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The
Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan
Paperback from Ballantine Books
Media Published: 1997-
ISBN: 0345409469
"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the
first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought."
*Los Angeles Times
"POWERFUL . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich
in surprising information and beautiful writing."
*The Washington Post Book World
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven
lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience
and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and
distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is
critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of
our democratic institutions.
Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and
authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft,
faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called
information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction,
channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention
and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song
of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into
darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.
"COMPELLING."
*USA Today
"A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference.
. . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers
of unrestrained credulity."
*The Sciences
"PASSIONATE."
*San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle
Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers
him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences,
the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam
of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing,
and channeling; refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality,
and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political,
social, religious, and other issues. |
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Chemistry
for Changing Times, 11th Edition
by John W. Hill, Doris K. Kolb
Hardcover from Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0132280841
This popular book is a useful and interesting read
for the layperson, as it is colorful, conversational in tone, and easily
understandable. Knowledge of chemistry leads to better understanding about
the hazards and benefits of this world, enabling better personal decision-making.
Explores the concept of green chemistry throughout. Extensively revises
key subject areas such as Energy, Fitness and Health, and Drugs. Features
new color photographs and diagrams throughout to help readers visualize
chemical phenomena. Personalizes chemistry for today's reader, encouraging
a focus on evaluating information about real-life issues rather than memorizing
rigorous theory and mathematics. For anyone interested in learning about
chemistry and its effect upon our everyday lives. |
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Cosmos
by Carl Sagan
Mass Market Paperback from Ballantine Books
Media Published: 1985-
ISBN: 0345331354
The best-selling science book ever published in the English language,
COSMOS is a magnificent overview of the past, present, and future of science.
Brilliant and provocative, it traces today's knowledge and scientific methods
to their historical roots, blending science and philosophy in a wholly
energetic and irresistible way.
Cosmos was the first science TV blockbuster, and Carl Sagan was
its (human) star. By the time of Sagan's death in 1996, the series had
been seen by half a billion people; Sagan was perhaps the best-known scientist
on the planet. Explaining how the series came about, Sagan recalled:
I was positive from my own experience that an enormous global
interest exists in the exploration of the planets and in many kindred scientific
topics--the origin of life, the Earth, and the Cosmos, the search for extraterrestrial
intelligence, our connection with the universe. And I was certain that
this interest could be excited through that most powerful communications
medium, television.
Sagan's own interest and enthusiasm for the universe were so vivid and
infectious, his screen presence so engaging, that viewers and readers couldn't
help but be caught up in his vision. From stars in their "billions and
billions" to the amino acids in the primordial ocean, Sagan communicated
a feeling for science as a process of discovery. Inevitably, some of the
science in Cosmos has been outdated in the years since 1980--but
Sagan's sense of wonder is ageless. --Mary Ellen Curtin |
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Vector
Calculus
by Jerrold E. Marsden, Anthony J. Tromba
Hardcover from W.H. Freeman & Company
ISBN: 0716724324
This acclaimed course in the calculus of functions of several variables
and vector analysis is aimed mainly at second-year undergraduates. Marsden
and Tromba provide a concrete, student-oriented text that fosters computational
skills and intuitive understanding. The Fourth Edition maintains the balance
between theory, applications, optional materials and historical notes present
in earlier editions, but has been refined throughout. "This is a superbly
produced book, whose clear and orderly presentation and informative diagrams
immediately invite closer study ...The best way to evaluate a textbook
is to teach from it, and it is clear from the companion study guide by
Pao and Soon that it has passed this test." The Mathematical Gazette Supplements:
Student Guide/Instructor's Manual |
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