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Books > Science & Mathematics > Astronomy, space & time > Time (chronology) > General
‘The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Moon: Coffin Texts Spells
154–160’ argues that Coffin Texts spells 154–160, recorded at
around the beginning of the 2nd millennium bce, form the oldest
composition about the moon in ancient Egypt and in the whole world.
The detailed analysis of these spells, based on a new translation,
reveals that the spells provide a chronologically ordered account
of the phenomena that happen during a lunar month. It is argued
that through a wide variety of mythological allusions, the separate
texts – after an introduction which explains the origins of the
month (spell 154) – describe the successive stages of the monthly
cycle: the period of invisibility (spell 155), waxing (spell 156),
events around the full moon (spell 157), waning (spell 158), the
arrival of the last crescent at the eastern horizon (spell 159),
and again the conjunction of the sun and the moon when a solar
eclipse can occur (spell 160). After highlighting the possible
lunar connotations of each spell, further chapters in the book
investigate the origins of the composition, its different
manuscripts preserved on coffins coming from Hermopolis and Asyut,
and the survival of the spells in the later mortuary collection
known as the Book of Going Forth by Day.
"Only a wayfarer born under unruly stars would attempt to put
into practice in our epoch of proliferating knowledge the
Heraclitean dictum that men who love wisdom must be inquirers into
very many things indeed.'" Thus begins this remarkable
interdisciplinary study of time by a master of the subject. And
while developing a theory of "time as conflict," J. T. Fraser does
offer "many things indeed"--an enormous range of ideas about
matter, life, death, evolution, and value.
"A discussion of the historical development of our ideas of time as
they relate to nature, human nature and society. . . . The
excellence of "The Discovery of Time" is unquestionable."--Martin
Lebowitz, "The Kenyon Review"
Follow a group of friends as they discover when it is time for
meals and activities using a clock with a face as well as a digital
clock.
Time forms such an important part of our lives that it is rarely
thought about. In this book the author moves beyond the time of
clocks and calendars in order to study time as embedded in social
interactions, structures, practices and knowledge, in artefacts, in
the body, and in the environment. The author looks at the many
different ways in which time is experienced, in relation to the
various contexts and institutions of social life. Among the topics
discussed are time in the areas of health, education, work,
globalization and environmental change. Through focusing on the
complexities of social time she explores ways of keeping together
what social science traditions have taken apart, namely, time with
reference to the personal-public, local-global and natural-cultural
dimensions of social life.
Barbara Adam's time-based approach engages with, yet differs
from postmodernist writings. It suggests ways not merely to
deconstruct but to reconstruct both common-sense and social science
understanding.
This book will be of interest to undergraduates, graduates and
academics in the areas of sociology, social theory
environmental/green issues, feminist theory, cultual studies,
philosophy, peace studies, education, social policy and
anthropology.
An accessible and thought-provoking introduction to timespans in
the natural world, featuring more than 80 beautifully designed
diagrams. Which organisms live the longest? How does the natural
world recover from fire? How long do eggs take to hatch? What are
the world's fastest and slowest growing plants? Which species
invest the most in parental care? How Nature Keeps Time discovers
the natural world's most important and intriguing patterns of time.
Beautifully designed with stunning colour photography and more than
80 reader-friendly charts and diagrams, this witty book examines a
broad range of species from across the world and throughout time.
From the lifecycle of immortal jellyfish and identifying the
perfect amount of time for a 'good sleep' to mass extinction and
the destruction of the coral reef, Helen Pilcher tackles highly
relevant and fascinating topics in this deeply entertaining read.
This volume provides a balanced set of reviews which introduce the central topics in the philosophy of time. This is the first introductory anthology on the subject to appear for many years; the contributors are distinguished, and two of the essays are specially written for this collection. In their introduction, the editors summarise the background to the debate, and show the relevance of issues in the philosophy of time for other branches of philosophy and for science.
A revolution in clock technology in England during the 1660s
allowed people to measure time more accurately, attend to it more
minutely, and possess it more privately than previously imaginable.
In "Telling Time," Stuart Sherman argues that innovations in prose
emerged simultaneously with this technological breakthrough,
enabling authors to recount the new kind of time by which England
was learning to live and work.
Through brilliant readings of Samuel Pepys's diary, Joseph Addison
and Richard Steele's daily "Spectator," the travel writings of
Samuel Johnson and James Boswell, and the novels of Daniel Defoe
and Frances Burney, Sherman traces the development of a new way of
counting time in prose--the diurnal structure of consecutively
dated installments--within the cultural context of the daily
institutions which gave it form and motion. "Telling Time" is not
only a major accomplishment for seventeenth- and eighteenth-century
literary studies, but it also makes important contributions to
current discourse in cultural studies.
A Companion to the Philosophy of Time presents the broadest
treatment of this subject yet; 32 specially commissioned articles -
written by an international line-up of experts provide an
unparalleled reference work for students and specialists alike in
this exciting field. * The most comprehensive reference work on the
philosophy of time currently available * The first collection to
tackle the historical development of the philosophy of time in
addition to covering contemporary work * Provides a tripartite
approach in its organization, covering history of the philosophy of
time, time as a feature of the physical world, and time as a
feature of experience * Includes contributions from both
distinguished, well-established scholars and rising stars in the
field
Mapping Time is an account for the general reader of the history and underlying basis of each of the most important calendars of the world, from antiquity to modern times.Containing chapters on the nature of calendars and on their astronomical background, on the history of writing and counting, on the week, and on the history of calendar reform, this fascinating and highly entertaining book is the perfect guide to understanding the background of time in the run up to the Millennium.
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