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  Empiricism - Knowledge Through...

  Hector Davidson

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  Empiricism, as a philosophical doctrine, asserts that knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experience. This perspective contrasts sharply with rationalism, which emphasizes reason and innate knowledge. Empiricism has shaped our understanding of the world and influenced numerous fields, from the natural sciences to ethics and epistemology. The essence of empiricism lies in the conviction that the mind begins as a "blank slate" (tabula rasa) and that experience, rather than pre-existing ideas or concepts, forms the foundation of all knowledge. 
  At the heart of empiricist thought is the belief that all human knowledge starts with perception. We acquire information about the world through our senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell—which provide the raw data from which we form concepts and beliefs. For empiricists, knowledge is not something we discover internally, but something we gather from external reality. This view stands in contrast to the rationalist emphasis on a priori knowledge, which is independent of experience and accessible only through reason. 
  Empiricism's roots can be traced back to ancient philosophy, with early proponents like Aristotle, who argued that all knowledge comes from sensory observation. However, the modern development of empiricism is largely credited to three major figures: John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume. Locke introduced the idea of the mind as a tabula rasa, arguing that individuals are born without innate ideas and that all knowledge comes from experience. Berkeley took this further by suggesting that even the existence of the external world depends on perception, encapsulating the notion that "to be is to be perceived." Hume, the most radical empiricist of the three, questioned the very basis of causality and inductive reasoning, asserting that our beliefs in cause-and-effect relationships were not rationally justified but arose from habitual experience.

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  The Great Philosophers - From...

  Jeremy Stangroom, James Garvey

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  Philosophy has been underway for more than 2,000 years. The Great Philosophers traces the biggest and most influential thoughts in philosophy's long stride through history, beginning with the ancient Greeks and early Romans, the first philosophical thinkers in the West, to whom much is owed. 
   
  How their concerns became the concerns of those who followed is clearly laid out, as is the way their answers shaped what we now recognize as philosophy. The medieval philosophers are also represented, combining their religious concerns with ancient thought and carrying it into the Renaissance. The modern era, the explosion of philosophy sparked by Descartes, is well represented here too. Founders and representatives of both rationalist and empiricist schools make an appearance, as do philosophy's skeptics with their often-darker conclusions. 
   
  Philosophy's long walk continues, and you will find here the thoughts which make its contemporary form what it is, and perhaps what it is on the way to becoming. Philosophy is very much still underway, and The Great Philosophers pays regard to both the discipline as it is practiced now and to the history which made contemporary philosophy possible.

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  American History - A Very Short...

  Paul S. Boyer

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  Ranging from the earliest Native American settlers to the presidency of Barack Obama, this Very Short Introduction offers an illuminating account of politics, diplomacy, and war as well as the full spectrum of social, cultural, and scientific developments that shaped our country. 
   
   
   
  Here is a masterful picture of America's achievements and failures, large-scale socio-historical forces, and pivotal events. Boyer sheds light on the colonial era, the Revolution, and the birth of the new nation; right up to the tragedy of 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the epoch-making election of Barack Obama. Certain broad trends shape much of the narrative—immigration, urbanization, slavery, continental expansion, the global projection of U.S. power, the centrality of religion, the progression from an agrarian to an industrial to a post-industrial economic order. Boyer also highlights the diversity of the American experience and the crucial role of race, ethnicity, gender, and social class in shaping the contours of specific groups within the nation's larger tapestry. And along the way, he touches upon the cultural milestones of American history, from Tom Paine's The Crisis to Allen Ginsberg's Howl. 
   
   
   
  American History: A Very Short Introduction is a panoramic history of the United States, one that covers virtually every topic of importance.

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  How to Stay Focused: 7 Easy...

  Miles Toole

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  Are you someone who cannot focus on the task at hand because of a nagging thought at the back of your head? Are you finding it difficult to remember some important things? 
    
  If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time for you to learn the benefits of staying focused. Stop being a slave to your mind because that is not going to help you in any way in achieving your goals. If you want to take your productivity to the next level, you need to be able to focus. Distractions are going to be endless but avoiding them is possible if you follow the right steps. 
    
  “How to Stay Focused” will show you how you can improve your mental focus and avoid distractions that come your way. Using a 7-step process with definitions, breakdowns, and explanations, this will become your go-to guide towards true concentration. Let this guide help you be the best version of yourself. 
    
  You will gain focusing abilities like never before. No matter what the obstacles are, you will not cow down once you have gone through this 7-step process. If you want to know how you can balance your life and set your priorities straight, you are at the right place. 
    
  YOU WILL LEARN:The art of avoiding distractions.How to enhance your mental focus.Increase productivity by boosting work concentration.How to practice mindfulnessHow to fight self-doubt.Instilling a sense of self-discipline.Goal setting techniques. 
    
  Stop hopping from one heap of unfinished paperwork to another and try to complete the work that you have already started. You might feel curious about a lot of things in a day and curiosity is not a bad trait, but like everything else, you have to learn how you can practice it in moderation. If you want to accomplish anything in your life then you first have to learn how to be more focused!

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  Evolution Is Wrong - A Radical...

  Erich von Däniken

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  A Fascinating Exploration on Why the Darwinists’ Theory No Longer Explains EverythingThere was once a set of ideas called the theory of evolution, conceived by clever people and confirmed by countless scientists. Then people discovered the electron microscope. This made it possible to make the molecules within the cell visible, and suddenly questions about evolution arose that were not possible before. Which force actually bundles the atoms in the right order? What moves the molecular chains into the correct position? How did the first living unit within the cell actually come about? How does inheritance work, how does information pass on to the next generation? Did humans descend only and exclusively from primates—as Charles Darwin and countless other great minds assumed—or did additional “engines” intervene in evolution? Today it is clear: countless questions can no longer be answered with the previous theory of evolution. There is a form of life called “Blob” (Physarum polycephalum). The “thing” has neither eyes nor ears, neither a mouth nor a nose or even a brain. Nevertheless, it takes in food, overcomes obstacles by the shortest route and exchanges information with other “blobs.” The “blob” contradicts any evolutionary thought that one develops from the other. Or the “gastric-brooding frogs” (Rheobatrachus) found in Australia. They hatch their young in the stomach. Impossible in a slow, evolutionary process. Everywhere there are characteristics of animals that do not want to fit into the theory of evolution anywhere. And man? Are we really the most adapted life-form on this planet? Today, more and more scientists who contradict the previous theory of evolution speak out. The theory fits the changes within the species, but it can no longer be reconciled with the inner workings of the cell. Some other influence that has so far escaped us is affecting evolution. It is called “Intelligent Design.” Intelligent planning is suspected behind this. Anyone or anything—a spirit of the universe? Aliens?—could be behind this planning. Erich von Däniken uses countless examples to demonstrate the impossibility of the previous evolutionary idea. He quotes scientists who argue against the previous teaching, but also those who defend it. Unfortunately, established science still refuses to look at discrepancies and holes in the theory of evolution, even though it is quite obvious that there is more going on with regard to the development of all species, as well as human culture, than could be explained by the theory of evolution alone.

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  The Art of Trust Building -...

  Dennis Reina, Michelle Reina

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  Master the essential actions that create lasting trust in any relationship, from the world's leading experts in workplace trust.Trust is essential to all relationships, but knowing how to build and maintain it remains elusive. Drawing from three decades of research and consulting, trust experts Dennis and Michelle Reina provide a comprehensive roadmap for creating lasting trust in any relationship.Through actionable frameworks, tools, and stories, listeners will learn essential behaviors that build trust in character, communication, and capability; how to foster an environment of openness where people feel heard and valued; ways to rebuild trust after breaches or betrayals; techniques for strengthening self-trust as the foundation for trusting others; and the role of gratitude in nurturing reciprocal trust. 
   
  With the groundbreaking Reina Individual Trust Scale Assessment and concrete strategies for implementation, this essential guide equips listeners to forge powerful bonds of trust that endure through uncertainty and change.

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