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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > Ethical issues & debates > General
By the time that Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, the
list of crimes liable to attract the death penalty had been reduced
to murder, yet the gallows remained a source of controversy in
Victorian Britain and there was growing unease in liberal quarters
surrounding the question of capital punishment. Focusing in part on
the activities of the Society for the Abolition of Capital
Punishment, James Gregory examines abolitionist strategies, leaders
and personnel. He locates the 'gallows question' in an imperial
context and explores the ways in which debates about the gallows
and abolition featured in literature, from poetry to 'novels of
purpose' and popular romances of the underworld. He places the
abolitionist movement within the wider Victorian worlds of
philanthropy, religious orthodoxy and social morality in a study
which will be essential reading for students and researchers of
Victorian history.
This book presents the trends in beliefs and values of people in 85
countries around the world from 1981 to 2004. Based on survey data
collected in 1981-1984 and 1989-1993 by the European Values Study,
the 1995-1997 World Values Surveys and the 1999-2004 European
Values Study and World Values Surveys, it examines trends in human
values concerning economics, politics, religion, family, gender
roles, civic engagement and ethical concerns and important
contemporary issues such as the environment, technology, identity,
life satisfaction and human happiness. It is a valuable tool for
understanding the cultural patterns of countries and how human
values are changing. It will be useful to social scientists,
journalists, business executives, politicians and policy-makers
working in an increasingly globalized world.
Moving towards Inclusive Education: Diverse National Engagements
with Paradoxes of Policy and Practice presents perspectives from
Asia-Pacific and Europe that have seldom been heard in
international debates. While there may be global consensus around
United Nations' goals for inclusion in education, each country's
cultural and religious understandings shape national views
regarding the priorities for inclusion. Some countries focus on
disability, while others bring in concerns about culture,
ethnicity, language, gender and/or sexuality. In this fascinating
collection, senior commentators explore the ethical difficulties as
well as hopes for a more inclusive education in their countries,
raising questions of interest for educators, policy-makers and all
who support the work of inclusive education. Contributors are:
Vishalache Balakrishnan, Bayarmaa Bazarsuren, Cleonice Alves Bosa,
Yen-Hsin Chen, Lise Claiborne, Tim Corcoran, Bronwyn Davies, Carol
Hamilton, Dorothea W. Hancock, Mashrur Imtiaz, Maria Kecskemeti,
Silvia Helena Koller, Yvonne Leeman, Sonja Macfarlane, Roger
Moltzen, Sikder Monoare Murshed, Sanjaabadam Sid, Simone Steyer,
Eugeniusz Switala, Wiel Veugelers, and Ben Whitburn.
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Reflections on Hanging
(Paperback)
Arthur Koestler; Preface by Edmond Cahn; Afterword by Sydney Silverman
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R645
R579
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Reflections on Hanging is a searing indictment of capital
punishment, inspired by its author's own time in the shadow of a
firing squad. During the Spanish Civil War, Arthur Koestler was
held by the Franco regime as a political prisoner, and condemned to
death. He was freed, but only after months of witnessing the fates
of less-fortunate inmates. That experience informs every page of
the book, which was first published in England in 1956, and
followed in 1957 by this American edition. As Koestler ranges
across the history of capital punishment in Britain (with a focus
on hanging), he looks at notable cases and rulings, and portrays
politicians, judges, lawyers, scholars, clergymen, doctors, police,
jailers, prisoners, and others involved in the long debate over the
justness and effectiveness of the death penalty. In Britain,
Reflections on Hanging was part of a concerted, ultimately
successful effort to abolish the death penalty. At that time, in
the forty-eight United States, capital punishment was sanctioned in
forty-two of them, with hanging still practiced in five. This
edition includes a preface and afterword written especially for the
1957 American edition. The preface makes the book relevant to
readers in the U.S.; the afterword overviews the modern-day history
of abolitionist legislation in the British Parliament. Reflections
on Hanging is relentless, biting, and unsparing in its details of
botched and unjust executions. It is a classic work of advocacy for
some of society's most defenseless members, a critique of capital
punishment that is still widely cited, and an enduring work that
presaged such contemporary problems as the sensationalism of crime,
the wrongful condemnation of the innocent and mentally ill, the
callousness of penal systems, and the use of fear to control a
citizenry.
This volume examines the latest scientific and technological
developments likely to shape our post-human future. Using a
multidisciplinary approach, the author argues that we stand at the
precipice of an evolutionary change caused by genetic engineering
and anatomically embedded digital and informational technologies.
The author delves into current scientific initiatives that will
lead to the emergence of super smart individuals with unique
creative capacities. He draws on technology, psychology and
philosophy to consider humans-as-they-are relative to autonomy,
creativity, and their place in a future shared with 'post humans.'
The author discusses the current state of bioethics and technology
law, both which policymakers, beset by a torrent of revolutionary
advances in bioengineering, are attempting to steer. Significantly,
Carvalko addresses why we must both preserve the narratives that
brought us to this moment and continue to express our humanity
through, music, art, and literature, to ensure that, as a uniquely
creative species, we don't simply vanish in the ether of an
evolution brought about by our own technology.
An Open Letters Review Best Book of the Year "One of the finest
books on information security published so far in this
century-easily accessible, tightly argued, superbly well-sourced,
intimidatingly perceptive." -Thomas Rid, author of Active Measures
"The best examination I have read of how increasingly dramatic
developments in cyberspace are defining the 'new normal' of
geopolitics in the digital age. Buchanan...captures the dynamics of
all of this truly brilliantly." -General David Petraeus, former
Director of the CIA and Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan Few national-security threats are as potent-or as
nebulous-as cyber attacks. Ben Buchanan reveals how hackers are
transforming spycraft and statecraft, catching us all in the
crossfire, whether we know it or not. Ever since WarGames, we have
been bracing for the cyberwar to come, conjuring images of
exploding power plants and mass panic. But while cyber attacks are
now disturbingly common, they don't look anything like we thought
they would. Packed with insider information based on interviews,
declassified files, and forensic analysis of company reports, The
Hacker and the State sets aside fantasies of cyber-annihilation to
explore the real geopolitical competition of the digital age.
Tracing the conflict of wills and interests among modern nations,
Ben Buchanan reveals little-known details of how China, Russia,
North Korea, Britain, and the United States hack one another in a
relentless struggle for dominance. His analysis moves deftly from
underseas cable taps to underground nuclear sabotage, from
blackouts and data breaches to billion-dollar heists and election
interference. Buchanan brings to life this continuous cycle of
espionage and deception, attack and counterattack, destabilization
and retaliation. He explains why cyber attacks are far less
destructive than we anticipated, far more pervasive, and much
harder to prevent. With little fanfare and far less scrutiny, they
impact our banks, our tech and health systems, our democracy, and
every aspect of our lives. Quietly, insidiously, they have reshaped
our national-security priorities and transformed spycraft and
statecraft. The contest for geopolitical advantage has moved into
cyberspace. The United States and its allies can no longer dominate
the way they once did. The nation that hacks best will triumph.
Climate change impacts-more heat, drought, extreme rainfall, and
stronger storms-have already harmed communities around the globe.
Even if the world could cut its carbon emissions to zero tomorrow,
further significant global climate change is now inevitable.
Although we cannot tell with certainty how much average global
temperatures will rise, we do know that the warming we have
experienced to date has caused significant losses, and that the
failure to prepare for the consequences of further warming may
prove to be staggering. Building a Resilient Tomorrow does not
dwell on overhyped descriptions of apocalyptic climate scenarios,
nor does it travel down well-trodden paths surrounding the politics
of reducing carbon emissions. Instead, it starts with two central
facts: climate impacts will continue to occur, and we can make
changes now to mitigate their effects. While squarely confronting
the scale of the risks we face, this pragmatic guide focuses on
solutions-some gradual and some more revolutionary-currently being
deployed around the globe. Each chapter presents a thematic lesson
for decision-makers and engaged citizens to consider, outlining
replicable successes and identifying provocative recommendations to
strengthen climate resilience. Between animated discussions of
ideas as wide-ranging as managed retreat from coastal hot-zones to
biological approaches for resurgent climate-related disease
threats, Alice Hill and Leonardo Martinez-Diaz draw on their
personal experiences as senior officials in the Obama
Administration to tell behind-the-scenes stories of what it really
takes to advance progress on these issues. The narrative is dotted
with tales of on-the-ground citizenry, from small-town mayors and
bankers to generals and engineers, who are chipping away at
financial disincentives and bureaucratic hurdles to prepare for
life on a warmer planet. For readers exhausted by today's
paralyzing debates on yearly "fluke" storms or the existence of
climate change, Building a Resilient Tomorrow offers better ways to
manage the risks in a warming planet, even as we work to limit
global temperature rise.
A far-reaching, urgent, and thoroughly engaging exploration of our
relationship with animals - from the acclaimed Financial Times
journalist. This might be the worst time in history to be an
animal. But is there a happier way? Factory farms, climate change,
deforestation and pandemics have made our relationship with the
other species unsustainable. In response, Henry Mance sets out on a
personal quest to see if there is a fairer way to live alongside
the animals we love. He goes to work in an abattoir and on a farm
to investigate the reality of eating meat and dairy. He explores
our dilemmas around over-fishing the seas, visiting zoos and owning
pets, and he meets the chefs, activists, scientists and tech
visionaries who are redefining how we think about animals. A Times
Book of the Year
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Biotechnology
(Paperback)
Ronnee Yashon, Michael R Cummings
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R1,023
R852
Discovery Miles 8 520
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It's the moment of your death. There's a magic button. Do you
delete your entire online legacy? Or do you keep it - and leave the
choice for someone else? USER NOT FOUND is about our digital lives
after we die. Dante or Die's play, created with pioneering
theatre-artist Chris Goode, is inspired by a Guardian article by
Caroline Twigg about dealing with her late husband's digital
afterlife. In the play Terry becomes responsible for the online
legacy of his partner - he is flooded with condolence texts and
messages about his partner's death, and then has to decide what to
keep and what to delete. The performance was originally developed
with creative technologists Marmelo, and was performed in a cafe,
where the audience share Terry's story through smartphones and
headphones. In this format the play was performed in cafes across
the country, including at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe. The audience
become a fly-on-the-wall to peer into the life of a man who is
faced with keeping or deleting. A story of contemporary grief
unfolds through this intimate, funny performance that gently
interrogates our need for connection. "With his tender script,
[Goode] hands us each the weight of the internet and asks how we
get closure in a world where nothing ever switches off." The
Guardian.
Non-elected actors, such as non-governmental organizations and
celebrity activists, present themselves as representatives of
others to audiences of decision-makers, such as state leaders, the
European Union, the United Nations, and the World Trade
Organization. These actors are increasingly included in the
deliberation and decision-making processes of such institutions. To
take one well-known example, the non-governmental organization,
Oxfam, presses decision-makers and governments for fair trade rules
on behalf of the world's poor. What entitles such 'self-appointed
representatives' to speak and act for the poor? As The Economist
asked, 'Who elected Oxfam?'. Montanaro claims that such actors can,
and should, be conceptualized as representatives, and that they can
- though do not always - represent others in a manner that we can
recognize as democratic. However, in order to do so, we must
stretch our imaginations beyond the standard normative framework of
elections.
This book presents an interdisciplinary approach to definition of
torture by bringing together behavioral science and international
law perspectives on torture. It is a collaborative effort by a
group of prominent scholars of behavioral sciences, international
law, human rights, and public health with internationally
recognized expertise and authority in their field. It represents a
first ever attempt to explore the scientific basis of legal
understanding of torture and inform international law on various
definitional issues by proposing a sound theory- and
empirical-evidence-based psychological formulation of torture.
Drawing on scientific evidence from the editor's 30 years of
systematic research on torture, it proposes a learning theory
formulation of torture based on the concept of helplessness under
the control of others and offers an assessment methodology that can
reduce the element of subjectivity in legal judgments in individual
cases. It also demonstrates how this formulation can help
understand the nature and severity of ill-treatments in different
contexts, such as domestic violence and adverse conditions of penal
confinement. Through a learning theory analysis of "enhanced
interrogation techniques," it demonstrates not only why these
techniques constitute torture but also how they help us understand
the contextual defining characteristic of torture in general. The
proposed formulation implies a broader concept of torture than
previously understood, provides scientific and moral justification
for the evolving trends in international law towards a broader
coverage of ill-treatments in contexts beyond official custody and
points to new directions of expansion of the concept. With a focus
on the concepts of shame and humiliation and their evolutionary
origin, the book explains why inhuman or degrading treatments can
cause as much pain or suffering as physical torture. Although
treatment issues are not covered, the book sheds light on
potentially effective treatment approaches by offering important
insights into psychology of torture.
Sexuality is a basic feature of human life. Gender, sexual and
romantic attraction, sexual excitement, and sexual desire and
fantasies all move in various degrees through our daily awareness.
However, despite this pervasiveness, there is much disagreement
surrounding the nature of such things and experiences. This book
explores just these issues in an attempt to get clear about this
enigmatic aspect of our existence. Through a series of interrelated
essays, internationally acclaimed philosopher James Giles takes the
reader on a fascinating journey to the depths of experiential,
social, biological, and evolutionary aspects of sexual life.
Presenting his arguments and ideas in a clear and easy to follow
language, Giles criticizes several popular views, clearing the way
for his own unique vision of human sexuality. Often controversial,
always engaging, these pages will prove to be absorbing reading for
anyone who has ever pondered the nature of sexuality and why it
fills our lives in the way it does.
Bribery is perhaps the most visible and most frequently studied
form of corruption. Very little research, however, examines the
individual decision to offer or accept a bribe, or how
understanding that decision can help to effectively control
bribery. This book brings together research by scholars from a
variety of disciplines studying the mind and morality, who use
their research to explain how and why decisions regarding
participation in bribery are made. It first examines bribery from
the perspective of brain structure, then approaches the decision to
engage in bribery from a cognitive perspective. It examines the
psychological costs imposed on a person who engages in bribery, and
studies societal and organizational norms and their impact on
bribery. This is an ideal read for scholars and other interested
persons studying business ethics, bribery and corruption,
corruption control, and the applications of neuroscience in a
business environment.
Controversies in Digital Ethics explores ethical frameworks within
digital culture. Through a combination of theoretical examination
and specific case studies, the essays in this volume provide a
vigorous examination of ethics in a highly individualistic and
mediated world. Focusing on specific controversies-privacy,
surveillance, identity politics, participatory culture-the authors
in this volume provide a roadmap for navigating the thorny ethical
issues in new media. Paul Booth and Amber Davisson bring together
multiple writers working from different theoretical traditions to
represent the multiplicity of ethics in the 21st century. Each
essay has been chosen to focus on a particular issue in
contemporary ethical thinking in order to both facilitate classroom
discussion and further scholarship in digital media ethics.
Accessible for students, but with a robust analysis providing
contemporary scholarship in media ethics, this collection unites
theory, case studies, and practice within one volume.
Public Health in the Age of Anxiety enhances both the public and
scholarly understanding of the motivations behind vaccine hesitancy
in Canada. The volume brings into conversation people working
within such fields as philosophy, medicine, epidemiology, history,
nursing, anthropology, public policy, and religious studies. Rather
than an acrimonious debate between advocates and hesitant patients
the contributors critically analyze issues surrounding vaccine
safety, the arguments against vaccines, the scale of
anti-vaccination sentiment, public dissemination of medical
research, and the effect of private beliefs on individual
decision-making and public health. These essays model and encourage
the type of productive engagement that is necessary to clarify the
value of vaccines and reduce the tension between pro and
anti-vaccination groups.
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