbaum is internationally known for innovative textbooks and teaching on epidemiological methods, multiple linear regression, logistic regression, and survival analysis. He has provided extensive worldwide short-course training in over 150 short courses on statistical and epidemiological methods. He is also the author of ActivEpi (2002), an interactive computer-based instructional text on fundamentals of epidemiology, which has been used in a variety of educational environments including distance learning.
Mitchel Klein is Research Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) and the Department of Epidemiology, also at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Dr. Klein is also co-author with Dr. Kleinbaum of the second edition of Logistic Regression- A Self-Learning Text (2002). He has regularly taught epidemiologic methods courses at Emory to graduate students in public health and in clinical medicine. He is responsible for the epidemiologic methods training of physicians enrolled in Emory’s Master of Science in Clinical Research Program, and has collaborated with Dr. Kleinbaum both nationally and internationally in teaching several short courses on various topics in epidemiologic methods.
Customer Reviews:
Clarity at last!.......2006-08-31
I'm ABD Economics and down to the dissertation. I have 10 titles on my shelf that deal directly with survival/event-history analysis. I've plowed though them all. Finally (!) I have one that is useful; and, this is the one. If you are not already familiar with this method and/or you are only going to get one book - this is the one to acquire. Far and away it beats everything else I've purchased. Don't be put off the by epidemiological examples - they're easy enough to read through. The authors' personal preference seems to be for STATA, but SAS and SPSS code are available in the appendix.
useful book .......2006-03-06
this is a very useful book to introduce you to the concepts of survival analysis. It is better for those who already have basic knoweledge abour regression models but it can be used by beginners as well. Basic knowledge of statistics is strongly required.
The only survival analysis book you'll ever need.......2005-09-29
A very well written, step by step book on survival analysis, recommended for all, absolute beginners as well as experienced
biostatisticians.
The authors truly deserve praise.
It's OK, but ..........2003-07-24
Unlike other reviewers, I did not find this book very helpful, especially considering the price I paid. The book is essentially a PowerPoint course presentation published with the notes pages as text. Unfortunately, the book is laid out so that the reader must make the connection between the text and the slide itself (they're stacked side-by-side with no separation). Often, the text discusses the material as though the instructor had a pointer in hand to make the connection -- without those visual clues the argument is hard to follow. On the other hand, if you know nothing about survival analysis and only want to run computer programs (specifically SPIDA) and read the output, I guess this book isn't bad. I'll keep looking for a good textbook.
Survival Analysis and you...........1999-12-16
I'm a graduate student in public health at Emory University and have had the opportunity to actually take the course in Epidemiologic Modeling with Dr. Kleinbaum. This book, as well as his self-learning text for logistic regression, are fabulous. Both books provide a good background to the methods needed to use each analytical technique. Survival Analysis: A Self-Learning Text, in particular, flows very well with good examples, diagrams, and explanations for the student who wishes to learn this technique. It also serves a great reference for those who use this analytical method.
Book Description
Genetic algorithms have been used in science and engineering as adaptive algorithms for solving practical problems and as computational models of natural evolutionary systems. This brief, accessible introduction describes some of the most interesting research in the field and also enables readers to implement and experiment with genetic algorithms on their own. It focuses in depth on a small set of important and interesting topics--particularly in machine learning, scientific modeling, and artificial life--and reviews a broad span of research, including the work of Mitchell and her colleagues. The descriptions of applications and modeling projects stretch beyond the strict boundaries of computer science to include dynamical systems theory, game theory, molecular biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and population genetics.
Customer Reviews:
Good Theoretical GA Textbook.......2005-05-06
This book primarily deals with the theoretical side of genetic algorithms. If you are looking for practical knowledge of how to implement a GA you should look elsewhere. For all intents and purposes this is a textbook. It's heavy on theory and proofs, but doesn't always explain everything in depth (that's what class time is for). There are problems at the end of each chapter that can be assigned to students.
There are case studies of many academic projects that seem to drone on forever and aren't really that useful in helping you learn how to write your own GA. Chapter 1 gives an overview and provides all of the appropriate terminology. Chapter 5 gives an high-level overview of how to implement a GA. Those are the 2 must-read chapters, all of the others can be used as torture for CS students.
To recap, if you're teaching a class in artificial intelligence this book is good. If you're trying to figure out how to implement a GA to solve a practical problem not so good. That evens out to 3 stars for my rating. I recommend searching the web, there are a few good sites on GA programming.
Not for beginners.......2004-02-04
I have an engineering degree, and I found this to be a little tough to follow for two reasons:
1. Not enough step by step prodecure especially at the beginning. Mitchell is too quick to start with the math formulas. It turns out that Genetic Algorithms are fairly straight forward and easy to follow, but you have to read this book twice before you "get it" because Mitchell clouds the discussion with proofs and mathematical representations of systems. It is tough to follow.
2. Mitchell does a poor job of selecting meaningful examples to illustrate the points. A nice simple set of examples where the average person easily picture the system would have been delightful. Instead this author chooses to illustrate the Genetic Algorithms through uncommon neural networks amoung other exotic applications. I found myself struggling to understand both the example (I didn't know a thing about neural networks!) and the genetic algorithm.
When buying an Introduction type book, I expected it to be more 'down to earth'. this book is for advanced minds!
An introduction and much more.......2004-01-26
First it must be said that the book is not an introduction that the non-scientist will easily understand. Some knowledge of computer programming is assumed. It acknowledges this in the last paragraph of the preface. Many of the notations in the book are unfamiliar to business or financial readers. There is no mathematics beyond algebra so the aforementioned prerequisites are the main hills to climb.
Mitchell's book is an overview of genetic algorithm analysis techniques as of 1996. The author gives a history of pre-computer evolutionary strategies and a summary of John Holland's pioneering work. A description of the basic terminology is presented and examples of problems solved using a GA (such as the prisoner's dilemma). The second chapter discusses evolving programs in Lisp and cellular automata. Also included in this chapter is a discussion of predicting dynamical systems. This was the section that has the most interest for me. Also interesting was the summary in this chapter about putting GAs into a neural network so that the ANNs could evolve.
The fifth chapter discusses when to employ a GA for maximum success. I appreciate the clearly thought out discussion of when to choose a GA for a problem. Sometimes authors of these types of books mimic the man with a hammer that thinks everything looks like a nail.
A Great Introduction to Genetic Algorithms.......2002-12-07
This is a great place to start to learn about genetic algorithms. The writing is clear and not bogged down by jargon. The book is not overly technical; it is written for the layman and has a casual conversational style that is a pleasure to read.
About half of the book is devoted to presenting examples of studies that have used genetic algorithms. These examples are interesting in themselves and also serve to illustrate the variety of genetic approaches that are available. The book also presents conflicting points of view of experts about which algorithms work best and why. This is helpful in combatting the impression that a beginner sometimes gets that everything is simple and all the answers are known.
Good introduction for such a short book.......2002-04-07
Although short, this book gives a good introduction to genetic algorithms for those who are first entering the field and are looking for insight into the underlying mechanisms behind them. It was first published in 1995, and considerable work has been done in genetic algorithms since then, but it could still serve as an adequate introduction. Emphasizing the scientific and machine learning applications of genetic algorithms instead of applications to optimization and engineering, the book could serve well in an actual course on adaptive algorithms. The author includes excellent problem sets at the end of each chapter, these being divided up into "thought exercises" and "computer exercises", and in the latter she includes some challenge problems for the ambitious reader.
Chapter 1 is an overview of the main properties of genetic algorithms, along with a brief discussion of their history. The role of fitness landscapes and fitness functions is clearly outlined, and the author defines genetic algorithms as methods for searching fitness landscapes for highly fit strings. An elementary example of a genetic algorithm is given, and the author compares genetic algorithms with more traditional search methods. The author emphasizes the unique features of genetic algorithms that distinguish them from other search algorithms, namely the roles of parallel population-based search with stochastic selection of individuals, and crossover and mutation. A list of applications is given, and two explicit examples of applications are given that deal with the Prisoner's Dilemna and sorting networks. The author also gives a brief discussion as to how genetic algorithms work from a more mathematical standpoint, emphasizing the role of Holland schemas. The reader more prepared in mathematics can consult the references for more in-depth discussion.
The next chapter stresses the role of genetic algorithms in problem solving, beginning with a discussion of genetic programming. Automatic programming has long been a goal of computer scientists, and the author discusses the role of genetic programming in this area, particularly the work of John Koza on evolving LISP programs. In addition, she discusses the current work on evolving cellular automata and its role in automatic programming. The latter discussion is more detailed, this resulting from the author's personal involvement in artificial life research. Those interested in time series prediction tools will appreciate the discussion on the use of genetic algorithms to predict the behavior of dynamical systems, with an example given on predicting the behavior of the (chaotic) Mackey-Glass dynamical system. The author also gives applications of genetic algorithms in predicting protein structure, an area of application that has exploded in recent years, due to the importance of the proteome projects. The area of neural networks has also been influenced by genetic algorithms, and the author discusses how they have replaced the familiar back-propagation algorithm as a method to find the optimal weights.
Chapter 3 is more in line with what the author intended in the book, namely a discussion of the relevance of genetic algorithms to study the mechanisms behind natural selection. She discusses the "Baldwin effect", which gives a connection between what an organism has learned (a small time-scale process) to the evolutionary history of the Earth (a long time-scale process). A simple model of the Baldwin effect is given using a genetic algorithm, along with a discussion of the Ackley-Littman evolutionary reinforcement learning model, which involves the use of neural networks, and which is another computational demonstration of the Baldwin effect. In addition, the author discusses models for sexual selection and ecosystems based on genetic algorithms. These are the "artificial life" models that the author has been involved in, and she gives a very understandable overview of their properties.
Chapter 4 should suit the curiosity of the mathematician or computer scientist who wants to understand the theoretical justification behind the use of genetic algorithms. Again employing the Holland notion of schemas and adaptation as a "tension between exploration and exploitation", the author formulates a mathematical model, called the Two-Armed Bandit Problem, of how genetic algorithms are used to study the tradeoffs in this tension. The level of mathematics used here is very elementary with the emphasis placed on the intuition behind this model, with only a sketch of the model's solution given. To address the role of crossover in genetic algorithms, the author discusses in detail a class of fitness landscapes, called "Royal Road functions" that she and others have developed. The performance of the genetic algorithm employed is then compared against the three different hill-climbing methods. Formal mathematical models of genetic algorithms are also discussed, one of which involves dynamical systems, another using Markov chains, and one using the tools of statistical mechanics. The latter is very interesting from a physics standpoint but is only briefly sketched. The interested physicist reader can consult the references given by the author for further details.
Practical use of genetic algorithms demands an understanding of how to implement them, and the author does so in the last chapter of the book. She outlines some ideas on just when genetic algorithms should be used, and this is useful since a newcomer to the field may be tempted to view a genetic algorithm as merely a fancy Monte Carlo simulation. The most difficult part of using a genetic algorithm is how to encode the population, and the author discusses various ways to do this. She also details various "exotic" approaches to improving the performance of genetic algorithms, such as the "messy" genetic algorithms. One must also choose a selection method when employing genetic algorithms, and the author shows how to do this using various techniques, such as roulette wheel and stochastic universal sampling. In addition, genetic operators must also be chosen in implementing genetic algorithms, and the author emphasizes crossover and mutation for this purpose. Lastly, the values of the parameters of the genetic algorithm, such as population size, crossover rate, and mutation rate must be chosen. The author discusses various approaches to this. Although brief, she does give a large set of references for further reading.
Amazon.com
In The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins proposed the concept of the meme as a unit of culture, spread by imitation. Now Dawkins himself says of Susan Blackmore:
Showing greater courage and intellectual chutzpah than I have ever aspired to, she deploys her memetic forces in a brave--do not think foolhardy until you have read it--assault on the deepest questions of all: What is a self? What am I? Where am I? ... Any theory deserves to be given its best shot, and that is what Susan Blackmore has given the theory of the meme.
Blackmore is a parapsychologist who rejects the paranormal, a skeptical investigator of near-death experiences, and a practitioner of Zen. Her explanation of the science of the meme (memetics) is rigorously Darwinian. Because she is a careful thinker (though by no means dull or conventional), the reader ends up with a good idea of what memetics explains well and what it doesn't, and with many ideas about how it can be tested--the very hallmark of an excellent science book. Blackmore's discussion of the "memeplexes" of religion and of the self are sure to be controversial, but she is (as Dawkins says) enormously honest and brave to make a connection between scientific ideas and how one should live one's life. --Mary Ellen Curtin
Book Description
'Any theory deserves to be given its best shot, and that is what Susan Blackmore has given the theory of the meme I am delighted to recommend her book.' Richard Dawkins Humans are extraordinary creatures, with the unique ability among animals to imitate and so copy from one another ideas, habits, skills, behaviours, inventions, songs, and stories. These are all memes, a term first coined by Richard Dawkins in 1976 in his book The Selfish Gene. Memes, like genes, are replicators, and this enthralling book is an investigation of whether this link between genes and memes can lead to important discoveries about the nature of the inner self. Confronting the deepest questions about our inner selves, with all our emotions, memories, beliefs, and decisions, Susan Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that the inner self is merely an illusion created by the memes for the sake of replication. 'Anyone who hopesDSor fearsDS that memetics will become a science of culture will find this surefooted exploration of the prospects a major eye-opener.' Daniel Dennett
Customer Reviews:
From the Oxford University Press Editor.......2007-05-18
The following elucidation of her text, copied from the back cover- does much to reveal the content of Dr. Blackmore's insightful and often controversial insights into the perspective of life from the view of memes. What it fails to portray are Dr. Blackmore's total reversal of every aspect of human life, viewed not from the everyday perspective, but from that of the self-replicating selfish "mental" gene, the Meme.
Humans are extraordinary creatures, with the uniques ability to imitate, and so to copy from one another ideas, habitats, skills, behaviours, inventions, songs, and stories. These are all memes, a term first coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene." Memes, like genes, are replicators, competing to find space in our minds and cultures, and this enthralling book investigates the consequences. Confronting the deepest questions, from why humans have such a big brains and language, to altruism, sex and the Internet. Susan Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that even our inner conscious self and our sense of free will are illusions created by the memes for the sake of their own replication.
Copied from the text by: Bryan McGilly
clear and interesting, but... .......2007-05-16
I just finished the book and think it is a clear and interesting introduction on the subject. On the other hand I felt it was rushing into too many generalizations and the arguments on science vs. religion sounded quite empty.
The Meme Machine.......2007-05-08
This book was just plain fun to read and has given me new insights into why people push there points of view even when you wish they would not bother you with them. Reading this book has brought an increased sense of humor to my experience in relationships with people where discussion about religion are concerned. My tolerance for meme campaingns has increased, and I feel better able to accept my own "meme" infections. While this is a relatively serious topic, it is also a fun one. After reading the book, I am aware that I too am pushing my own meme preferences in sublties, and am able to laugh about it when I catch me doing it. better, I am doing it less and less. My daughter is a mom with a little daughter, and we laugh and play with the memes we are passing along to her. Some "memeing" is useful enough, and supports having a quality life experience. Reading this book has opened my eyes to why I got caught up in certain beliefs that were without practical applicatons in my life. It explained to me why belief agenda's get promoted and why I bought into some of them unwittingly. I jokingly refer to replicators, and meme fountains in causual converstaions now with others who have read the material. I feel better able to choose my loyalty to certain meme complexes now. I can stop the insanity of participating with the subtle control that can happen in a society where people don't ask why. And, I am having a lot more fun dealing with the meme fountains in life experience now~ including dealing with those who push their invasive and distructive memes unmercifully onto others who are innocent and unaware of the affects it will have on them to remain passive. If you want to wake up and smell the roses on purpose, read this book~
An aid to understanding thought contagion.......2007-01-13
Blakemore's book endeavors towards two goals:
1) A recapping of the origins of meme theory...which she does exceedingly well and
2) Humble suggestions on the place of memes in consciousness...where she seems to stumble.
In relation to her first goal, Blakemore admirably retraces the work of the likes of Richard Dawkins and Dan Dennett. For his part, Dawkins coined the term "meme" in his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene" wherein he described meme as a process or idea subject to replication. The song "Happy Birthday" for example would be a meme. Dennett built on Dawkins work by saying in his 1991 book "Consciousness Explained" that consciousness is a combination of in built human cognitive systems (like our innate understanding of physics or our ability to acquire language) along with memes.
Blakemore also recapped Dennett's later book "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" for his tower of states of consciousness, viz. a first level occupied by Darwinian creatures who have to produce a new generation in order to acquire new abilities, a second and higher level occupied by Skinnerian creatures that can acquire new abilities inter vivos but only through operant conditioning, a third and still higher level occupied by Popperian creatures -- for Karl Popper -- capable of abstract reasoning to acquire new abilities and a final highest level occupied by Gregorian creatures that can pick up additional abilities by means of culture or memes.
Building on these earlier thinkers Blakemore asserts that meme theory in and of itself can explain everything from temporary fads like the tulip craze bemoaned by Charles Mackey in his 1841 book on the Madness of Crowds to religion itself.
The mechanism by which Blakemore posits the transmission of memes is one of virture wherein superiorly altruistic memes will oust those previously occupied by more selfish memes. Her thinking is that the vehicles of meme transmission, us, will be more favorably disposed to ideas disseminated by people who have been nice to us than by those who haven't.
To the extent Blakemore ventures out on her own, I would part company with her.
Understanding any aspect, let alone persuasion of others, of human behavior is tricky business. And while Blakemore would posit a subtle arithematic to human behavior the truth probably lies closer to a delicate calculus.
As she herself indicated in her book, understanding consciousness is probably best begun with an understanding of first principles, namely that that subset of evolution relating to human behavior is but a special case for the general rules bearing on behvaioral evolution generally.
In other words, human consciousness is not different in kind but rather merely in degree from animal consciousness generally.
As shown by evolution, animals with motility will have to have both the ability to differentiate between themselves and their environment as well as discriminate the ingredients of their environment between potential areas of sustance and potential areas of threat. And so, the seemingly nettlesome questions of consciousness kind of answer themselves.
A sense of "I" exists because it evolutionary has to and the likes and dislikes of "I" (the so called "qualia" question) really amount to a running tally of emotionally encoded learned experiences.
To be sure, that sense of "I" is different for a person than a pidgeon but again, the differences of degree (albeit, in some cases a great degree, rather than kind).
So, to take religion as an example:
1) From pidgeons to humans, it's an aspect of cognitive perception to allow for false connections or superstitions to arise. And so, the difference between a pidgeon dancing around a machine to obtain randomly produced pellets is not that different from a person performing an elablorate ritual prior to gambling.
2) In the case of humans, theory of mind works powerfully to over ascribe personality. And so, the gambler makes his petitions not to chance but to Lady Luck personified.
3) Because, as noted by Dennett, we have in built cognitive systems, those systems can be decieved from time to time in remembering certain types of knowledge in preference to others. And so, while most English verbs use "ed" as past tense, the special case, commonly used verbs have irregular endings to promote their specialized recognition and recall. In the same way, we remember novel creatures over others. And so, Lady Luck is just like any woman but if pleased can grant you unlimited fortune.
4) Humans also respect strategic knowledge. From evolution in an environment where an extended knowledge of strategic relationships was helpful, we are capable of understanding metarepresentational interactions up to the sixth level. What I think that you may know about what someone else believes that somone else said is not a meaningless sentence. This quality fires our mythologies just as certainly as our soap operas. If we could experience an alligator religion or soap opera, I think we'd be bored.
5) Again, as noted by Blakemore, game theory gives us a sense of the outer contours of religious belief. In this regard, the recent Jeffrey Moses book "Oneness" which is a verbatim repetition of religious principles from around the world shows that the similarities in the main statements of religions around the world (e.g. all of them have a "golden rule," advice to respect elders, educate children and the like) shows that all human religions have made basically the same types of prescriptions and prohibitions.
6) And powerfully, finally a sense of group membership. Are you or are you not one of us?
As can be seen, though the exchange of ideas operates in each of the six domains (and there are certainly others in some cases) the interplay of those ideas varies in individual cases. In this way, while why humans religiously ideate is certainly a question of history and society it's also a question of individual psychology.
Like choas theory operates to produce no two snowflakes that look alike so again no two personal histories are the same respecting their religious ideation.
In other words, while Blakemore's provides some helpful aid in understanding memes and their place in thought contagion, the ultimate answer is certainly much more complicated than her impressions would suggest not only on religious ideation but as to the other examples of meme transmission she discussed.
Before closing, it's noteworth that there's a definate Daoist feel to her last chapter wherein she renders her advice for taking the "I" out of your consciousness. Though she didn't intend it, it certainly does provide some interesting food for thought as to why attempts at Daoist living have such a...well...Daoist feel to them.
Really Fun!.......2006-12-13
I won't try to describe the book's content as several excellent reviews below have done. I just want to add that this book is one hell of a read. It's great fun and will stretch your mind (if there's really a "you" in there - see the book for more on this). I could barely put it down. Memes were definitely transferred!
Book Description
The Ph.D. Process offers the essential guidance that students in the biological and physical sciences need to get the most out of their years in graduate school. Drawing upon the insights of numerous current and former graduate students, this book presents a rich portrayal of the intellectual and emotional challenges inherent in becoming a scientist, and offers the informed, practical advice a "best friend" would give about each stage of the graduate school experience. What are the best strategies for applying to a graduate program? How are classes conducted? How should I choose an advisor and a research project? What steps can I take now to make myself more "employable" when I get my degree? What goes on at the oral defense? Through a balanced, thorough examination of issues ranging from lab etiquette to research stress, the authors--each a Ph.D. in the sciences--provide the vital information that will allow students to make informed decisions all along the way to the degree. Headlined sections within each chapter make it fast and easy to look up any subject, while dozens of quotes describing personal experiences in graduate programs from people in diverse scientific fields contribute invaluable real-life expertise. Special attention is also given to the needs of international students. Read in advance, this book prepares students for each step of the graduate school experience that awaits them. Read during the course of a graduate education, it serves as a handy reference covering virtually all major issues and decisions a doctoral candidate is likely to face. The Ph.D. Process is the one book every graduate student in the biological and physical sciences can use to stay a step ahead, from application all the way through graduation.
Customer Reviews:
The Ph.D. Process: A Student's Guide to Graduate School in the BIOLOGICAL Sciences.......2006-07-17
I'm coming to the end of my undergraduate studies (in PHYSICS!) and I was looking for some insight into what graduate school would be like to to try and figure out if a PhD is in the cards for me. This book is easy to read and FULL of useful tips. However the overwhelming majority of these nuggets of gold come from past PhD students in the medical/biological sciences. This began to get really annoying. I was constantly having to decide which comments to take onboard and which to leave behind (because I thought they wouldn't apply to me). As a result, I probably have in my head a very distorted picture of what grad school will really be like.
The title is very descriptive, it's just missing one word, but I suppose if they added it sales would drop significantly.
good roadmap, bad guide.......2005-11-20
The book definitely unfold the whole map of graduate school life, especially for (biological) science students. Many aspects and stages of doing science research and how to survive in graduate school are covered. However, the lack of insightful guidence is the main drawback of the book. Pointint out possible obstacles does not necessarily makes gradute students' lives easier. The interviews from (past) graduate students do help readers build up confidence because it is comforting to know many people suffer as they do now, but at the same time few specific steps or directions are NOT distilled by the authors. It's like everyone just talks their experiences without any conclusions.
For Science, Engineering, and Computer Science Grad Students.......2004-01-09
The following was copied from another website's review of The Ph.D. Process, and I think it describes the book perfectly:
Graduate school in science is not an experiential extension of undergraduate education, where the passing of a sufficient number of courses usually guarantees one a degree; nor is it medical school or law school, where there is a delineated and set curriculum. Ph.D students are actually pretty much on their own--and they will sink or swim depending upon their own interpretation of how the system works.
The purpose of this book is to provide students with some insight into this unusual system. The authors--each a Ph.D. in the sciences--reveal the generally unspoken "rules" of the game. They offer the secrets of survival and success: What should you discuss in your application essay? What types of research advisors should you avoid? What kinds of research projects should you never undertake? How hard do you have to work? Are grades important? What steps should you take now to make yourself "employable" when you finish? What decisions can make or break your career? How can you network in the scientific community? What goes on at the oral defense, and how can you prepare?
Described also is the daily experience itself: research life, classes, seminars, journal clubs, lab meetings, interactions with peers and professors, qualifying exams, professional meetings, oral exams, dissertation preparation, etc. Anxiety, frustration, and joy-- all normal responses to a grad student's life--are also examined. (In quotes sprinkled throughout the text, numerous past and present grad students relate their individual experiences and emotions during their doctoral training.) A separate chapter is devoted to the special problems of foreign students, strangers to our culture and educational system.
There are many intellectual and emotional challenges inherent to becoming a scientist. This book prepares students for each stage of the experience. They will learn what to expect--socially, psychologically, and academically!
What Grad School is Really Like.......2003-01-08
The PhD process is a great overview of graduate school in the sciences. It covers most basic topics such as choosing a type of school, applying, preliminary exams, comps, thesis work, etc. Of course each school does these things slightly differently, but the main points are there and the authors do a good job of pointing out where differences between programs are likely to turn up. This book also explains things that graduate programs aren't likely to advertise such as using students as `cheap labor' and what things to look for in an advisor other than interesting research. This is a fun to read honest book, and the anecdotes from current and past graduate students are the best part. I enjoyed reading them because so many of the same things have happened to me, and it's nice to know that I'm not alone.
I wouldn't say that I received any great insights from the book because I had some experience with academic labs before I applied to graduate school and had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into. I found it a little calming to read about others' experiences as I was waiting to get started. I think most students who apply to graduate school have already spent much time in labs with current graduate students so this might not be that useful to them as practical advise; however, I found this book to be an excellent resource for my parents. My parents had no idea what graduate school is like, and the fact that I'm at school all day and only go to class for an hour baffles them to no end. Reading this book helped them to understand the structure and goals of graduate school. Though I still don't think they understand journal club. (Why would anyone join that club? It doesn't sound like very much fun.)
I recommend this book to grad students for their parents or to undergraduates who aren't sure if graduate school is the right path for them. This book gives great insight into what graduate school is really like.
Required Reading.......2002-02-01
This book should be required reading for anyone applying to gradutate school in the sciences (physical or biological). A quick read of the text will give one plenty to think about before making the big decision. The earlier you read it the better off you will be. The most important reading regards selecting an advisor. I am in the process of completing my degree and in hind sight agree with the issues on which the author has choosen to focus.
Book Description
*2 full-length practice tests
*Diagnostic test to target areas for score improvement
*Detailed answer explanations
*Proven score-raising strategies
*New online component with additional practice and help
*Sample essays for Free-Response questions
*Targeted review of all labs and tested subjects including cellular energetics, molecular biology, and ecology
*Key terminology defined in context
*Glossary of biological terms
Book Description
Are you ready for the GRE Biology Exam? You will be.
Kaplan's GRE Biology offers complete practice with a targeted review of all the material on the exam -- from Cellular Structure and Molecular Biology to Ecology and Evolution. It also includes Kaplan's proven test-taking strategies to help you maximize your score. With this winning combination, you will go in to the test with confidence -- and come out with the score you need to secure your place in graduate school.
This comprehensive volume includes:
- Full-Length Practice Test with Complete Answer Explanations
- In-Depth Coverage of the Material on the Exam
- Powerful Strategies to Help You Take Control on Test Day
World Leader in Test Prep and Admissions
Kaplan has helped more than 3 million students achieve their educational and career goals. With 185 centers and more than 1,200 classroom locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, Kaplan provides a full range of services, including test prep courses, admissions consulting, programs for international students, professional licensing preparation, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Future test taker you might wanna read this.......2007-01-22
I took my Biology GRE last November (2006). I got my score like a month ago and I was very disappointed. If you read the reviews for the new edition you'll find one reviewer talking about this book needs to be revised. And all I'm gonna tell you is he/she is 110% correct.
If you are taking the test in April or later, consider NOT buying this book. I used this book, the Princeton review book and Campbell to study for the test. And I didn't get a 90 percentile or above, which totally enraged me since it felt like everything that was in this book was not on the test (I focused very much on the topics found in this book). I can't reveal the exact questions but let me just describe the kind of problems on the test (I bet future test takers would be curious). The most shocking question on the test I took must be the one where it mixed reproductive organs (anatomy) with evolutionary biology. There were 5 consecutive problems dealing with history stuff like when did this go extinct and when did that originated. It was just painful for me since I'm a big cell and molecular person. There were even matching problems where the student was supposed to match up the name of a specific gene (I mean very specific, at least that's what I thought) with its function or responsible disease or symptoms or body structure.
Honestly I was quite devastated by the difficulty of the test, especially it felt like everything I studied did not show up on the test. If you're from Harvard or Yale or whatever, don't even bother studying because you're the people who get the 99 percentile. But for the rest of us (well excluding me), study your Campbell Biology textbook. And be sure to cover everything in the book. You'll be surprised when you see problems that you absolutely don't have a clue on the test.
Good source but not definitive.......2007-01-04
This books helped tremendously but the test requires A LOT of knowledge. So I think it's best viewed as one source to look at. That being said if you don't have much time, read this in it's entirety and you'll be fine.
GREAT BUY.......2006-04-02
I waited till 3 days before the GRE bio to prepare. I did it by reading this book. The stuff in this book very closely aligns with what is on the test. As long as you know your stuff and paid attention in class it offers just enough detail of a review to jog all your memories.
In fact, some of the exact questions the GRE exam asked on test day were little factoids contained in this book.
I do not know my score yet (just took the test this morning) but I have a gut feeling I did good.
So in summation: buy this book and no other! I did not even read a general bio textbook; I think that if you basically know your stuff already the kaplan guide is all you are gonna need .
I found the plant info and info on evolution very helpful
Good tool for test prep.......2006-01-04
I found that Kaplan's bio GRE review book accurately represented the contents of the test. It gives a good review of the material covered on the GRE (although with a few minor errors) and the practice test was very similar in content, structure, and difficulty to the real one.
Update: I just got my scores back, and I stand by my review :) an excellent buy, it was definitely worth it.
OK Book, Besides Freshman Biology! .......2005-12-01
I just took the GRE Bio Subject test in November. I used Kaplan, the test booklet produced by ETS, Princeton Review Cracking the GRE and my Campbell's Biology from freshman Biology in college. Of all books, I found the Campbells Biology the most helpful. Second was Kaplan. Check out my review for P. Review book, because the vocab list at the back was very helpful, and so was the practice test, but the rest of that book was worse than terrible. I am not sure of my score yet, but I know that many things I studied were on this test, it was a typical rehash of all that nit picky stuff like the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic flagella to the intricate details of sarcomeres.
Oh, and the structure of the test, I didn't know it until I took some practice tests -- either it's not explicit in any of these books or I just passed over it. It's 110 multi choice questions first, then 30 or so of questions that you have to choose the correct word for each statement, then 50ish questions on several charts and experiments. The last section takes the longest, the choose-word questions go very fast and the multi choice is where you can really gain time if you study these darn books for tricky questions regarding the mesophyll of plants etc that would otherwise take up time trying to eliminate and choose the best answer. If you can know the multiple choice quickly and solid, you'll have plenty of time for the charts etc.
Book Description
Taking an all-inclusive look at the subject, Understanding Autism: From Basic Neuroscience to Treatment reviews state-of-the-art research on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of autism. The book addresses potential mechanisms that may underlie the development of autism and the neural systems that are likely to be affected by these molecular, genetic, and infectious etiologies. It reviews key findings that inform diagnosis, epidemiology, clinical neuroscience, and treatment. The book concludes with a discussion of the economic cost of autism and provides a biomedical and public health perspective of the impact of this devastating disease. With chapters authored by clinical and basic researchers at the forefront of molecular and systems neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, and health economics, the book presents a powerful and comprehensive synthesis of current research on autism and its underlying neural substrates. The book's two editors are considered elite pioneers in this area of research. Dr. Rubenstein was recently elected to the highly prestigious Institute of the Medicine, an honor reserved for those most committed to professional achievement and public service.
Book Description
Neuroscience tells us that the products of the mind--thought, emotions, artistic creation--are the result of the interactions of the biological brain with our senses and the physical world: in short, that thinking and learning are the products of a biological process.
This realization, that learning actually alters the brain by changing the number and strength of synapses, offers a powerful foundation for rethinking teaching practice and one's philosophy of teaching.
James Zull invites teachers in higher education or any other setting to accompany him in his exploration of what scientists can tell us about the brain and to discover how this knowledge can influence the practice of teaching. He describes the brain in clear non-technical language and an engaging conversational tone, highlighting its functions and parts and how they interact, and always relating them to the real world of the classroom and his own evolution as a teacher.
"The Art of Changing the Brain" is grounded in the practicalities and challenges of creating effective opportunities for deep and lasting learning, and of dealing with students as unique learners.
Customer Reviews:
Okay, but nothing spectacular.......2007-09-01
Zull's writing style is a bit choppy, and though the book has some good information buried in it, I do not believe it was presented well. He makes many overarching statements and rarely succeeds in satisfying the reader with elaboration. While he is obviously a very intelligent person who understands his subject material, and I found myself looking forward to his anecdotes, I don't believe he connected the underlying neurological material to them nearly as well as I have seen other books do. For a work which seemed to promise a deeper look at neurological workings related to learning, I was largely disappointed, but that's not to say it isn't still worth a read.
The best book on educational neuroscience I've read!.......2007-07-15
For whatever it's worth, I just received my PhD in Educational Neuropsychology and have been looking closely to see what's recently been published in this nascent field. One key statement in my dissertation was a comment by a neuroscientist that teachers spend all day trying to change the brain while knowing practically nothing about it. Enter James Zull's excellent book.
There's not much available on brain-based learning, educational neuropsychology, neuroeducation--or whatever one chooses to call it--and what there is just doesn't quite cut it for educators--many of whom have at least some degree of technophobia. Neuroscience feels especially daunting and inaccessible to most educators. This book, on the other hand, leads teachers gently by the hand into what was formerly scary territory in a warm, non-threatening way.
After each neural function is described, Dr. Zull, (who I'm guessing wrote the book while on sabbatical at Harvard--specifically at their Center for the Mind, Brain, and Education), immediately discusses the implications that particular function has for teaching and learning. To his credit, he never loses sight of his primary audience--teachers.
The other excellent tactic he uses which is quite novel is to relate neuroscience findings to learning theory--specifically Kolb's. If anyone knows of any other neuroscientist who's done this, please leave a comment as I'd certainly like to know. This is currently a huge gap between neuroscience, cognitive psych, and education.
My only concern is that Dr. Zull may have sacrificed a bit of clarity in the effort to make a dense scientific subject accessible for a non-scientific (primarily) audience. I'd like to see some reviews of the book by other neuroscientists--many of whom are teachers (if in higher ed), themselves. Can we really talk meaningfully about the frontal and rear cortex? I've never heard that division before and would feel more secure with an explanation of which structures compose the front and rear and why this division can be made. Perhaps he's right but I'd like more evidence that this is not as overly simplistic as the "right-brain" and "left brain" divisions that so many non-scientists have glommed onto.
I am submitting an outline for a course in "brain-based learning" at a university and will propose using this book as the primary text. It's that good!
Animals with Human Intelligence.......2007-01-15
Alright, this was read for a class, which usually takes the romance out of a read, though I wouldn't have picked up this book initially except through strong-arming. I must say it's challenging and thought-provoking. Diving inside the brain and seeing the processess of how people perceive things and process information gives many "oh yeah" moments. There's spots of the whole evolutionary 'school of fish' ideas swimming around, but even if you're averse to this, other postulations are founded on their own merit. This book is like a good record that needs three or four listens for the brillance to take form. I suppose I should start the next read.
it works, pure & simple.......2007-01-11
As I redesigned my course syllabus and lesson plans for introductory anthropology this fall, after reading Zull's book over the summer, I consciously tried to take into account the four step process described by the reviewer below. I've taught the course four times before and this was definitely the most successful -- by the end of the course the students were much more able to use the concepts they'd been introduced to over the course of the term, and the feedback and #s on the student evaluations of the course improved markedly.
pleasant read.......2007-01-09
I have enjoyed reading this book (I am beginning to lecture general chemistry). Many of the points are obvious, but it is worthwhile to see the scientific background behind learning. I have used of the messages from the book to encourage students to approach a course from different perspectives to improve their performance in the class.
Average customer rating:
- Not so much
- Be demanding like your children
- TRUELY a book for any kid, any age
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Janice VanCleave's The Human Body for Every Kid: Easy Activities that Make Learning Science Fun (Science for Every Kid Series)
Janice VanCleave
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Janice VanCleave's Biology For Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work (Science for Every Kid Series)
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Janice VanCleave's Earth Science for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work (Science for Every Kid Series)
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Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work
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Janice VanCleave's Physics for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments in Motion, Heat, Light, Machines, and Sound (Science for Every Kid Series)
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Head to Toe Science: Over 40 Eye-Popping, Spine-Tingling, Heart-Pounding Activities That Teach Kids About the Human Body
ASIN: 0471024082 |
Book Description
What makes the heart beat faster or slower? How do tightrope walkers keep their balance? Why does spinning fast cause dizziness? Explore the mysteries and the workings of the human body through this fascinating collection of ideas, projects, and activities. Have fun while you learn about everything from the body's basic building blocks to how the brain receives messages from other parts of the body. Make a model of a human cell that you can eat for dessert. Make a working model of a human lung from a soda bottle, a balloon, and a garbage bag. Through these and other activities, you'll find out how your lungs supply air to your blood and your heart pumps blood throughout your body; how your body sees, hears, feels, smells, and tastes the world around it; how you lose and regain up to five pounds of skin every year; and much more. Most of the materials you need are already part of you; the rest you will easily find around the house or classroom. Every activity has been "child tested" and can be performed safely and cheaply in the classroom, at a science fair, or at home. Also available in the series from Janice VanCleave: Astronomy for Every Kid Biology for Every Kid Chemistry for Every Kid Dinosaurs for Every Kid Earth Science for Every Kid Geography for Every Kid Geometry for Every Kid Math for Every Kid Physics for Every Kid Kids, Join the Science for Every Kid Club …See inside for details.
Customer Reviews:
Not so much.......2006-08-23
While this is full of information, it wasn't really what I was looking for. This might be good for kids over 10/12, however it's presented w/ silly science experiments that they may be too cool for, by that age.
Basically, it's complex science w/ silly experiments. My daughter likes doing the experiments, but she doesn't get much out of them because the science is too advanced.
Be demanding like your children.......2006-07-17
My five year old is fascinated by the human body so I bought this book in additon to a basic anatomy book, What's the Big Secret? by Laura Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (creator of Arthur books), The Magic School Bus Inside Ralphie and The Human Body by Dr. Marie Rose.
The experiments featured in this book don't take very long to conduct and use the most basic household materials. Not all the experiments seemed instructive for his age but I'm looking forward to future explorations with him.
Because I have such a young audience, I had think up further applications of the concepts presented in order to make the experiments a more effective learning experience for him. For instance, the model lung we made effectively showed how the diaphragm allows us to take air into our lungs but what made a lasting impression was when I showed him how the diaphragm moves during a hiccup. Why wasn't this suggested in the book? A couple weeks later my son showed me how our neighbor smokes 'sticks' so I filled the model lung with molasses to represent how 'soot' from cigarette smoking interferes with lung expansion. The molasses made the model useless (and sticky) vividly demonstrating how 'soot' interferes with oxygen intake. I suspect VanCleave could come up with a better experiment to demonstrate how smoking harms lungs.
Other experiments are not as didactic but create intrigue about the human body. Both my five year old and three year old were thoroughly engrossed in an experiment from the chapter about modified skin cells (hair and nails) that involved testing the strength of different hair types. Although the hair experiment is memorable it's the only experiment offered in a chapter that really peaked their interest.
This book is a valuable part of our home library but I give it only three stars because my kids want to know more so I figure I should demand a little more from the title.
TRUELY a book for any kid, any age.......2000-06-12
A great teaching tool. This informative and well illustrated book is a great homeschool tool. We homeschool 4 children ages 5 to 12 and this book is adaptable to all levels of learning. Exercises and activities will keep your kids wanting to move to the next chapter. Each of the major systems of the human body are presented in a clear and understandable way. Janice VanCleave takes you and your child from human cell division all the way to reproduction.(no explicit graphics used). We particularly enjoyed the chapters on the human brain where there are many hands on activities to give the kids a better understanding of how the brain works. If you have kids and your trying to teach them something about human anatomy, THIS IS THE BOOK TO GET.
Books:
- Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America
- Understanding Nutrition (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) (Understanding Nutrition)
- Voyage of the Turtle: In Pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur
- Where Did I Come From?
- Why?: The Best Ever Question and Answer Book About Nature, Science, and the World Around You
- YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
- A-Z of Quantitative PCR (IUL Biotechnology, No. 5) (Iul Biotechnology Series)
- An Introduction to Medical Statistics (Oxford Medical Publications)
- Are you a Grasshopper? (Backyard Books)
- Basic Principles of Structural Equation Modeling : An Introduction to Lisrel and Eqs (Springer Texts in Statistics)
Books Index
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