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The Structural Links between Ecology, Evolution and Ethics
by Donato BergandiEvolutionary biology, ecology and ethics: at first glance, three different objects of research, three different worldviews and three different scientific communities. In reality, there are both structural and historical links between these disciplines. First, some topics are obviously common across the board. Second, the emerging need for environmental policy management has gradually but radically changed the relationship between these disciplines. Over the last decades in particular, there has emerged a need for an interconnecting meta-paradigm that integrates more strictly evolutionary studies, biodiversity studies and the ethical frameworks that are most appropriate for allowing a lasting co-evolution between natural and social systems. Today such a need is more than a mere luxury, it is an epistemological and practical necessity.
The Structure Dependent Energy of Organic Compounds (SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science)
by Árpád FurkaThis brief introduces readers to an alternative thermochemical reference system that makes it possible to use the heats of formation of organic compounds to deduce the energies that depend entirely on their structures, and which provides calculated values for most of the characteristic structures appearing in organic molecules. These structure-dependent energies are provided e.g. for selected compounds of normal and cyclic alkanes, open chain and cyclic olefins (including conjugated polyenes), alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons and their substituted derivatives. The oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen derivatives of the above-mentioned compounds are also represented with calculated structure-dependent energies including alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, thiols, sulfides, amines, amides, heterocyclic compounds and others. Most organic reactions can be interpreted as the disappearance of certain structures and formation of others. If the structure-dependent energies are known, it can be shown how the disappearing and the newly formed structures contribute to the heat of reactions and to the driving forces. As experienced by the author, who pioneered the concept, structure dependent energies can help teachers to make organic chemistry more accessible for their students. Accordingly, the brief offers a valuable resource for all those who teach organic chemistry at universities, and for those who are learning it.
The Structure and Confirmation of Evolutionary Theory (Contributions In Philosophy Ser. #No. 37)
by Elisabeth A. LloydTraditionally a scientific theory is viewed as based on universal laws of nature that serve as axioms for logical deduction. In analyzing the logical structure of evolutionary biology, Elisabeth Lloyd argues that the semantic account is more appropriate and powerful. This book will be of interest to biologists and philosophers alike.
The Structure and Dynamics of Human Ecosystems: Toward a Model for Understanding and Action
by William R. Burch Gary E. Machlis Jo Ellen ForceA landmark book that strives to provide both grand theory and practical application, innovatively describing the structure and dynamics of human ecosystems As the world faces ever more complex and demanding environmental and social challenges, the need for interdisciplinary models and practical guidance becomes acute. The Human Ecosystem Model described in this landmark book provides an innovative response. Broad in scope, detailed in method, at once theoretical and applied, this grand study offers an in-depth understanding of human ecosystems and tools for action. The authors draw from Goethe’s Faust, classic anthropology and sociology studies, contemporary ecosystem ecology, Buddhist ethics, and more to create a paradigm-shifting model and a major advance in interdisciplinary ecology.
The Structure and Function of Aquatic Microbial Communities (Advances in Environmental Microbiology #7)
by Christon J. HurstThis book discusses how aquatic microbial communities develop interactive metabolic coordination both within and between species to optimize their energetics. It explains that microbial community structuration often includes functional stratification among a multitude of organisms that variously exist either suspended in the water, lodged in sediments, or bound to one another as biofilms on solid surfaces. The authors describe techniques that can be used for preparing and distributing microbiologically safe drinking water, which presents the challenge of successfully removing the pathogenic members of the aquatic microbial community and then safely delivering that water to consumers. Drinking water distribution systems have their own microbial ecology, which we must both understand and control in order to maintain the safety of the water supply. Since studying aquatic microorganisms often entails identifying them, the book also discusses techniques for successfully isolating and cultivating bacteria. As such, it appeals to microbiologists, microbial ecologists and water quality scientists.
The Structure of Biological Membranes
by Philip L. YeagleBiological membranes provide the fundamental structure of cells and viruses. Because much of what happens in a cell or in a virus occurs on, in, or across biological membranes, the study of membranes has rapidly permeated the fields of biology, pharmaceutical chemistry, and materials science. The Structure of Biological Membranes, Third Edition pro
The Structure of Evolutionary Theory
by Stephen Jay GouldThe world's most revered and eloquent interpreter of evolutionary ideas offers here a work of explanatory force unprecedented in our time--a landmark publication, both for its historical sweep and for its scientific vision. With characteristic attention to detail, Stephen Jay Gould first describes the content and discusses the history and origins of the three core commitments of classical Darwinism: that natural selection works on organisms, not genes or species; that it is almost exclusively the mechanism of adaptive evolutionary change; and that these changes are incremental, not drastic. Next, he examines the three critiques that currently challenge this classic Darwinian edifice: that selection operates on multiple levels, from the gene to the group; that evolution proceeds by a variety of mechanisms, not just natural selection; and that causes operating at broader scales, including catastrophes, have figured prominently in the course of evolution. Then, in a stunning tour de force that will likely stimulate discussion and debate for decades, Gould proposes his own system for integrating these classical commitments and contemporary critiques into a new structure of evolutionary thought. In 2001 the Library of Congress named Stephen Jay Gould one of America's eighty-three Living Legends--people who embody the "quintessentially American ideal of individual creativity, conviction, dedication, and exuberance." Each of these qualities finds full expression in this peerless work, the likes of which the scientific world has not seen--and may not see again--for well over a century.
The Structure of Interdisciplinary Science (New Directions in the Philosophy of Science)
by Rolf HvidtfeldtThis book presents a novel approach to the analysis of interdisciplinary science based on the contemporary philosophical literature on scientific representation. The basic motivation for developing this approach is that epistemic issues are insufficiently dealt with in the existing literature on interdisciplinarity. This means that when interdisciplinary science is praised (as it often is), it is far from clear to what extent this praise is merited – at least if one cares about various more or less standardised measures of scientific quality. To develop a more adequate way of capturing what is going on in interdisciplinary science, the author draws inspiration from the rich philosophical literature on modelling, idealisation, perspectivism, and scientific pluralism. The discussion hereof reveals a number of critical pitfalls related to transferring mathematical and conceptual tools between scientific contexts, which should be relevant and interesting for anyone actively engaged in funding, evaluating, or carrying out interdisciplinary science.
The Structure of Ionic Liquids
by Ruggero Caminiti Lorenzo GontraniThis volume describes the most recent findings on the structure of ILs interpreted through cutting-edge experimental and theoretical methods. Research in the field of ionic liquids (ILs) keeps a fast and steady pace. Since these new-generation molten salts first appeared in the chemistry and physics landscape, a large number of new compounds has been synthesized. Most of them display unexpected behaviour and possess stunning properties. The coverage in this book ranges from the mesoscopic structure of ILs to their interaction with proteins. The reader will learn how diffraction techniques (small and large angle X-Ray and neutron scattering, powder methods), X-Ray absorption spectroscopies (EXAFS/XANES), optical methods (IR, RAMAN), NMR and calorimetric methods can help the study of ILs, both as neat liquids and in mixtures with other compounds. It will enable the reader to choose the best method to suit their experimental needs. A detailed survey of theoretical methods, both quantum-chemical and classical, and of their predictive power will accompany the exposition of experimental ones. This book is a must read for postgraduate students, for post-docs, and for researchers who are interested in understanding the structural properties of ILs.
The Structure of Pure Reason: Philosophy’s View of Our Situation in the World
by Kai SørlanderThis book explains how the idea of there being no ultimate, universal truth is in itself a contradictory philosophical position. Philosophers throughout history have tried to answer the question of what the deepest truth is about the world and our situation in it. They have put forward various philosophical systems, but none have won universal acceptance; and it is widely believed today that the time of philosophical systems is over. This book shows very concretely how to proceed in order to uncover the system of mutually defined basic concepts, which must be presupposed for any possible description of reality and any possible description of our situation as persons. Thus, in reigniting the discussion on philosophical systems, the author adds to the historical and contemporary discussions of Kant’s structure of pure reason.
The Structure of Scientific Inference
by Mary HesseThis title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1974.
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
by Thomas S. KuhnA good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, and we forget how provocative and challenging its ideas once were—and still are. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is that kind of book. When it was first published in 1962, it was a landmark event in the history and philosophy of science. Fifty years later, it still has many lessons to teach.<P><P> With The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don’t arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science, those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of “normal science,” as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age.<P> Chosen for Mark Zuckerberg's "A Year of Books"
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: 50th Anniversary Edition
by Thomas S. KuhnA good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, and we forget how provocative and challenging its ideas once were—and still are. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is that kind of book. When it was first published in 1962, it was a landmark event in the history and philosophy of science. Fifty years later, it still has many lessons to teach. With The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don’t arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science, those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of “normal science,” as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age. This new edition of Kuhn’s essential work in the history of science includes an insightful introduction by Ian Hacking, which clarifies terms popularized by Kuhn, including paradigm and incommensurability, and applies Kuhn’s ideas to the science of today. Usefully keyed to the separate sections of the book, Hacking’s introduction provides important background information as well as a contemporary context. Newly designed, with an expanded index, this edition will be eagerly welcomed by the next generation of readers seeking to understand the history of our perspectives on science.
The Structure of Spoken Language
by Philippe MartinUsing an innovative approach, this book focuses on a widely debated area of phonetics and phonology: intonation, and specifically its relation to metrics, its interface with syntax, and whether it can be attributed more to phonetics or phonology, or equally to both. Drawing on data from six Romance languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and Romanian), whose rich intonation patterns have long been of interest to linguists, J-Philippe Martin challenges the assumptions of traditional phonological approaches, and re-evaluates the data in favour of a new usage-based model of intonation. He proposes a unified description of the sentence prosodic structure, focusing on the dynamic and cognitive aspects of both production and perception of intonation in speech, leading to a unified grammar of Romance languages' sentence intonation. This book will be welcomed by researchers and advanced students in phonetics and phonology.
The Structure of the Universe
by Paul HalpernThe Structure of the Universe by Paul Halpern, Ph.D., originally published in 1996, is a tour of the knowledge of the deep reaches of space and predictions for its future.Technological marvels such as the Hubble Space Telescope are revealing a wealth of information about the deepest reaches of space. After decades of research, scientists now believe they are closer to discovering the 'missing matter,' the invisible stuff left over from the Big Bang that will determine the ultimate fate of the universe. With each discovery new light is shed on scores of old questions, and at the same time new questions arise.
The Struggle for Existence: A Classic of Mathematical Biology and Ecology (Dover Books on Biology)
by G. F. GauseThis work by Russian microbiologist G. F. Gause broke ground for all subsequent research in the biomathematics of populations. Gause's work is essential in giving modern science its grasp of the complexities of population competition; it depicts a microcosm of the process at work on a larger scale throughout the biosphere, and it provides readers with the means for the process's quantitative evaluation. Starting with an exploration of the struggle for existence in nature, Gause summarizes the theoretical and experimental work that preceded his own. A discussion of the tools of mathematical biology follows, deriving formulas for the measurement of such basic concepts as potential population increase, population saturation, environmental resistance, and the intensity of the struggle for existence. Gause then reports in depth on his own experimental work and his conclusions: that the periodic expansions and contractions of populations are dependent upon the introduction of new variables and are not an inherent property of the predator-prey relationship. Easily understood by anyone acquainted with higher mathematics, this book constitutes essential reading for modern students of population dynamics.
The Struggle for Maize: Campesinos, Workers, and Transgenic Corn in the Mexican Countryside
by Elizabeth FittingWhen scientists discovered transgenes in local Mexican corn varieties in 2001, their findings intensified a debate about not only the import of genetically modified (GM) maize into Mexico but also the fate of the peasantry under neoliberal globalization. While the controversy initially focused on the extent to which gene flow from transgenic to local varieties threatens maize biodiversity, anti-GM activists emphasized the cultural significance of the crop in Mexico and demanded that campesinos and consumers have a voice in the creation of GM maize and rural policies. In The Struggle for Maize, Elizabeth Fitting explores the competing claims of the GM corn debate in relation to the livelihood struggles of small-scale maize producers, migrants, and maquiladora workers from the southern Tehuacn Valley. She argues that the region's biodiversity is affected by state policies that seek to transform campesinos into entrepreneurs and rural residents into transnational migrant laborers. While corn production and a campesino identity remain important to an older generation, younger residents have little knowledge of or interest in maize agriculture; they seek out wage labor in maquiladoras and the United States. Fitting's ethnography illustrates how agricultural producers and their families respond creatively to economic hardship and Mexico's "neoliberal corn regime," which promotes market liberalization, agricultural "efficiency," and the reduction of state services over domestic maize production and food sovereignty.
The Struggle for Sustainability in Rural China: Environmental Values and Civil Society
by Bryan TiltThough China's economy is projected to become the world's largest within the next twenty years, industrial pollution threatens both the health of the country's citizens and the natural resources on which their economy depends. Capturing the consequences of this reality, Bryan Tilt conducts an in-depth, ethnographic study of Futian Township, a rural community reeling from pollution. The industrial township is located in the populous southwestern province of Sichuan. Three local factories-a zinc smelter, a coking plant, and a coal-washing plant-produce air and water pollution that far exceeds the standards set by the World Health Organization and China's Ministry of Environmental Protection. Interviewing state and company officials, factory workers, farmers, and scientists, Tilt shows how residents cope with this pollution and how they view its effects on health and economic growth. Striking at the heart of the community's environmental values, he explores the intersection between civil society and environmental policy, weighing the tradeoffs between protection and economic growth. Tilt ultimately finds that the residents are quite concerned about pollution, and he investigates the various strategies they use to fight it. His study unravels the complexity of sustainable development within a rapidly changing nation.
The Struggle of Parts
by Wilhelm RouxA landmark work of nineteenth-century developmental and evolutionary biology that takes the Darwinian struggle for existence into the organism itself.Though he is remembered primarily as a pioneer of experimental embryology, Wilhelm Roux was also a groundbreaking evolutionary theorist. Years before his research on chicken and frog embryos cemented his legacy as an experimentalist, Roux endorsed the radical idea that a “struggle for existence” within organisms—between organs, tissues, cells, and even subcellular components—drives individual development.Convinced that external competition between individuals is inadequate to explain the exquisite functionality of bodily parts, Roux aimed to uncover the mechanistic principles underlying self-organization. The Struggle of Parts was his attempt to provide such a theory. Combining elements of Darwinian selection and Lamarckian inheritance of acquired characteristics, the work advanced a materialist explanation of how “purposiveness” within the organism arises as the body’s components compete for space and nourishment. The result, according to Charles Darwin, was “the most important book on evolution which has appeared for some time.”Translated into English for the first time by evolutionary biologist David Haig and Richard Bondi, The Struggle of Parts represents an important forgotten chapter in the history of developmental and evolutionary theory.
The Student Lab Report Handbook: A Guide to Content, Style, and Formatting for Effective Science Lab Reports
by John D. MaysThe Student Lab Report Handbook is a concise student resource to help learn how to prepare a premier lab report. Syntax, voice, tense, word choice, technical expression, data analysis, and error prediction are all discussed. This book is not specific to any discipline so it can be used with physics, biology, chemistry, or any other subject.
The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience
by Jamie WardReflecting recent changes in the way cognition and the brain are studied, this thoroughly updated fourth edition of this bestselling textbook provides a comprehensive and student-friendly guide to cognitive neuroscience. Jamie Ward provides an easy-to-follow introduction to neural structure and function, as well as all the key methods and procedures of cognitive neuroscience, with a view to helping students understand how they can be used to shed light on the neural basis of cognition. The book presents a comprehensive overview of the latest theories and findings in all the key topics in cognitive neuroscience, including vision, hearing, attention, memory, speech and language, numeracy, executive function, social and emotional behavior and developmental neuroscience. Throughout, case studies, newspaper reports, everyday examples and studentfriendly pedagogy are used to help students understand the more challenging ideas that underpin the subject. New to this edition: Increased focus on the impact of genetics on cognition New coverage of the cutting-edge field of connectomics Coverage of the latest research tools including tES and fNIRS and new methodologies such as multi-voxel pattern analysis in fMRI research Additional content is also included on network versus modular approaches, brain mechanisms of hand-eye coordination, neurobiological models of speech perception and production and recent models of anterior cingulate function. Written in an engaging style by a leading researcher in the field and presented in full color including numerous illustrative materials, this book will be invaluable as a core text for undergraduate modules in cognitive neuroscience. It can also be used as a key text on courses in cognition, cognitive neuropsychology, biopsychology or brain and behavior. Those embarking on research will find it an invaluable starting point and reference. This textbook is supported by an extensive companion website for students and instructors, including lectures by leading researchers, links to key studies and interviews, interactive multiple-choice questions and flashcards of key terms.
The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience
by Jamie WardReflecting recent changes in the way cognition and the brain are studied, this thoroughly updated fifth edition of this bestselling textbook provides a comprehensive and student-friendly guide to cognitive neuroscience. Jamie Ward provides an easy-to-follow introduction to neural structure and function, as well as all the key methods and procedures of cognitive neuroscience, with a view to helping students understand how they can be used to shed light on the neural basis of cognition.The book presents a comprehensive overview of the latest theories and findings in all the key topics in cognitive neuroscience, including vision, hearing, attention, memory, speech and language, executive function, social and emotional behavior, and developmental neuroscience. Throughout, case studies, newspaper reports, everyday examples, and student-friendly pedagogy are used to help students understand the more challenging ideas that underpin the subject. This edition features expanded coverage of consciousness, a combined chapter on literacy and numeracy, and increased coverage of brain networks and computational approaches.Written in an engaging style by a leading researcher in the field and presented in full color including numerous illustrative materials, this book will be invaluable as a core text for undergraduate modules in cognitive neuroscience. It can also be used as a key text on courses in cognition, cognitive neuropsychology, biopsychology, or brain and behavior. Those embarking on research will find it an invaluable starting point and reference.This textbook is supported by an extensive collection of free digital resources for students and instructors, including lectures by leading researchers, links to key studies and interviews, multiple-choice questions, and interactive flashcards to test your knowledge. Visit the Instructor & Student Resources website at routledgelearning.com/wardcognitiveneuroscience.
The Student's Guide to Social Neuroscience
by Jamie WardSocial neuroscience is a rapidly growing field which explains, using neural mechanisms, our ability to recognize, understand, and interact with others. Concepts such as trust, revenge, empathy, prejudice, and love are now being explored and unravelled by neuroscientists. This engaging and cutting-edge text provides an accessible introduction to the complex methods and concepts of social neuroscience, with examples from contemporary research and a blend of different pedagogical features helping students to engage with the material, including essay questions, summary and key points, and further reading suggestions. The second edition of this ground-breaking text has been thoroughly revised and expanded to reflect the growing volume of evidence and theories in the field.?Notable additions include a greater emphasis on genetics and hormones, and the expansion of topics such as cultural neuroscience, emotion regulation, biological markers of autism, power and status, social categorization, and new accounts of mirror neuron functioning. The book is supported by a fully updated companion website, featuring student resources including lecture recordings, multiple choice questions and useful web links, as well as PowerPoint slides for lecturers. Richly illustrated in attractive full-color, with figures, boxes, and ‘real-world’ implications of research, this text is the ideal introduction to the field for both undergraduate and postgraduate students in fields such as psychology and neuroscience.
The Study of Behavior: Organization, Methods, and Principles
by Jerry A. HoganBehavior studies now span a variety of sub-disciplines, including behavioral ecology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology and evolutionary developmental biology. While the fields' rapid growth has led to startling new insights into animal behavior, it has brought increasingly fragmented approaches to the subject. Integrating ideas and findings from a range of disciplines, this book provides a common framework for understanding diverse issues in behavior studies. The framework is derived from classical ethology, incorporating concepts and data from research in experimental psychology, neurophysiology and evolutionary biology. Hogan outlines the origin and development of major ideas and issues in the field, drawing on examples throughout to highlight connections across sub-disciplines. Demonstrating how results in one area can directly inform work in others, the book ultimately proposes concepts to facilitate new discussions that will open the way for improved dialog between researchers across behavior studies.