Book Description
On the 10th anniversary of his death, brilliant astrophysisist and Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sagan's prescient exploration of the relationship between religion and science and his personal search for God.
Carl Sagan is considered one of the greatest scientific minds of our time. His remarkable ability to explain science in terms easily understandable to the layman in bestselling books such as Cosmos, The Dragons of Eden, and The Demon-Haunted World won him a Pulitzer Prize and placed him firmly next to Isaac Asimov, Stephen Jay Gould, and Oliver Sachs as one of the most important and enduring communicators of science. In December 2006 it will be the tenth anniversary of Sagan's death, and Ann Druyan, his widow and longtime collaborator, will mark the occasion by releasing Sagan's famous "Gifford Lectures in Natural Theology," The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God.
The chance to give the Gifford Lectures is an honor reserved for the most distinguished scientists and philosophers of our civilization. In 1985, on the grand occasion of the centennial of the lectureship, Carl Sagan was invited to give them. He took the opportunity to set down in detail his thoughts on the relationship between religion and science as well as to describe his own personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos.
The Varieties of Scientific Experience, edited, updated and with an introduction by Ann Druyan, is a bit like eavesdropping on a delightfully intimate conversation with the late great astronomer and astrophysicist. In his charmingly down-to-earth voice, Sagan easily discusses his views on topics ranging from manic depression and the possibly chemical nature of transcendance to creationism and so-called intelligent design to the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets to the likelihood of nuclear annihilation of our own to a new concept of science as "informed worship." Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, he illuminates his explanations with examples from cosmology, physics, philosophy, literature, psychology, cultural anthropology, mythology, theology, and more. Sagan's humorous, wise, and at times stunningly prophetic observations on some of the greatest mysteries of the cosmos have the invigorating effect of stimulating the intellect, exciting the imagination, and reawakening us to the grandeur of life in the cosmos.
Customer Reviews:
Carl keeps it real.......2007-08-06
This is great piece of literature from a brilliant man. You do not need a scientific background to appreciate and understand the points of view Carl Sagan puts forth in his explanations of the universe and his personal search for God. Highly recommended.
Cosmicly Awesome.......2007-08-04
Carl Sagan was undeniably one of the great minds of our time. This series of lectures, given as the famous Gifford Lectures in Scotland, continuously awes one. Even when the material is stuff you already know, he brings a freshness, a joyfulness, a playfulness to it that puts a new spin on the ideas.
No matter how much astronomy you've read, no matter how much physics you've read, this book will toy with your mind, put a sparkle in your eye, and give you new reasons to look to the heavens of a night.
Classic Sagan.......2007-08-01
I was captivated by the title, the play on the original wording. In these lectures, Sagan discusses and compares religion and science, differences, expectations, areas of agreement and disagreement and finally the notion of scientific evidence for a supernatural creator. I would hope that Sagan, were he still alive, would reject the anti-religious crusades by high-profile scientists like Dawkins, Smith & Dennett. He always sought compromise (in the spirit of his friend the late great Stephen Gould) and persuasion as opposed to the near evangelical proselytizing of those obsessed with the subject. Vivir y dejar vivir!
Carl was a rationalist, a wonderer, an unbeliever who put the "I" in intellectual, a genius plain and simple. One can forgive some of the material - it was 1985 and Sagan, with other "progressive" scientists, were in a massive anti-Reagan campaign to keep US nukes out of Europe. Anyhoo, the weapons were stationed, the USSR immediately disintegrated and the incident passed into history. Sagan, like the rest of us, is victim to his own prejudices and opinions. In his case it was his deep belief in the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence over the almost unanimous disbelief of biologists. (His book, CONTACT, is still one of my favorites- as is the stunning movie.)
We went so far as to publicly lobby for SETI funds yet 22 years later we have yet to find a single signal despite tens of millions of searches. This is not surprising to many since the unique conditions for the rise of intelligence on Earth depended on a path of millions of tiny steps, all of which led to our present juncture. Four of these were global catastrophes after which the structure of life began anew. He asks if life evolved on Earth or came from space. He then discusses the UFO craze (seriously) and concludes that (1) Earth has never been visited by aliens and (2) no UFO sighting was authentic. The old Fermi question, "If they exist where are they?" is still apropos with the most obvious answer being the most plausible - we are the first and only, at least in this galaxy. A recent explanation opines that all civilization eventually discard biological bodies in favor of virtual ones. More to the point, would civilizations millions of years more advanced use radio waves? (New search techniques have since been included.)
He tells the story of how humanity was dethroned from our position of uniqueness. Earth is not the center of the Universe, the sun is just a star, we evolved from other species, all life on Earth had a common ancestor. He asks why an omniscent being would wait 4.5 billion years to bring about sentience or what is the purpose of creating millions of species only to have them go extinct? He suggests that civilization extinction could be the reason for the cosmic silence. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations and the speeches are the model of clarity. Carl, we miss you.
Elegant & Eloquent.......2007-07-16
The late Carl Sagan's Gifford lectures are reproduced in this short volume. Despite its brevity, Sagan reminds us of the beauty and wonder of the Universe as revealed by science, the connections to all living things that Darwin's discoveries about evolution gave us, the healthy skepticism that we should all maintain when others make extraordinary claims (they require extraordinary proofs). As a layperson, I find Sagan's explanations understandable and as an avid reader, I find his eloquence amazing.
Inside the Mind of Sagan.......2007-06-27
...incredibly personal, informative and entertaining.
This is one of those MUST READ books. And to think it was almost lost...
Thank you, Ann for this most wonderful work.
Average customer rating:
- the second book in the UGLIES trilogy
- Pretty Special
- An exciting sequel to Uglies
- great book
- Fresh and interesting
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Pretties (Uglies Trilogy, Book 2)
Scott Westerfeld
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
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Specials (Uglies Trilogy)
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ASIN: 0689865392 |
Book Description
Gorgeous. Popular.
Perfect. Perfectly wrong.
Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.
But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.
Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.
Customer Reviews:
the second book in the UGLIES trilogy.......2007-10-07
Tally, as her name is, is now partying in new pretty town where all of the new pretties live. She has amazing outfits, a wonderful boyfriend, and much more. She's living the dream, or at least, as far as she knows. For there's something from before the pretty operation that is inside her mind somewhere, that she can't remember, but she must figure it out, it's something important. Then, Tally and her boyfriend find a note from before Tally's operation. Once she reads it, her memory of what's wrong with this life becomes clear. Now Tally must try and forget or hide from the authorities what she knows because they don't intend on letting anybody who knows the truth about pretty life survive.
Pretty Special.......2007-09-17
This is a review on the audio book version of "Pretties" written by Scott Westerfeld and performed by the great and talented Carine Montbertrand.
This book, although disguised in Young Adult clothes, makes you think about serious issues in society today. We all watch the news and stare in horror at all the violence, and wars, and economic downfall. We wish there was a cure for disease, and a way to make everyone satisfied with their lives. We buy books on finding our true selves, and spend millions of dollars on makeup and clothes. We have all seen movies like "The Stepford Wives" and watched how dangerous it is to try and make everything "perfect". Most of the time good intentions are plagued with rotten disastrous outcomes. This book takes the "what ifs" and explores their ramifications.
Let's say our government, after looking at the state of the world, comes up with the "ultimate" plan. They want to eradicate poverty, war, disease, pollution, and unhappiness. They see the divide between the rich and poor, beautiful and ugly, privileged and downtrodden. So why not make everyone equal? It would solve everything! If everyone were pretty, and were able to go to parties and wear what they want and just be on permanent vacation than they wouldn't want to take drugs or murder or act like savages. If the government took care of everything like housing, health, and recreation we would have no worries! If we were told that we were ugly from birth and made to live in drab dorms in an even drabbier town all the while observing from arms length the Pretties who live in luxery have gorgeous faces, and are bubbly 24/7....we would count down till that birthday with baited breath.
There are of course, going to be the people who realize that this transformation is wrong. That Ugly isn't Ugly its normal, and the government is so screwed up that they have to escape and live outside the city limits even though it's hard. There are those amongst these outcasts or "smokies" who once worked for the government and they have realized that the citizens aren't being transformed into just the beautiful people; they have been given serious brain lesions to keep them good little automatons forever. But they have a Cure, and someone has to test it.
This is where Tally Youngblood comes in. In the first book she is so desperate to become pretty that she agrees to betray the Smokies, but soon falls in love with one of them and is told about the lesions. After the government's most deadly agents, the Specials, find the smokies anyway Tally has a decision to make. Stay with the Smokies, or make the sacrifice to become pretty and test the cure. The difficulty is that once Tally is Pretty, she will be Pretty-minded, which basically means Air headed. She won't want to be anything but "bubbly" as they put it. She belongs to a clique of pretties called the "Crims" because they play serious tricks, and since Tally once ran away to the smokies she is prime Crim material. Tally is friends again with Shay, who she betrayed in the first book but neither remember that taking place, she also finds a new boyfriend Zane. She and Zane soon realize that deep inside something is different about them and the Crims. They not only play tricks, they are fascinated by the Smokies, and when Tally's promise to test the cure comes back to her, Zane is right beside her to test it.
In "Pretties" we get to experience Tally and Zane and the Crims struggle to overcome their "pretty-mindedness" constantly risking their lives, risking the Specials catching them. Tally has to again choose between Shay and a boyfriend. And Shay starts to follow her own path towards change. The cure works, but something is deadly wrong with Zane and Tally will do anything to save him. I wont give away the ending, but again I zipped out and got the third book because I couldn't wait to find out what happens. I listened to this book, read by Carine Montbertrand, and I cannot recommend it enough. She puts voices to these characters so amazing well and Scott Westerfeld has once again written a book that appeals to all my senses.
An exciting sequel to Uglies.......2007-09-11
This book picks up where Uglies left off - Tally and Shay were caught and made into pretties. While going to all kinds of exciting parties and living an outlandishly fun lifestyle, there are still some memories and nagging doubts in Tally's and Shay's minds about their past experiences with The Smoke.
They hook up with a Pretty clique called The Crims, who are focused (as much as any pretty can be focused!) on becoming "bubbly", or clear-thinking, and do all kinds of stunts for the adrenaline rush that makes them able to think clearly for a few minutes or more at a time.
Tally becomes involved with Zane, the leader of the Crims and the one most obsessed with becoming clear-headed, and when the couple remaining Smokies bring Tally a note from her past Ugly self, and some pills, she and Zane each take one right before getting caught by the city's wardens...
This sequel to Uglies is a bit less action-packed than the first, but has more things to ponder, as we learn more about how their world and community works, the motivations behind the workings of the community, and the ways in which Tally, Zane, Shay, and the rest learn to take power back from the government and learn to think independently, even with the brain changes that are inflicted on pretties.
I was fascinated by the book and it was well worth reading. Definitely don't bother with this if you have not read Uglies yet. You really have to read these in order.
great book.......2007-08-16
This books make you think about a lot about body image and the value we put on beauty in our society.
Fresh and interesting.......2007-08-08
This sequel to Uglies is definitely interesting. I wouldn't recommend reading it without first reading Uglies. The story-line is YA, but as an adult I really enjoyed it. This book continues to be intriguing and makes you want to read the third book (Specials). You'll definitely be left wanting more. Not only is this an interesting story, but it has quite a bit to say on society and human nature.
Book Description
The Marriage and Family Experience is an engaging, student friendly Marriage and Family best seller. The text's up-to-date material, real-life cross-cultural examples, and balanced presentation make it an accessible and compelling read for the Marriage and Family student. It successfully bridges all elements of the course, including intimate relationships, family policy, and family issues. The combination of this classic book's strengths fosters consistent positive student reaction and feedback semester after semester.
Book Description
Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 4e, was written for the general student to serve as a stand-alone introduction to the subject of leadership. The text consists of 13 chapters and a final section on Basic and Advanced Leadership Skills. Authors Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy have drawn upon three different types of literature: empirical studies; interesting anecdotes, stories and findings; and leadership skills to create a text that is personally relevant, interesting and scholarly. The authors’ unique quest for a careful balancing act of leadership materials will help students apply theory and research to their real-life experiences.
Customer Reviews:
Horrible Seller.......2007-09-23
The seller has refused to return my emails as well as failed to send me my purchase. I have asked for a refund and they have failed to do that too. Therefore, they made easy money without providing me the item I purchased for my current college course. I totally do not recommend purchasing any item from this seller. If you do, you take on the risk of not receiving anything!
Leadership.......2007-09-23
Haven't actually used this book yet for my class, but I'm sure it's a great textbook.
What a bunch of schlock!!!!.......2007-06-26
This is a required text for a business class at Lawrence Tech. University in Michigan. It is full of diagrams and charts and basic jargon-filled info that everyone should know without having to spend $135! And this is in the FIFTH edition, so that used books are hard to come by, and the price just goes up. If you are buying it you are probably forced to. So sorry! BORING, BORING, BORING, and just filled with common sense that one should know if one has ANY experience at all.
Maybe this would be useful for a writing course on how to bore students to death and make money by making new editions with little changes.
What a rip-off!
A Keeper.......2007-05-31
A practical and academic view of Leadership. Lots of real-life examples and leadership principles that can be used in any organization from the girl scouts to the board room.
TO ANY STUDENTS BUYING USED EDITIONS.......2006-10-21
THIS IS TO INFORM STUDENTS THAT ARE BUYING USED EDITIONS OF ANY TEXTBOOK: PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTIONS THE SELLER POSTS AND ASK THE SELLER IF IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL EDITION. THE ISBNS ARE DIFFERENT AND SO IS THE QUALITY OF THE TEXT. IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RESELL THESE KINDS OF BOOKS.
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- AWESOME!
- Just... not very good.
- Great
- The descent into hell is easy
- Meandering book suffers from overenthusiastic fanauthor.
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City of Bones (Mortal Instruments)
Cassandra Clare
Manufacturer: Margaret K. McElderry
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1416914285 |
Book Description
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.
Customer Reviews:
AWESOME!.......2007-10-06
This book was great! I have a hard time finding things that I really enjoyed reading but this is second only to the Twilight series. Loved it!
Just... not very good........2007-10-04
I think the problem with this book is that it's like looking at every movie or tv show about teens and the supernatural for the last twenty some odd years. It's loaded with cliches and wise cracks, and if it seems like you've read or seen a story like this before, you probably have.
Teen vampire stories tend to be fairly similar anyway - you can't call the monsters vampires or werewolves unless they follow certain conventions, but this book wasn't even interesting. It's dull. You'll figure out the story long before the characters do, and by the time they catch a clue, you'll be tearing your eyes out from the purply prose.
But I would have tossed it two or three stars just because I do like teens battling demons.... except that it was so poorly edited. Characters described completely different, subplots that went nowhere... Either the publisher didn't care or the author... but someone sure didn't.
Skip it unless you can buy it cheap.
Great.......2007-09-21
My friend and I read this book and both loved it. It was hilarious and a really lovely book. There are many books with duller plots/beginnings, so why is everyone moaning and crying about that? Oh well, I totally recommend this book to everyone.
The descent into hell is easy.......2007-08-21
Things go afoot at the Pandemonium all ages nightclub in Brooklyn for young Clary Fray (15) and her best friend Simon. First, Clary sees a young blue haired boy follow a slim, dark haired girl into a room, then she sees them pursued by two young men, one of whom is carrying a knife. Clary points this out to Simon who alerts a bouncer, but when she sees a dreadful crime committed that no one else can see she begins to wonder what is behind it all. Who are these runic tattooed, attractive young people, and why does the one who resemble a lion treat her so mockingly?
The three turn out to be in an elite group of humans called Shadowhunters, or demon hunters, in "Mundie" terms. Alec and Isabelle Lightwood are beautiful dark haired siblings while Jace, the tall leonine one, is an orphan. After Clary is attacked by a Ravener Demon and poisoned Jace takes her back to the Institute, that is the head of the Shadowhunters realm in the land of Idris, where she can recover from her near fatal wounds.
Clary meets Hodge, the elder tutor of the three, and he begins to unravel the tale of the Shadowhunters and their greatest enemy, Valentine, a former Shadowhunter. He decides to let her in on their history after realizing that her mother has gone missing mysteriously and, based on the information Jace has supplied about Clary being able to see demons, Hodge suspect that she has Shadowhunter blood in her. The Shadowhunters are run by a group of lawmakers called the Clave, who hand down punishments for those who flaunt the laws set up between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders, otherwise known as the Fey, demons and faeries and what not. Valentine was the greatest source of unrest within the world of Idris, believing that the entirety of the Fey should be killed to leave the world pure for humans. He was not approved of in this quest and he decided to take out the means of turning other humans into Shadowhunters- the Mortal Cup- by setting fire to it, his family, and himself. Now, years later, someone is invoking his name again and the world of Idris and all the Shadowhunters know, is in the gravest peril at this new threat. But how does Clary's past connect with Valentine, a man who wants to purify the world of all non-humans, and why is she getting drawn into their war?
I was so impressed by the first of Clare's urban fantasy series that I started the article in Wikipedia about it. All I can say is wow... and then shake my head and say wow again... This was such a compelling read, dark and rich with vivid textures and description. The characters are real and edgy and the plot twists are original, unexpected, and complex. Clare is the queen of setting literary bombs that explode and astound unexpectedly throughtout the books. Amazingly done. I found myself thoroughly drawn into the lush world that Clare has created. I will be reading "City of Ashes" when it is published in 2008. I have to know what happens next.
Meandering book suffers from overenthusiastic fanauthor........2007-08-19
This book suffers from the author's overenthusiasm for the fantasy genre, and her inexperience causes the book to drag. Clare meanders when she should remain focused, and I can't help feeling that an editor with a tighter reign could have done this book a lot of good.
Average customer rating:
- I am not surpised
- Paradigm Busting
- Brilliant. Provocative. Not for the Narrow Minded.
- Not what I was hoping
- full of garbage and a little bit of good stuff
|
NeuroTheology: Brain, Science, Spirituality, Religious Experience
Rhawn Joseph ,
Andrew Newberg ,
Carol Rausch Albright ,
Carol Albright Rausch ,
Michael Persinger ,
William James , and
Friedrich Nietzsche
Manufacturer: University Pr
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Binding: Paperback
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Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth
ASIN: 0971644586 |
Book Description
Is the Brain Wired for God?
Is There a Scientific Basis for Spirituality & Religious Belief?
Does God Exist?
What is the Physics of God?
Is There Life After Death?
What is the Anti-Christ?
These questions and more are answered by the World's Leading Experts... Andrew Newberg, Michael Persinger, Matthew Alper, Eugene G. d'Aquili, Scott Atran, William James, Michael Winkelman, Carol Rausch Albright, Fraser Watts, and more. Over 600 pages. Nearly 200 illustrations. Thirty Eight Chapters. Thousands of References. And more....
Customer Reviews:
I am not surpised.......2004-06-18
I am not surprised that these "scientists" are still trying to prove the existence of something that just is not there. Give up and just accept the fact that there is no God and the mind is capable of nearly anything to satisfy the percieved need of this elusive subject.
Paradigm Busting.......2003-10-17
This fascinating text opens with a chapter by Nietzsche who proclaims the death of God. Science makes god and religion, irrelevant, for how do we reconcile religious and spiritual belief with the "big bang" the "organic soup" and Darwin's theory of random variations? The death of these latter theories is proclaimed in the three ensuing chapters, which in turn paves the way for a reexamination of the scientific foundations for spiritual and religious belief in the following 30 chapters. We learn there are over 50 major scientific theories which offer conflicting explanations as to the origin and nature of the universe. We are provided in-depth examinations of particle physics, string theory, qauntum mechanics, etc., only to discover a consensus does not exist, and that much of the scientific evidence seems to refute the big bang and any notions as to the age of the universe. The authors tell us there are stars which may be so far away, and which may have died so long ago, their light may have winked out of existence or may never be detected, which makes it impossible to determine the age or extent of the universe. Making estimates on stars that still live tell us little about the age of the universe if we know nothing of those stars which died long ago. We cannot preclude "God" is we know not how the universe came into being. There may in be multiple-universes and dozens of additional diminsions as predicted by string theory, including dimensions which the common people refer to as heaven and hell. The chapters dealing with these subjects are densely scientific. In another chapter, it explained that given the incredible complexity of a single molecule of DNA, the notion it was randomly assembled in an organic soup, is the equivalent of discovering a computer on jupiter and then arguing it was randomly assembled in the methane sea. So how did life orginate? Perhaps it fell to earth, encased in cosmic debris. Perhaps it was designed by "God." The Universe may be swarming with life, and its DNA, which shows signs of "intelligent design" as is reluctantly admitted by many DNA-experts. Darwin's theory explains variability, but cannot explain evolutionary progress. His theory is also incompatible with what we know of genetics. DNA, we learn, is capable of engineering the environment, and its own evolution, through complex genetic mechanisms. Life may not have randomly evolved. The progression leading to modern humans appears to be under precise genetic control, e.g., introns, silent genes, etc., Humans can now manipulate DNA and humans may begin engineering their own evolution, and this is also incompatible with Darwin's theory. Humans may continue to "evolve" and traits that we associate with religion and spirituality, may actually be similar to the pre-language grunting of Neanderthals. These are rudimentary capacities which may yet evolve and become more complex and "God-like." Thus, the groundwork for reexamining and exploring the scientific foundations of religious belief is established and there ensues 30 additional chapters, both pro and con, which examine the scientific basis of god beliefs and spirituality, with chapters on the evolution of religion, mysticism, shamanism, ghosts, demons, possession, the anti-christ, violence, terrorism, and homosexuality and sexuality and religion. There is absolutely nothing "new age" about this text. For the most part, this is a rigorous scientific book, with chapters written by esteemed scientists and scholars who have made significant contributions to this emerging new field of science. When a book triggers high praise and vehement hysterical condemnation, we should recognize it is an important book. This is an important book.
Brilliant. Provocative. Not for the Narrow Minded........2003-10-17
Religion and spirituality have had a bad "rap" and perhaps for good reason. How many crimes have been committed, how many wars, how many murders, all in the name of religion? The answer is actually provided in this book which is edited by pioneering neuroscientist Rhawn Joseph, the man who discovered or first documented neuroplasticity and recovery of function in the primate brain, the hormonal basis of sex differences, the role of early environmental influences on learning, memory, and emotional development, and who is the author of two best selling scholarly text books on the brain. Neurotheology contains over 30 chapters written by over 20 distinguished scientists and authors who offer a wide range of perspectives including the views of those who do not believe in neurotheology. The third edition includes chapters by William James, Nietzsche, Newberg, Persinger, Alper, Winkelman, and so on, in short, all the leading scholars and authors who have contributed to this field. There are nearly 200 eye-popping pictures and photographs and over a 1,000 scientific references. Of course, this book is not for everyone. Those who begin to gag at the very mention of religion or spirituality will hate this book. Those who believe that science and religion should never be mentioned in the same sentence, will also be agag. This book, with scientific chapters on such diverse subjects as the organic soup, the evolution of spirituality, the anti-christ, and so on, has the potential to open many doors, but only for those with open minds.
Not what I was hoping.......2003-10-07
This book is a testament to what machinations the mind can create without a single shred of evidence. I can't beleive that the authors claim this book to be scientific! This book should be called, "NeuroTheology, Pseudoscience, Spirituality and other Ridiculous Theories." Rhawn Joseph blatantly disregards fundamental scientific evidence of darwinism to promote his "intelligent design" theory which is only a small modification of creationism (Instead of god, he has aliens.) Even the articles by scientists such as Newberg, that might have some scientific validity (at least the theories can be tested), are overshadowed by the new-age garbage. Any serious scientist searching for meaning and the understanding of religious experiences should avoid this book. I am apalled that scientists who consider themselves intelligent and reasonable would even associate themselves with this book.
full of garbage and a little bit of good stuff.......2003-07-22
There are full of garbages and a little bit of potentially interesting stuffs that can be scientifically validated/invalidated in this book. Intelligent design creationism elucidated by Rhawn Joseph not only lacks scietific evidence (well he does use the term "evidence", but they are not. They are mere speculations based on scientific evidence), but can be refuted by major scientific evidence (not by speculations). It is an interesting attempt to shift readers' attention from "hard-earned Darwin's evolution theory" to "creation of life by intelligent being (aliens?) theory, by invalidating some minor aspects of evolution theory. But does everyone think "if evolution is invalidated, creationism must be true"? I don't think so (I hope not). For the sake of devil's adovocate, let's assume that creationism does become prevalently popular among non-critical public. Some people with a little bit of critical thinking will eventually claim "show me intelligent beings that created us, and how they did it. Until that happens, I will not decide that this hypothesis is not any closer to the truth than other hypotheses out there." Reasonable?
Chapters by other scientits, both famous and not-so-famous, try to invalidate or validate the "reality" of anomalous experiences such as religious experiences. Evidence and scientific methods for/against those phenomenon are so thin that we can interpret in any possible way. I recommend that you buy and read this book, but read a book called "The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan beforehand or afterwards to decide where you want to place your opinion in this vague area that occupies science and pseudoscience. If you would really like to know solid "scientific" studies of anomalous experiences (e.g. near-death experiences), please take a look at "Varieties of Anomalous Experience: Examining the Scientific Evidence" by Etzel Cardena (Editor), Steven Jay Lynn (Editor), Stanley C. Krippner (Editor). It might be more worthwhile to read those books first.
Book Description
The Embodied Mind provides a unique, sophisticated treatment of the spontaneous and reflective dimension of human experience. The authors - argue that only by having a sense of common ground between mind in Science and mind in experience can our understanding of cognition be more complete. Toward that end, they develop a dialogue between cognitive science and Buddhist meditative psychology and situate it in relation to other traditions such as phenomenology and psychoanalysis.
Francisco Varela is Director of Research at the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique and Professor of Cognitive Science and Epistemology, CREA, at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. Evan Thompson is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. Eleanor Rosch is Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Customer Reviews:
Buddhism and CogSci.......2007-10-07
This book is well worth the price if you are interested in theories of mind and Buddhism. Bert Dreyfus took some of the philosophical references to task in a review that appeared in "Mind" indicating a couple of questions concerning references to Kant's philosophy. He also points out that there is no case made in the book to support the inference that experiences derived from zazen are experiences of "reality." So there are some holes here and there...or maybe assumptions a philosopher would jump on. But I would still recommend this book. It is very interesting and lays out its facit of the Buddhist perspective quite well.
Philosophy of the Body.......2003-12-19
Reading this book contributed helpfully to my studies of the phenomenology of the embodied experience. The authors argue that we cannot understand ourselves to be isolated bodies controlled by a mind that stands apart from and judges an independent environment. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in cognitive science, phenomenological philosophy, philosophies of embodiment, and the relationship of Buddhism to these areas of thought.
This book is amazing!.......1998-04-15
This ranks up there with Chogyam Trungpa's books for clearly presented insights. Trunpa's genius is making Buddhist ideas come alive for Western readers by clearly presenting Buddhist ideas in everyday terms. This book is a wonderful addition to the same delicious feast, building a bridge from Eastern mindfulness/awareness traditions to Western scientific thought. The effect is to improve our understanding of both. Very powerful and thought-provoking. Each page is like a meal. Hungry? Chew this one slowly and enjoy every bite!
Customer Reviews:
How people learn.......2007-07-03
If you are going to be a teacher, this is a great book to read. Detailed and easy to read, it helps prepare you for what to expect and what will be expected of you as a teacher. It makes it easy to understand how children learn and what are the best teaching strategies to use to teach them as individuals.
How People Learn.......2007-03-08
My academic advisor at the University of Washington's iSchool suggested I read this along with "Team-Based Learning". I never thought I could get so excited about a book on learning from the National Research Council! Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in research regarding neural processes, teaching /learning, psychology, and the natural desire to learn.
Thank you to the authors and contributors for this book! I can hardly wait to see what they find out next!
Clear as mud.......2007-01-19
I am amazed at the high praise of this opauely written book. I find I have to read sentences over and over to figure out what the actual point of the sentence is. "Edu-talk" and a prolix writing style (by committee? a camel?) makes this anything but "reader-friendly." Good luck slogging through it.
Great knowledge base for those who want to know "how people learn".......2006-11-05
I'm currently a 1st year student in an ed psych doctoral program. This is the main textbk for a class called "Cognition, Instruction, and the Design of Learning Environments: Introduction to the Learning Sciences." It's written to be more reader-friendly, which is nice --- especially since we are also assigned plenty of other academic journal articles that can be harder to wrap your head around!
Great book. The authors are all reputatable folks in the field. It's the perfect starting point for someone like me!
Well received.......2006-06-28
The faculty here love this book. So much so that we actually give it away to other faculty members every few months.
Book Description
This book describes how understanding the structure of reality leads to the Theory of Everything Equation. The equation unifies the forces of nature and enables the merging of relativity with quantum theory. The book explains the big bang theory and everything else.
Customer Reviews:
The Real Deal.......2006-09-25
Although Mr. Wheatley is a little verbose in sections, his documentation of Zen Buddhistic Principles found throughout the disciplines of Mathematics, Physics, Theology, etc. forms a nice reference guide for anyone tuned into that wavelength. In particular, his explanation of how Godel's Theorem and Cantor's "Confusion" shed great light on the difference between GOD's Logic and Man's Logic should be a revelation to any undergraduate level math students who encounter these ideas for the first time. Curiously, Mr. Wheatley makes many misstatements about both Zen Buddhism Principles and the Bible, however. For example, by accepting the false biblical teaching of Original Sin, he misses the point that eating the proverbial apple gave Adam and Eve the ability to make Moral Discernments in fulfillment of GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. As proof, read Genesis 1 which states that Man and Woman were made in GOD's Image. Genesis 4 shows that Adam and Eve weren't the first humans on Earth at all, there were plenty of others by then. The allegorical meaning of the story of Eden, then, isn't that Adam and Eve were the first humans on Earth, but they were the first humans with the ability to make Moral Discernments (in GOD's Image). In fact, Moral Discernment is God's Unique Gift to Man, which is the basis of consciousness, not some Math Formula. But because the wages of the resulting, unavoidable sin are Death, many people foolishly try to return to Eden by: (1) living a sinless Life (2) by removing choice altogether by passing and enforcing strict Laws (3) by attempting to do away with Moral Discernment and the resulting consequences for our actions altogether by trying to remove Shame from Shameful actions. GOD is not some ethereal Man-In-Space, but is simply the Totality of all Real Things, The Set of All Real Sets. GOD's Love manifests itself from the amazing sub-atomic relationships that underly this magic Life all the way to the grandest of Macroscopic Scales, the Interconnected Totality itself. The Zen Buddhism connection can be found by simply superimposing the 0 symbol and the symbol for infinity (8 on its side) in Mr. Wheatley's supposedly "new" formulation that 1 = 0 x infinity. Superimposing them gives you the yin-yang symbol. A potential disadvantage of artificially separating the infinity from the zero, however, is that Mr. Wheatley is able to equate the entire expression to be equal to 1. This potentially might obscure the fact that the deepest meaning of the yin-yang symbol is that it is both 2 and 1 AT THE SAME TIME. His overall equation does preserve that important meaning by utilizing a single element on one side of the equation and two elements on the other side of his final TOE equation. This may be hard to see for some at first, however, which could potentially obscure the richest meaning of this beautiful symbol/equation. A much more GODLY TOE, in my opinion, comes from Euler, who discovered that e ^ (i * pi) - 1 = 0. When someone can explain that relationship, then they can say they know GOD.
A life changing experience??.......2005-06-13
This book is an easy read and does succeed in being somewhat thought-provoking. However, I am a little surprised at the awesome, "life changing" experience it apparently was for many of the readers. Wheatley's conclusions were interesting but nothing really new. All of his material should have passed through the mind of any thinking person without the aid of this book.
The reason I gave this book three stars is because he uses unneccessarily wordy ways of describing simple things. Also, the author and many other reviewers insist that Wheatley makes only one assumption. Wrong-his whole theory is one big assumption.
Overall though it was a very interesting and worthy book.
Should be Required Reading for everyone.......2004-06-26
This book will change your life. You will never think the same way you did before reading it.
I have a degree in chemistry and I think this book should be read by everyone in the sciences. Without a doubt, the best book I've ever read. Why and what are two of our best friends
A Very Important Book.......2004-01-26
I must preface my review by stating that I have never been so excited and moved by a book that I have wanted to contact the author. That is what I found myself doing upon reading this book. This book is just what its title says. The author does not "miss a beat" describing in great detail using practically every aspect of scientific knowledge from atomic structure through logic to quantum theory---we are even given a valuable explanation of Love. This text may be challenging to read for those unfamiliar with scientific terminology. And it can also be difficult for those with a science background, such as myself. However, for me it is well worth the work necessary to strive to understand the unfamiliar terminology. (I am continually learning from this book. I am presently on my third reread).
One of the author's main messages is "not" to believe anything without first verifying it with reality, as we know it. He calls it the "Personal Explanation Principle". He indicates that religions are just such belief systems that we as people "fall" victims of; because we do not verify the beliefs with the facts, as we know them, of reality. He gives a very detailed explanation of how the New Testament can be explored using his methodology.
The author methodically and meticulously walks us through his thought processes, which took 30 years to assimilate, of delineating the structure of reality and the nature of consciousness. Included in the "walk" are many of reality's phenomena made revelatory. An example of that, for me, would be the dual nature of light. It's particle/wave duality, which is explained as "functions". Also, when the author took me on the mental journey of "Setness" an exhilaration of the magnificence of life swelled up in me.
To me this is a very important book that should be read by all that are seekers of truth. It is for all those wanting to gain an understanding of the purpose for their existence, wanting to know where life is headed towards, and wanting to know who God is.
This book will enlighten and develop one's mind substantially. You will discover that this is our objective.
And yes, I contacted the author and he responded openly.
Illuminating!!!.......2002-12-30
This is a really great book. It combines philosophy and science in order to tackle a multitude of existential problems. The author's style of writing is fresh and alive, I recommend ths book to anyone interested in expanding the fronteirs of their understanding. Books I also liked are a Universe in an Nutshell by Steven Hawkings and Descent into Illusions by Paul Omeziri.
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