The Moral Arc

The Moral Arc
Author: Michael Shermer
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 592
Release: 2015-01-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0805096930

The New York Times–bestselling author of The Believing Brains explores how science makes us better people. From Galileo and Newton to Thomas Hobbes and Martin Luther King, Jr., thinkers throughout history have consciously employed scientific techniques to better understand the non-physical world. The Age of Reason and the Enlightenment led theorists to apply scientific reasoning to the non-scientific disciplines of politics, economics, and moral philosophy. Instead of relying on the woodcuts of dissected bodies in old medical texts, physicians opened bodies themselves to see what was there; instead of divining truth through the authority of an ancient holy book or philosophical treatise, people began to explore the book of nature for themselves through travel and exploration; instead of the supernatural belief in the divine right of kings, people employed a natural belief in the right of democracy. In The Moral Arc, Shermer explains how abstract reasoning, rationality, empiricism, skepticism—scientific ways of thinking—have profoundly changed the way we perceive morality and, indeed, move us ever closer to a more just world. “Michael Shermer is a beacon of reason in an ocean of irrationality.” —Neil deGrasse Tyson “A memorable book, a book to recommend and discuss late into the night.” —Richard Dawkins “[A] brilliant contribution . . . Sherman’s is an exciting vision.” —Nature

Crossing the Himalayas

Crossing the Himalayas
Author: Nian Peng
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 203
Release: 2021-10-27
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9811658080

This book aims to analyze two contrasting trends of integration and rivalry among great powers and regional states of Himalaya. It examines the interactions between the great powers and the small states in the Himalayan region, analyzes the multiple effects of the great power rivalry on the regional cooperation, and predicts the possible directions of the future of the geo-politics and geo-economy in the Himalayan region by incorporating the most recent developments. The main content of the book is divided into 11 parts. The Introduction briefly explains the aims and scope of this book. The following chapter focuses on the Buddhist ties between China and the Himalayan states in the past two millennia and its dual influence in the Himalayan region. The rest 9 chapters provide an in-depth analyses of the security dilemma between China and India, Indian perspectives on China-South Asian relations, Chinese perspectives on U.S. and Japan's engagement with South Asia and Indo-Myanmar relations, and Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal's responses to the regional integration and great power rivalry in the Himalayan region respectively. This is the first study which brings the Himalaya region at the center of geopolitical and geo-economics cooperation and rivalry thus highlighting its significance in Asian politics. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the complicated geo-political and geo-economic competition in the Himalayan region by inviting experts from both South Asia and China to contribute chapters. It also balances the west-centered views on the great power rivalry by introducing cultural perspective and small state perspective. The broad approach adopted in the book with focus on all important countries expands the scope of readership beyond specific academic community. The book will interest academics, policy makers, journalists, general reader and students of Asian politics.

Firepower 2030

Firepower 2030
Author:
Publisher: KW Publishers Pvt Ltd
Total Pages: 101
Release: 2013-05-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9385714759

Warfare quintessentially comprises Firepower and Manoeuvre. Terrain and the nuclear overhang restrict manoeuvre in our theatre of operations.The constituents of Firepower are platforms with ammunition, which can deliver from five dimensions; Land, Air, Surface of the sea, below the surface of the sea and possibly in times to come Outer Space. These are Small Arms, Guns, Mortars, Rockets of Artillery, Tanks, Aircrafts, Missiles, Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), Armed Helicopters, Submarines and in future possibly stations in Outer Space. The ammunition which is the payload is the most important element of Firepower. Combination of platforms with ammunition results in devastating Firepower which paves the way for victory. The constituents enable us in a full spectrum conflict to undertake net centric operations. The conflicts visualised could be Land operations in a Counter Insurgency situation against non state actors, Air Land operations in a counter insurgency operation or a conventional conflict, Air operations for Counter Air, Air Defence, Sea operations for sea control or denial, Sea Land operations to undertake Amphibious operations, Air Sea operations between two opposing naval task forces and possibly by 2030 operations involving Outer Space. In these conflicts victory would be attained by ensuring Asymmetries of Firepower.

A New Idea of India

A New Idea of India
Author: Harsh Madhusudan
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
Total Pages: 325
Release: 2023-05-29
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9357080848

For the better part of seven decades after independence, the Nehruvian idea of India held sway in India's polity, even if it was not always in consonance with the views of Jawaharlal Nehru himself. Three key features constituted the crux of the Nehruvian way: socialism, which in practice devolved to corruption and stagnation; secularism, which boxed citizens into group membership and diluted individual identity; and non-alignment, which effectively placed India in the Communist camp. In the early Nineties, India began a gradual withdrawal from this path. But it was only in 2019, with Narendra Modi's second successive win in the general elections, that this philosophy is finally being replaced by a worldview that acknowledges India as an ancient civilization, even if a young republic, and that sees citizens as equal for developmental and other purposes. A New Idea of India constructs and expounds on a new framework beyond the rough and tumble of partisan politics. Lucid in its laying out of ideas and policies while taking a novel position, this book is illuminated by years of research and the authors' first-hand experiences, as citizens, entrepreneurs and investors, of the vagaries and challenges of India. This revised edition builds on some of the arguments of the earlier edition and brings things up-to-date.

Supertrends

Supertrends
Author: Lars Tvede
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 395
Release: 2010-05-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 047097169X

The 2008-2009 market meltdown and house price collapse has resetthe credit and property cycles, and smart investors are now lookingfor the upside. But Where Will the Next Bull Runs Come From, and How CanInvestors Take Advantage? The world is now facing staggering change, including exponentialperformance growth in many technologies. We can expect computersthat are smarter than people, self-driven cars and a trulyintelligent Internet. We are also facing a biotechnologicalrevolution enabling personalized medicine, fourth generationbiofuels, radical extension of human life expectancy, exponentialgrowth in farm yields, and even the recreation of extinct species.Furthermore, our energy sector is facing a complete transformationwhich will eventually make our energy supply limitless. Meanwhile,our population will grow, age and urbanize, and - largely due toemerging market growth – global purchasing power will havequadrupled by 2050. What will this mean for commodity prices, theenvironment and growth sectors such as real estate, global financeand luxury? Supertrends explains not only what will happen, but alsohow and why. Having himself run several hugely profitable fundsthrough seeking out long term opportunities and having set up andsold several award winning technology and new media companies,author Lars Tvede shows readers how to identify and profit from theinvestment opportunities of the future. If you need to be preparedfor the rest of your life, this is the book for you.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2025

The Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2025
Author: Roy Kamphausen
Publisher: Department of the Army
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2015
Genre: History
ISBN:

This updated volume is of special relevance in light of the profound changes occurring within the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). China's desire to develop a military commensurate with its diverse interests is both legitimate and understandable. The challenge for U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) is to understand how China will employ this growing military capability in support of its interests. The book addresses the uncertainty surrounding the potential direction of the PLA by examining three distinct focus areas: domestic, external, and technological drivers of PLA modernization; alternative futures for the PLA; and, Implications for the region, world, and U.S.-China relations. The analysis provides an insightful perspective into the factors shaping and propelling the PLA's modernization, its potential future orientation ranging from internally focused to globally focused, and how the PLA's choices may impact China's relations with its neighbors and the world. Audience: Military personnel, policy analysts, lawmakers, and foreign officers in the Asia Pacific region may find many insights in this book pertaining to the development of the Chinese People's Liberation Army under the leadership of Chinese President, Xi Jinping. High school, community college, and undergraduate university students pursuing coursework and research for United States 1945- Present, global studies, and world history classes may find this text helpful for classroom debates about the expansion of the Chinese military role. Graduate students may find this work helpful for International Relations, Chinese Studies, and Global Affairs coursework in the pursuit of a Master's Degree program in these areas. China resources collection can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/international-foreign-affairs/asia/china

Field Artillery And Fire Power

Field Artillery And Fire Power
Author: J.B.A Bailey
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 394
Release: 2003-09-02
Genre: History
ISBN: 1135478112

This definitive overview of the development and use of artillery makes the complex artillery systems of today understandable, while at the same time showing how they have evolved and how they are likely to change in the future. The author, until recently chief of artillery for the British Army, is considered one of the world's foremost experts on the subject. Unlike other books that either describe the technical aspects of present-day firepower or outline its history during specific wars, this work provides both a detailed explanation of the modern artillery system and a history of its development over the past six hundred fifty years, identifying its enduring principles and changing practices against an ever-changing background of technology, tactics, and strategy. When an earlier version of this book was published in 1989, it became known as the best single source on field artillery in the English language. This new edition has been fully updated and substantially expanded to cover a wide range of contemporary military debates and the role of firepower, and is certain to be regarded as the ultimate work on the subject for years to come. J. B. A. Bailey assesses major developments over the past decade, analyzing artillery operations in airborne, urban, littoral, desert, jungle, mountain, artic, and nocturnal environments. He examines direct fire, counterfire, the suppression of enemy air defenses, and force protection methods. He explains field artillery from its primitive beginnings to its dominance as an art in World War II and its potent utility in operations since 1945 and into the future. The book will be of particular interest to military historians and those engaged in debating firepower's future. Published in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army. 15 photographs. 8 line drawings. Appendixes. Notes. Bibliography. Index. 7 x 10 inches.

The Future of Warfare in 2030

The Future of Warfare in 2030
Author: Raphael S. Cohen
Publisher:
Total Pages: 102
Release: 2022-03-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781977402950

This report is the overview in a series that seeks to answer questions about the future of warfare, including who might be the United States' adversaries and allies, where conflicts will be fought, and how and why they might occur.

Our Final Invention

Our Final Invention
Author: James Barrat
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 142
Release: 2013-10-01
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1250032261

Elon Musk named Our Final Invention one of five books everyone should read about the future—a Huffington Post Definitive Tech Book of 2013. Artificial Intelligence helps choose what books you buy, what movies you see, and even who you date. It puts the “smart” in your smartphone and soon it will drive your car. It makes most of the trades on Wall Street, and controls vital energy, water, and transportation infrastructure. But Artificial Intelligence can also threaten our existence. In as little as a decade, AI could match and then surpass human intelligence. Corporations and government agencies are pouring billions into achieving AI’s Holy Grail—human-level intelligence. Once AI has attained it, scientists argue, it will have survival drives much like our own. We may be forced to compete with a rival more cunning, more powerful, and more alien than we can imagine. Through profiles of tech visionaries, industry watchdogs, and groundbreaking AI systems, Our Final Invention explores the perils of the heedless pursuit of advanced AI. Until now, human intelligence has had no rival. Can we coexist with beings whose intelligence dwarfs our own? And will they allow us to? “If you read just one book that makes you confront scary high-tech realities that we’ll soon have no choice but to address, make it this one.” —The Washington Post “Science fiction has long explored the implications of humanlike machines (think of Asimov’s I, Robot), but Barrat’s thoughtful treatment adds a dose of reality.” —Science News “A dark new book . . . lays out a strong case for why we should be at least a little worried.” —The New Yorker