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Ergodic Theory of Expanding Thurston Maps
by Zhiqiang LiThurston maps are topological generalizations of postcritically-finite rational maps. This book provides a comprehensive study of ergodic theory of expanding Thurston maps, focusing on the measure of maximal entropy, as well as a more general class of invariant measures, called equilibrium states, and certain weak expansion properties of such maps. In particular, we present equidistribution results for iterated preimages and periodic points with respect to the unique measure of maximal entropy by investigating the number and locations of fixed points. We then use the thermodynamical formalism to establish the existence, uniqueness, and various other properties of the equilibrium state for a Holder continuous potential on the sphere equipped with a visual metric. After studying some weak expansion properties of such maps, we obtain certain large deviation principles for iterated preimages and periodic points under an additional assumption on the critical orbits of the maps. This enables us to obtain general equidistribution results for such points with respect to the equilibrium states under the same assumption.
Ergodic Theory, Open Dynamics, and Coherent Structures
by Wael Bahsoun Christopher Bose Gary FroylandThis book is comprised of selected research articles developed from a workshop on Ergodic Theory, Probabilistic Methods and Applications, held in April 2012 at the Banff International Research Station. It contains contributions from world leading experts in ergodic theory, numerical dynamical systems, molecular dynamics and ocean/atmosphere dynamics, nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. The volume will serve as a valuable reference for mathematicians, physicists, engineers, biologists and climate scientists, who currently use, or wish to learn how to use, probabilistic techniques to cope with dynamical models that display open or non-equilibrium behavior.
Ergonomics for Design and Innovation: Humanizing Work and Work Environment: Proceedings of HWWE 2021 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #391)
by Debkumar Chakrabarti Sougata Karmakar Urmi R. SalveThis book presents the proceedings of the 19th International Conference of the Indian Society of Ergonomics (HWWE), held in Guwahati, India, on December 1-3, 2021. By highlighting the latest theories and models, as well as cutting-edge technologies and applications, and by combining findings from a range of disciplines including engineering, design, health care, management, computer science, and behavioral science, it provides researchers and practitioners alike with a comprehensive, timely guide on user-centered design for quality life, human factors and ergonomics, design applications, cognitive processing, and response. It also offers an excellent source of innovative ideas to stimulate future discussions and developments aimed at applying knowledge and techniques to optimize system performance, while at the same time promoting the health, safety, and well-being of individuals. The proceedings includes papers from researchers and practitioners, scientists and physicians, institutional leaders, managers, and policy makers that contribute to constructing the human factors and ergonomics approach across a variety of methodologies, domains, and productive sectors.
Erhard Scheibe's Structuralism: Roots and Prospects (Fundamental Theories of Physics #213)
by Johannes MierauThis book offers the first systematic review of the structuralism of physical theories. Particular emphasis is placed on the inclusion of empirical imprecision into formal reconstructions of theories. The proposed measure of imprecision allows for a topological comparison of theories. Considering the ongoing debates on the nature of the thermodynamic limit in statistical mechanics, as well as on limit relations between classical and quantum mechanics, the author asserts that the Bourbaki-style structuralism, together with E. Scheibe's theory of reduction, is the best choice for reconstructing and analyzing the related questions of reduction and emergence. Readers will appreciate the critical overview of the main positions in philosophy of science, examined with particular attention to their applicability to current problems of fundamental theories of physics.
Erkennen von Stärken und Schwächen von Schülerinnen und Schülern: Erfassung diagnostischer Kompetenz von angehenden Primarlehrkräften am Beispiel des Größenbereichs Gewichte (Freiburger Empirische Forschung in der Mathematikdidaktik)
by Isabelle Gobeli-EgloffWesentliche Zielsetzung dieser Arbeit ist ein theoretisch fundierter und empirisch abgestützter Beitrag zur Messung einer Facette diagnostischer Kompetenz bei Lehrpersonen der Primarstufe – dem Erkennen von Stärken und Schwächen in Lösungen von Schülerinnen und Schülern im Größenbereich Gewichte. Diagnostische Kompetenz gilt als Grundlage dafür, den Grad von Verständnis in Lösungen von Schülerinnen und Schülern zu erkennen. Ebenso gilt sie als Voraussetzung dafür, fehlerhafte und richtige Überlegungen zu identifizieren und deren Genese zu interpretieren. Diagnostische Kompetenz reliabel und valide zu messen, gestaltet sich in der Umsetzung jedoch oft schwierig, da Kombinationen von Wissen und Können gemessen werden sollen. Oft findet deshalb in der Forschung eine Fokussierung auf die Urteilsakkuratheit statt. Um das Feld von Untersuchungen, bei denen die Urteilsakkuratheit als Paradigma im Vordergrund steht, zu erweitern, wurde ein Testinstrument entwickelt, mit dem der Fokus auf das Erkennen von Stärken und Schwächen gelegt wird. Auf der Basis der Ergebnisse der Arbeit kann gezeigt werden, dass einerseits das Erkennen von Stärken und Schwächen durch eine Intervention trainiert und verbessert werden kann und andererseits, dass diese Veränderungen mit dem dafür entwickelten Kompetenzmessinstrument erfasst werden können.
Erlebnisse an Grenzen - Grenzerlebnisse mit der Mathematik
by Bert-Wolfgang SchulzeDie innerdeutsche Grenze verlief nicht nur zwischen zwei Staaten, sondern spiegelte sich sogar in den Grundlagenwissenschaften wie der Mathematik wider. Aus persönlicher Sicht zeigt der Autor den subjektiven Umgang mit Erzeugung, Bewertung und Propagierung wissenschaftlicher Resultate in den zwei unterschiedlichen Gesellschaftssystemen. Auf unterhaltsame Art werden Innensichten aus Forschungsinstitutionen, der Wissenschaftsförderung und die verschiedenen Einstellungen zur Zweckbestimmung reiner und angewandter Forschung dargelegt.
ERM and QRM in Life Insurance: An Actuarial Primer (Springer Actuarial)
by Ermanno PitaccoThis book deals with Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and, in particular, Quantitative Risk Management (QRM) in life insurance business. Constituting a “bridge” between traditional actuarial mathematics and insurance risk management processes, its purpose is to provide advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the Actuarial Sciences, Finance and Economics with the basics of ERM (in general) and QRM applied to life insurance business. The main topics dealt with are: general issues on ERM, risk management tools for life insurance and life annuities, deterministic and stochastic analysis of the behaviour of a portfolio fund, application of sensitivity testing to assess ranges of results of interest, stress testing to assess the impact of extreme scenarios, and the product development process for life annuity products.
Ernst Schröder on Algebra and Logic (Synthese Library #465)
by Stephen PollardThis volume offers English translations of three early works by Ernst Schröder (1841-1902), a mathematician and logician whose philosophical ruminations and pathbreaking contributions to algebraic logic attracted the admiration and ire of figures such as Dedekind, Frege, Husserl, and C. S. Peirce. Today he still engages the sympathetic interest of logicians and philosophers. The works translated record Schröder’s journey out of algebra into algebraic logic and document his transformation of George Boole’s opaque and unwieldy logical calculus into what we now recognize as Boolean algebra. Readers interested in algebraic logic and abstract algebra can look forward to a tour of the early history of those fields with a guide who was exceptionally thorough, unfailingly honest, and deeply reflective.
Error Correcting Codes: A Mathematical Introduction
by D J. BaylisAssuming little previous mathematical knowledge, Error Correcting Codes provides a sound introduction to key areas of the subject. Topics have been chosen for their importance and practical significance, which Baylis demonstrates in a rigorous but gentle mathematical style.Coverage includes optimal codes; linear and non-linear codes; general techniques of decoding errors and erasures; error detection; syndrome decoding, and much more. Error Correcting Codes contains not only straight maths, but also exercises on more investigational problem solving. Chapters on number theory and polynomial algebra are included to support linear codes and cyclic codes, and an extensive reminder of relevant topics in linear algebra is given. Exercises are placed within the main body of the text to encourage active participation by the reader, with comprehensive solutions provided.Error Correcting Codes will appeal to undergraduate students in pure and applied mathematical fields, software engineering, communications engineering, computer science and information technology, and to organizations with substantial research and development in those areas.
Error Estimates for Well-Balanced Schemes on Simple Balance Laws
by Laurent Gosse Debora AmadoriThis monograph presents, in an attractive and self-contained form, techniques based on the L1 stability theory derived at the end of the 1990s by A. Bressan, T. -P. Liu and T. Yang that yield original error estimates for so-called well-balanced numerical schemes solving 1D hyperbolic systems of balance laws. Rigorous error estimates are presented for both scalar balance laws and a position-dependent relaxation system, in inertial approximation. Such estimates shed light on why those algorithms based on source terms handled like "local scatterers" can outperform other, more standard, numerical schemes. Two-dimensional Riemann problems for the linear wave equation are also solved, with discussion of the issues raised relating to the treatment of 2D balance laws. All of the material provided in this book is highly relevant for the understanding of well-balanced schemes and will contribute to future improvements.
Errors and Misconceptions in Maths at Key Stage 2: Working Towards Success in SATS
by Mike SpoonerThe activities in this book are designed both to help children to learn and to understand math concepts, and also to prepare them for taking SATS papers at KS2. There is plenty of research evidence to suggest that children are helped in their understanding of math problems if teachers focus on common misconceptions, and if children are given opportunities for discussion and explanation of their own understanding. Children can also feel stigmatized by being made to focus on their own errors. Mike Spooner has developed activities that present already completed work which children then assess, correct and discuss - in this way they can analyze mistakes without damage to their own self-esteem. The activities are presented in the same format as the SATS papers, to give children practice in coping with that format. The book also contains writing frames that children can use to structure their discussions of math problems.
Errors, Blunders, and Lies: How to Tell the Difference (ASA-CRC Series on Statistical Reasoning in Science and Society)
by David S. SalsburgWe live in a world that is not quite "right." The central tenet of statistical inquiry is that Observation = Truth + Error because even the most careful of scientific investigations have always been bedeviled by uncertainty. Our attempts to measure things are plagued with small errors. Our attempts to understand our world are blocked by blunders. And, unfortunately, in some cases, people have been known to lie. In this long-awaited follow-up to his well-regarded bestseller, The Lady Tasting Tea, David Salsburg opens a door to the amazing widespread use of statistical methods by looking at historical examples of errors, blunders and lies from areas as diverse as archeology, law, economics, medicine, psychology, sociology, Biblical studies, history, and war-time espionage. In doing so, he shows how, upon closer statistical investigation, errors and blunders often lead to useful information. And how statistical methods have been used to uncover falsified data. Beginning with Edmund Halley’s examination of the Transit of Venus and ending with a discussion of how many tanks Rommel had during the Second World War, the author invites the reader to come along on this easily accessible and fascinating journey of how to identify the nature of errors, minimize the effects of blunders, and figure out who the liars are.
Errors in Medical Science Investigations
by Hamid SooriThis book introduces all common errors in medical science fields and the ways to control them. Systematic errors could be controlled both during study design and statistical analysis. Some errors have been presented in small segments but not in a comprehensive book. It covers many common errors that usually affect the research proposals, final reports, theses, and scientific presentations in the field of medical sciences as well as the rejection reasons on scientific papers. It will help researchers to control common errors using epidemiological and statistical methods.
Errors-in-Variables Methods in System Identification (Communications and Control Engineering)
by Torsten SöderströmThis book presents an overview of the different errors-in-variables (EIV) methods that can be used for system identification. Readers will explore the properties of an EIV problem. Such problems play an important role when the purpose is the determination of the physical laws that describe the process, rather than the prediction or control of its future behaviour. EIV problems typically occur when the purpose of the modelling is to get physical insight into a process. Identifiability of the model parameters for EIV problems is a non-trivial issue, and sufficient conditions for identifiability are given. The author covers various modelling aspects which, taken together, can find a solution, including the characterization of noise properties, extension to multivariable systems, and continuous-time models. The book finds solutions that are constituted of methods that are compatible with a set of noisy data, which traditional approaches to solutions, such as (total) least squares, do not find. A number of identification methods for the EIV problem are presented. Each method is accompanied with a detailed analysis based on statistical theory, and the relationship between the different methods is explained. A multitude of methods are covered, including: instrumental variables methods; methods based on bias-compensation; covariance matching methods; and prediction error and maximum-likelihood methods. The book shows how many of the methods can be applied in either the time or the frequency domain and provides special methods adapted to the case of periodic excitation. It concludes with a chapter specifically devoted to practical aspects and user perspectives that will facilitate the transfer of the theoretical material to application in real systems. Errors-in-Variables Methods in System Identification gives readers the possibility of recovering true system dynamics from noisy measurements, while solving over-determined systems of equations, making it suitable for statisticians and mathematicians alike. The book also acts as a reference for researchers and computer engineers because of its detailed exploration of EIV problems.
Erste Schritte in die Theoretische Physik: Verständlich erklärt vom Abiturniveau aus
by Jürgen WagnerDieses Lehrbuch bietet einen einfachen Zugang zur Theoretischen Physik und realisiert einen durchgängigen Anschluss an die in der Schule erworbenen physikalisch-mathematischen Vorkenntnisse. Aus seiner Erfahrung als Diplomlehrer für Physik und Mathematik heraus ebnet der Autor den Weg in die Theoretische Physik. Er stützt sich dabei auf die folgenden Prinzipien: Viele Abbildungen und detailliert vorgerechnete Beispiele tragen wesentlich zum Verständnis der Darstellungen bei. Verwendete „Rechentricks“ werden angegeben und erläutert.Die erforderliche Mathematik wird schrittweise und ausführlich erarbeitet.Die Struktur des Lehrbuchs orientiert sich an folgenden zentralen Phänomenen und Grundbegriffen: Bewegung, Elektrizität und Magnetismus, Relativität sowie Quanten. In diesem Rahmen werden die üblichen Inhalte der Module Theoretische Mechanik, Elektrodynamik, Relativitätstheorie und Quantenmechanik verortet.Die experimentelle Basis für theoretische Ansätze wird explizit benannt, um die Besonderheiten der naturwissenschaftlichen Methode zu betonen, die sich von Autoritätsgläubigkeit sowie Spekulation deutlich abgrenzt.Auf bestehende Interpretationsprobleme der Quantenmechanik wird ausdrücklich hingewiesen. Begriffe wie „Welle-Teilchen-Dualismus“ oder „Kollaps der Wellenfunktion“ werden vermieden, da sie Missverständnisse provozieren können.Dieses Buch richtet sich an Studierende der Natur- und Ingenieurwissenschaften sowie des Lehramts, zu deren Studieninhalten mindestens ein Modul Theoretische Physik gehört. Es wendet sich auch an alle, die sich für Fragestellungen der Naturwissenschaften oder Naturphilosophie interessieren und über eine positive Einstellung zur Mathematik verfügen.
Erste Schritte in die Theoretische Physik: Verständlich erklärt vom Abiturniveau aus
by Jürgen WagnerDieses Lehrbuch bietet einen einfachen Zugang zur Theoretischen Physik und realisiert einen durchgängigen Anschluss an die in der Schule erworbenen physikalisch-mathematischen Vorkenntnisse. Aus seiner Erfahrung als Diplomlehrer für Physik und Mathematik heraus ebnet der Autor den Weg in die Theoretische Physik. Er stützt sich dabei auf die folgenden Prinzipien: Viele Abbildungen und detailliert vorgerechnete Beispiele tragen wesentlich zum Verständnis der Darstellungen bei. Verwendete „Rechentricks“ werden angegeben und erläutert.Die erforderliche Mathematik wird schrittweise und ausführlich erarbeitet.Die Struktur des Lehrbuchs orientiert sich an folgenden zentralen Phänomenen und Grundbegriffen: Bewegung, Elektrizität und Magnetismus, Relativität sowie Quanten. In diesem Rahmen werden die üblichen Inhalte der Module Theoretische Mechanik, Elektrodynamik, Relativitätstheorie und Quantenmechanik verortet.Die experimentelle Basis für theoretische Ansätze wird explizit benannt, um die Besonderheiten der naturwissenschaftlichen Methode zu betonen, die sich von Autoritätsgläubigkeit sowie Spekulation deutlich abgrenzt.Auf bestehende Interpretationsprobleme der Quantenmechanik wird ausdrücklich hingewiesen. Begriffe wie „Welle-Teilchen-Dualismus“ oder „Kollaps der Wellenfunktion“ werden vermieden, da sie Missverständnisse provozieren können.Dieses Buch richtet sich an Studierende der Natur- und Ingenieurwissenschaften sowie des Lehramts, zu deren Studieninhalten mindestens ein Modul Theoretische Physik gehört. Es wendet sich auch an alle, die sich für Fragestellungen der Naturwissenschaften oder Naturphilosophie interessieren und über eine positive Einstellung zur Mathematik verfügen.Die vorliegende zweite Auflage wurde um ein Kapitel zum Phänomen Wärme mit Inhalten aus der klassischen und statistischen Thermodynamik erweitert sowie an zahlreichen Stellen ergänzt und verbessert.
Erzeugende Funktionen verständlich erklärt (essentials)
by Ernst-Erich DoberkatErzeugende Funktionen sind ein wichtiges Werkzeug in der Kombinatorik und der Theoretischen Informatik. Das Buch zeigt an vielen Beispielen, wie man dieses Werkzeug verwendet, mit dem eine Folge reeller Zahlen durch eine einzige Funktion repräsentiert wird. Es wird eine Einführung in die Technik der Gewinnung und der Manipulation erzeugender Funktionen gegeben; wichtige Folgen und ihre korrespondierenden Funktionen werden behandelt.
Escape from Model Land: How Mathematical Models Can Lead Us Astray and What We Can Do About It
by Erica ThompsonHow do mathematical models shape our world - and how can we harness their power for good?Models are at the centre of everything we do. Whether we use them or are simply affected by them, they act as metaphors that help us better understand the increasingly complex problems facing us in the modern world. Without models, we couldn't begin to tackle three of the major challenges facing modern society: regulation of the economy, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet in recent years, the validity of the models we use has been hotly debated and there has been renewed awareness of the disastrous consequences when the makers and interpreters of models get things wrong.Drawing on contemporary examples from finance, climate and health policy, Erica Thompson explores what models are, why we need them, how they work and what happens when they go wrong. This is not an audiobook that argues we should do away with models, but rather, that we need to properly understand how they are constructed - and how some of the assumptions that underlie the models we use can have significant unintended consequences. Unexpectedly humorous, thought-provoking and passionate, this is essential listening for everyone.(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Escape from Model Land: How Mathematical Models Can Lead Us Astray and What We Can Do About It
by Erica Thompson'A brilliant account of how models are so often abused and of how they should be used' John KayHow do mathematical models shape our world - and how can we harness their power for good?Models are at the centre of everything we do. Whether we use them or are simply affected by them, they act as metaphors that help us better understand the increasingly complex problems facing us in the modern world. Without models, we couldn't begin to tackle three of the major challenges facing modern society: regulation of the economy, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet in recent years, the validity of the models we use has been hotly debated and there has been renewed awareness of the disastrous consequences when the makers and interpreters of models get things wrong.Drawing on contemporary examples from finance, climate and health policy, Erica Thompson explores what models are, why we need them, how they work and what happens when they go wrong. This is not a book that argues we should do away with models, but rather, that we need to properly understand how they are constructed - and how some of the assumptions that underlie the models we use can have significant unintended consequences. Unexpectedly humorous, thought-provoking and passionate, this is essential reading for everyone.
Escape from Model Land: How Mathematical Models Can Lead Us Astray and What We Can Do About It
by Erica ThompsonWhy mathematical models are so often wrong, and how we can make better decisions by accepting their limits Whether we are worried about the spread of COVID-19 or making a corporate budget, we depend on mathematical models to help us understand the world around us every day. But models aren&’t a mirror of reality. In fact, they are fantasies, where everything works out perfectly, every time. And relying on them too heavily can hurt us. In Escape from Model Land, statistician Erica Thompson illuminates the hidden dangers of models. She demonstrates how models reflect the biases, perspectives, and expectations of their creators. Thompson shows us why understanding the limits of models is vital to using them well. A deeper meditation on the role of mathematics, this is an essential book for helping us avoid either confusing the map with the territory or throwing away the map completely, instead pointing to more nuanced ways to Escape from Model Land.
Escape from Shadow Physics: The Quest to End the Dark Ages of Quantum Theory
by Adam Forrest KayThis "artfully written...splendid history of classical and quantum physics" (Science) that "rightfully highlights the limitations of current physics" (Wall Street Journal) and argues for a revolutionary new understanding of quantum mechanics The received wisdom in quantum physics is that, at the deepest levels of reality, there are no actual causes for atomic events. This idea led to the outlandish belief that quantum objects—indeed, reality itself—aren&’t real unless shaped by human measurement. Einstein mocked this idea, asking whether his bed spread out across his room unless he looked at it. And yet it remains one of the most influential ideas in science and our culture. In Escape from Shadow Physics, Adam Forrest Kay takes up Einstein&’s torch: reality isn&’t mysterious or dependent on human measurement, but predictable and independent of us. At the heart of his argument is groundbreaking research with little drops of oil. These droplets behave as particles do in the long-overlooked quantum theory of pilot waves; crucially, they showcase quantum behavior while being described by classical physics. And that classical-quantum interface points to a true understanding of quantum mechanics and a reasonable universe. A bold and essential reset of the field, Escape from Shadow Physics describes the kind of true scientific revolution that comes along just once—or less—in a century.
Esercizi scelti di Algebra: Volume 2 (UNITEXT #112)
by Rocco Chirivì Ilaria Del Corso Roberto DvornicichQuesto libro – secondo di due volumi – presenta circa 350 esercizi scelti di algebra ricavati dai compiti d'esame dei corsi di Strutture Algebriche e Algebra I tenuti dagli autori all'Università di Pisa. Ogni esercizio viene presentato con una o più soluzioni accuratamente redatte con linguaggio e notazioni uniformi. Caratteristica distintiva del libro è che gli esercizi proposti sono tutti diversi uno dall'altro e le soluzioni richiedono sempre una piccola idea originale; ciò rende il libro unico nel genere. Gli argomenti di questo secondo volume sono: la teoria dei gruppi con i teoremi di Sylow, gli anelli commutativi con particolare riferimento alla fattorizzazione unica e agli interi di Gauss, le estensioni dei campi e la teoria di Galois. Il libro contiene inoltre una dettagliata sezione di richiami teorici e può essere usato come libro di riferimento per lo studio. Una serie di esercizi preliminari introduce le tecniche principali da usare per confrontarsi con i testi d'esame proposti. Il volume è rivolto a tutti gli studenti del secondo anno dei corsi di laurea in Matematica.
Eserciziario di Statistica Inferenziale (UNITEXT #120)
by Francesca Gasperoni Francesca Ieva Anna Maria PaganoniQuesto testo nasce con l'obiettivo di aiutare lo studente nella transizione fra i concetti teorici e metodologici dell'inferenza statistica e la loro implementazione al computer. La prima parte del testo è infatti focalizzata principalmente su esercizi da risolvere con carta e penna, in modo da far applicare nozioni derivanti da lemmi e teoremi; mentre la seconda parte del testo è costituita da laboratori, in cui si propone sia l'implementazione manuale di algoritmi, sia l'apprendimento di built-in tools per un'analisi efficiente di dataset derivanti da problemi reali.Per ottimizzare la fruizione degli argomenti sviluppati, e per accompagnare il lettore nello studio, il testo è organizzato in capitoli, ciascuno dei quali composto, a sua volta, da una prima parte introduttiva, in cui vengono richiamate le basi teoriche dell'inferenza statistica, e da una seconda parte di esercizi, corredati di un esaustivo svolgimento su carta e, se opportuno, su software.Il testo è rivolto agli studenti dei corsi di laurea di primo livello di Statistica, Matematica, Ingegneria e per i corsi di secondo livello in Data Science.
ESG Investment in the Global Economy (SpringerBriefs in Economics)
by Tadahiro Nakajima Shigeyuki Hamori Xie He Guizhou Liu Wenting Zhang Yulian Zhang Tiantian LiuThis book introduces environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment and clarifies its characteristics as financial securities. It is forecasted that companies’ ESG information will be reflected in their corporate value as much as their financial information is in the future. The special feature of this book is to reveal the characteristics and impact of ESG investment using various quantitative analyses (e.g. EGARCH, asymmetric DCC, copula, VaR, connectedness, dynamic spillover). This book focuses on the relationship between some ESG indexes and the other economic variables, particularly in light of the recent economic environment (e.g. Global Financial Crisis, COIVID-19 pandemic, crude oil price crash). Readers can grasp a larger picture of ESG investment through a survey of its history and current status, predictions of its future, and interpretation of various empirical analysis results.
An Essay on the Principle of Population
by T. R. MalthusThe first major study of population size and its tremendous importance to the character and quality of society, this polemic examines the tendency of human numbers to outstrip their resources. Pivotal in establishing the field of demography, it remains crucial to understanding modern problems with food production and distribution. Anglican parson Thomas Robert Malthus wrote his famous essay in 1798 in response to speculations on social perfectibility aroused by the French Revolution. Because human powers of procreation so greatly exceed the production of food, Malthus explained, population will always exceed available resources, and many will inevitably live at the ragged edge of subsistence. His simple yet powerful argument -- demonstrating that scarcity and inequality arise even in a society purged of all unjust laws and institutions -- was highly controversial in its day. Many of Malthus' contemporaries despised him for dashing their hopes of social progress, and the grim logic of his "population principle" led Thomas Carlyle to dub economics "the dismal science. " Today, Malthus' name is practically synonymous with active concern about demographic and ecological prospects, and his classic remains ever relevant to issues of social policy, theology, evolution, and the environment.