Search:

Descartes : the life of René Descartes and its place in his times / by Grayling, A. C.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.Scientist, mathematician, traveller, soldier--and spy--René Descartes has been called the 'father of modern philosophy'. Born in 1596 into an era still dominated by the medieval mindset, he was one of the chief actors in the riveting drama that ushered in the modern world. His life coincided with an extraordinarily significant time in history--the first half of the miraculous seventeenth century, replete with genius in the arts and sciences, and wracked by civil and international conflicts across Europe. Before his death in 1650 Descartes made immense contributions to an exceptionally wide range of fields and disciplines, and his assertion 'Cogito, ergo sum' ('I think, therefore I am') has become one of the most famous maxims in all philosophy. He was the very archetype of a 'Renaissance man', and yet surprisingly little is known about him. Drawing on new research and his own insights as one of our leading philosophers, A. C. Grayling presents a stunningly accessible and fascinating portrait of the man and the remarkable era in which he lived.
Subjects: Biographies.; Descartes, René, 1596-1650.; Philosophers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

Letters from an astrophysicist / by Tyson, Neil deGrasse,author.;
Tyson shares 101 letters from people across the globe who have sought him out in search of scientific answers.A luminous companion to the phenomenal bestseller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has attracted one of the world's largest online followings with his fascinating, widely accessible insights into science and our universe. Now, Tyson invites us to go behind the scenes of his public fame by revealing his correspondence with people across the globe who have sought him out in search of answers. In this hand-picked collection of 101 letters, Tyson draws upon cosmic perspectives to address a vast array of questions about science, faith, philosophy, life, and of course, Pluto. His succinct, opinionated, passionate, and often funny responses reflect his popularity and standing as a leading educator. Tyson's 2017 bestseller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry offered more than one million readers an insightful and accessible understanding of the universe. Tyson's most candid and heartfelt writing yet, Letters from an Astrophysicist introduces us to a newly personal dimension of Tyson's quest to explore our place in the cosmos.
Subjects: Tyson, Neil deGrasse; Astrophysicists; Astrophysics.; Cosmogony.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

Value(s) : building a better world for all / by Carney, Mark,author.;
"A bold, urgent argument on the misplacement of value in financial markets and how we can and need to maximize value for the many, not few. As an economist and former banker, Mark Carney has spent his life in various financial roles, in both the public and private sector. VALUE(S) is a meditation on his experiences that examines the short-comings and challenges of the market in the past decade which he argues has led to rampant, public distrust and the need for radical change. Focusing on four major crises-the Global Financial Crisis, the Global Health Crisis, Climate Change and the 4th Industrial Revolution-- Carney proposes responses to each. His solutions are tangible action plans for leaders, companies and countries to transform the value of the market back into the value of humanity"--
Subjects: Social values.; Economics.; Social sciences;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

Until the end of time : mind, matter, and our search for meaning in an evolving universe / by Greene, B.(Brian),1963-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From the world-renowned physicist, co-founder of the World Science Festival, and best-selling author of The Elegant Universe comes this utterly captivating exploration of deep time and humanity's search for purpose. Brian Greene takes readers on a breathtaking journey from the big bang to the end of time and invites us to ponder meaning in the face of this unimaginable expanse. He shows us how, from its original orderly state the universe has been moving inexorably toward chaos, and, still, remarkable structures have continually formed: the planets, stars, and galaxies that provide islands in a sea of disorder; biochemical mechanisms, including mutation and selection, animate life; neurons, information, and thought developed into complex consciousness which in turn gave rise to cultures and their timeless myths and creativity. And he describes, as well, how, in the deep reaches of the future, the nature of the universe will threaten the existence of matter itself. Through a series of nested stories Greene provides us with a clearer sense of how we came to be, a finer picture of where we are now, and a firmer understanding of where we are headed. Taken together, it is a completely new perspective on our place in the universe and on what it means to be human"--
Subjects: Cosmology.; Physics;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

Everyday Dharma : 8 essential practices for finding success and joy in everything you do / by Gupta, Suneel,author.;
Includes bibliographical references."We've been conditioned, from an early age, to believe that one day we'll reach a moment of 'arrival.' But no matter how much we achieve or acquire we still don't feel as satisfied or as fulfilled as we thought we would be. Exhausted, we become burned out and cynical, questioning the purpose of it all. An expert on happiness and work, Suneel Gupta argues that for too long society has been fixated on the Future of Work and ignored the Future of Worth. We've compartmentalized work and well-being and ignored the fact that both are essential for sustained success. We've assumed that outer success leads to inner well-being-despite history showing us that this has never been the case. In Everyday Dharma, Suneel helps us break this negative cycle. A captivating storyteller, he weaves personal stories, history, science, Eastern philosophy, and Western modalities in this engaging, enlightening, and prescriptive book. He begins by helping us identify our dharma, the essence of who we are. When you're in your Dharma, you feel confident, creative, and caring, with a sense of purpose, and that shines through your life and work."--
Subjects: Chakras.; Dharma.; Medicine, Ayurvedic.; Self-actualization (Psychology);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

The Day After Trinity. by Else, Jon,film director.; Frees, Paul,actor.; Juno Films (Firm),dst; Kanopy (Firm),dst;
Paul FreesOriginally produced by Juno Films in 1981.When theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer became director of the Manhattan Project, he brought with him a love of poetry, philosophy and Eastern religion. In the years following Trinity, the classified maiden test of a prototype atomic bomb, Oppenheimer revealed himself as a thoughtful man who felt both a duty to his country and a deep regret for the death and destruction caused by his leadership in the development of the weapon that heralded the arrival of the Atomic Age. It features interviews with several Manhattan Project scientists, as well as newly declassified archival footage.Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subjects: Documentary films.; Science.; Documentary films.; Physics.; History.; Atomic bomb.; Discoveries in science.; Scientists.; Physicists.; Nuclear physics.;
unAPI

The invention of good and evil : a world history of morality / by Sauer, Hanno,author.; Heinrich, Jo,translator.; translation of:Sauer, Hanno.Moral.English.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."What makes us moral beings? How do we decide what is good and what is evil? In the vein of Sapiens comes a grand history of our universal moral values at the moment of their greatest crisis. How did we learn to distinguish good from evil? Have we always been capable of doing so? And will we still be in the world to come? In this breathtaking book, ethics expert Hanno Sauer offers a great universal history of morality in the era of its darkest crisis. He finds that morality existed long before there was talk of God, religion, or philosophy. Its history is, first of all, the fruit of a process of natural selection, going back to the dawn of humanity, in the forests of East Africa which, five million years ago, thinned out owing to climate change. Among the early humans that came down from the trees, there were also our ancestors, who adapted to open spaces by organizing themselves into large groups. Under the pressure of environmental factors, morality emerges as the foundation for cooperation, a quality that is as precarious as it is essential to the survival of the species. Moving between paleontology and genetics, psychology and cognitive science, philosophy and evolutionism, Sauer traces a genealogy of morality and along the journey, marks the main moral transformations in the history of humanity. In the end, he concludes that millions of years of stratifications has led to the moral crisis of our present--and the only way to build a future together is to retrace our history."--
Subjects: Ethics;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

This one wild and precious life : the path back to connection in a fractured world / by Wilson, Sarah,1974-author.;
Will you sleep through the revolution? Or do you want to wake up and reclaim your one, wild and precious life? From New York Times bestselling author Sarah Wilson comes a spiritual guidebook for surviving and thriving during challenging times. Many of us are living with the sense that things are not right with the world, as global problems like the pandemic, the climate crisis, political polarization, and social injustice mount, leaving us in a state of spiritual PTSD. We have retreated, morally and psychologically; we are experiencing a crisis of disconnection--from one another, from our true values, from joy, and from life as we feel we are meant to be living it. Sarah Wilson argues that this sense of despair and disconnection is ironically what unites us--that deep down, we are all feeling that same itch for a new way of living. This One Wild and Precious Life opens our eyes to how we got here and offers a radically hopeful path forward. Drawing on science, literature, philosophy and the wisdom of some of the world's leading experts, and her personal journey, Wilson weaves a one-of-a-kind narrative that lights the way back to the life we love. En route, she shows us how to wake up and reconnect with life with "wild practices."
Subjects: Self-help publications.; Environmental psychology.; Nature and civilization.; Quality of life.; Loneliness.; Solitude.; Social isolation.; Social change.; Alienation (Social psychology); Self-realization.; Self-actualization (Psychology);
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

This way up : old friends, new love, and a map for the road ahead / by Bradbury, Cathrin,author.;
"A funny, closely observed, and briskly honest guide the pleasures and perils of living life fully as a woman on the road to the far side of mid-life. At the age of sixty-eight, with children well-launched and husband long-exed and recently retired from a demanding career, Cathrin Bradbury realized she needed a map -- several in fact, some physical, some of the mind and heart -- to guide her through the coming milestones and all of the inevitable "comes with age" stuff. This book is her report from the road; a vibrant, polished, often hilarious, sometimes heart-wrenching exploration of the questions and (some) answers that arise when you hit the three-quarter mark of a busy life. How do you stop shaming yourself about an aging body? (Hint: listen to the kids!) What are you willing to give up to pursue the creative passion you long ago put aside -- and what might you gain in return? How do you become someone who allows the day to unfold after decades of list-making and agenda-managing? And what might happen if one day, after nearly fifty years, you suddenly get a text from your first true love? Drawing on her own life and conversations with siblings, younger family members, friends, as well as authorities in social science, philosophy, and literature, Cathrin Bradbury carries us with her as she explores this territory that we all hope to reach, taking on new ideas and adventures with insight, soaring optimism, and a bracing dose of humour"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Bradbury, Cathrin.; Aging.; Older people; Older women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
unAPI

Braiding sweetgrass : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants / by Kimmerer, Robin Wall,author.;
Includes bibliographical references."As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on 'a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise.'"--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Kimmerer, Robin Wall.; Botany; Ethnoecology.; Human ecology; Human-plant relationships.; Nature; Philosophy of nature.; Indigenous philosophy.; Potawatomi; Potawatomi;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 2
unAPI