Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Verbs Bones and Brains -...

  Aku Visala, Agustín Fuentes

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  “A benchmark collection of essays on the contemporary understanding of human nature. . . . [engaging] biology and anthropology to theology and philosophy.” —Robin W. Lovin, Cary M. Maguire University Professor of Ethics emeritus, Southern Methodist University, author of What Do We Do When No One is Listening: Leading the Church in a Polarized Society The last few decades have seen an unprecedented surge of empirical and philosophical research into the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, the origins of the mind/brain, and human culture. This research has sparked heated debates about the nature of human beings and how knowledge about humans from the sciences and humanities should be properly understood. The goal of Verbs, Bones, and Brains: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Human Nature is to engage these themes and present current debates, discussions, and discourse for a range of readers. The contributors bring the discussion to life with key experts outlining major concepts paired with cross-disciplinary commentaries in order to create a novel approach to thinking about, and with, human natures. Throughout, they emphasize the importance of seeking a convergence in our views on human nature, despite metaphysical disagreements. They caution that if convergence eludes us and a common ground cannot be found, this is itself a relevant result: it would reveal to us how deeply our questions about ourselves are connected to our basic metaphysical assumptions. Instead, their focus is on how the interdisciplinary and possibly transdisciplinary conversation can be enhanced in order to identify and develop a common ground on what constitutes human nature.   “A landmark volume. . . . It shows the fruitfulness of a mutually respectful and yet rigorous approach to cross-disciplinary engagement.” (William Storrar, Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton, NJ, editor of A World for All?: Global Civil Society in Political Theory and Trinitarian Theology   “Fascinating, well-organized, and well-edited.” —Choice

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  How Your Brain Works - A User's...

  Ph.D. Gerald D. Griffin

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  How does your brain work? 
  This 15-lecture audio course will increase your excitement and wonder about the mysterious organ responsible for so many of the invisible but important things (like love, personality, and emotion) that make us who we are. 
  The field of neuroscience is booming, heralding bold new discoveries and fresh insights into human nature, our behaviors, the mind—body connection, and even artificial intelligence. 
  Now, How Your Brain Works: A User’s Guide to Neuropsychology gives you exactly the sort of orientation you need to contextualize these discoveries and understand your brain. 
  Your guide is Professor Gerald D. Griffin (PhD, University of Pennsylvania), winner of several awards from national research institutions and of the Janet L. Andersen Excellence in Teaching Award at Hope College. 
  You will find that Prof. Griffin brings an infectious energy to every lecture. He makes you appreciate what a fascinating and multidisciplinary field neuroscience is—building on the discoveries of biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology to arrive at new understandings of the nervous system and behavior. 
  Though this course, you will gain a better understanding of how the chemistry, structure, and electrical connections of your brain give rise to complex perceptions and behavior. By the end, you will understand how a multitude of small, delicate changes in the nervous system shape your reality.

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  Snakes Sunrises and Shakespeare...

  Gordon H. Orians

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  The eminent zoologist “extends his pioneering work in evolutionary biology” to examine “our preferences, predilections, fears, hopes, and aspirations” (Stephen R. Kellert, author of Birthright).   Why do we jump in fear at the sight of a snake and marvel at the beauty of a sunrise? These impulsive reactions are no accident; in fact, many of our human responses to nature are steeped in our evolutionary past—we fear snakes because of the danger of venom, and we welcome the assurances of sun as the predatory dangers of night disappear. According to evolutionary biologist Gordon Orians, many of our aesthetic preferences—from the kinds of gardens we build to the foods we enjoy and the entertainment we seek—are the lingering result of natural selection. In Snakes, Sunrises, and Shakespeare, Orians explores the role of evolution in human responses to the environment, applying biological perspectives ranging from Darwin to current neuroscience. Orians reveals how our emotional lives today are shaped by decisions our ancestors made centuries ago on African savannas as they selected places to live, sought food and safety, and socialized in small hunter-gatherer groups.  During this time our likes and dislikes became wired in our brains, as the appropriate responses to the environment meant the difference between survival or death. His rich analysis explains why we mimic the tropical savannas of our ancestors in our parks and gardens, why we are simultaneously attracted to and repelled by danger, and how paying close attention to nature’s sounds has made us an unusually musical species.

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  The Driver in the Driverless Car...

  Vivek Wadhwa, Alex Salkever

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  “[An] excellent and wide-ranging review of our responses to accelerating technological change” from the authors of Your Happiness Was Hacked (Financial Times).   Tech experts Vivek Wadhwa and Alex Salkever describe dozens of astonishing technological advances in this fascinating and thought-provoking book, which asks what kind of future lies ahead—Star Trek or Mad Max?   Breakthroughs such as personalized genomics, drones, self-driving vehicles, and artificial intelligence could make our lives healthier, safer, and easier. On the other hand, the same technologies raise the specter of a frightening future—eugenics, a jobless economy, a complete loss of privacy, and ever-worsening economic inequality.   Wadhwa says that we need to ask three questions about every emerging technology: Does it have the potential to benefit everyone equally? What are the risks and the rewards? And does it promote autonomy or dependence? This edition is updated throughout and includes a new chapter on quantum computing, which promises vastly increased processing times—and vastly increased security risks. In the end, our future is up to us; our hands may not be on the wheel, but we will decide the driverless car’s destination.  “Vivek raises one of the most important issues of our time—the use of technology to uplift rather than displace humans. His book provides an invaluable guide for assessing the benefits and risks of future technologies.” —Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft  “Exponential technologies are about to transform every aspect of our lives . . . Vivek provides you a clear and authoritative blueprint for assessing their benefits and risks.” —Peter H. Diamandis, MD, New York Times-bestselling author of Bold

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  The Medical Book - From Witch...

  Clifford A. Pickover

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  A lively, accessible, and fully illustrated guide to the history of medicine, from ancient practices to cutting edge innovations. 
   
  Clifford Pickover continues his popular series that includes The Physics Book and The Math Book with this volume chronicling the advancement of medicine in 250 entertaining, illustrated landmark events. Touching on such diverse subspecialties as genetics, pharmacology, neurology, sexology, and immunology, Pickover intersperses “obvious” historical milestones—the Hippocratic Oath, general anesthesia, the Human Genome Project—with unexpected and intriguing topics like “truth serum,” the use of cocaine in eye surgery, and face transplants.

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  How Many Moons Does the Earth...

  Brian Clegg

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  Why did Uuq become Fl?
  
  Why is the sky blue? Why is the sky black?
  
  What is spaghettification?
  
  There's a problem with the typical quiz. It always features far too much sport, 1980s pop and celebrity gossip – and not nearly enough science.
  
  How Many Moons Does the Earth Have? is the ultimate solution. Test your knowledge to the limit with a sizzling collection of brain-stretching, science-based questions in two eight-round quizzes.
  
  Turn the page to get the answer immediately – and as each answer page explores the subject in more depth, this the only quiz that's just as entertaining to read from beginning to end as it is to play competitively.
  
  Where was the Big Bang? What links the elephant Tusko and Timothy Leary? What is the significance of 6EQUJ5? Science explainer extraordinaire Brian Clegg tells all…

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