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Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter
by Terrence W. DeaconA radical new explanation of how life and consciousness emerge from physics and chemistry. As physicists work toward completing a theory of the universe and biologists unravel the molecular complexity of life, a glaring incompleteness in this scientific vision becomes apparent. The "Theory of Everything" that appears to be emerging includes everything but us: the feelings, meanings, consciousness, and purposes that make us (and many of our animal cousins) what we are. These most immediate and incontrovertible phenomena are left unexplained by the natural sciences because they lack the physical properties--such as mass, momentum, charge, and location--that are assumed to be necessary for something to have physical consequences in the world. This is an unacceptable omission. We need a "theory of everything" that does not leave it absurd that we exist. Incomplete Nature begins by accepting what other theories try to deny: that, although mental contents do indeed lack these material-energetic properties, they are still entirely products of physical processes and have an unprecedented kind of causal power that is unlike anything that physics and chemistry alone have so far explained. Paradoxically, it is the intrinsic incompleteness of these semiotic and teleological phenomena that is the source of their unique form of physical influence in the world. Incomplete Nature meticulously traces the emergence of this special causal capacity from simple thermodynamics to self-organizing dynamics to living and mental dynamics, and it demonstrates how specific absences (or constraints) play the critical causal role in the organization of physical processes that generate these properties. The book's radically challenging conclusion is that we are made of these specific absenses--such stuff as dreams are made on--and that what is not immediately present can be as physically potent as that which is. It offers a figure/background shift that shows how even meanings and values can be understood as legitimate components of the physical world.
Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Gödel (Great Discoveries)
by Rebecca Goldstein"A gem. . . . An unforgettable account of one of the great moments in the history of human thought." --Steven Pinker Probing the life and work of Kurt Gödel, Incompleteness indelibly portrays the tortured genius whose vision rocked the stability of mathematical reasoning-- and brought him to the edge of madness.
Incompressible Bipolar and Non-Newtonian Viscous Fluid Flow
by Hamid Bellout Frederick BloomThe theory of incompressible multipolar viscous fluids is a non-Newtonian model of fluid flow, which incorporates nonlinear viscosity, as well as higher order velocity gradients, and is based on scientific first principles. The Navier-Stokes model of fluid flow is based on the Stokes hypothesis, which a priori simplifies and restricts the relationship between the stress tensor and the velocity. By relaxing the constraints of the Stokes hypothesis, the mathematical theory of multipolar viscous fluids generalizes the standard Navier-Stokes model. The rigorous theory of multipolar viscous fluids is compatible with all known thermodynamical processes and the principle of material frame indifference; this is in contrast with the formulation of most non-Newtonian fluid flow models which result from ad hoc assumptions about the relation between the stress tensor and the velocity. The higher-order boundary conditions, which must be formulated for multipolar viscous flow problems, are a rigorous consequence of the principle of virtual work; this is in stark contrast to the approach employed by authors who have studied the regularizing effects of adding artificial viscosity, in the form of higher order spatial derivatives, to the Navier-Stokes model. A number of research groups, primarily in the United States, Germany, Eastern Europe, and China, have explored the consequences of multipolar viscous fluid models; these efforts, and those of the authors, which are described in this book, have focused on the solution of problems in the context of specific geometries, on the existence of weak and classical solutions, and on dynamical systems aspects of the theory. This volume will be a valuable resource for mathematicians interested in solutions to systems of nonlinear partial differential equations, as well as to applied mathematicians, fluid dynamicists, and mechanical engineers with an interest in the problems of fluid mechanics.
Incompressible Flow
by Ronald L. PantonThe most teachable book on incompressible flow- now fully revised, updated, and expandedIncompressible Flow, Fourth Edition is the updated and revised edition of Ronald Panton's classic text. It continues a respected tradition of providing the most comprehensive coverage of the subject in an exceptionally clear, unified, and carefully paced introduction to advanced concepts in fluid mechanics. Beginning with basic principles, this Fourth Edition patiently develops the math and physics leading to major theories. Throughout, the book provides a unified presentation of physics, mathematics, and engineering applications, liberally supplemented with helpful exercises and example problems.Revised to reflect students' ready access to mathematical computer programs that have advanced features and are easy to use, Incompressible Flow, Fourth Edition includes:Several more exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equationsClassic-style Fortran programs for the Hiemenz flow, the Psi-Omega method for entrance flow, and the laminar boundary layer program, all revised into MATLAB®A new discussion of the global vorticity boundary restrictionA revised vorticity dynamics chapter with new examples, including the ring line vortex and the Fraenkel-Norbury vortex solutionsA discussion of the different behaviors that occur in subsonic and supersonic steady flowsAdditional emphasis on composite asymptotic expansionsIncompressible Flow, Fourth Edition is the ideal coursebook for classes in fluid dynamics offered in mechanical, aerospace, and chemical engineering programs.
Incompressible Flow
by Ronald L. PantonIncompressible Flow The latest edition of the classic introduction to fluid dynamics This textbook offers a detailed study of fluid dynamics. Equal emphasis is given to physical concepts, mathematical methods, and illustrative flow patterns. The book begins with a precise and careful formulation of physical concepts followed by derivations of the laws governing the motion of an arbitrary fluid, the Navier-Stokes equations. Throughout, there is an emphasis on scaling variables and dimensional analysis. Incompressible flow is presented as an asymptotic expansion of solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations with low Mach numbers and arbitrary Reynolds numbers. The different physical behaviors of flows with low, medium, and high Reynolds number are thoroughly investigated. Additionally, several special introductory chapters are provided on lubrication theory, flow stability, and turbulence. In the Fifth Edition, a chapter on gas dynamics has been added. Gas dynamics is presented as Navier-Stokes solutions for high Reynolds Number at arbitrary Mach number with a perfect gas as the fluid. The existence of several excellent, and free, compressible flow calculators on the internet has been used in the presentation and the homework. With this chapter the textbook becomes a survey of the entire field of fluid dynamics. Readers of the Fifth Edition of Incompressible Flow will also find: New content treating wind turbines Examples and end-of-chapter problems to reinforce learning MATLAB codes available for download Incompressible Flow is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students in advanced fluid mechanics classes, and for any engineer or researcher studying fluid dynamics or related subjects.
Inconvenient Facts: The science that Al Gore doesn't want you to know
by Gregory WrightstoneWell researched, clearly written, beautifully presented and, above all, fact-packed books such as Inconvenient Facts are absolutely essential to the very survival of democracy, to the restoration of true science, and to the ultimate triumph of objective truth.
Incorporating Research into Undergraduate Paleontology Courses: Or a Tale of 23,276 Mulinia (Elements of Paleontology)
by Patricia H. KelleyResearch-led, research-oriented, and research-based teaching incorporate research into teaching to different degrees. Research-led teaching focuses on content and informs students about current research findings, while research-oriented teaching focuses on techniques and often occurs in research methods courses. In research-based teaching, students participate in research. Through this involvement, they benefit from improved content knowledge, research skills, and life skills, as well as enhanced personal development. Research-embedded courses can make such benefits available to a wide range of students. Best practices in experiential learning and the incorporation of research in teaching include intentionality, planning, authenticity, reflection, training, monitoring, assessment, and acknowledgment. In this book, these principles of best practice are illustrated by courses with embedded student research. Guidelines are presented for how to plan and execute a semester-long course-embedded research project, as well as alternative and shorter-term approaches. Research-based teaching provides challenges for students and faculty, but the benefits for all stakeholders are strong.
Incorporation of Heterocycles into Combinatorial Chemistry
by Eugene V. BabaevThe author has summarized a decade of teaching combinatorial chemistry into this timely brief. The solid phase synthesis of unnatural heterocyclic alpha-amino acids is illustrated by practical examples starting from the ABCs of peptide synthesis explored in chapter one. Chapter two is concerned with the solid phase synthesis which is shown on various techniques - BillBoard, tea-bag, and Lantern devices, and demonstrated on heterocyclic examples and protocols. In the third chapter the tools for accelerating chemical synthesis - solid phase and liquid phase - are reviewed. Here the techniques of parallel refluxing (including microwave and flow technique) and parallel separation (filtration, centrifugation, evaporation, and chromatography) are described. In the chapters 4 and 5 the author goes on to describe how the liquid phase synthesis of heterocycles (reductive amination and Ugi reaction of heterocycles) is illustrated with the use of semi-automated protocols. Finally, the design of combinatorial libraries of heterocycles is reviewed including the original author's findings.
INCREaSE 2019: Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Engineering and Sustainability in the XXI Century
by Jânio Monteiro António João Silva António Mortal Jaime Aníbal Manuela Moreira da Silva Miguel Oliveira Nelson SousaThis book contains the proceedings of the INternational CongRess on Engineering and Sustainability in the XXI cEntury – INCREaSE 2019, which was held in Faro, Portugal, from October 09 to 11, 2019. The book promotes a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable development, exploring a number of transversal challenges. Among other topics it discusses Climate Changes and Environmental Protection; Renewable Energy; Energy Efficiency in Buildings; Green Governance and Mobility; Water for Ecosystem and Society; Healthy Food; Sustainable Construction; and Sustainable Tourism, offering perspectives from civil, electronics, mechanical, and food engineering.
INCREaSE 2023: Proceedings of the 3rd INternational CongRess on Engineering and Sustainability in the XXI CEntury (Advances in Sustainability Science and Technology)
by Jorge Filipe Leal Costa Semião Nelson Manuel Santos Sousa Rui Mariano Sousa da Cruz Gonçalo Nuno Delgado PratesThis book includes the proceedings of the 3rd International Congress on Engineering and Sustainability in the XXI CEntury, INCREaSE 2023. INCREaSE is a congress with the aim to bring together valuable and novel scientific contributions that address the critical issues of renewable energy, sustainable building, sustainable manufacturing, sustainable food production and other sustainability science and engineering topics that have an impact in this diverse and fast-changing research area, both in academia and industry. This 3rd edition of INCREaSE was held during July 5-7, 2023, in Faro, Portugal, organized by the Institute of Engineering and hosted by University of Algarve. The areas to be covered were:• Big data and data analytics applied to sustainability;• Climate change and mitigation, carbon reduction;• Combined heat and power and district heating systems;• Control and optimization of renewable energy systems;• Energy and environmental assessment in buildings and cities;• Food loss and food waste solutions;• Food safety and quality engineering;• Information technology and artificial intelligence applied to sustainability;• Nanoelectronic, nanomachining, and new nanomaterials;• Smart buildings, smart cities, smart districts, smart countryside;• Sustainability in water management;• Sustainable building technologies;• Sustainable development and circular economy;• Sustainable energy generation and management;• Sustainable food processing and packaging;• Sustainable manufacturing and maintenance processes and technology;• Sustainable technologies for risk mitigations;• Sustainable transport, smart vehicles and smart roads; and• Thermo fluids modelling and experiments for sustainability. High quality and unpublished content is an essential feature for all included papers. Moreover, the Organizing Committee of the conference guarantees that contributions were subjected to an appropriate level of reviewing process.
Increased Biodiesel Efficiency: Alternatives for Production, Stabilization, Characterization and Use of Coproduct (Green Energy and Technology)
by Magno TrindadeThis book advances the use of biodiesel—more environmentally friendly than traditional fossil fuels—by showing how it can be synthesized at a lower cost, with greater efficiency and as a more pure and stable product. It presents methods based on fluorescence spectroscopy, which are less time-consuming than the traditional Rancimat analysis for monitoring stability, and are therefore less prone to allowing oxidative decay in the biofuel. Biodiesel exploits a variety of raw materials, from freshly harvested cottonseed to recycled cooking oil. These are cheap to produce and generate fuel lower in polluting sulphur and aromatic compounds than its petroleum-based equivalent.Beginning by addressing different protocols for synthesis based on fatty acids, methyl and ethyl esters, it then describes chemical analyses essential to establishing the purity of the biodiesel. It highlights in detail the use of multifunctional and synthetic antioxidants, and investigates the impact of synthetic chalcones and their derivatives on the oxidative stability of biodiesel.The author goes on to explain how to ameliorate various influences – UV irradiation and metal contaminants for example – which increase the hazards of oxidation, such as degradation and instability. New pre-treatment procedures performed using ultrasonic energies, thermostatic bath and vortex stirring are not only more environmentally friendly, but cut down on the time-consuming process of determining metal content, and allow for the use of more environmentally friendly aqueous reagents. The book investigates and demonstrates these techniques on the basis of real-world results.Further, it suggests the practical uses of byproducts of biodiesel production, for example, using glycerol as a source of energy and high valuable chemicals. These useful techniques aid any researcher exploring the production process of biodiesel and its stabilization and characteristics.
Increasing Aircraft Carrier Forward Presence: Changing the Length of the Maintenance Cycle
by Roland J. Yardley John F. Schank James G. Kallimani Clifford A. GrammichThe U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier fleet must meet the forward presence requirements of theater commanders. With a decreasing fleet size, planners must balance the timing of maintenance, training, and deployment with presence and surge demands. Evaluating multiple one- and two-deployment scenarios per cycle, RAND examines the feasibility of different cycle lengths, their effect on carrier forward presence, and their impact on shipyard workloads.
Increasing Naturalness and Flexibility in Spoken Dialogue Interaction: 10th International Workshop on Spoken Dialogue Systems (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering #714)
by Erik Marchi Sabato Marco Siniscalchi Sandro Cumani Valerio Mario Salerno Haizhou LiThis book compiles and presents a synopsis on current global research efforts to push forward the state of the art in dialogue technologies, including advances to language and context understanding, and dialogue management, as well as human–robot interaction, conversational agents, question answering and lifelong learning for dialogue systems.
Increasing Productivity and Profit through Health and Safety: The Financial Returns from a Safe Working Environment
by Maurice Oxenburgh Penelope S.P. Marlow Andrew OxenburghIn all workplaces the health and safety of employees is closely linked with the company's profitability. Human resource strategies for improving the health and safety of people in the workplace do not necessarily cost money - in fact they usually save money. A practical book based on the authors' combined consultancy experience, Increasing
The Increasing Risk of Floods and Tornadoes in Southern Africa (Sustainable Development Goals Series)
by Godwell Nhamo Lazarus ChapunguThis volume discusses the increasing occurrence of floods and tornadoes in Southern Africa over the last few years. The book discusses existing flood and tornado management protocols, indigenous approaches to mitigate disaster risk, urban and peri-urban flooding, tornado-induced flooding and windstorms, and the challenges and vulnerabilities associated with rural and transboundary floods. The book offers planning and recovery strategies to minimise impacts from these events through sustainable means. Such means include sustainable drainage systems, waste management in harbors and beaches, community engagement in flood-prone areas, and improved food security measures in urban poor households.
Incredible Consequences of Brain Injury: The Ways your Brain can Break
by Alexander R. ToftnessIncredible Consequences of Brain Injury: The Ways your Brain can Break explains the acquired brain disorders that can suddenly change a person’s life. Underlining the intricate workings of the human brain and the amazing things it does every day, this book examines what happens when the brain stops functioning as it should. Through the use of case studies and historical examples, this concentrated collection of different neuropsychological conditions provides the reader a glimpse into the lived experiences of each disorder. Each chapter is firmly rooted in relevant neuropsychological literature combined with easy-to-understand explanations and guided reflection. In its essence, this book is a celebration of the human brain and the myriad factors that make it up, serving to maintain hope in recovering from brain conditions, and to marvel at the intricate workings of the brain. This valuable compendium is essential for anyone who wants to learn more about how the brain functions and dysfunctions and will be equally useful for students, instructors, and healthcare workers. It will further be of use to individuals with brain conditions and their dear ones and for the individuals who are interested in learning more about the human brain.
Incredible Edible Science
by Liz Plaster Rick KrustchinskyMaking learning exciting for children, Incredible Edible Science includes over 160 hands-on, food-based science activities with a strong literacy connection. The book provides everything needed to teach important science process skills in a safe, developmentally appropriate way. These cross-curricular activities promote brain development and fully engage children through physical involvement-such as exploring balance and texture as they create popcorn ball structures, classifying and patterning different types of cereal, and investigating fractions with biscuits-and participation in literacy and language components such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, and following directions. After the activity is complete, children can eat their work!Incredible Edible Science received the Learning Magazine 2011 Teachers' Choice Award.
The Incredible Journey of Plants
by Stefano MancusoIn this richly illustrated volume, a leading neurobiologist presents fascinating stories of plant migration that reveal unexpected connections between nature and culture.When we talk about migrations, we should study plants to understand that these phenomena are unstoppable. In the many different ways plants move, we can see the incessant action and drive to spread life that has led plants to colonize every possible environment on earth. The history of this relentless expansion is unknown to most people, but we can begin our exploration with these surprising tales, engagingly told by Stefano Mancuso. Generation after generation, using spores, seeds, or any other means available, plants move in the world to conquer new spaces. They release huge quantities of spores that can be transported thousands of miles. The number and variety of tools through which seeds spread is astonishing: we have seeds dispersed by wind, by rolling on the ground, by animals, by water, or by a simple fall from the plant, which can happen thanks to propulsive mechanisms, the swaying of the mother plant, the drying of the fruit, and much more. In this accessible, absorbing overview, Mancuso considers how plants convince animals to transport them around the world, and how some plants need particular animals to spread; how they have been able to grow in places so inaccessible and inhospitable as to remain isolated; how they resisted the atomic bomb and the Chernobyl disaster; how they are able to bring life to sterile islands; how they can travel through the ages, as they sail around the world.
The Incredible Talking Machine
by Jenni SpanglerPull back the curtain and enter a world where mystery and magic take centre stage . . . Twelve-year-old Tig works at the Theatre Royale, cleaning, selling tickets and doing anything else that is asked of her by her tyrannical boss, Mr Snell. But Tig will do whatever it takes to get closer to her dream – to become a Stage Manager and spend her days inventing new ways to imagine and build the intricate machinery and props that bring the exciting productions to life! But when a strange new act – a talking machine – arrives at the Theatre Royale, it moves and behaves in a way that Tig just can&’t work out. It&’s as though it&’s alive somehow . . . And when the machine appears to be hiding a dangerous secret, Tig must race against time to solve the mystery, before everything and everyone she cares about is lost forever. A gloriously gothic adventure from an original new voice in middle-grade. A gloriously gothic adventure with a magical twist from an original new voice in middle-grade. Perfect for fans of Michelle Harrison, Sophie Anderson and Emma Carroll. Praise for Jenni Spangler&’s debut novel, THE VANISHING TRICK: A thrilling, original, evocative and eerie tale - I adored it!&’ Michelle Harrison, author of A Pinch of Magic 'A thrilling page-turner. Madame Pinchbeck is a gloriously Dickensian villain&’ Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song 'Ghosts, gadgets, likeable villains and unlikely heroes: The Vanishing Trick is a dark and dazzling adventure&’ Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse 'A completely enthralling tale, oozing with atmosphere and originality&’ Catherine Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper's Island
The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being: Evolution and the Making of Us
by Alice RobertsIn this compulsively readable book, Dr. Alice Roberts lays out the miraculously strange way in which the human body grows from a chemical (DNA) into a living, sentient being. A longtime professor and well-known TV presenter, Dr. Roberts is also an author of unusual ability, capable of synthesizing complex ideas and packing dense scientific information into lucid, beautiful prose.Bringing together the latest scientific discoveries and drawing on interviews with scientists from around the world, Dr. Roberts illustrates that our evolution has resulted in something that is awe-inspiring yet far from perfect. Our embryonic development is a quirky mix of new and old, with strokes of genius alongside accommodated glitches and imperfections that are all inherited from distant ancestors. For instance, our development and evolutionary past explains why, as embryos, we have what look like gills, and as adults we suffer from back pain.This is a tale of discovery, about ourselves and our environment, that explores why and how we have developed as we have, looking at the development of human physiognomy through the various lenses of embryology, genetics, anatomy, evolution, and zoology. It combines the remarkable set of skills Alice Roberts possesses as a medical doctor, anatomist, osteoarchaeologist, and writer. As Richard Dawkins put it, the reader emerges from her book "entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself."
The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being: Evolution and the Making of Us
by Alice Roberts'From your brain to your fingertips, you emerge from her book entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself' Richard Dawkins'A masterful account of why our bodies are the way they are . . . this book really shines . . . Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory' Observer'Witty, personal and above all informed by passion and deep knowledge, this is the story of you, not just from conception onwards but from the millions of years of evolution that have shaped the way we are today' Adam Rutherford***SHORTLISTED FOR THE WELLCOME BOOK PRIZE***Alice Roberts takes you on the most incredible journey, revealing your path from a single cell to a complex embryo to a living, breathing, thinking person. It's a story that connects us with our distant ancestors and an extraordinary, unlikely chain of events that shaped human development and left a mark on all of us. Alice Roberts uses the latest research to uncover the evolutionary history hidden in all of us, from the secrets found only in our embryos and genes - including why as embroyos we have what look like gills - to those visible in your anatomy. This is a tale of discovery, exploring why and how we have developed as we have. This is your story, told as never before.
The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being: Evolution and the Making of Us
by Alice Roberts'From your brain to your fingertips, you emerge from her book entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself'Richard Dawkins'A masterful account of why our bodies are the way they are . . . this book really shines . . . Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory' Observer'Witty, personal and above all informed by passion and deep knowledge, this is the story of you, not just from conception onwards but from the millions of years of evolution that have shaped the way we are today' Adam Rutherford***SHORTLISTED FOR THE WELLCOME BOOK PRIZE***Alice Roberts takes you on the most incredible journey, revealing your path from a single cell to a complex embryo to a living, breathing, thinking person. It's a story that connects us with our distant ancestors and an extraordinary, unlikely chain of events that shaped human development and left a mark on all of us. Alice Roberts uses the latest research to uncover the evolutionary history hidden in all of us, from the secrets found only in our embryos and genes - including why as embroyos we have what look like gills - to those visible in your anatomy. This is a tale of discovery, exploring why and how we have developed as we have. This is your story, told as never before.
The Incredible yet True Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt: The Greatest Inventor-naturalist-scientist-explorer Who Ever Lived
by Volker MehnertBefore Darwin . . . before Lewis and Clark . . . there was Alexander von Humboldt. Explorer. Naturalist. All-around genius. Lost hero of science. In his time, Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was world-famous. Why? He led one of the first major scientific expeditions into the South American rain forest and another into the wilds of Siberia. Carrying fragile instruments, he navigated perilous rapids and climbed the volcano of Tenerife. He observed animals, plants, and cultures that no one in Europe had ever dreamed of, and his books about them inspired a whole generation of scientists—including Charles Darwin. But before he did any of that, he was a little boy who was curious about everything (especially bugs)! The Incredible yet True Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt will whisk you away to another time and place. Meet the young man who, defying his mother’s wishes, became a daring explorer-scientist—and follow along as he makes his amazing discoveries. Lavish illustrations bring Humboldt’s untamed world to life. See nature through the eyes of a great early scientist. Wonder awaits!
The Incurable Romantic: and Other Unsettling Revelations
by Frank Tallis'Frank Tallis brings a lifetime's clinical experience and wise reflection to a condition that, by its own strange routes, leads us into the very heart of love itself. This is a brilliant, compelling book' Ian McEwanLove is a great leveller. Everyone wants love, everyone falls in love, everyone loses love, and everyone knows something of love's madness. But the experience of obsessive love is no trivial matter. In the course of his career psychologist Dr Frank Tallis has treated many unusual patients, whose stories have lessons for all of us.A barristers' clerk becomes convinced that her dentist has fallen in love with her and they are destined to be together for eternity; a widow is visited by the ghost of her dead husband; an academic is besotted with his own reflection; a beautiful woman searches jealously for a rival who isn't there; and a night porter is possessed by a lascivious demon. These are just some of the people whom we meet in an extraordinary and original book that explores the conditions of longing and desire - true accounts of psychotherapy that take the reader on a journey through the darker realms of the amorous mind.Drawing on the latest scientific research into the biological and psychological mechanisms underlying romance and emotional attachment, The Incurable Romantic demonstrates that ultimately love dissolves the divide between what we judge to be normal and abnormal.
The Incurable Romantic: and Other Unsettling Revelations
by Frank Tallis'Frank Tallis brings a lifetime's clinical experience and wise reflection to a condition that, by its own strange routes, leads us into the very heart of love itself. This is a brilliant, compelling book' Ian McEwanLove is a great leveller. Everyone wants love, everyone falls in love, everyone loses love, and everyone knows something of love's madness. But the experience of obsessive love is no trivial matter. In the course of his career psychologist Dr Frank Tallis has treated many unusual patients, whose stories have lessons for all of us.A barristers' clerk becomes convinced that her dentist has fallen in love with her and they are destined to be together for eternity; a widow is visited by the ghost of her dead husband; an academic is besotted with his own reflection; a beautiful woman searches jealously for a rival who isn't there; and a night porter is possessed by a lascivious demon. These are just some of the people whom we meet in an extraordinary and original book that explores the conditions of longing and desire - true accounts of psychotherapy that take the reader on a journey through the darker realms of the amorous mind.Drawing on the latest scientific research into the biological and psychological mechanisms underlying romance and emotional attachment, The Incurable Romantic demonstrates that ultimately love dissolves the divide between what we judge to be normal and abnormal.