philosophy

"The term 'artificial intelligence' (AI) was introduced in 1956, but it has drastically evolved since then, with today's AI designed to independently adapt to and learn from new data. AI is a branch of robotics, which involves programming machines to automatically complete complicated tasks. The opportunities to simplify and enhance daily life these machines offer could make them instrumental to the further development of humankind. However, concerns about what can be accomplished through robotics, the extent to which humans can control sophisticated AI, and the impact robots and AI will have on labor, warfare, and health must also be considered"--Provided by publisher.

"When the technologies we use every day collapse our experiences into 24/7 availability, platforms for personal branding, and products to be monetized, nothing can be quite so radical as . . . doing nothing. Here, Jenny Odell sends up a flare from the heart of Silicon Valley, delivering an action plan to resist capitalist narratives of productivity and techno-determinism, and to become more meaningfully connected in the process"--Provided by publisher.

Liberalism is the political philosophy of equal persons - yet liberalism has refused equality to those it saw as sub-persons. Liberalism is the creed of fairness - yet liberalism has been complicit with European imperialism and African slavery. Liberalism is the classic ideology of Enlightenment and political transparency - yet liberalism has cast a dark veil over its actual racist past and present. In sum, liberalism's promise of equal rights has historically been denied to blacks and other people of color. In Black Rights/White Wrongs: The Critique of Racial Liberalism, political philosopher Charles Mills challenges mainstream accounts that ignore this history and its current legacy in self-conceived liberal polities today.

"Bruce Lee's daughter illuminates her father's most powerful life philosophies--demonstrating how martial arts are a perfect metaphor for personal growth, and how we can practice those teachings every day. [In this book] . . . Lee's daughter Shannon shares the concepts at the core of his philosophies, showing how they can serve as tools of personal growth and self-actualization"--Provided by publisher.

"Drawing on advances in social science, evolutionary biology, genetics, neuroscience, and network science, shows how and why evolution has placed us on a humane path--and how we are united by our common humanity"--OCLC.

"The book is an academic/career guide. It argues for the importance of the humanities for job skills and for participation in civic life and politics. The book will help students speak persuasively about the usefulness of their humanities degrees"--Provided by publisher.

"Jesse Owens smashed records throughout his track and field career. In 1936, he made history at the Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Owens won four gold medals, combating Adolf Hitler's message of Nazi superiority"--Provided by publisher.

"Before the discovery of quarks, we hadn't imagined anything smaller than protons and neutrons. Are quarks the end of the line, the smallest imaginable objects in nature? Can the universe be divided into infinitely smaller units in the same way the universe is ever-expanding? Alan Lightman explores these questions in his characteristic accessible and lyrical prose, considering the igniting element behind consciousness, the origin of life, the anatomy of a smile, our fickle memories. Probable Impossibilities brings together recently published and four original essays. Throughout, Lightman guides a discussion on what we know of the universe, life, the mind, and the conception of things vastly larger than ourselves in time and space"--Provided by the publisher.

". . . Brian Greene takes readers on a . . . 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"--Provided by publisher.

An introduction to denialism, explaining the causes and characteristics, and describing how social fears and superstitions hinder scientific progress, which can impact the environment and individual lives.