The Ten Assumptions of Science presents the logically coherent set of assumptions destined to define 21st century scientific philosophy. Glenn Borchardt first explains why assumptions and not absolutes are necessary for scientific thinking. By exploring the opposition between deterministic and indeterministic views, he clearly shows how critical choices among underlying assumptions either clarify or muddle scientific analysis. He shows how customary mixtures of deterministic and indeterministic assumptions are responsible for the current confusion in modern physics. According to Dr. Borchardt, only rare physicists and philosophers have an inkling of the nature of time, space, energy, and matter. The need for reassessing our fundamental assumptions is indicated by the present sorry state of cosmology. Otherwise intelligent scientists promulgate the idea that the universe expanded from a tiny singularity smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. At the very least, adherence to Borchardt's assumptions will contribute to the rejection of the Big Bang Theory, which has surpassed the flat Earth theory as the greatest embarrassment to serious thinkers everywhere. scientific philosophy, it is an astounding eye-opener for the educated reader with an interest in science and philosophy.

Science and technology are central to history of the United States, and this is true of the Colonial period as well. Although considered by Europeans as a backwater, the people living in the American colonies had advanced notions of agriculture, surveying, architecture, and other technologies. In areas of "natural philosophy"--what we call science--such figures as Benjamin Franklin were admired and respected in the scientific capitals of Europe. This book covers all aspects of how science and technology impacted the everyday life of Americans of all classes and cultures. Science and Technology in Everyday Life in Colonial America covers a wide range of topics that will interest students of American history and the history of science and technology: * Domestic technology--how colonial women devised new strategies for day-to-day survival * Agricultural--how Native Americans and African slaves influenced the development of a American system of agriculture * War--how the frequent battles during the colonial period changed how industry made consumer goods This volume includes myriad examples of the impact science and technology had on the lives of individual who lived in the New World.

In a series of illuminating lectures, Joseph A. Seiss presents a clear picture of astronomical occurrences and inspirations to be found in the Biblical New Testament and Gospels. A superbly insightful Bible commentary, this book contains seventeen lectures, each of which focuses upon a specific astronomical occurrence in the New Testament. Events which draw specific influence from the constellations of the stars are charted, with each star sign identified as important to separate events depicted in the scriptures of the gospels. The nativity of Jesus Christ, wherein the Star of Bethlehem appears to the three wise men, is perhaps the most obvious incident of the astronomical. However, Seiss demonstrates that the stars above are richly significant and play a role in many of the most famous tales of the Bible. For example, when Seiss recounts the story of St. Peter's fishing, he compares the sign of Pisces, which was already widely known in the Biblical era.

The "New Atheist" movement of recent years has put the science-versus-religion controversy back on the popular cultural agenda. Anti-religious polemicists are convinced that the application of the new sciences of the mind to religious belief gives them the final weapons in their battle against irrationality and superstition. What used to be a trickle of research papers scattered in specialized scientific journals has now become a torrent of books, articles, and commentary in the popular media pressing the case that the cognitive science of religion can finally fulfill the enlightenment dream of shrinking religion into insignificance, if not eliminating it altogether. James Jones argues that these claims are demonstrably false. He notes that cognitive science research is religiously neutral; it can be deployed in many different ways in relation to the actual belief in and practice of religion: to undermine it, to simply study it, and to support it. These differences are differences in interpretation of the data and, Jones suggests, a reflection of the background assumptions and viewpoints brought to the data. The goal of this book is not to defend either a general religious outlook or a particular religious tradition but to make the case that while there is much to learn from the cognitive scientific study of religion, attempts to use it to "explain" religion are exaggerated and misguided. Drawing on scientific research and logical argument Can Science Explain Religion? directly confronts the claims of these debunkers of religion, providing an accessibly written, persuasive account of why they are not convincing.

This work is an introduction to the totality of the metaphysical philosophy of nature of Hedwig Conrad-Martius (1888-1966). Her own training and inclination as a realist phenomenologist enables a unique perspective on central issues in modern and contemporary (twentieth century) theoretical biology and physics. Here we find novel theories of, e.g., space and time, as well as development and evolution. This work is thus of interest to anyone studying the history of the phenomenological movement as well as religious cosmology. The philosophical basis for this cosmology is Conrad-Martius' "realontology" which is a phenomenological account of the essence of appearing reality. The full elaboration of the modes of appearing of what is real enables the unfolding of an analogical theory of "selfness" within the order of nature culminating in an account of the coming to be of humans, for whom there is an essentially distinctive world- and self-manifestation for which she reserves the term "spirit." Key to her position is the revival of ancient metaphysical themes in new transformed guises, especially potentiality and entelechy. Nature's status, as a self-actuation of world-constituting essence-entelechies, places Conrad-Martius in the middle of philosophical-theological discussions of, e.g., the hermeneutical mandate of demythologization as well as the nature of evolution. Of special interest is her insistence on both nature's self-actuating and evolving powers and a robust theory of creation.

The blind person who tries to make an online purchase. The young girl who cannot speak due to a cognitive disability. The man confined to his home due to permanent injury. The single mother with a long-term illness who struggles to feed her family.

With one in seven people worldwide currently living with a disability, the term "outcast" covers numerous scenarios. Digital outcasts rely on technology for everyday services that many people take for granted. However, poorly designed products risk alienating this important (and growing) population.

Through a "grass roots" approach to innovation, digital outcasts are gradually taking action to transform their lives and communities. This emerging trend provides exciting learning opportunities for all of us. Citing real-world case studies from healthcare to social science, this book examines the emerging legal and cultural impact of inclusive design.
Gain a better understanding of how people with disabilities use technology

Discover pitfalls and approaches to help you stay current in your UX practices

Anticipate a future in which ambient benefit can be achieved for people of all abilities and backgrounds

This collection of original articles, a sequel of sorts to the 2009 Religion and the Implications of Radical Life Extension (Palgrave Macmillan), is the first sustained reflection, by scholars with expertise in the faith traditions, on how the transhumanist agenda might impact the body.

People nowadays live in a human-made environment, or technotope. Their lives are entangled with technology. Because technology not only brings gifts but also costs and hazards, it is important to reflect on what good technology is and, indeed, whether a technology contributes to a good life.
The ethicists and social scientists united in this volume contribute to a novel approach to ethics and technology that initiates or enhances timely ethical reflection with scientists and engineers. Ethical reflection during research and development can help to anticipate how it can change human (social) like, and evaluate those changes. "Ethics on the Laboratory Floor" contributes to research decisions, for example with regard to what research goals to pursue, what research lines to prioritise, or how best to design user tests. By joining these deliberations "Ethics on the Laboratory Floor" helps to realise the best technological alternatives.

Global cybercrime is arguably the biggest underworld industry of our times. Global forces and technologies such as mobile phones, social media and cloud computing are shaping the structure of the global cybercrime industry estimated at US$1 trillion. Nir Kshetri documents and compares the patterns, characteristics and processes of cybercrime activities in major regions and economies in the Global South such as China, India, the former Second World economies, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East and North Africa. Integrating theories from a wide range of disciplines, he explains initiatives at the global, supranational, national, sub-national and local levels.

Technology faces rapid advancements every year, and each year, its uses in various facets of society increase and become more profound. Every discipline has adopted technology in some capacity. From FinTech in the business realm to phygital churches in the realm of religion, innovation is applicable everywhere. It is essential that professionals study how to use these advancements to their advantage and also to examine their impact on society and its multitude of sectors. Analyzing Multidisciplinary Uses and Impact of Innovative Technologies discusses the many uses and impacts of innovative technology in society. It guides the reader through these emerging technologies and provides examples and strategies on how they are used. This book further specifically analyzes the many ways these innovations have impacted different sectors such as education, medicine, and media. Covering topics such as pharmacovigilance, assistive technology, and sustainable tourism, this premier reference source is an essential resource for government officials, community leaders, business leaders and managers, museum managers, hospital administrators, rehabilitation professionals, psychiatrists, faculty and administrators of education, students of higher education, researchers, and academicians.

Jonathan Edwards's Philosophy of Nature: The Re-Enchantment of the World in the Age of Scientific Reasoning analyses the works of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) on natural philosophy in a series of contexts within which they may best be explored and understood. Its aim is to place Edwards's writings on natural philosophy in the broad historical, theological and scientific context of a wide variety of religious responses to the rise of modern science in the early modern period - John Donne's reaction to the new astronomical philosophy of Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo, as well as to Francis Bacon's new natural philosophy; Blaise Pascal's response to Descartes' mechanical philosophy; the reactions to Newtonian science and finally Jonathan Edwards's response to the scientific culture and imagination of his time.

Olli-Pekka Vainio, a leading expert in science and theology, explores questions concerning the place and significance of humans in the cosmos. Vainio introduces cosmology from a "state of the question" perspective, examining the history of the idea in dialogue with C. S. Lewis. This work, which is related to a NASA-funded project on astrobiology, ties into the ongoing debate on the relationship between Christian theism and scientific worldview and shows what the stakes are for religion and theology in the rise of modern science.

The Triumph of Technology is taken from Lord Alec Broers' 2005 BBC Reith Lectures on the role and importance of technology in our lives. The lectures discuss the way technology has shaped life since the beginnings of civilization, explaining how we owe to technologists most of what drives our world today, how technologies develop, and the excitement of the modern creative process. There are some who believe that technology's future development should be controlled, and that it may already have gone too far, especially in areas such as the use of energy - something which has the potential to permanently harm our environment. Alec Broers argues that although we need to understand such dangers, and use technology wisely, it can improve our lives - that we must look to technology to solve many of the problems that threaten our planet. Included here are the complete lectures plus a new introduction and conclusion.

Previously published as "Dirty Minds: How Our Brains Influence Love, Sex, and Relationships."
PHILOSOPHERS, THEOLOGIANS, ARTISTS, AND BOY BANDS HAVE WAXED poetic for centuries about the nature of love. But what does the "brain "have to say about the way we carry our hearts? In the wake of a divorce, science writer and single mother Kayt Sukel made herself a guinea pig in the labs of some unusual love experts to find out. "This Is Your Brain on Sex "is her lively and hilarious examination of the big questions about love and sex, previously published in hardcover as "Dirty Minds."
Each chapter of this edgy romp through the romantic brain looks at a different aspect of love above the belt. What in your brain makes you love someone--or simply lust after them? Why do good girls like bad boys? Is monogamy practical? How thin is that line between love and hate? After reading this gimlet-eyed look at love, sex, and the brain, you'll never look at romance the same way again.

This concise introduction to science and religion focuses on Christianity and modern Western science (the epicenter of issues in science and religion in the West) with a concluding chapter on Muslim and Jewish Science and Religion. This book also invites the reader into the relevant literature with ample quotations from original texts.

Empirical studies of life science research and biotechnologies in Asia show how assemblages of life articulate bioethics governance with global moralities and reveal why the global harmonization of bioethical standards is contrived.

ICT Acceptance, Investment and Organization: Cultural Practices and Values in the Arab World is a unique source of information outlining the importance of Information Communication Technology (ICT) adoption and diffusion. This book covers the Arab world's strong need for access to information systems, while still paying close attention to their culture and localization of practices. These values and beliefs are not only linked to factors such as language, governance and religion, but also influenced by cultural, political and legal issues. These are important factors that could have a far-reaching impact on their overall success or failure.

Institutions, Technology, and Circular and Cumulative Causation in Economics focuses on the relation between technology and institutions and their mutual influence during processes of development and change. An understanding of technology as a combination of skill and equipment jointly with the influence of the institutional framework allows identifying a number of potentially adverse influences on the development potential and capacity in an economy. These are integrated as the isolation of single factors will not permit to formulate a generalized perspective on development processes. The possibility of differing institutional environments and differing technological capacities likely result in conditions that require context-dependent approaches for strengthening the development potential in a given situation. The development process Argentina has undergone since 1946 is used to illustrate how institutions and technology interact and impact on economic results

Culture and Technology in the New Europe presents the insights of an international group of academic researchers and media practitioners who examine the impact of technology on East Central Europe, South-Eastern Europe, the Newly Independent States and the Russian Federation. Drawing from the expertise of authors from and working in the region, the book addresses concerns that the New Europe faces at the eve of the Third Millennium and a decade after the fall of communist rule. Such concerns include access to information and communication technology and the culturally-specific discourses articulated through media and technology. While the book focuses on information and communication reforms, and the development of a participatory democracy are examined. The book is distinguished by diverse studies ranging from the problems of Cyber Hate from and about the New Europe, to online activism in war-torn Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia and Yugoslavia, to how digital media art articulates new cultural and creative freedoms once silenced by the Soviet regime. Finally, the book looks to the future of media, technology and communication in the New Europe, particularly the gaps between post-socialist nations and those more technologically advantaged, and how these gaps can be narrowed or eradicated in the Third Millennium.

Advancing technologies play an important role in the interactions between health, education, and socioeconomic policies. The subsequent outcomes between these areas require a better understanding and assessment in order to pursue further efficient coordination. ICTs for Health, Education and Socioeconomic Policies: Regional Cases discusses the benefits that can be gained from the interactions between health, education, and socioeconomic areas. Providing a regional focus on the Southern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Arab economies, this book is essential for researchers, scholars, developers, policy makers, and graduate students interested in these specific regions and studies.

Digital technology covers digital information in every form. The world lives in an information age in which massive amounts of data are being produced to improve our daily lives. This intelligent digital network incorporates interconnected people, robots, gadgets, content, and services all determined by digital transformation. The role of digital technologies in children's, adolescent's, and young adult's lives is significantly increasing across the world. New and emerging devices and services promise to make their lives easier as they create new ways of connecting, creating, and relaxing. They also promise to support learning at home and school by enabling ready access to information and new and exciting pathways for young people to follow their interests. Yet, alongside these conveniences come trade-offs with implications for privacy, safety, health, and well-being. Impact and Role of Digital Technologies in Adolescent Lives provides a deeper understanding of how digital technologies impact the lives of children, adolescents, and young adults; this includes the navigation of developmental tasks and the issues faced when utilizing these technologies. Covering topics such as adolescent stress, cyberbullying, intellectual disabilities, mental health, obesity, social media, and mindfulness practices, this text is essential for sociologists, psychologists, media analysts, technologists, academicians, researchers, students, non-government and government organizations, and professors.

The history of the modern sciences has long overlooked the significance of domesticity as a physical, social, and symbolic force in the shaping of knowledge production. This book provides a welcome reorientation to our understanding of the making of the modern sciences globally by emphasizing the centrality of domesticity in diverse scientific enterprises.

With the growth of surveillance technologies globally, Taylor focuses on the phenomenon of the Surveillance School and explores the impact that continual monitoring is having upon school children, education and society.
Surveillance Schools are characterised by routine practices that identify, verify, categorise and track pupils. With biometric technologies such as fingerprinting and iris scanning, CCTV, microchips in ID cards and 'smart uniforms', metal detectors and police officers patrolling the school corridors with sniffer dogs, it is clear that schools have become increasingly fortified.
Taylor outlines the phenomenon of the Surveillance School, mapping the driving forces behind them and analyses the impact. The evidence emerging from empirical studies suggests that often these technologies do little to safeguard young people, do not represent financial savings or increased efficiency, but serve to strip pupils of their privacy, undermine their trust in others and create an atmosphere of suspicion.
This insightful research ultimately questions whether the incessant use of omnipresent technological surveillance has the ability to displace the very building blocks of democratic society. Taylor presents the school as a microcosm of society and invites us to experience a prophetic glance into the future of the surveillance society.

This reader presents case studies from a number of sources that illustrate the mutual, reciprocal impact of technology on one hand and the social sciences, including government policy, on the other. Along the way, the introductory text and cases suggest that advanced technology (high tech) is not always compatible with the different settings in emerging societies with other geographic, economic, social, cultural, and political environments. This may be a delicate message to convey with reference to both civilian and military technology, whose spinoffs may be significant. In the frequent controversy on this issue, it is useful to remember that at the end of the day, both private and public decisions are made by individuals who bring their own "baggage" to the decision-making process. The fact that technology has made the world more of a "global village" and transparent, and thus technological diffusion and transfer easier, is also contextually relevant. But whatever technology's downsides, emphasized in this work, admittedly technology has generally (though not universally) helped raise both the world's standard of living and its quality of life.