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What If?: Thought Experimentation in Philosophy
by Nicholas RescherThought experimentation has been a staple of philosophical methodology since classical antiquity, when Xenophanes of Colophon speculated that if horses had gods, they would be equine in form. Nicholas Rescher's What If? undertakes a systematic survey of the role and utility of thought experiments in philosophy. After surveying the historical issues, Rescher examines the principles involved, and explains the conditions under which thought experimentation can validly yield instructive results in philosophy. The reader gains understanding of the differences between scientific and philosophical experiments.What If? begins by examining the nature of thought experiments. It presents an overview of how thought experiments have figured in natural science and in historical studies, before moving on to examine how they function as an instrument of philosophical inquiry. After examining thought experiments from the pre-Socratics to the present day, Rescher turns from history to analysis, and examines the modes of reasoning involved in the use of speculative hypotheses in philosophical problem solving. He shows the limitations of speculative ontology, showing that thought experimentation can lead readily to paradox in a way that increasingly diminishes its usefulness. The book concludes by arguing and illustrating how and when it becomes pointless to push speculation, or thought experimentation beyond the limits of intelligibility and cogent sense.Among the principal features of Rescher's book is its elaborate analysis of the appropriate conditions for philosophical thought experimentation. Its cardinal thesis is that there indeed are limits to the appropriateness of this important methodological resource and that transgressing these limits destroys the prospect of drawing any valid lessons for the philosophical enterprise. What If? will be of interest to philosophers, students of philosophy, and theorists of logic and reasoning.
What Intelligence Tests Miss
by Keith E. StanovichCritics of intelligence tests--writers such as Robert Sternberg, Howard Gardner, and Daniel Goleman--have argued in recent years that these tests neglect important qualities such as emotion, empathy, and interpersonal skills. However, such critiques imply that though intelligence tests may miss certain key noncognitive areas, they encompass most of what is important in the cognitive domain. In this book, Keith E. Stanovich challenges this widely held assumption. Stanovich shows that IQ tests (or their proxies, such as the SAT) are radically incomplete as measures of cognitive functioning. They fail to assess traits that most people associate with "good thinking," skills such as judgment and decision making. Such cognitive skills are crucial to real-world behavior, affecting the way we plan, evaluate critical evidence, judge risks and probabilities, and make effective decisions. IQ tests fail to assess these skills of rational thought, even though they are measurable cognitive processes. Rational thought is just as important as intelligence, Stanovich argues, and it should be valued as highly as the abilities currently measured on intelligence tests.
What Is A Near Death Experience?
by Dr Penny SartoriDeath is the only certainty in life yet many people shy away from thinking about it until something drastic happens such as the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness, or the sudden death of a loved one, which can throw us into turmoil. Yet, paradoxically, contemplating death and the frequently-experienced phenomenon of near-death experiences (NDEs) - which are so little recognised and supported within the traditional medical environment - can really help alter our relationship with death and release us from the fear that often surrounds it.After an insightful introduction about why the subject of NDEs is so worth exploring, each chapter in this book addresses a key question: What are the Characteristics of an NDE, and are there different types? Are all NDE experiences pleasant, or can some be distressing? Who has NDEs and under what circumstances do they occur? How do they affect the people who have them, and how can this change their lives? How can NDEs be scientifically explained - aren't they just hallucinations? What can we learn from NDEs, and can they change our attitude to life and death? Can a greater understanding of NDEs lead to an evolution in our consciousness and an enhanced sense of spirituality?As such, this book really brings readers on an exploratory journey through the world of NDEs, challenging preconceptions about what they are and the impact they can have, encouraging us to accept and feel empowered by death, rather than living in fear of it, and giving us useful insights about life along the way.From the Trade Paperback edition.
What Is God?
by Jacob NeedlemanIn his most deeply personal work, religious scholar Needleman cuts a clear path through today's clamorous debates over the existence of God, illuminating an entirely new way of approaching the question of how to understand a higher power. I n this new book, philosopher Jacob Needleman- whose voice and ideas have done so much to open the West to esoteric and Eastern religious ideas in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries-intimately considers humanity's most vital question: What is God? Needleman begins by taking us more than a half century into the past, to his own experience as a brilliant, promising, Ivyeducated student of philosophy-atheistic, existential, and unwilling to blindly accept childish religiosity. But an unsettling meeting with the venerated Zen teacher D. T. Suzuki, combined with the sudden need to accept a dreary position teaching the philosophy of religion, forced the young academician to look more closely at the religious ideas he had once thought dead. Within traditional religious texts the scholar discovered a core of esoteric and philosophical ideas, more mature and challenging than anything he had ever associated with Judaism, Christianity, and the religions of the East. At the same time, Needleman came to realize-as he shares with the reader-that ideas and words are not enough. Ideas and words, no matter how profound, cannot prevent hatred, arrogance, and ultimate despair, and cannot prevent our individual lives from descending into violence and illusion. And with this insight, Needleman begins to open the reader to a new kind of understanding: The inner realization that in order to lead the lives we were intended for, the very nature of human experience must change, including the very structure of our perception and indeed the very structure of our minds. In What Is God?, Needleman draws us closer to the meaning and nature of this needed change-and shows how our present confusion about the purpose of religion and the concept of God reflects a widespread psychological starvation for this specific quality of thought and experience. In rich and varied detail, the book describes this inner experience-and how almost all of us, atheists and "believers" alike, actually have been visited by it, but without understanding what it means and why the intentional cultivation of this quality of experience is necessary for the fullness of our existence.
What Is Happiness: A Korean Monk's Guide to Life
by Pomnyun Sunim'When I ask people, "Are you happy?" in my talks, very few people say yes.'There are many things that seem to prevent us from being happy in our lives. Usually, things don't turn out the way we want them to. It could be unfulfilled goals, bad habits, a society that's built to benefit only those at the very top, or the loops of self-deprecation that many of us find ourselves falling into. But we can take control of our happiness, whatever life throws at us. We all have the right, and the ability, to be happy regardless of our situation.With his simple yet profound teachings, Buddhist monk Pomnyun Sunim shows us how to combat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity, anger, and discouragement. He explains why humans are prone to self-destruction, and redirects our focus to finding happiness.This book has touched countless lives and uplifted spirits in Korea, and it's time for the rest of the world to experience and understand exactly what is happiness.
What Is Happiness: A Monk's Guide to a Happy Life
by Pomnyun Sunim'When I ask people, "Are you happy?" in my talks, very few people say yes.'There are many things that seem to prevent us from being happy in our lives. Usually, things don't turn out the way we want them to. It could be unfulfilled goals, bad habits, a society that's built to benefit only those at the very top, or the loops of self-deprecation that many of us find ourselves falling into. But we can take control of our happiness, whatever life throws at us. We all have the right, and the ability, to be happy regardless of our situation.With his simple yet profound teachings, Buddhist monk Pomnyun Sunim shows us how to combat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity, anger, and discouragement. He explains why humans are prone to self-destruction, and redirects our focus to finding happiness.This book has touched countless lives and uplifted spirits in Korea, and it's time for the rest of the world to experience and understand exactly what is happiness.
What Is Love?: A Simple Buddhist Guide to Romantic Happiness
by Taro Gold"What Is Love? is an inspirational handbook to happy, healthy, and fulfilled relationships. Reading it will uplift your spirit, clarify expectations, and open the door to the relationship of your dreams." –Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph.D., author of the number-one New York Times best-selling book If Love Is a Game, These Are the Rules Why is it that love receives less instruction than the average driver's education class? We don't learn to drive by crashing until we get it right, but this seems to be how we learn about love.Author Taro Gold offers simple, practical guidance-based on the universal principles of Buddhism-that can steer us through the twists and turns of love. By leading us first to become happy within, Buddhist teachings offer empowering advice on creating the romantic happiness of our dreams.What Is Love? contains three sections: Love and Illusion: The Outer Path (Searching Through the Fantasy)Love and Reality: The Inner Path (Finding True Love Within)Love and Life: The Middle Path (Creating Romantic Happiness Now)Inspirational quotes are sprinkled throughout the text, enriched by full-color, Far East-inspired watercolors. Like an elegant bouquet of flowers, it's the perfect gift for Valentine's Day or any other special occasion.
What Is Medicine? Western and Eastern Approaches to Healing
by Paul U. Unschuld Karen ReimersThis book depicts the fascinating development of medical thought in West and East. It shows the close bond between medical thought and the prevailing social and economic conditions governing man's living environment.
What Is Meditation?: Buddhism for Everyone
by Ron NairnWhat Is Meditation? explains the Buddhist worldview and the age-old practice it perfected to unfold our innate qualities of compassion, self-acceptance, and inner peace. Rob Nairn gives step-by-step instructions for beginning your own meditation practice, including three simple exercises--"Bare Attention," "Remaining in the Present," and "Meditation Using Sound"--to help get you started.
What Is Menopause?: A Guide for People with Autism, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
by Kate E. ReynoldsThis carefully written and explicitly illustrated book provides an explanation of menopause for people with autism and special education needs and disabilities (SEND). It helps readers to understand the physical processes and symptoms of menopause, as well as important practical information, such as how to cope with the emotional and hormonal changes in menopause, complementary therapies and tips on how to effectively communicate your experiences to support networks and professionals such as, doctors and therapists.Menopause is rarely recognised or addressed with people who have autism, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) yet it has a significant impact on their daily living. This book frankly explains what constitutes menopause, that it is part of the life course and can be actively managed. As part of the 'Healthy Loving, Healthy Living' series, this book is written in gender neutral and inclusive language.
What Is Pregnancy?: A Guide for People with Autism, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Healthy Loving, Healthy Living)
by Kate E. ReynoldsThis carefully written and illustrated book provides an explanation of pregnancy for people with autism and special education needs and disabilities (SEND). It helps readers to understand the physical processes of pregnancy, as well as important practical information, such as how to stay healthy in pregnancy, antenatal care, the role of the midwife and the involvement of partners.Many people with autism and SEND may want or plan to have children. Many women who have autism, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have poor experiences of prenatal and postnatal care and high levels of stress, anxiety and depression or do not disclose their pregnancy until far into their terms due to fears of forced termination. This book frankly explains pregnancy so that the reader has a clear understanding of what constitutes pregnancy, what happens during labour and is aware of their legal right to create a family.
What Is Real
by Karen RiversDex Pratt’s life has been turned upside down. His parents have divorced and his mother has remarried. When his father attempts suicide and fails, Dex returns to their small town to care for him. But he’s not prepared for how much everything has changed. Gone are the nice house, new cars, fancy bikes and other toys. Now he and his wheelchair-bound dad live in a rotting rented house at the back of a cornfield. And, worse, his father has given up defending marijuana growers in his law practice and has become one himself. Unable to cope, Dex begins smoking himself into a state of surrealism. He begins to lose touch with what is real and what he is imagining. And then there are the aliens...and the girl-of-his-dreams...and the crop circle...
What Is Self?: A Study of the Spiritual Journey in Terms of Consciousness
by Bernadette RobertsThe renowned contemporary mystic and author of The Experience of No-Self presents her philosophical treatise on the nature of Self and God. As a Carmelite nun, Bernadette Roberts pursued a life in union with God. She wrote compellingly about her contemplative spiritual journey in her memoirs The Experience of No-Self and The Path of No-Self. Now she builds on the wisdom she gained, exploring the ultimate consciousness that transcends self and experience. In What Is Self?, Ms. Roberts explains her conceptions of the ego, the self, and the revelations of the contemplative life. Deeply personal and profoundly spiritual, this latest effort puts all of Bernadette&’s insights into clearer and sharper perspective—as though her own journey has grown clearer with distance.
What Is Sex?: A Guide for People with Autism, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Healthy Loving, Healthy Living)
by Kate E. ReynoldsThis carefully written and illustrated book provides an explanation of sex for people with autism and special education needs and disabilities (SEND). It helps readers to understand the physical processes as well as important issues such as consent and sexual safety, helping them to develop positive relationships.Many people with autism and SEND have or will have intimate relationships. Often sex is alluded to, rather than being carefully explored. This can create confusion around consent, sexual health, and pregnancy, and cause people to turn to dubious online information. This book frankly explains sex so that the reader has a clear understanding of what constitutes sex, knowledge of the proper names for sexual organs and sexual activities, and is aware of the potential physical consequences of having sex.
What Is Sound Healing?
by Lyz CooperCast your mind back to the last time a sound affected you. Perhapsbirdsong set a positive tone for your day or a favourite song liftedyour mood. Sound certainly has the power to send our spiritssoaring but how exactly does it do this and can it go beyond this toenhance our wellbeing and even help us 'heal' ourselves? Recentresearch has proven that it absolutely can and that sound healingcan therefore help us achieve all kinds of personal transformation,enabling us to lead more authentic, connected and contented lives.In this discerning guide, expert Lyz Cooper answers the mostfrequently asked questions about this intriguing subject, including:# What is sound and how do we hear it?# How does sound healing work?# What happens in a therapeutic sound session?# What are the day-to-day benefits of using therapeutic sound?# What can therapeutic sound teach us about our place in thewider world?The combination of the Q&A approach, insightful case studiesand practical exercises means this little book really takes you on abehind-the-scenes tour of this powerful practice, giving everythingyou need to begin a life-changing journey full of healing potential.From the Trade Paperback edition.
What Is Stress? (Health and My Body)
by Mari SchuhStress can make you feel bad. It can be caused by lots of different things. A big test. A fight with a friend. A new experience. But no matter what causes the stress, what’s important is how you deal with it.
What Is Veganism For? (What Is It For?)
by Catherine OliverAcross the world, an increasing number of people are turning to veganism, changing not just their diets, but completely removing animal products from their lives. For some, this is prompted by concerns over animal ethics; for others, it’s a response to the part played by animal agriculture in the climate crisis or an attempt to improve their own health. Catherine Oliver shows why the veganism movement has become a powerful social, political and environmental force, taking an honest look at how we live and eat. She discusses the health and environmental benefits of veganism, explores the practical and social impacts of the shift to eating plants, and explains why veganism is not just a diet, but a way of life.
What Is Your Baby Really Thinking?: All the Things Your Baby Wished They Could Tell You
by Sam HartThe secret’s out!When you look into your baby’s big, beautiful eyes, it can be hard to know what on earth is going through their curious minds. Well you needn’t wonder any more, because after delving deep into baby psychology we can now reveal the real thoughts behind those adorable pudgy faces.Find out what they’re really thinking when you blow raspberries on their tum-tum or "steal" their nose, why they particularly enjoy spitting up over your nice clean top, and what that funny expression means when you make them wear "novelty" onesies.
What Is Your Baby Really Thinking?: All the Things Your Baby Wished They Could Tell You
by Sam HartThe secret’s out!When you look into your baby’s big, beautiful eyes, it can be hard to know what on earth is going through their curious minds. Well you needn’t wonder any more, because after delving deep into baby psychology we can now reveal the real thoughts behind those adorable pudgy faces.Find out what they’re really thinking when you blow raspberries on their tum-tum or "steal" their nose, why they particularly enjoy spitting up over your nice clean top, and what that funny expression means when you make them wear "novelty" onesies.
What Is the AIDS Crisis? (What Was?)
by Nico Medina Who HQIn this addition to the New York Times bestselling series, learn how incredible activists made the public aware of AIDS and spurred medical breakthroughs.In the early 1980s, the first cases of a devastating and fatal new disease appeared, a disease that at first struck only gay men and was later identified as HIV/AIDS. It was the beginning of what became a worldwide health crisis that the US government ignored for years and that unfairly heightened prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community. To this day, the AIDS Crisis continues to disproportionately affect both the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. Nico Medina has written an accurate and affecting history of a terrible time, spotlighting the heroic efforts of AIDS activists who fought for medical research and new medicines, for proper health care for patients, and for compassionate recognition of people with AIDS.
What Is the Coronavirus Disease COVID-19? (Who HQ Now)
by Michael Burgan Who HQThe #1 New York Times Best-Selling series tells the story of how COVID-19, a coronavirus, was first identified and how it spread throughout the world in the new Who HQ Now format for trending topics. The coronavirus disease COVID-19 emerged in November 2019. By March 2020, cities all around the world closed schools, offices, restaurants and other public spaces deemed &“non-essential&” in an attempt to contain the fast-spreading virus. People struggled to follow government orders, stay indoors, and limit contact with others. But the virus that caused one of the world&’s deadliest pandemics eventually killed over two million people worldwide. This is the story of how COVID-19 changed the world seemingly overnight, and forever.
What Is the Story of the Headless Horseman? (What Is the Story Of?)
by Sheila Keenan Who HQWho HQ brings you the stories behind the most well-known characters of our time.Discover the haunting story of the Headless Horseman, his chilling adventures in Sleepy Hollow, New York, and his historical backstory in this addition to the What Is the Story Of? series.Washington Irving published The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 1820, introducing the eerie Headless Horseman character to readers worldwide. Readers were both scared and intrigued by the horrific character, who is the ghost of a soldier who had been decapitated during the American Revolution. Now, the character is an American classic, featured in movies, television shows, cartoons, comic books, and even video games, thanks to his chilling story of a lone horseman seeking revenge. Perfect for Halloween, but an enduring year-round favorite, the Headless Horseman rides forward in this exciting new nonfiction title.
What Islam Did For Us
by Tim Wallace-MurphyIn the Shadow of Sacrifice shows by example how to minimize the significance of life’s challenges by presenting them as necessary ingredients in a strong and healthy development. The book reveals the impoverished youth of Howard Calhoun, the one quirky life-changing intervention that started his path to college, and many thoughtful, humorous, and truthful narratives that will convince the most skeptical to welcome the most difficult problems that life presents. The book challenges anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, helpless, and threatened by life to use that energy to recognize their own excellence.
What Islam Did For Us
by Tim Wallace-MurphyIn these troubled times, when Islam is under seemingly perpetual attack, it is imperative to consider how much the West owes to the religion's spiritual insights. Bestselling author Tim Wallace-Murphy presents the first major popular book to examine the common roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and to reveal Islam's immense contributions to our society--which included laying the foundations for our systems of education, astronomy, mathematics, and architecture. He also illustrates how the European Western powers helped foment the current crisis in the Middle East, and why we must strive for a just, equitable solution to these problems. Understanding can begin with this compelling acknowledgment of our shared spiritual heritage, including religious tolerance, respect for learning, and the concepts of chivalry and brotherhood.
What Islam Did For Us
by Tim Wallace-MurphyIn these troubled times, when Islam is under seemingly perpetual attack, it is imperative to consider how much the West owes to the religion's spiritual insights. Bestselling author Tim Wallace-Murphy presents the first major popular book to examine the common roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and to reveal Islam's immense contributions to our society--which included laying the foundations for our systems of education, astronomy, mathematics, and architecture. He also illustrates how the European Western powers helped foment the current crisis in the Middle East, and why we must strive for a just, equitable solution to these problems. Understanding can begin with this compelling acknowledgment of our shared spiritual heritage, including religious tolerance, respect for learning, and the concepts of chivalry and brotherhood.