Book picks similar to
The Coming of the Golden Age: A View of the End of Progress by Gunther S. Stent
history
tech-related
sociological-metabolism
future
The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History
Howard Bloom - 1995
The Lucifer Priciple is a revolutionary work that explores the intricate relationships among genetics, human behavior, and culture to put forth the thesis that “evil” is a by-product of nature’s strategies for creation and that it is woven into our most basic biological fabric.
St. John Feet, Fins and Four Wheel Drive
Pam Gaffin - 1994
John, Virgin Islands. It tells you exactly where to go, how to get there, and what to do and see when you arrive. It contains everything you need to know about the St. John's beaches and hiking trails, as well as its confusing system, of roads, foot-paths and goat-trails. Recommended by Caribbean Travel and Life and by many St. Johnians since locals are NOT on vacation and can't always take time off from work to be a tour guide for their guests. Best Selling St John Guidebook since 1994. Updated in 2009.
CUNNING PLANS: Talks By Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis - 2015
CUNNING PLANS collects several of NYT-bestselling author Warren Ellis' lectures on the nature of the haunted future and the secrets of deep history, given in recent years at events in London, New York, Los Angeles and Berlin.
Plato
Berel Lang - 1990
As Socrates' student, Plato preserved the teachings of his great mentor in many famous "dialogues"; these deal with classic issues like law and justice, perception and reality, death and the soul, mind and body, reason and passion, and the nature of love. The dialogues also discuss the value of moral principle vs. the value of life itself; how to achieve virtue; and how each of us can fulfill our true nature.The most famous of all Platonic doctrines is the "theory of forms." This theory that any object's true reality is found in its rational form or structure rather than in its material appearance. And Plato's Republic presents his distinctive (and much criticized) vision of the ideal state.Plato believed that philosophy begins in the sense of wonder. With Socrates, he sees philosophy as reason, unhindered by feelings, emotions, and the senses. And from these two great thinkers we have received perhaps the most well known of all philosophical utterances: "the unexamined life is not worth living."
Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity
Andrew Solomon - 2012
He writes about families coping with deafness, dwarfism, Down's syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, or multiple severe disabilities; with children who are prodigies, who are conceived in rape, who become criminals, who are transgender. While each of these characteristics is potentially isolating, the experience of difference within families is universal, and Solomon documents triumphs of love over prejudice in every chapter.All parenting turns on a crucial question: to what extent should parents accept their children for who they are, and to what extent they should help them become their best selves. Drawing on ten years of research and interviews with more than three hundred families, Solomon mines the eloquence of ordinary people facing extreme challenges.Elegantly reported by a spectacularly original and compassionate thinker, Far from the Tree explores how people who love each other must struggle to accept each other—a theme in every family’s life.
Corrupting the Image: Angels, Aliens, and the Antichrist Revealed
Douglas Hamp - 2011
Jesus told us that the last days will be like the days of Noah during which, according to Genesis, fallen angels mixed their seed with humanity. According to the Book of Daniel, we know that “they” will attempt to mingle with the seed of Men. The day of fulfillment for those prophecies is now!
The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology
Kerry O. Ferris - 2008
With a clever mix of popular culture, everyday life, and extensive student activities, The Real World fully realizes sociology's unique ability to stimulate students intellectually as well as resonate with them personally.
Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages
Guy Deutscher - 2010
But now, acclaimed linguist Guy Deutscher has dared to reopen the issue. Can culture influence language —and vice versa? Can different languages lead their speakers to different thoughts? Could our experience of the world depend on whether our language has a word for "blue"?Challenging the consensus that the fundaments of language are hard-wired in our genes and thus universal, Deutscher argues that the answer to all these questions is—yes. In thrilling fashion, he takes us from Homer to Darwin, from Yale to the Amazon, from how to name the rainbow to why Russian water —a "she"— becomes a "he" once you dip a tea bag into her, demonstrating that language does in fact reflect culture in ways that are anything but trivial.
Racist America: Roots, Current Realities, and Future Reparations
Joe R. Feagin - 2000
Racist America is a bold, thoughtful exploration of the ubiquity of race in contemporary life. From a black New Jersey dentist stopped by police more than 100 times for driving to work in an expensive car to the labourer who must defend his promotion against charges of undeserved affirmative action, Feagin lays bare the economic, ideologic, and political structure of American racism. In doing so he develops an antiracist theory rooted not only in the latest empirical data but also in the current reality of racism in the U.S.
The Bible in a Nutshell
Casper Rigsby - 2014
With an estimated word count of well over 700,000 words, the book is not an undertaking for the casual reader. The book can be a very tedious and boring read. This turns many people off from wanting to commit any time to understanding the foundational doctrine of Christianity. However, as atheists we really need to have at least a basic understanding of the Bible if we are going to make a judgment call about the religion. No matter which sect of Christianity someone subscribes to, the Bible is the foundation of Christian belief. This book is a mere 7,000 words to tell a slimmed down version of the basic story of the Bible. This book focused on the narrative rather than any underlying allegory or metaphor inherent in the narrative. The author attempts to challenge the notion of biblical literalism by showing that the story in its most basic form is simply too fantastic for any rational person to believe.
A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Karen Armstrong - 1993
Karen Armstrong's superbly readable exploration of how the three dominant monotheistic religions of the world - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - have shaped and altered the conception of God is a tour de force. One of Britain's foremost commentators on religious affairs, Armstrong traces the history of how men and women have perceived and experienced God, from the time of Abraham to the present. From classical philosophy and medieval mysticism to the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the modern age of skepticism, Armstrong performs the near miracle of distilling the intellectual history of monotheism into one compelling volume.
Megatrends Asia
John Naisbitt - 1996
While the attention of the West has been fixed on the USSR and Eastern Europe, a quieter, cumulative revolution has been taking place in Asia which may have even more profound consequences for world history.
Memory, History, Forgetting
Paul Ricœur - 2000
Ricoeur first takes a phenomenological approach to memory and mnemonical devices. The underlying question here is how a memory of present can be of something absent, the past. The second section addresses recent work by historians by reopening the question of the nature and truth of historical knowledge. Ricoeur explores whether historians, who can write a history of memory, can truly break with all dependence on memory, including memories that resist representation. The third and final section is a profound meditation on the necessity of forgetting as a condition for the possibility of remembering, and whether there can be something like happy forgetting in parallel to happy memory. Throughout the book there are careful and close readings of the texts of Aristotle and Plato, of Descartes and Kant, and of Halbwachs and Pierre Nora.A momentous achievement in the career of one of the most significant philosophers of our age, Memory, History, Forgetting provides the crucial link between Ricoeur's Time and Narrative and Oneself as Another and his recent reflections on ethics and the problems of responsibility and representation.“His success in revealing the internal relations between recalling and forgetting, and how this dynamic becomes problematic in light of events once present but now past, will inspire academic dialogue and response but also holds great appeal to educated general readers in search of both method for and insight from considering the ethical ramifications of modern events. . . . It is indeed a master work, not only in Ricoeur’s own vita but also in contemporary European philosophy.”—Library Journal “Ricoeur writes the best kind of philosophy—critical, economical, and clear.”— New York Times Book Review
Vipassana Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Vipassana Meditation
Chaya Rao - 2014
Regularly priced at $4.99. Read on your PC, Mac, smart phone, tablet or Kindle device. Vipassana is not a belief system, religion, or a philosophy. Though Buddhist in origin, it isn’t dependent on Buddhism, and you certainly don’t have to be a Buddhist to practice Vipassana. Vipassana is a form of meditation, or a mental exercise, if you will, that has the capacity to do absolute wonders in your life. It’s a fantastic way to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, reduce blood pressure, end drug dependency, and help with pain management – greatly minimizing the need for medication. It’s also effective in dealing with anger management issues, post traumatic stress, and hormonal changes. The list doesn’t end there. It’s proven to increase productivity in the workplace, heighten memory, concentration, and focus, and helps those with cognitive difficulties. And best of all? It requires absolutely no investment or special equipment. It’s free! This book will delve into Vipassana, explaining everything you need to know to practice Vipassana regularly (and successfully) in your life so that you can reap all its benefits, most especially ridding yourself of stress and anxiety, instead living with happiness, peace, and joy. Here Is A Preview Of What You'll Learn...
What is Vipassana?
Preliminary Preparations
Sitting Vipassana (the First Exercise)
Labelling
Observing Motion
Observing Sensation
If You ABSOLUTELY Have to Move
A Few Warnings
Active Vipassana
Much, much more!
Download your copy today! Tags: vipassana, mindfulness, meditation, vipassana meditation, dhamma, dharma, mindfulness exercises, mindfulness training, vipassana yoga, vipassana meditation technique, Buddhism, vipassana buddhism, vipassana goenka, vipassana mindfulness, meditation, buddhist
365 Days Of Walking The Red Road: The Native American Path to Leading a Spiritual Life Every Day (Religion and Spirituality)
Terri Jean - 2003
365 Days of Walking the Red Road captures this priceless ancient knowledge and shows you how you can live your life to the fullest through integrity, compassion, and brotherhood. By reading the daily messages in this compelling work, you will discover yourself inside and out and move positively down your personal road without fear or doubt. This superb collection of Native American philosophy and culture helps you on your path along the Red Road in your quest for truth, light, and love.