Systems Theory and Scientific Philosophy

Systems Theory and Scientific Philosophy
Author: John Bryant
Publisher:
Total Pages: 296
Release: 1991
Genre: Computers
ISBN:

Systems Theory and Scientific Philosophy constitutes a totally new approach to philosophy, the philosophy of mind and the problems of artificial intelligence, and is based upon the pioneering work in cybernetics of W. Ross Ashby. While science is humanity's attempt to know how the world works and philosophy its attempt to know why, scientific philosophy is the application of scientific techniques to questions of philosophy. In this vein, Bryant explores utility theory, the theories of relative existence and build-up release, and analyzes such hitherto-unidentified phenomena as positive pleasure, the problems of voting motivation, the trademark paradox, the paradox of value, and Gresham's Law for drugs. Contents: Part One: Science and Systems Theory; Part Two: Mind and System; Part Three: Systems Theory and Social Philosophy.

Thinkers of the Twentieth Century

Thinkers of the Twentieth Century
Author: Roland Turner
Publisher: Saint James Press
Total Pages: 1000
Release: 1987
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

Major thinkers in various intellectual disciplines are featured in Thinkers of the Twentieth Century. Your patrons will find this guide a perfect start to their studies on 450 intellectuals from philosophy, theology, literary criticism, aesthetics, history, social sciences, politics and the sciences. Entries are divided into two parts. "Part One" includes: a biography, complete bibliography and reading list of the major books and articles written about the entrant. "Part Two" consists of an extended 1,000 to 3,000 word essay on the entrant. These essays explain in clear, comprehensible language the work of the entrant and his/her influence on the intellectual of the 20th century.

Bad Religion

Bad Religion
Author: Ross Douthat
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2013-04-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 143917833X

Traces the decline of Christianity in America since the 1950s, posing controversial arguments about the role of heresy in the nation's downfall while calling for a revival of traditional Christian practices.

Search for a Rational Ethic

Search for a Rational Ethic
Author: George D. Snell
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 331
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1461239044

Knowledge we have in great abundance, and enough exists if wisely used to solve many of the most threatening problems of humanity. The key word is wisely; wisdom we sorely lack. There is a special role to be played by distinguished scholars who, having passed the most challenging tests of their specialized fields, are willing to confront the central questions of human existence. What is life (where is the boundary between life and non-life)? Why do we behave as we do? What is the meaning of human existence? Where do ethical precepts come from? What should be the goals of civilization, beyond mere survival and hedonic reward? These are the kinds of topics George Snell boldly addresses in Search for a Rational Ethic. Scientific knowledge is especially important in any such endeavor, because we are in the golden age of science, and scientific research increasingly impinges on the domain of philosophy. Indeed, it is not too much to say that philosophy has consisted to a large extent of failed neurological models. Much of its investigation pivots on how the mind works, that is, to what extent the mind can perceive reality, how concepts are formed, what is the source of moral reasoning, and so forth. In creasingly, scientific research is leading us to the physical basis of mind. If we are ever to create the correct neurological model, it will be through science.

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy
Author: Ted Honderich
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 1050
Release: 1995
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

This is the most authoritative and engaging philosophical reference work in English. It gives clear and reliable guidance to all areas of philosophy and to the ideas of all notable philosophers from antiquity to the present day. The scope of the volume is not limited to English-languagephilosophy: it surveys the foremost philosophy from all parts of the world. A distinguished international assembly of more than two hundred contributors provide almost 2,000 alphabetically arranged entries which are not only instructive but also entertaining: they combine learning, lucidity, elegance, and wit. There are more than fifty extended entries of 3,000 words on themain areas of philosophy and the great philosophers: these include essays by Alasdair MacIntyre on the history of moral philosophy, Paul Feyerabend on the history of the philosophy of science, Jaegwon Kim on problems of the philosophy of mind, Richard Swinburne on problems of the philosophy ofreligion, David Charles on Aristotle, Peter Singer on Hegel, Anthony Kenny on Frege, and Anthony Quinton on philosophy itself. Short entries deal with key concepts (for instance, personal identity, time) doctrines (utilitarianism, holism), problems (the mind-body problem, the meaning of life), schools of thought (Marxist philosophy, the Vienna Circle), and practical issues (abortion, vegetarianism). Individual thinkerspast (Pythagoras, Confucius, Galileo, Goethe, Burke, Santayana, de Beauvoir, Radhakrishnan) and present (over 150 contemporary figures, such as Chomsky, Derrida, and Popper) are profiled, and eighty of them are depicted in black-and-white portraits. Interspersed throughout are short explanations ofparticular philosophical terms (qualia, supervenience, iff), puzzles (the Achilles paradox, the prisoner's dilemma), and curiosities (the philosopher's stone, slime). Every entry is accompanied by suggestions for further reading. A chronological chart of the history of philosophy is located at theend of the book, together with fourteen diagrams showing the structure of philosophy and the relations between its subjects and doctrines. This book will be an indispensable guide and a constant source of stimulation and enlightenment for anyone interested in abstract thought, the eternal questions, and the foundations of human understanding.

International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science

International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science
Author: John Feather
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 722
Release: 2003-09-02
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 1134513208

The International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science was published to widespread acclaim in 1996, and has become the major reference work in the field. This eagerly awaited new edition has been fully revised and updated to take full account of the many and radical changes which have taken place since the Encyclopedia was originally conceived. With nearly 600 entries, written by a global team of over 150 contributors, the subject matter ranges from mobile library services provided by camel and donkey transport to search engines, portals and the World Wide Web. The new edition retains the successful structure of the first with an alphabetical organization providing the basic framework of a coherent collection of connected entries. Conceptual entries explore and explicate all the major issues, theories and activities in information and library science, such as the economics of information and information management. A wholly new entry on information systems, and enhanced entries on the information professions and the information society, are key features of this new edition. Topical entries deal with more specific subjects, such as collections management and information services for ethnic minorities. New or completely revised entries include a group of entries on information law, and a collection of entries on the Internet and the World Wide Web.

The Limits of Utilitarianism

The Limits of Utilitarianism
Author: Harlan B. Miller
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
Total Pages: 315
Release:
Genre:
ISBN: 9781452912448

The Limits of Utilitarianism was first published in 1982. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. Many philosophers have argued that utilitarianism is an unacceptable moral theory and that promoting the general welfare is at best only one of the legitimate goals of public policy. Utilitarian principles seem to place no limits on the extent to which society may legitimately interfere with a person's liberties - provided that such actions can be shown to promote the long-term welfare of its members. These issues have played a central role in discussions of utilitarianism since the time of Bentham and Mill. Despite criticisms, utilitarianism remains the most influential and widely accepted moral theory of recent times. In this volume contemporary philosophers address four aspects of utilitarianism: the principle of utility; utilitarianism vis-à-vis contractarianism; welfare; and voluntary cooperation and helping others. The editors provide an introduction and a comprehensive bibliography that covers all books and articles published in utilitarianism since 1930.