Cosmosapiens

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Cosmosapiens

John Hands
Cosmosapiens Book PDF

Author : John Hands
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 711 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2017-10-31
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781468313246

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Cosmosapiens by John Hands Pdf

“A critical overview of scientific orthodoxy in an attempt to answer the fundamental questions “what are we?” and “why are we here?” (Kirkus Reviews). Specialist scientific fields are developing at incredibly swift speeds, but what can they really tell us about how the universe began and how we as humans evolved to play such a dominant role on Earth? John Hands’s extraordinarily ambitious book merges scientific knowledge from multiple disciplines and evaluates without bias or preconception all the theories and evidence about the origin and evolution of matter, consciousness, and mankind. The result, a “pearl of dialectical reasoning” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), provides the most comprehensive account yet of current ideas such as cosmic inflation, dark energy, the selfish gene, and neurogenetic determinism. In the clearest possible prose, it differentiates the firmly established from the speculative and examines the claims of various fields to approach a unified theory of everything. In doing so it challenges the orthodox consensus in those branches of cosmology, biology, and neuroscience that have ossified into dogma. Its “shocking and invigorating” analysis (Daily Telegraph, A Best Science Book of 2015) reveals underlying patterns of cooperation, complexification, and convergence that lead to the unique emergence in humans of a self-reflective consciousness that enables us to determine our future evolution. This groundbreaking book is destined to become a classic of scientific thinking. Praise for Cosmosapiens “This is a truly exceptional piece of work.” —Tim Crane, Knightsbridge Professor of Philosophy, The University of Cambridge “A game-changer. In the tradition of Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, this lucidly written, penetrating analysis challenges us to rethink many things we take for granted about ourselves, our society, and our universe. It will become a classic.” —Peter Dreier, E P Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics, Occidental College “Hands is an astute observer of recent trends in scientific ideas bold enough to point out what he sees as sense and nonsense and intelligently explain why. Even in cases where one might disagree, the arguments are thought-provoking.” —Paul Steinhardt, Albert Einstein Professor in Science, Princeton University

Housing Co-Operatives

John Hands
Housing Co Operatives Book PDF

Author : John Hands
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 188 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2015-10-18
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0993371906

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Housing Co-Operatives by John Hands Pdf

At a time of growing housing crisis in Britain this republication of John Hands's classic Housing Co-operatives could not be timelier. It provides a unique mixture of theory and practice, showing from other countries and from the author's own experience how housing co-operatives can work and how they can fail. In a new Introduction John Hands argues that the creation of a third tenure for housing in Britain distinct from both individual owner occupation on the one hand and tenancy-whether from private or social landlord-on the other hand is urgently needed. The par value housing co-operative provides the residents with all the benefits of ownership in terms of control and decision-making, but it is housing for use, not property for investment. Moreover, as the book shows, a well-structured co-operative promotes the development of community values based on mutual aid and shared responsibility for their homes and immediate neighbourhood. REVIEWS "This is a book for those who believe in the power of people to shape their own lives." -The Catholic Herald "Shock, horror, drama. A new book is out about housing which says it's all about people and not about social engineering or investing for your old age...it's by John Hands who has actually succeeded in doing what he's talking about, which is to set up co-operative housing schemes that actually work." -The Guardian John Hands' timely and exemplary guide is marvellous...this is a book for all concerned in with the role of and effects of housing in this society of ours." -The Architects' Journal "A most powerful mixture of common sense and idealism, a practical man's gospel and a visionary's handbook...this is a book intended to influence events here and now." -Building "The most comprehensive account we have of co-operative principles applied to housing, the experience of other countries, and the possibilities...John Hands' book is going to be indispensable." -Colin Ward in Municipal Engineering "He shows how housing co-ops could offer, in the immediate future, a valuable alternative form of social ownership in housing, enabling people to collectively own and control one of their fundamental human rights-housing-on the basis of mutual aid rather than individual gain or distant bureaucracy." -Housing Review "The strengths and pitfalls of a co-operative framework for housing are made admirably clear." -Architectural Design "A unique mixture, thorough and practically written by a person who has spent the last seven years working full-time in developing and managing housing co-operatives... One feels that a penetrating mind has been brought to bear on the subject and the book will be of great use not only to both professionals and tenants but also to anyone who cares about one of the common ills of today-the alienation and loneliness of individuals in modern urban society." -Voluntary Housing "Housing managers will find the book not only a valuable and interesting source of practical information about housing co-operatives, but also stimulating and provocative in its penetrating observations on recent housing policies and on social and community problems besetting modern urban society." -Housing Monthly "The importance of this book is that it not only states clearly what needs to be done but goes on to discuss in detail how it is to be done... This is a book to study and discuss." -Co-operative News "The major contribution his book should make to what we call the British Co-operative Movement should be one of challenge and stimulation." -Co-operative Review "John Hands has recently published an important book on housing co-operatives in which he surveys his experiences and findings...he does not shrink from employing a critical yardstick to housing co-operatives in other countries and outlines his views about the practical action to be taken in present and future circumstances." -International Co-operative Alliance Housing Bulletin

The Creative Tarot

Jessa Crispin
The Creative Tarot Book PDF

Author : Jessa Crispin
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2016-02-16
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9781501120237

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The Creative Tarot by Jessa Crispin Pdf

A guide for artists and creative people looking to tarot for guidance and inspiration. Written for novices and seasoned readers alike, "The Creative Tarot" is a unique guidebook that reimagines tarot cards and the ways they can boost the creative process.

The Janus Point

Julian Barbour
The Janus Point Book PDF

Author : Julian Barbour
Publisher : Basic Books
Page : 372 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2020-12-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780465095490

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The Janus Point by Julian Barbour Pdf

In a universe filled by chaos and disorder, one physicist makes the radical argument that the growth of order drives the passage of time -- and shapes the destiny of the universe. Time is among the universe's greatest mysteries. Why, when most laws of physics allow for it to flow forward and backward, does it only go forward? Physicists have long appealed to the second law of thermodynamics, held to predict the increase of disorder in the universe, to explain this. In The Janus Point, physicist Julian Barbour argues that the second law has been misapplied and that the growth of order determines how we experience time. In his view, the big bang becomes the "Janus point," a moment of minimal order from which time could flow, and order increase, in two directions. The Janus Point has remarkable implications: while most physicists predict that the universe will become mired in disorder, Barbour sees the possibility that order -- the stuff of life -- can grow without bound. A major new work of physics, The Janus Point will transform our understanding of the nature of existence.

Perestroika Christi

John Hands
Perestroika Christi Book PDF

Author : John Hands
Publisher : HarperPrism
Page : 500 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 0061007285

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Perestroika Christi by John Hands Pdf

According to legend, the Virgin Mary entrusted three Russian children with secrets that could spell the end of life on Earth. As the Iron Curtain crumbles, powerful forces struggle for the very souls of humanity. Only one man holds all the keys to humanity's salvation, but can one American priest defeat both the KGB and the agents of Satan?

The Invention of Yesterday

Tamim Ansary
The Invention of Yesterday Book PDF

Author : Tamim Ansary
Publisher : PublicAffairs
Page : 501 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2019-10-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9781610397971

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The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary Pdf

From language to culture to cultural collision: the story of how humans invented history, from the Stone Age to the Virtual Age Traveling across millennia, weaving the experiences and world views of cultures both extinct and extant, The Invention of Yesterday shows that the engine of history is not so much heroic (battles won), geographic (farmers thrive), or anthropogenic (humans change the planet) as it is narrative. Many thousands of years ago, when we existed only as countless small autonomous bands of hunter-gatherers widely distributed through the wilderness, we began inventing stories--to organize for survival, to find purpose and meaning, to explain the unfathomable. Ultimately these became the basis for empires, civilizations, and cultures. And when various narratives began to collide and overlap, the encounters produced everything from confusion, chaos, and war to cultural efflorescence, religious awakenings, and intellectual breakthroughs. Through vivid stories studded with insights, Tamim Ansary illuminates the world-historical consequences of the unique human capacity to invent and communicate abstract ideas. In doing so, he also explains our ever-more-intertwined present: the narratives now shaping us, the reasons we still battle one another, and the future we may yet create.

How the Dog Became the Dog

Mark Derr
How the Dog Became the Dog Book PDF

Author : Mark Derr
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 207 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2011-10-27
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781590209912

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How the Dog Became the Dog by Mark Derr Pdf

This “informative account” of canine evolution will “appeal to dog lovers with a curiosity about the origins of their favorite companion.” (Publishers Weekly) Many have made the case that dogs have evolved from wolves but the evolutionary link between wolves and dogs remains a mystery. In How the Dog Became the Dog, Mark Derr posits that the dog’s evolution from wolf was inevitable due to the mutually beneficial nature of the relationship between wolves and hunter-gatherer humans. How the Dog Became the Dog presents the domestication of the dog as a biological and cultural process that began with a reciprocal cooperation between dogwolves and humans that evolved over time, from the first dogs that took refuge with humans against the cold at the end of the last Ice Age, to the 18th century, when humans began to exercise full control of dog reproduction, life, and death, through centuries of natural and artificial selection that led us to the many breeds of dogs we know and love today. “A transporting slice of dog/wolf thinking that will pique the interest of anyone with a dog in their orbit.” —Kirkus Reviews

An Appeal to Reason

Nigel Lawson
An Appeal to Reason Book PDF

Author : Nigel Lawson
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 138 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2009-12-29
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781590205266

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An Appeal to Reason by Nigel Lawson Pdf

“His insights are keen and refreshingly iconoclastic . . . [A] contrarian synthesis of political thinking and economic analysis” on the topic of climate change (Publishers Weekly). In this well-informed and hard-hitting response to the scaremongering of the climate alarmists, Nigel Lawson, former Secretary of State for Energy under Margaret Thatcher, argues that it is time for us to take a cool look at global warming. Lawson carefully and succinctly examines all aspects of the global warming issue: the science, the economics, the politics, and the ethics. He concludes that the conventional wisdom on the subject is suspect on a number of grounds, that global warming is not the devastating threat to the planet it is widely alleged to be, and that the remedy being proposed, which is in any event politically unattainable, would be worse that the threat it is supposed to avert. Argued with logic, common sense, and even wit, and thoroughly sourced and referenced, this is a long overdue corrective to the barrage of spin and hype to which the politicians and media have been subjecting the public on this important issue.

Dance to the Tune of Life

Denis Noble
Dance to the Tune of Life Book PDF

Author : Denis Noble
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 315 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2017
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9781107176249

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Dance to the Tune of Life by Denis Noble Pdf

This book formulates a relativistic theory of biology, challenging the common gene-centred view of organisms.

Origins

Jim Baggott
Origins Book PDF

Author : Jim Baggott
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 432 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2018-06-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780192561978

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Origins by Jim Baggott Pdf

What is life? Where do we come from and how did we evolve? What is the universe and how was it formed? What is the nature of the material world? How does it work? How and why do we think? What does it mean to be human? How do we know? There are many different versions of our creation story. This book tells the version according to modern science. It is a unique account, starting at the Big Bang and travelling right up to the emergence of humans as conscious intelligent beings, 13.8 billion years later. Chapter by chapter, it sets out the current state of scientific knowledge: the origins of space and time; energy, mass, and light; galaxies, stars, and our sun; the habitable earth, and complex life itself. Drawing together the physical and biological sciences, Baggott recounts what we currently know of our history, highlighting the questions science has yet to answer.

Of Orcas and Men

David Neiwert
Of Orcas and Men Book PDF

Author : David Neiwert
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2015-06-16
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781468312294

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Of Orcas and Men by David Neiwert Pdf

A journalist “convincingly spells out the threats to their survival, their misery in captivity, and what scientists can learn by studying them” (Kirkus). The orca—otherwise known as the killer whale—is one of earth’s most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry—and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound—that much more damning. In Of Orcas and Men, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations, and brings to life the often catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez’s classic Of Wolves and Men, David Neiwert’s book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom’s most remarkable members. Praise for Of Orcas and Men “Human beings need to learn from and understand the cooperative nature of orca society. Everyone who is interested in both animal and human behavior should read this remarkable book.” —Temple Grandin, New York Times–bestselling author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human “Powerful and beautifully written.” —Jane Goodall “Humans and killer whales have a long and complicated history, one that David Neiwert describes forcefully and eloquently in this fascinating and highly readable book.” —David Kirby, New York Times–bestselling author of Death at SeaWorld “[A] breathtaking survey of orca science, folklore, and mystery.” —The Stranger

City of Ravens

Boria Sax
City of Ravens Book PDF

Author : Boria Sax
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 162 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2012-07-05
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781468305272

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City of Ravens by Boria Sax Pdf

A “quirky and absorbing” exploration of the history and mythology surrounding the ravens at the Tower of London (Publishers Weekly). Tales tell of how Charles II, fearful of ancient legends that Britain will fall if the ravens at the Tower of London ever leave their abode, ordered that the wings of the six ravens be clipped. But the truth is that the ravens only arrived at the Tower in 1883, when they were brought in as props in tales of Gothic horror that were told to tourists. The legend itself originated from the summer of 1944, when ravens in London were used as unofficial spotters for enemy bombs and planes. Boria Sax gives us the first book to tell the true story of the ravens, which has far more high drama than any of the tales the tourists get to hear. Its heroes are the raven couple Grip and Mable, who eloped from the Tower together after World War II, leaving it empty and prompting fears that the British Empire would end; Jackie, who kept watch at a brewery; McDonald, who was murdered; and Thor, who could not accept his loss of flight. For over a century, the ravens have been symbols of cruelty, avatars of fate—and cuddly national pets. But Sax shows us how the ravens have come to represent Britain’s natural heritage, without which any nation would be impoverished. This informing and reflective volume addresses the need to connect with animals and the natural world and shows us the human need for wonder at nature. Praise for City of Ravens “Both a delight and a profound illumination of the subject . . . with unexpected and fascinating conclusions.” —Esther Woolfson, author of Corvus “A wonderful contribution to the modern history and mythology of one of the world’s greatest cities.” —Ronald Hutton, Commissioner of English Heritage “Boria Sax traces the history of the ravens in the Tower of London with accurate scholarship and engaging stories.” —John Marzluff, co-author of In the Company of Crows and Ravens “The author delves into the true history and cultural importance of these massive corvids. It’s a lively, entertaining tale, with a few grisly details from real events.” —Anna Sanders, Audubon Magazine

Citizen Science

Caren Cooper
Citizen Science Book PDF

Author : Caren Cooper
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2016-12-20
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781468314144

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Citizen Science by Caren Cooper Pdf

True stories of everyday volunteers participating in scientific research that “may well prompt readers to join the growing community” (Booklist). Think you need a degree in science to contribute to important scientific discoveries? Think again. All around the world, in fields ranging from meteorology to ornithology to public health, millions of everyday people are choosing to participate in the scientific process. Working in cooperation with scientists in pursuit of information, innovation, and discovery, these volunteers are following protocols, collecting and reviewing data, and sharing their observations. They’re our neighbors, in-laws, and coworkers. Their story, along with the story of the social good that can result from citizen science, has largely been untold, until now. Citizen scientists are challenging old notions about who can conduct research, where knowledge can be acquired, and even how solutions to some of our biggest societal problems might emerge. In telling their story, Caren Cooper just might inspire you to rethink your own assumptions about the role that individuals can play in gaining scientific understanding—and putting that understanding to use as a steward of our world. “Engaging.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Before Galileo

John Freely
Before Galileo Book PDF

Author : John Freely
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 291 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2013-08-27
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781468308501

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Before Galileo by John Freely Pdf

A physicist and historian sheds light on scientific minds, breakthroughs, and innovations that paved the way for the Scientific Revolution. Histories of modern science often begin with the heroic battle between Galileo and the Catholic Church, a conflict which ignited the Scientific Revolution and led to the world-changing discoveries of Isaac Newton. As a consequence of this narrative frame, virtually nothing is said about the European scholars who came before. In reality, more than a millennium before the Renaissance, a succession of scholars paved the way for the exciting discoveries usually credited to Galileo, Newton, Copernicus, and others. In Before Galileo, John Freely examines the pioneering research of the first European scientists, many of them monks whose influence ranged far beyond the walls of the monasteries where they studied and wrote.

A Different Mirror

Ronald Takaki
A Different Mirror Book PDF

Author : Ronald Takaki
Publisher : eBookIt.com
Page : 787 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2012-06-05
Category : History
ISBN : 9781456611064

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A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki Pdf

Takaki traces the economic and political history of Indians, African Americans, Mexicans, Japanese, Chinese, Irish, and Jewish people in America, with considerable attention given to instances and consequences of racism. The narrative is laced with short quotations, cameos of personal experiences, and excerpts from folk music and literature. Well-known occurrences, such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, the Trail of Tears, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Japanese internment are included. Students may be surprised by some of the revelations, but will recognize a constant thread of rampant racism. The author concludes with a summary of today's changing economic climate and offers Rodney King's challenge to all of us to try to get along. Readers will find this overview to be an accessible, cogent jumping-off place for American history and political science plus a guide to the myriad other sources identified in the notes.