| Author | : Hank Davis |
| Publisher | : Prometheus Books |
| Total Pages | : 298 |
| Release | : 2009-12-30 |
| Genre | : Philosophy |
| ISBN | : 1615928820 |
Davis laments a modern world in which more people believe in ESP, ghosts, and angels than in evolution. Superstition and religion get particularly critical treatment, although Davis argues that religion, itself, is not the problem.
| Author | : Joel Alan Dvoskin |
| Publisher | : Oxford University Press, USA |
| Total Pages | : 339 |
| Release | : 2012 |
| Genre | : Psychology |
| ISBN | : 0195384644 |
Bringing together experts in the fields of social science, forensic psychology and criminal justice, Using Social Science to Reduce Violent Offending addresses what truly works in reducing violent offending, promoting an approach to correctional policy grounded in an evidence-based and nuanced understanding of human behavior.
| Author | : David M. Newman |
| Publisher | : SAGE Publications |
| Total Pages | : 905 |
| Release | : 2022-08-11 |
| Genre | : Social Science |
| ISBN | : 1071849549 |
In the Fourteenth Edition of Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, David Newman shows students how to see the "unfamiliar in the familiar"—to step back and see organization and predictability in their take-for-granted personal experiences. With his approachable writing style and lively anecdotes, the author’s goal from the first edition has been the same: to write a textbook that "reads like a real book." Many adopters of this book are fans of Peter Berger′s classic works, which helped introduce the idea of "social constructionism" to sociology. Newman uses the metaphors of "architecture" and "construction" to help students understand that society is not something that exists "out there," independently of themselves; it is a human creation that is planned, maintained, or altered by individuals. Using vivid prose, current examples, and fresh data, this text presents a unique and thought-provoking overview of how society is constructed and experienced. Instead of surveying every subfield in sociology, the more streamlined coverage (14 chapters) focuses on the individual and society, the construction of self and society, and social inequality in the context of social structures. This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package in SAGE Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality SAGE textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
| Author | : John Teehan |
| Publisher | : John Wiley & Sons |
| Total Pages | : 291 |
| Release | : 2011-09-13 |
| Genre | : Philosophy |
| ISBN | : 1444359134 |
Religion is one of the most powerful forces running through human history, and although often presented as a force for good, its impact is frequently violent and divisive. This provocative work brings together cutting-edge research from both evolutionary and cognitive psychology to help readers understand the psychological structure of religious morality and the origins of religious violence. Introduces a fundamentally new approach to the analysis of religion in a style accessible to the general reader Applies insights from evolutionary and cognitive psychology to both Judaism and Christianity, and their texts, to help understand the origins of religious violence Argues that religious violence is grounded in the moral psychology of religion Illustrates its controversial argument with reference to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the response to the attacks from both the terrorists and the President. Suggests strategies for beginning to counter the divisive aspects of religion Discusses the role of religion and religious criticism in the contemporary world. Argues for a position sceptical of the moral authority of religion, while also critiquing the excesses of the “new atheists” for failing to appreciate the moral contributions of religion Awarded Honourable Mention, 2010 Prose Awards
| Author | : Brian A. Shaer |
| Publisher | : McFarland |
| Total Pages | : 240 |
| Release | : 2022-08-03 |
| Genre | : Performing Arts |
| ISBN | : 1476647550 |
Some periods of history contain so many compounded disasters they seem to be inspired by disaster movies. In the early 2020s, the Covid-19 pandemic upended the world and thrust populations into a state of uncertainty and fear--as seen in movies like Outbreak, The Towering Inferno or Armageddon. Birthed from the author's original research on disaster movies, this book argues that the life cycle of Covid closely parallels various apocalyptic films, from the personas of the main players to the strike of the cataclysm itself. To view the Covid pandemic through the language of disaster movies, the book identifies those that mirror (predict!) each stage of the Covid pandemic, analyzing the similarities between the films and real-life events. A filmography of the featured disaster movies concludes the book.
| Author | : Stuart Hanscomb |
| Publisher | : Routledge |
| Total Pages | : 189 |
| Release | : 2017-09-19 |
| Genre | : Philosophy |
| ISBN | : 1317576853 |
Critical Thinking: The Basics is an accessible and engaging introduction to the field of critical thinking, drawing on philosophy, communication and psychology. Emphasising its relevance to decision making (in personal, professional and civic life), academic literacy and personal development, this book supports the reader in understanding and developing the knowledge and skills needed to avoid poor reasoning, reconstruct and evaluate arguments, and engage constructively in dialogues. Topics covered include: the relationship between critical thinking, emotions and the psychology of persuasion the role of character dispositions such as open-mindedness, courage and perseverance argument identification and reconstruction fallacies and argument evaluation. With discussion questions/exercises and suggestions for further reading at the end of each main chapter, this book is an essential read for students approaching the field of critical thinking for the first time, and for the general reader wanting to improving their thinking skills and decision making abilities.
| Author | : Guy P. Harrison |
| Publisher | : Prometheus Books |
| Total Pages | : 460 |
| Release | : 2012-01-03 |
| Genre | : Social Science |
| ISBN | : 1616144963 |
“What would it take to create a world in which fantasy is not confused for fact and public policy is based on objective reality?" asks Neil deGrasse Tyson, science popularizer and author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. "I don't know for sure. But a good place to start would be for everyone on earth to read this book." Maybe you know someone who swears by the reliability of psychics or who is in regular contact with angels. Or perhaps you're trying to find a nice way of dissuading someone from wasting money on a homeopathy cure. Or you met someone at a party who insisted the Holocaust never happened or that no one ever walked on the moon. How do you find a gently persuasive way of steering people away from unfounded beliefs, bogus cures, conspiracy theories, and the like? This down-to-earth, entertaining exploration of commonly held extraordinary claims will help you set the record straight. The author, a veteran journalist, has not only surveyed a vast body of literature, but has also interviewed leading scientists, explored "the most haunted house in America," frolicked in the inviting waters of the Bermuda Triangle, and even talked to a "contrite Roswell alien." He is not out simply to debunk unfounded beliefs. Wherever possible, he presents alternative scientific explanations, which in most cases are even more fascinating than the wildest speculation. For example, stories about UFOs and alien abductions lack good evidence, but science gives us plenty of reasons to keep exploring outer space for evidence that life exists elsewhere in the vast universe. The proof for Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster may be nonexistent, but scientists are regularly discovering new species, some of which are truly stranger than fiction. Stressing the excitement of scientific discovery and the legitimate mysteries and wonder inherent in reality, this book invites readers to share the joys of rational thinking and the skeptical approach to evaluating our extraordinary world.
| Author | : Alex Edmans |
| Publisher | : Univ of California Press |
| Total Pages | : 335 |
| Release | : 2024-05-14 |
| Genre | : Business & Economics |
| ISBN | : 0520405854 |
Adam Grant’s “8 New Idea Books to Start Spring” Next Big Idea Club's Must-Read Books for May 2024 How our biases cause us to fall for misinformation—and how to combat it. Our lives are minefields of misinformation. It ripples through our social media feeds, our daily headlines, and the pronouncements of politicians, executives, and authors. Stories, statistics, and studies are everywhere, allowing people to find evidence to support whatever position they want. Many of these sources are flawed, yet by playing on our emotions and preying on our biases, they can gain widespread acceptance, warp our views, and distort our decisions. In this eye-opening book, renowned economist Alex Edmans teaches us how to separate fact from fiction. Using colorful examples—from a wellness guru’s tragic but fabricated backstory to the blunders that led to the Deepwater Horizon disaster to the diet that ensnared millions yet hastened its founder’s death—Edmans highlights the biases that cause us to mistake statements for facts, facts for data, data for evidence, and evidence for proof. Armed with the knowledge of what to guard against, he then provides a practical guide to combat this tide of misinformation. Going beyond simply checking the facts and explaining individual statistics, Edmans explores the relationships between statistics—the science of cause and effect—ultimately training us to think smarter, sharper, and more critically. May Contain Lies is an essential read for anyone who wants to make better sense of the world and better decisions.
| Author | : Gregory Hickok |
| Publisher | : W. W. Norton & Company |
| Total Pages | : 251 |
| Release | : 2014-08-18 |
| Genre | : Science |
| ISBN | : 0393244164 |
An essential reconsideration of one of the most far-reaching theories in modern neuroscience and psychology. In 1992, a group of neuroscientists from Parma, Italy, reported a new class of brain cells discovered in the motor cortex of the macaque monkey. These cells, later dubbed mirror neurons, responded equally well during the monkey’s own motor actions, such as grabbing an object, and while the monkey watched someone else perform similar motor actions. Researchers speculated that the neurons allowed the monkey to understand others by simulating their actions in its own brain. Mirror neurons soon jumped species and took human neuroscience and psychology by storm. In the late 1990s theorists showed how the cells provided an elegantly simple new way to explain the evolution of language, the development of human empathy, and the neural foundation of autism. In the years that followed, a stream of scientific studies implicated mirror neurons in everything from schizophrenia and drug abuse to sexual orientation and contagious yawning. In The Myth of Mirror Neurons, neuroscientist Gregory Hickok reexamines the mirror neuron story and finds that it is built on a tenuous foundation—a pair of codependent assumptions about mirror neuron activity and human understanding. Drawing on a broad range of observations from work on animal behavior, modern neuroimaging, neurological disorders, and more, Hickok argues that the foundational assumptions fall flat in light of the facts. He then explores alternative explanations of mirror neuron function while illuminating crucial questions about human cognition and brain function: Why do humans imitate so prodigiously? How different are the left and right hemispheres of the brain? Why do we have two visual systems? Do we need to be able to talk to understand speech? What’s going wrong in autism? Can humans read minds? The Myth of Mirror Neurons not only delivers an instructive tale about the course of scientific progress—from discovery to theory to revision—but also provides deep insights into the organization and function of the human brain and the nature of communication and cognition.
