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Mind Shift
Does any other animal experience the richness of our inner lives-our ability to imagine, to hope, to dream, to create imaginary worlds? John Parrington answers no, and considers how we came to be so different, even from our nearest primate relatives. In this book, he argues that a 'mind shift' occurred during our evolution, in which tool use and especially the invention of language transformed our brains, which not only became larger, but subtly altered in their structure and function, making them more 'plastic' and open to external influences. Words could be used for inner dialogue too, leading to the emergence of a sense of self, of conscious awareness, as a product of brain biology and social interaction. An outpouring of art, music, literature, science, and technology has been the result-but also suffering, delusions, and despair when this symphonic brain activity goes wrong. Parrington considers the evidence for this language- and culture-driven view of human consciousness, and its implications for our mental health. Book jacket.
The Deeper Genome
Mapping the human genome proved to be just the beginning in understanding our genes, what makes us human, and how we can use the knowledge to cure inherited diseases. John Parrington describes an emerging picture of our genome, in 3D, with many non-gene players and environmental influences, that is far more complex and subtle than we ever imagined.
V. L. Parrington
H. Lark Hall presents the first comprehensive biography of Vernon Louis Parrington (1871-1929). The recipient of the 1928 Pulitzer Prize in history for the first two volumes of his Main Currents in American Thought, Parrington remains one of the most influential literary and historical scholars of the early twentieth century.Parrington was a man in search of a personal myth. He found his self-image successively mirrored in Victorian novels, painting, poetry, populism, religion, the arts and crafts movement, American literature, and American history. These changes were also reflected in his teaching as a professor of English - at the College of Emporia, the University of Oklahoma, and the Uni...
Redesigning Life
Since the birth of civilisation, human beings have manipulated other life-forms. We have selectively bred plants and animals for thousands of years to maximise agricultural production and cater to our taste in pets. The observation of the creation of artificial animal and plant variants was a key stimulant for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The ability to directly engineer the genomes of organisms first became possible in the 1970s, when the gene for human insulin was introduced into bacteria to produce this protein for diabetics. At the same time, mice were modified to produce human growth hormone, and grew huge as a result. But these were only our first tottering steps into the poss...
Mind Shift
John Parrington argues that social interaction and culture have deeply shaped the exceptional nature of human consciousness. The mental capacities of the human mind far outstrip those of other animals. Our imaginations and creativity have produced art, music, and literature; built bridges and cathedrals; enabled us to probe distant galaxies, and to ponder the meaning of our existence. When our minds become disordered, they can also take us to the depths of despair. What makes the human brain unique, and able to generate such a rich mental life? In this book, John Parrington draws on the latest research on the human brain to show how it differs strikingly from those of other animals in its st...
Women of Ideas
Thirty leading women philosophers draw on and advance the rich heritage of the philosophical tradition to explore topics of pressing interest for today. Women of Ideas is edited by Suki Finn, based upon interviews by David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton, from Philosophy Bites, the world's foremost philosophy podcast. These conversations illuminate diverse aspects of being human: personal, social, ethical, and political. The contributors discuss the relations between humans and animals, between genders, between tastes, between cultures, and between nations. They look at some of the things that are wrong with our world, such as injustice, deprivation, and bias; they consider the role of civility, trust, and consent in our interactions. There are reflections on the history of philosophy from Plato to Beauvoir, comparisons between Western philosophy and Buddhist philosophy, and discussion of philosophy in Africa. The volume concludes by investigating how philosophy works, how it makes progress, and its role in public life. Anyone interested in philosophical reflection on themselves and our world will find much to stimulate them here.
Vital Signs
Nature is no longer the leading cause of death; society is. This makes health care one of the most important political issues today. This book looks at the reasons behind the declining condition of our bodies, as governments across the world choose to neglect the health of the majority of their citizens. Using hard data taken from service users, Lee Humber constructs a sharp analysis that gets to the heart of inequality in health care today, showing that 'wealthy means healthy'. Life expectancy for many in the UK and US is worse than it was 100 years ago, and more and more communities across the world can expect shorter and less healthy lives than their parents. Humber also suggests radical strategies for tackling this degenerative situation, providing a compelling vision for how we can shape our health and that of future generations.--
The Deeper Genome
Over a decade ago, as the Human Genome Project completed its mapping of the entire human genome, hopes ran high that we would rapidly be able to use our knowledge of human genes to tackle many inherited diseases, and understand what makes us unique among animals. But things didn't turn out that way. For a start, we turned out to have far fewer genes than originally thought — just over 20,000, the same sort of number as a fruit fly or worm. What's more, the proportion of DNA consisting of genes coding for proteins was a mere 2%. So, was the rest of the genome accumulated 'junk'? Things have changed since those early heady days of the Human Genome Project. But the emerging picture is if anyt...
The Joy of Science
"In The Joy of Science, Jim Al-Khalili presents eight lessons that serve as a guide to thinking and living life a little more scientifically. It is a gentle entrâee to the conceptual core of what science is and the spirit of how it is practiced, which will help any reader understand how to live a more rational life and benefit from doing so. The book will connect the lay public with what science fundamentally is - not knowledge per se, but rather a way of thinking, which gives us the power to turn encounters with the unknown into greater insights into the true nature of reality. In an engaging, conversational tone, and writing from the perspective of a practitioner of science, Al- Khalili i...
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