"natural theology > notes > 1999

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Chomsky, Noam, and Adriana Belletti, Luigi Rizzi (editors), Nature and Language, Cambridge University Press 2002 Amazon book description: 'In On Nature and Language Noam Chomsky develops his thinking on the relation between language, mind, and brain, integrating current research in linguistics into the burgeoning field of neuroscience. Following a lucid introduction is a penetrating interview with Chomsky, in which he provides the clearest and most elegant introduction to current theory available. It makes his Minimalist Program accessible to all. The volume concludes with an essay on the role of intellectuals in society and government. A significant landmark in the development of linguistic theory, On Nature and Language will be welcomed by students and researchers in theoretical linguistics, neurolinguistics, cognitive science and politics, as well as anyone interested in the development of Chomsky's thought. '
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Chomsky, Noam, and Nirmalangshu Mukherjee, B. N. Patnaik, R. K. Agnihotri, Rama Kant Agnihotri (editors), The Architecture of Language, Oxford University Press 2000 Jacket: 'Chomsky ... has consistently maintained that human beings are genetically endowed with an innate language faculty - a set of principles that constitute what he calls 'Universal Grammar'. Particular languages are generated by specific environmental conditions. This approach to the study of languages has been called a 'generative enterprise' and has revolutionised our understanding of human languages and other cognitive systems. This book consists of the edited transcipt of a lecture, delivered at the University of Delhi in January 1996, where Chomsky reflected on the history of the enterprise and related it to some strikingly novel advances in recent grammatical theory called the 'Minimalist Program'. Integrating philosophical and conceptual isses with empirical research, he sketched some of the key issues that have characterised generative grammar in recent years to chart out the agenda for future research in language theory.'
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Chomsky, Noam, and Mitsou Ronat, On Language: Chomsky's Classic Works Language and Responsibility and Reflections on Language in One Volume, New Press 1998 Amazon book description: 'Two of Chomsky's most famous and accessible works, back in print in one ... volume. ... On Language features some of the noted linguist and political critic's most informal and highly accessible work, making it an ideal introduction to his thought. In Part I ("Language and Responsibility") Chomsky presents a fascinating self-portrait of his political, moral, and linguistic thinking. In Part II ("Reflections on Language") Chomsky explores the more general implications of the study of language and offers incisive analyses of the controversies among psychologists, philosophers, and linguists over fundamental questions of language.'
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Dawkins, Richard, The Selfish Gene , Oxford UP 1976 Amazon: Editorial review: 'Inheriting the mantle of revolutionary biologist from Darwin, Watson, and Crick, Richard Dawkins forced an enormous change in the way we see ourselves and the world with the publication of The Selfish Gene. Suppose, instead of thinking about organisms using genes to reproduce themselves, as we had since Mendel's work was rediscovered, we turn it around and imagine that "our" genes build and maintain us in order to make more genes. That simple reversal seems to answer many puzzlers which had stumped scientists for years, and we haven't thought of evolution in the same way since.' Rob Lightner
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Freud, Sigmund, Civilization and its Discontents, Wilder Publications 2010 'Newly designed in a uniform format, each new paperback in the Standard Edition [of Freud] opens with a biographical essay on Freud's life and work—along with a note on the individual volume (Peter Gay, Sterling Professor of History at Yale )
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Noble, David F, The Religion of Technology: The Divinity of Man and the Spirit of Invention, Penguin Books 1999 Introduction: 'It is the aim of this book to demonstrate that the present enchantment with things technological ... is rooted in religious myths and ancient imaginings. Although today's technologists, in their sober pursuit of utility, power and profit, seem to set society's standard for rationality ... their true inspiration lies elsewhere, in an enduring, other-worldly quest for transcendence and salvation.'
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O'Murchu, Diarmuid, Quantum Theology : Spiritual Implications of the New Physics , Crossroad Publishing Company 1997 Jacket: 'For quantum theorists, the fact that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts underpins all reality. "This is not merely a scientific principle of immense significance for our times" writes DO'M, "it is also a theological norm, known to mystics for centuries and now maturing into the supreme wisdom of our age."'
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Peacock, John A, Cosmological Physics, Cambridge University Press 1999 Nature Book Review: 'The intermingling of observational detail and fundamental theory has made cosmology an exceptionally rich, exciting and controversial science. Students in the field — whether observers or particle theorists — are expected to be acquainted with matters ranging from the Supernova Ia distance scale, Big Bang nucleosynthesis theory, scale-free quantum fluctuations during inflation, the galaxy two-point correlation function, particle theory candidates for the dark matter, and the star formation history of the Universe. Several general science books, conference proceedings and specialized monographs have addressed these issues. Peacock's Cosmological Physics ambitiously fills the void for introducing students with a strong undergraduate background in physics to the entire world of current physical cosmology. The majestic sweep of his discussion of this vast terrain is awesome, and is bound to capture the imagination of most students.' Ray Carlberg, Nature 399:322
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Pinker, Steven, How the Mind Works, W. W. Norton & Company 2009 Editorial review from Library Journal 'MIT's Pinker, who received considerable acclaim for The Language Instinct (LJ 2/1/94), turns his attention to how the mind functions and how and why it evolved as it did. The author relies primarily on the computational theory of mind and the theory of the natural selection of replicators to explain how the mind perceives, reasons, interacts socially, experiences varied emotions, creates, and philosophizes. Drawing upon theory and research from a variety of disciplines (most notably cognitive science and evolutionary biology) and using the principle of "reverse-engineering," Pinker speculates on what the mind was designed to do and how it has evolved into a system of "psychological faculties or mental modules." His latest book is extraordinarily ambitious, often complex, occasionally tedious, frequently entertaining, and consistently challenging. Appropriate for academic and large public libraries.' Laurie Bartolini, MacMurray Coll. Lib., Jacksonville, Ill. Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc
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Robinson, Marilynne , Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of Self (The Terry Lecture Series), Yale University Press 2010 Introduction: 'These essays examine one side in the venerable controversy called the conflict between science and religion, in order to question the legitimacy of the claim its exponents make to speak with the authority of science and in order to raise questions about the quality of thought that lies behind it. . . . '
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Tanenbaum, Andrew S, Computer Networks, Prentice Hall International 1996 Preface: 'The key to designing a computer network was first enunciated by Julius Caesar: Divide and Conquer. The idea is to design a network as a sequence of layers, or abstract machines, each one based upon the previous one. ... This book uses a model in which networks are divided into seven layers. The structure of the book follows the structure of the model to a considerable extent.'
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Yancey, Philip, I Was Just Wondering, Strand Publishing 2003 Amazon customer review: 'I Was Just Wondering is a collection of essays that Phil Yancey wrote for Christianity Today; he still writes the essays for the magazine. While I haven't read all of his books, I have read many. I read this book on my first sitting because I could see the genesis of his ideas for his other GREAT books (What is So Amazing About Grace, The Jesus I Never Knew, Where is God When it Hurts, etc.) So if you haven't read his other "true" books, read this book first. If you have read his other books, read this one as well. One sees that Yancey's ideas and theses are consistent, uplifting and God-inspired. I enjoyed the book and I am looking forward to reading Yancey's new book (The Bible Jesus Read).' A Customer
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Links

Extended Backus-Naur Form - Wikipedia, Extended Backus-Naur Form - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'In computer science, Extended Backus–Naur Form (EBNF) is a family of metasyntax notations used for expressing context-free grammars: that is, a formal way to describe computer programming languages and other formal languages. They are extensions of the basic Backus–Naur Form (BNF) metasyntax notation. The earliest EBNF was originally developed by Niklaus Wirth. However, many variants of EBNF are in use. The International Organization for Standardization has adopted an EBNF standard (ISO/IEC 14977). This article uses EBNF as specified by the ISO for examples applying to all EBNF:s. Other EBNF variants use somewhat different syntactic conventions.' back

Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, Chanda :: About Chandra :: Telescope system, 'X-ray telescopes must be very different from optical telescopes. Because of their high-energy, X-ray photons penetrate into a mirror in much the same way that bullets slam into a wall. Likewise, just as bullets ricochet when they hit a wall at a grazing angle, so too will X-rays ricochet off mirrors. The mirrors have to be exquisitely shaped and aligned nearly parallel to incoming X-rays. Thus they look more like glass barrels than the familiar dish shape of optical telescopes.' back

Klein-Nishina formula - Wikipedia, Klein-Nishina formula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'The Klein–Nishina formula[1] gives the differential cross section of photons scattered from a single free electron in lowest order of quantum electrodynamics. At low frequencies (e.g., visible light) this is referred to as Thomson scattering; at higher frequencies (e.g., x-rays and gamma-rays) this is referred to as Compton scattering.' back

Lie Algebra - Wikipedia, Lie Algebra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'In mathematics, a Lie algebra . . . is an algebraic structure whose main use is in studying geometric objects such as Lie groups and differentiable manifolds. Lie algebras were introduced to study the concept of infinitesimal transformations. The term "Lie algebra" (after Sophus Lie) was introduced by Hermann Weyl in the 1930s. In older texts, the name "infinitesimal group" is used.' back

Peruvian Inquisition - Wkipedia, Peruvian Inquisition - Wkipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'The Peruvian Inquisition was established on January 9, 1570 and ended in 1820. It was reinstated under King Felipe II of Spain in 1569. The Holy Office and tribunal of the Peruvian Inquisition were located in Lima, Peru.' back

Thompson scattering - Wikipedia, Thompson scattering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, In physics, Thomson scattering is the elastic scattering of electromagnetic radiation by a free charged particle, as described by classical electromagnetism. The electric field of the incident wave accelerates the particle, causing it to in turn emit radiation at the same frequency as the incident wave, and thus, the wave is scattered. Thomson scattering is an important phenomenon in plasma physics and was first explained by the physicist J.J. Thomson. back

vol VII: Notes

1999

Notes

Sunday 12 September 1999

Monday 13 1999

Tuesday 14 1999

Wednesday 15 1999

Thursday 16 1999

Friday 17 1999

Saturday 18 1999

Further reading

Books

Links