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- Free will : a very short introduction / by Pink, Thomas.;
Includes bibliographical references (pages 124-129) and index.List of illustrations -- 1: Free will problem -- 2: Freedom as free will -- 3: Reason -- 4: Nature -- 5: Morality without freedom? -- 6: Scepticism about libertarian freedom -- 7: Self-determination and the will -- 8: Freedom and its place in nature -- References -- Further reading -- Index.From the Publisher: Every day we seem to make and act upon all kinds of choices: some trivial, others so consequential that they change the course of one's life, or even the course of history. But are these choices really free, or are we compelled to act the way we do by factors beyond our control? Is the feeling that we could have made different decisions just an illusion? And if our choices are not free, is it legitimate to hold people morally responsible for their actions? Thomas Pink looks at the fundamental philosophical question of free will, critically examining the claim: If our actions are causally determined by events beyond our control that means that we can never act freely, and so can never be held responsible for our actions.
- Subjects: Free will and determinism.;
- © 2004., Oxford University Press,
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Consciousness : confessions of a romantic reductionist / by Koch, Christof,1956-;
Includes bibliographical references and index.In which I introduce the ancient mind-body problem, explain why I am on a quest to use reason and empirical inquiry to solve it, acquaint you with Francis Crick, explain how he relates to this quest, make a confession, and end on a sad note -- In which I write about the wellsprings of my inner conflict between religion and reason, why I grew up wanting to be a scientist, why I wear a lapel pin of Professor Calculus, and how I acquired a second mentor late in life -- In which I explain why consciousness challenges the scientific view of the world, how consciousness can be investigated empirically with both feet firmly planted on the ground, why animals share consciousness with humans, and why self-consciousness is not as important as many people think it is -- In which you hear tales of scientist-magicians that make you look but not see, how they track the footprints of consciousness by peering into your skull, why you don't see with your eyes, and why attention and consciousness are not the same -- In which you learn from neurologists and neurosurgeons that some neurons care a great deal about celebrities, that cutting the cerebral cortex in two does not reduce consciousness by half, that color is leached from the world by the loss of a small cortical region, and that the destruction of a sugar cube-sized chunk of brain stem or thalamic tissue leaves you undead -- In which I defend two propositions that my younger self found nonsense -- you are unaware of most of the things that go on in your head, and zombie agents control much of your life, even though you confidently believe that you are in charge -- In which I throw caution to the wind, bring up free will, Der ring des Nibelungen, and what physics says about determinism, explain the impoverished ability of your mind to choose, show that your will lags behind your brain's decision, and that freedom is just another word for feeling -- In which I argue that consciousness is a fundamental property of complex things, rhapsodize about integrated information theory, how it explains many puzzling facts about consciousness and provides a blueprint for building sentient machines -- In which I outline an electromagnetic gadget to measure consciousness, describe efforts to harness the power of genetic engineering to track consciousness in mice, and find myself building cortical observatories -- In which I muse about final matters considered off-limits to polite scientific discourse: to wit, the relationship between science and religion, the existence of God, whether this God can intervene in the universe, the death of my mentor, and my recent tribulations.What links conscious experience of pain, joy, color, and smell to bioelectrical activity in the brain? How can anything physical give rise to nonphysical, subjective, conscious states? Christof Koch has devoted much of his career to bridging the seemingly unbridgeable gap between the physics of the brain and phenomenal experience. This engaging book--part scientific overview, part memoir, part futurist speculation--describes Koch's search for an empirical explanation for consciousness. Koch recounts not only the birth of the modern science of consciousness but also the subterranean motivation for his quest--his instinctual (if "romantic") belief that life is meaningful. Koch describes his own groundbreaking work with Francis Crick in the 1990s and 2000s and the gradual emergence of consciousness (once considered a "fringy" subject) as a legitimate topic for scientific investigation. Present at this paradigm shift were Koch and a handful of colleagues, including Ned Block, David Chalmers, Stanislas Dehaene, Giulio Tononi, Wolf Singer, and others. Aiding and abetting it were new techniques to listen in on the activity of individual nerve cells, clinical studies, and brain-imaging technologies that allowed safe and noninvasive study of the human brain in action. Koch gives us stories from the front lines of modern research into the neurobiology of consciousness as well as his own reflections on a variety of topics, including the distinction between attention and awareness, the unconscious, how neurons respond to Homer Simpson, the physics and biology of free will, dogs, Der Ring des Nibelungen, sentient machines, the loss of his belief in a personal God, and sadness. All of them are signposts in the pursuit of his life's work--to uncover the roots of consciousness.
- Subjects: Consciousness.; Mind and body.; Free will and determinism.; Life.; Consciousness.; Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical.; Personal Autonomy.; Life.; Existentialism.;
- © c2012., MIT Press,
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- The city of mirrors : a novel / by Cronin, Justin.;
The world we knew is gone. What world will rise in its place? The Twelve have been destroyed and the hundred-year reign of darkness that descended upon the world has ended. The survivors are stepping outside their walls, determined to build society anew and daring to dream of a hopeful future. But far from them, in a dead metropolis, he waits: Zero. The First. Father of the Twelve. The anguish that shattered his human life haunts him, and the hatred spawned by his transformation burns bright. His fury will be quenched only when he destroys Amy, humanity's only hope, the Girl from Nowhere who grew up to rise against him. One last time light and dark will clash, and at last Amy and her friends will know their fate.
- Subjects: Suspense fiction.; Epic fiction.; Apocalyptic fiction.; Epic fiction.; Thrillers (Fiction); Survival; Good and evil;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Orphan train : a novel / by Kline, Christina Baker,1964-;
Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to 'aging out' out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life -- answers that will ultimately free them both.
- Subjects: Orphan trains; Immigrant children; Indian foster children; Adoption; Female friendship; Frontier and pioneer life;
- © c2013., William Morrow,
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- No good deeds : [electronic resource] : Tess Monaghan series, book 9. by Lippman, Laura.; Emond, Linda.;
Narrator: Linda Emond.For Tess Monaghan, the unsolved murder of a young federal prosecutor is nothing more than a theoretical problem, one of several cases to be deconstructed in her new gig as a consultant to the local newspaper. But it becomes all too tangible when her boyfriend, Crow, brings home a young street kid who's a juvenile con artist and who doesn't even realize he holds an important key to the sensational homicide. Tess agrees to protect the boy's identity no matter what, especially when one of his friends is killed in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. But as she soon discovers, her ethical decision to protect him has dire consequences. And with federal agents determined to learn the boy's name at any cost, Tess finds out just how far even official authorities will go to get what they want. It isn't long before Tess finds herself facing felony charges. To make matters worse, Crow has gone into hiding with his young prottege, so Tess can't deliver the kid to investigators even if she wants to. Now her only recourse is to get to the heart of the sordid and deadly affair while they're all still free...and still breathing.Electronic reproduction.
- Subjects: Electronic books.; Fiction.; Mystery.; Suspense.; Thriller.;
- On-line resources: http://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=130119&titleID=2396483 -- Click to access digital title in OverDrive.;
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- Tibet / by Hanrahan, Clare.;
Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-196) and index.Who should rule Tibet? China should acknowledge Tibetan autonomy within China ; China should not acknowledge Tibetan autonomy within China / Yedor ; The exiled government of the Dalai Lama should try to negotiate with China ; China should not negotiate with the exiled government of the Dalai Lama / Der Spiegel ; Tibet is a sovereign nation entitled to self-determination / Students for a Free Tibet ; Tibet is not sovereign and does not have an absolute right to self-determination-- Will Tibet's cultural and ethnic diversity survive Chinese rule? Tibet's cultural and ethnic diversity is threatened by Chinese central government / Lindsey Hilsum ; Tibet's cultural and ethnic diversity is not threatened by Chinese central government / John Makin ; Chinese tourism, migration, and modernization threaten Tibet's unique culture / Narasimhan Ram ; Chinese rule threatens Tibetan Buddhism / Frank Ching ; The exiled Dalai Lama threatens Tibetan Buddhism / Shi Shan -- Have the Tibetan people benefited from Chinese central government? Tibetan quality of life has improved under Chinese rule / Kevin Z. Jiang ; Tibetan quality of life has deteriorated under Chinese rule / One H.E.A.R.T. (Health, Education and Research, Tibet) ; Tibetans in exile need traditional education / Tibetan Children's Educational & Welfare Fund ; Tibetan education under Chinese rule is inadequate / Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Dharamsala ; Tibet's civil and political rights are abused by the Chinese central government / Freedom House ; Tibet's civil and political rights are protected by the Chinese central government / Chamba Phuntsok -- What are the major threats to survival of Tibet's natural environment? The China-Tibet Railway threatens Tibet's fragile ecosystem / Peter Haertling ; The China-Tibet Railway does not threaten Tibet's fragile ecosystem / James C. Cobb, et al. ; Chinese rule is the greatest threat to Tibet's natural resources / Patrick T. Hughes ; Climate change is the greatest threat to life on the Tibetan plateau / Guanli Wang.
- Subjects: Self-determination, National; Ethnic groups;
- © c2009., Greenhaven Press,
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- The United States of excess : gluttony and the dark side of American exceptionalism / by Paarlberg, Robert L.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.Compared to other wealthy countries, America stands out as a gluttonous over-consumer of both food and fuel. The United States boasts an obesity prevalence double the industrial world average, and per capita carbon emissions twice the average for Europe. Still worse, the policy steps taken by America in response to obesity and climate change have so far been the weakest in the industrial world. These aspects of America's exceptionalism are nothing to be proud of. Is it possible that America is hard-wired to consume too much food and fuel? Unfortunately, yes, says Robert Paarlberg in The United States of Excess. America's excess is driven in each case by its distinct endowment of material and demographic resources, its unusually weak national political institutions, and a unique political culture that celebrates both individual freedoms over social responsibility, and free markets over governmental authority. America's over-consumption is shown to be over-determined. Because of these powerful underlying circumstances, America's strongest policy response, both to climate change and obesity, will be adaptation rather than mitigation. As the damaging consequences of climate change become manifest, America will not impose adequate measures to reduce fossil fuel consumption, attempting instead to protect itself from storms and sea-level rise through costly infrastructure upgrades. In response to the damaging health consequences of obesity, America will opt for medical interventions and physical accommodations, rather than the policy measures that would be needed to induce better diets or more exercise. These adaptation responses will generate serious equity problems, both at home and abroad. Responding to obesity with medical interventions will fall short for those in America most prone to obesity - racial minorities and the poor - since these groups have never enjoyed adequate access to quality health care. Responding to climate change by building more resilient infrastructures at home, while allowing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 to continue their increase, will impose greater climate disruption on poor tropical countries, which are far less capable of self-protection. Awareness of these inequities must be the starting point toward altering America's current path.
- Subjects: Food consumption; Energy consumption; Energy policy; Obesity; Medical policy;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- After cancer care : the definitive self-care guide to getting and staying well for patients after cancer / by Lemole, Gerald M.; Mehta, Pallav K.; McKee, Dwight L.;
"After the intense experience and range of emotion that comes with surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy (or all three), cancer patients often find themselves with little or no guidance when it comes to their health post-treatment. After Cancer Care, from Drs. Gerald Lemole, Pallav Mehta, and Dwight McKee, is the much-needed authoritative, approachable guide that fills this gap. According to Drs. Lemole, Mehta, and McKee, your choices in diet, exercise, and even relationships can help determine your propensity for relapse. With more than three decades of post-cancer-care experience, the doctors break down this science into palatable, practical takeaways so that readers will drastically improve their quality of life to enjoy many years of cancer-free serenity"--Includes bibliographical references and index.Part one: Thriving postcancer. What now? -- "See you in 6 months" -- Cancer rehab -- Part two: Physical health. Epigenetics -- Diet and nutrition -- Exercise -- Avoiding toxins -- Cancer protocols -- Part three: Emotional health. Stress and mental health -- Stress-management techniques -- Creating a support system -- Finding your balance.
- Subjects: Cancer; Cancer; Self-care, Health.; Tumors; Tumors; Self Care.;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Force decisions : [electronic resource] : A citizen's guide to understanding how police determine appropriate use of force. by Miller, Rory.;
Cooperation, Compliance, Control.In a free and peaceful society where so many have been taught that all violence is wrong, citizens are often confused and dismayed when officers use force, even when the force is perfectly lawful and justified.This book allows you to 'take' a basic USE OF FORCE class just as if you were a rookie at the police academy. Below are some highlights of what is included in 'your' basic use of force class:SECTION 1. TRAINING. I explain policy and laws that officers are taught. We examine use of force, how to define a threat, and the difference between excessive force and unnecessary force.SECTION 2. CHECKS AND BALANCES. This section explains how an officer's decisions are examined if suspected of being bad decisions.SECTION 3. EXPERIENCE. We explore how officers see the world that they live in. Somewhere in the fog between training and experience, the officer has to make a decision. Sometimes decisions will be made in a fraction of a second and on partial information. Sometimes a decision will change the lives of everyone involved—forever.SECTION 4. ABOUT YOU. Review what you should have learned. Why does community action fail? What is it that can really be done? Know how to behave when faced by an officer. Until this section, I have tried to put you in the headspace of an officer, giving you an overview of his training and a taste of his experiences. Now I will try to let you feel like a suspect.That's a lot of mind bending for one book. Get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water.Any civilian, law enforcement officer or martial artist interested in self-defense, or anyone wanting to understand the duties and responsibilities of civilians and police officers needs to read this book. -- provided by Amazon.com.Electronic reproduction.
- Subjects: Electronic books.; Nonfiction.; Sociology.; Sports & Recreations.;
- © 2012.,
- On-line resources: http://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=130119&titleID=4819239 -- Click to access digital title in OverDrive.;
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- Maid : [electronic resource] : Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive. by Land, Stephanie.;
At 28, Stephanie Land's plans of breaking free from the roots of her hometown in the Pacific Northwest to chase her dreams of attending a university and becoming a writer, were cut short when a summer fling turned into an unexpected pregnancy. She turned to housekeeping to make ends meet, and with a tenacious grip on her dream to provide her daughter the very best life possible, Stephanie worked days and took classes online to earn a college degree, and began to write relentlessly. She wrote the true stories that weren't being told: the stories of overworked and underpaid Americans. Of living on food stamps and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) coupons to eat. Of the government programs that provided her housing, but that doubled as halfway houses. The aloof government employees who called her lucky for receiving assistance while she didn't feel lucky at all. She wrote to remember the fight, to eventually cut through the deep-rooted stigmas of the working poor. Maid explores the underbelly of upper-middle class America and the reality of what it's like to be in service to them. "I'd become a nameless ghost," Stephanie writes about her relationship with her clients, many of whom do not know her from any other cleaner, but who she learns plenty about. As she begins to discover more about her clients' lives-their sadness and love, too-she begins to find hope in her own path. Her compassionate, unflinching writing as a journalist gives voice to the "servant" worker, and those pursuing the American Dream from below the poverty line. Maid is Stephanie's story, but it's not her alone. It is an inspiring testament to the strength, determination, and ultimate triumph of the human spirit.Requires OverDrive Listen (file size: N/A KB) or OverDrive app (file size: 241098 KB).
- Subjects: Electronic books.; Nonfiction.; Biography & Autobiography.; Sociology.;
- © 2019., Hachette Books,
- On-line resources: http://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=130119&titleID=4372844 -- Click to access digital title in OverDrive;
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