Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science


Peter Godfrey-Smith - 2003
    The result is a completely accessible introduction to the main themes of the philosophy of science. Intended for undergraduates and general readers with no prior background in philosophy, Theory and Reality covers logical positivism; the problems of induction and confirmation; Karl Popper's theory of science; Thomas Kuhn and "scientific revolutions"; the views of Imre Lakatos, Larry Laudan, and Paul Feyerabend; and challenges to the field from sociology of science, feminism, and science studies. The book then looks in more detail at some specific problems and theories, including scientific realism, the theory-ladeness of observation, scientific explanation, and Bayesianism. Finally, Godfrey-Smith defends a form of philosophical naturalism as the best way to solve the main problems in the field. Throughout the text he points out connections between philosophical debates and wider discussions about science in recent decades, such as the infamous "science wars." Examples and asides engage the beginning student; a glossary of terms explains key concepts; and suggestions for further reading are included at the end of each chapter. However, this is a textbook that doesn't feel like a textbook because it captures the historical drama of changes in how science has been conceived over the last one hundred years.Like no other text in this field, Theory and Reality combines a survey of recent history of the philosophy of science with current key debates in language that any beginning scholar or critical reader can follow.

Call of Duty: Black Ops


Brady Games - 2010
    DETAILED ANALYSIS reveals their strengths and weaknesses, and how to use them to maximum effect.GRIPPING ARTWORK makes This guide a MUST-HAVE Collectible for any Call of Duty fan.ACHIEVEMENT and TROPHY ROSTERS describe how to earn rewards and unlock SPECIAL features and items.Exclusive MAPS illustrate the levels and pinpoint mission-critical items and locations.UNCOMPROMISING MULTIPLAYER coverage provides expert tactics for every type of Co-Op, Team-Based, and Head-to-Head play mode.

The Signature of God: Astonishing Biblical Discoveries


Grant R. Jeffrey - 1996
    Jeffrey offers proof that the Bible is accurate both as history and prophecy. The Signature of God verifies beyond a doubt God's authorship-not only of Scripture, but of all creation.Contents:The battle for the Bible --Incredible evidence from historical documents --Ancient Sinai inscriptions and the Exodus --Startling archeological discoveries --The historical evidence about Jesus Christ --Scientific proof that the Bible is accurate --Advanced medical knowledge in the Bible --Precise fulfillment of Bible prophecy --Evidence from prophecies fulfilled in our generation --The mysterious Hebrew codes --The name of Jesus encoded in the Old Testament --The mathematical signature of God --The phenomenon of "undesigned coincidences" --The evidence of the men who wrote the New Testament --The decision is yours

The First Americans: In Pursuit of Archaeology's Greatest Mystery


J.M. Adovasio - 2002
    M. Adovasio has spent the last thirty years at the center of one of our most fiery scientific debates: Who were the first humans in the Americas, and how and when did they get there? At its heart, The First Americans is the story of the revolution in thinking that Adovasio and his fellow archaeologists have brought about, and the firestorm it has ignited. As he writes, “The work of lifetimes has been put at risk, reputations have been damaged, an astounding amount of silliness and even profound stupidity has been taken as serious thought, and always lurking in the background of all the argumentation and gnashing of tenets has been the question of whether the field of archaeology can ever be pursued as a science.”

Prehistory: The Making Of The Human Mind


Colin Renfrew - 2007
    This title looks at the gradual discovery only 150 years ago of a remote human past going back tens of thousands of years and the subsequent dramatic growth of the study of prehistory.

Refuting Evolution: A Handbook for Students, Parents, and Teachers Countering the Latest Arguments for Evolution


Jonathan Sarfati - 1999
    The latter, distributed nationwide to thousands of public school teachers, is an effort to saturate students with evolutionary concepts. Refuting Evolution is a cogent rebuttal, carefully examining the points raised in the NAS booklet: science and religion; natural selection; bird evolution; astronomy; the age of the earth, etc. Written by a well qualified voice for creationism, this book will be an invaluable answer summary for both homeschool and public school teachers.

The Skull in the Rock: How a Scientist, a Boy, and Google Earth Opened a New Window on Human Origins


Marc Aronson - 2012
    The discovery of two remarkably well preserved, two-million-year-old fossils of an adult female and young male, known as Australopiitecus sediba, has been hailed as one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history. The fossils reveal what may be one of humankind's oldest ancestors.Berger believes the skeletons they found on the Malapa site in South Africa could be the "Rosetta stone that unlocks our understanding of the genus Homo" and may just redesign the human family tree.Berger, an Eagle Scout and National Geographic Grantee, is the Reader in Human Evolution and the Public Understanding of Science in the Institute for Human Evolution at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.The focus of the book will be on the way in which we can apply new thinking to familiar material and come up with a breakthrough. Marc Aronson is particularly interested in framing these issues for young people and has had enormous success with this approach in his previous books: Ain't Nothing But a Man and If Stones Could Speak.Berger's discovery in one of the most excavated and studied areas on Earth revealed a treasure trove of human fossils--and an entirely new human species--where people thought no more field work might ever be necessary. Technology and revelation combined, plus a good does of luck, to broaden by ten times the number of early human fossils known, rejuvenating this field of study and posing countless more questions to be answered in years and decades to come.

How Humans Evolved


Robert Boyd - 1997
    The well-structured pedagogical framework of the text, with its emphasis on overarching ideas, makes the material accessible to introductory students.

The Invaders: How Humans and Their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction


Pat Shipman - 2015
    Approximately 200,000 years ago, as modern humans began to radiate out from their evolutionary birthplace in Africa, Neanderthals were already thriving in Europe--descendants of a much earlier migration of the African genus Homo. But when modern humans eventually made their way to Europe 45,000 years ago, Neanderthals suddenly vanished. Ever since the first Neanderthal bones were identified in 1856, scientists have been vexed by the question, why did modern humans survive while their evolutionary cousins went extinct?The Invaders musters compelling evidence to show that the major factor in the Neanderthals' demise was direct competition with newly arriving humans. Drawing on insights from the field of invasion biology, which predicts that the species ecologically closest to the invasive predator will face the greatest competition, Pat Shipman traces the devastating impact of a growing human population: reduction of Neanderthals' geographic range, isolation into small groups, and loss of genetic diversity.But modern humans were not the only invaders who competed with Neanderthals for big game. Shipman reveals fascinating confirmation of humans' partnership with the first domesticated wolf-dogs soon after Neanderthals first began to disappear. This alliance between two predator species, she hypothesizes, made possible an unprecedented degree of success in hunting large Ice Age mammals--a distinct and ultimately decisive advantage for humans over Neanderthals at a time when climate change made both groups vulnerable.

Mate: Become the Man Women Want


Tucker Max - 2015
    Whether they conducted their research in life or in the lab, experts Tucker Max and Dr. Geoffrey Miller have spent the last 20+ years learning what women really want from their men, why they want it, and how men can deliver those qualities. The short answer: become the best version of yourself possible, then show it off. It sounds simple, but it's not. If it were, Tinder would just be the stuff you use to start a fire. Becoming your best self requires honesty, self-awareness, hard work and a little help. Through their website and podcasts, Max and Miller have already helped over one million guys take their first steps toward Ms. Right. They have collected all of their findings in Mate, an evidence-driven, seriously funny playbook that will teach you to become a more sexually attractive and romantically successful man, the right way: No "seduction techniques," No moralizing, No bullshit. Just honest, straightforward talk about the most ethical, effective way to pursue the win-win relationships you want with the women who are best for you. Much of what they've discovered will surprise you, some of it will not, but all of it is important and often misunderstood. So listen up, and stop being stupid!

Thinking Big: How the Evolution of Social Life Shaped the Human Mind


Clive Gamble - 2014
    The barriers to what we can know about our distant relatives have been falling as a result of scientific advance, such as decoding the genomes of humans and Neanderthals, and bringing together different perspectives to answer common questions. These collaborations have brought new knowledge and suggested fresh concepts to examine. The results have shaken the old certainties.The results are profound; not just for the study of the past but for appreciating why we conduct our social lives in ways, and at scales, that are familiar to all of us. But such basic familiarity raises a dilemma. When surrounded by the myriad technical and cultural innovations that support our global, urbanized lifestyles we can lose sight of the small social worlds we actually inhabit and that can be traced deep into our ancestry. So why do we need art, religion, music, kinship, myths, and all the other facets of our over-active imaginations if the reality of our effective social worlds is set by a limit of some one hundred and fifty partners (Dunbar’s number) made of family, friends, and useful acquaintances? How could such a social community lead to a city the size of London or a country as large as China? Do we really carry our hominin past into our human present? It is these small worlds, and the link they allow to the study of the past that forms the central point in this book.

It's Normal!


Mahinder Watsa - 2015
    In this book he addresses and explains all the issues and concerns that you might have about sex and sexuality. From understanding your body to teenage troubles, from the first night to safe sex, from infancy to sixty years and beyond, he gives advice and solutions for all these and more. Plus, with classic wit and humour, he deals with hundreds of queries from his readers across the country. It's Normal!, a comprehensive guide to sex, is an essential read.

Selena Gómez


Sarah Tieck - 2009
    - Snapshot with vital information- Fun Facts sprinkled throughout- Bold, captivating graphics- Large, action-packed photos- Short, engaging sentences and paragraphs

The Goddess and the Bull: Catalhoyuk: An Archaeological Journey to the Dawn of Civilization


Michael Balter - 2004
    Today, under the direction of Ian Hodder, excavations continues unabated. This multi-faceted biography tells the story of Catalhoyuek from a variety of angles. It tells the story of the discovery of the site, of those that directed excavations and the team of diggers and experts working there, as well as their relationships, rivalries and personal aims. However, the book also provides insights into the process of archaeology, discussing what the findings of the Neolithic Dawn of Civilization'. This behind-the-scenes look at the site and the people drawn to it each season is both engaging and informative, much like the site itself. A revealing narrative of people and ideas at the working face of archaeology' - Colin Renfrew.

Mind in the Cave: Consciousness and the Origins of Art


James David Lewis-Williams - 2002
    David Lewis-Williams proposes that the explanation for this lies in the evolution of the human mind. Cro-Magnons, unlike the Neanderthals, possessed a more advanced neurological makeup that enabled them to experience shamanistic trances and vivid mental imagery. It became important for people to "fix," or paint, these images on cave walls, which they perceived as the membrane between their world and the spirit world from which the visions came. Over time, new social distinctions developed as individuals exploited their hallucinations for personal advancement, and the first truly modern society emerged.Illuminating glimpses into the ancient mind are skillfully interwoven here with the still-evolving story of modern-day cave discoveries and research. The Mind in the Cave is a superb piece of detective work, casting light on the darkest mysteries of our earliest ancestors while strengthening our wonder at their aesthetic achievements.