Oxford University Press

Choice Theory	Oxford University Press
Автор: Allingham Michael Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2002	DOC, 144 страницы, 1.00 МБ 0 Оценка:
We make choices all the time — about trivial matters, about how to spend our money, about how to spend our time, about what to do with our lives. And we are also constantly judging the decisions other people make as rational or irrational. But what kind of criteria are we applying when we say that a choice is rational? What guides our own choices, especially in cases where we don't have complete information about the outcomes? What strategies should be applied in making decisions which affect a lot of people, as in the case of government policy? This book explores what it means to be rational in all these contexts. It introduces ideas from economics, philosophy, and other areas, showing how the theory applies to decisions in everyday life, and to particular situations such as gambling and the allocation of resources.
520 alex033ru 19 февраля 2009	Скачать книгу

Cryptography	Oxford University Press
Автор: Fred C. Piper Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2002	PDF, 160 страниц, 4.80 МБ 8 Оценка:
This book is a clear and informative introduction to cryptography and data protection — subjects of considerable social and political importance. It explains what algorithms do, how they are used, the risks associated with using them, and why governments should be concerned. Important areas are highlighted, such as Stream Ciphers, block ciphers, public key algorithms, digital signatures, and applications such as e-commerce. This book highlights the explosive impact of cryptography on modern society, with, for example, the evolution of the internet and the introduction of more sophisticated banking methods.
578 admin 25 апреля 2009	Скачать книгу

The History of Astronomy	Oxford University Press
Автор: Hoskin Michael Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2003	PDF, 136 страниц, 4.08 МБ 0 Оценка:
Astronomy, perhaps the first of the sciences, was already well developed by the time of Christ. Seventeen centuries later, after Newton showed that the movements of the planets could be explained in terms of gravitation, it became the paradigm for the mathematical sciences. In the nineteenth century the analysis of star-light allowed astrophysicists to determine both the chemical composition and the radial velocities of celestial bodies, while the development of photography enabled distant objects invisible to the human eye, to be studied and measured in comfort. Technical developments during and since the Second World War have greatly enlarged the scope of the science by permitting the study of radiation. This is a fascinating introduction to the history of Western astronomy, from prehistoric times to the origins of astrophysics in the mid-nineteenth century. Historical records are first found in Babylon and Egypt, and after two millennia the arithmetical astronomy of the Babylonians merged with the Greek geometrical approach to culminate in the Almagest of Ptolemy. This legacy was transmitted to the Latin West via Islam, and led to Copernicus's claim that the Earth is in motion. In justifying this Kepler converted astronomy into a branch of dynamics, leading to Newton's universal law of gravity. The book concludes with eighteenth and nineteenth-century applications of Newton's law, and the first explorations of the universe of stars.
491 kattymay 15 декабря 2009	Скачать книгу

The Earth	Oxford University Press
Автор: Redfern Martin Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2003	PDF, 160 страниц, 4.80 МБ 8 Оценка:
For generations, the ground beneath the feet of our ancestors seemed solid and unchanging. Around 30 years ago, two things happened that were to revolutionize the understanding of our home planet. First, geologists realized that the continents themselves were drifting across the surface of the globe and that oceans were being created and destroyed. Secondly, pictures of the entire planet were returned from space. As the astronomer Fred Hoyle had predicted, this 'let loose an idea as powerful as any in history'. Suddenly, the Earth began to be viewed as a single entity; a dynamic, interacting whole, controlled by complex processes we scarcely understood. It began to seem less solid. As one astronaut put it, 'a blue jewel on black velvet; small, fragile and touchingly alone'. Geologists at last were able to see the whole as well as the detail; the wood as well as the trees. This book brings their account up to date with the latest understanding of the processes that govern our planet.
578 admin 25 апреля 2009	Скачать книгу

Film	Oxford University Press
Автор: Wood Michael Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2012	DjVu, 152 страницы, 6.08 МБ 5 Оценка:
Film is considered by some to be the most dominant art form of the twentieth century. It is many things, but it has become above all a means of telling stories through images and sounds. The stories are often offered to us as quite false, frankly and beautifully fantastic, and they are sometimes insistently said to be true. But they are stories in both cases, and there are very few films, even in avant-garde art, that don't imply or quietly slip into narrative. This story element is important, and is closely connected with the simplest fact about moving pictures: they do move. Even the older meanings of the word 'film' — a membrane, a covering, a veil, an emanation — now seem to have something to do with moving pictures. Many people believe films are an instrument of illusion, an emphatic way of seeing what is not there; and this capacity has been both celebrated and condemned. 'Like a movie' mostly means like some sort of fairy-tale. But what about the reverse proposition: that more than any other invention film brings us close to the world as it actually is? 'Photography is truth', a character says in a film by Jean-Luc Godard. 'And cinema is the truth twenty-four times per second'. The same claim is made every day, albeit less epigrammatically, by newsreels and surveillance cameras. In this Very Short Introduction Michael Wood provides a brief history and examination of the nature of the medium of film, considering its role and impact on society as well as its future in the digital age.
551 coldlikeice 17 октрября 2015	Скачать книгу

Myth	Oxford University Press
Автор: Robert A. Segal Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2004	PDF, 176 страниц, 5.28 МБ 0 Оценка:
This book is not about myths, but about approaches to myth, from all of the major disciplines, including science, religion, philosophy, literature, and psychology. The fate of the preternaturally beautiful Adonis is one of the main fables upon which Segal focuses, in an attempt to analyse the various different theories of myth. Where the theory does not work, he substitutes another myth, showing that, for all their claims to all-inclusiveness, certain theories, in fact, only apply to specific kinds of myths. A uniform set of questions is provided, to elucidate both the strengths and the weaknesses of the conjectures. A survey of the past 300 years of theorizing on myth, this book takes into account the work of such prominent thinkers as Albert Camus, Claude Levi-Strauss, Roland Barthes, C. G. Jung, and Sigmund Freud. Finally, Segal considers the future study of myth, and the possible function of myth in the world as the adult equivalent of play.
636 kubinec12 11 июня 2009	Скачать книгу

Renaissance Art	Oxford University Press
Автор: Geraldine A. Johnson Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	PDF, 176 страниц, 5.28 МБ 0 Оценка:
Botticelli, Holbein, Leonardo, Durer, Michelangelo: the names are familiar, as are the works, such as the Last Supper fresco, or the monumental marble statue of David. But who were these artists, why did they produce such memorable images, and how would their original beholders have viewed these objects? Was the Renaissance only about great masters and masterpieces, or were mistresses also involved, such as women artists and patrons? And what about the 'minor' — pieces that Renaissance men and women would have encountered in homes, churches and civic spaces? This exciting and stimulating volume will answer such questions by considering both famous and lesser-known artists, patrons and works of art within the cultural and historical context of Renaissance Europe.
636 kubinec12 11 июня 2009	Скачать книгу

Human Evolution	Oxford University Press
Автор: Wood Bernard Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2006	DOC, 144 страницы, 1.00 МБ 0 Оценка:
This Very Short Introduction traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the eighteenth century to the latest fossil finds. Although concentrating on the fossil evidence for human evolution, it also covers the latest genetic evidence about regional variations in the modern human genome that relate to our evolutionary history. Bernard Wood draws on over thirty years of experience to provide an insiders view of the field and some of the personalities in it, and demonstrates that our understanding of human evolution is critically dependent on advances in related sciences such as paleoclimatology, geochronology, systematics, genetics, and developmental biology.
521 alex033ru 20 декабря 2008	Скачать книгу

Locke	Oxford University Press
Автор: Dunn John Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2003	PDF, 136 страниц, 4.08 МБ 0 Оценка:
John Locke (1632-1704) one of the greatest English philosophers of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century, argued in his masterpiece, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, that our knowledge is founded in experience and reaches us principally through our senses; but its message has been curiously misunderstood. In this book John Dunn shows how Locke arrived at his theory of knowledge, and how his exposition of the liberal values of toleration and responsible government formed the backbone of enlightened European thought of the eighteenth century.
491 kattymay 15 декабря 2009	Скачать книгу

Dinosaurs	Oxford University Press
Автор: Norman David Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	PDF, 192 страницы, 5.76 МБ 5 Оценка:
The popularity of dinosaurs seems never ending, fuelled by films such as Jurassic Par and documentaries (Walking with Dinosaurs). But how much do these popular programmes really tell us about the recent scientific discoveries and the latest research into the world of the dinosaur? This is the first book explain the latest findings in dinosaur research and the exciting scientific discoveries that have built up a picture of how dinosaurs looked, what they ate, and how they moved and interacted with each other. Taking a new approach to the subject, David Norman combines many areas of science, such as anatomy, genetics, forensics and engineering design, to piece together the evidence of how animal life evolved on earth, and why it did in the way that it did. David Norman also discusses the role that informed speculation and luck has played in many of the major discoveries. Starting with ancient myths of dinosaur-like monsters (dragons) and the history of the discovery of dinosaurs, he goes on to discuss their evolution and the many different techniques used to understand them, including the latest virtual reality animation sequences and engineering design analysis.
694 zorkuzz 15 августа 2009	Скачать книгу

Atheism	Oxford University Press
Автор: Baggini Julian Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2003	PDF, 136 страниц, 4.08 МБ 0 Оценка:
Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterized by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the Twentieth Century. The book presents an intellectual case for atheism that rests as much upon positive arguments for its truth as on negative arguments against religion.
491 kattymay 15 декабря 2009	Скачать книгу

Ethics	Oxford University Press
Автор: Blackburn Simon Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2009	DjVu, 152 страницы, 6.08 МБ 5 Оценка:
Our self-image as moral, well-behaved creatures is dogged by scepticism, relativism, hypocrisy, and nihilism, by the fear that in a Godless world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be selfish and tribalistic, or competitive and aggressive. In this 'sparklingly clear' (Guardian) introduction to ethics Simon Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death, happiness, desire and freedom, showing us how we should think about the meaning of life, and how we should mistrust the soundbite-sized absolutes that often dominate moral debates.
551 coldlikeice 16 декабря 2011	Скачать книгу

Existentialism	Oxford University Press
Автор: Flynn Thomas Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2006	PDF, 160 страниц, 4.80 МБ 8 Оценка:
Existentialism was one of the leading philosophical movements of the twentieth century. Focusing on its seven leading figures, Sartre, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Kierkegaard, de Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty and Camus, this Very Short Introduction provides a clear account of the key themes of the movement which emphasized individuality, free will, and personal responsibility in the modern world. Drawing in the movement's varied relationships with the arts, humanism, and politics, this book clarifies the philosophy and original meaning of 'existentialism' — which has tended to be obscured by misappropriation. Placing it in its historical context, Thomas Flynn also highlights how existentialism is still relevant to us today.
579 admin 26 марта 2009	Скачать книгу

Kafka	Oxford University Press
Автор: Robertson Ritchie Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	DjVu, 152 страницы, 6.08 МБ 5 Оценка:
When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect... So begins Franz Kafka's most famous story Metamorphosis. Franz Kafka (1883-1924) is among the most intriguing and influential writers of the twentieth century. During his lifetime he worked as a civil servant and published only a handful of short stories, the best known being The Transformation. All three of his novels, The Trial, The Castle, and The Man Who Disappeared [America], were published after his death and helped to found Kafka's reputation as a uniquely perceptive interpreter of the twentieth century. Kafka's fiction vividly evokes bizarre situations: a commercial traveller is turned into an insect, a banker is arrested by a mysterious court, a fasting artist starves to death in the name of art, a singing mouse becomes the heroine of her nation. Attending both to Kafka's crisis-ridden life and to the subtleties of his art, Ritchie Robertson shows how his work explores such characteristically modern themes as the place of the body in culture, the power of institutions over people, and the possibility of religion after Nietzsche had proclaimed 'the death of God'. The result is an up-to-date and accessible portrait of a fascinating author which shows us ways to read and make sense of his perplexing and absorbing work.
549 coldlikeice 16 февраля 2009	Скачать книгу

Buddhist Ethics	Oxford University Press
Автор: Keown Damien Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	DOC, 168 страниц, 1.00 МБ 7 Оценка:
The latter half of the twentieth century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. Numerous introductory books have appeared in recent years to cater for this growing interest, but almost none devotes attention to the specifically ethical dimension of the tradition. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West, and publications on the subject are few and far between. Here, Damien Keown, author of Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction, illustrates how Buddhism might approach a range of fascinating moral issues ranging from abortion and suicide to cloning.
607 pdsolid 06 мая 2008	Скачать книгу

Engels	Oxford University Press
Автор: Carver Terrell Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2003	PDF, 128 страниц, 3.84 МБ 7 Оценка:
It is by no means absurd to say that Engels invented Marxism. His work did more than Marx to make converts of the most influential political movement of modern times. He was not only the father of dialectical and historical materialism, the official philosophies of history and science in many communist countries; he was also the first Marxist historian, anthropologist, philosopher, and commentator on early Marx. In his later years Engels developed his materialist interpretation of history, his chief intellectual legacy, which has had revolutionary effects on the arts and social sciences. Terrell Carver traces its source and its effect on the development of Marxist theory and practice, assesses its utility, and discusses the difficulties which Marxists have encountered in defending it.
462 liego55 20 октрября 2009	Скачать книгу

The Marquis De Sade	Oxford University Press
Автор: Phillips John Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	PDF, 160 страниц, 4.80 МБ 8 Оценка:
Were it not for the Marquis de Sade's explicit use of language and complete disregard for the artificially constructed taboos of a religious morality he despised, the novelty and profundity of his thought, and above all, its fundamental modernity, would have long since secured him a place alongside the greatest authors and thinkers of the European Enlightenment. This Very Short Introduction aims to disentangle the 'real' Marquis de Sade from his mythical and demonic reputation of the past two hundred years. Phillips examines Sade's life and work: his libertine novels, his championing of atheism, and his uniqueness in bringing the body and sex back into philosophy.
578 admin 26 марта 2008	Скачать книгу

Ancient Warfare	Oxford University Press
Автор: Sidebottom Harry Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	PDF, 192 страницы, 5.76 МБ 5 Оценка:
Greek and Roman warfare differed from other cultures and was unlike any other forms of warfare before and after. The key difference is often held to be that the Greeks and Romans practised a Western Way of War, where the aim is an open, decisive battle, won by courage instilled in part by discipline. Harry Sidebottom looks at how and why this Western Way of War was constructed and maintained by the Greeks and Romans, why this concept is so popular and prevalent today, and at whether or not this is an accurate interpretation. All aspects of ancient warfare are thoroughly examined — from philosophy and strategy to the technical skills needed to fight. He looks at war in the wider context — how wars could shape classical society, and how the individual's identity could be constructed by war, for example the Christian soldier fighting in God's name. He also explores the ways in which ancient society thought about conflict: Can a war be just? Why was siege warfare particularly bloody? What role did divine intervention play in the outcome of a battle? Taking fascinating examples from the Iliad, Tacitus, and the Persian Wars, Sidebottom uses arresting anecdotes and striking visual images to show that the any understanding of ancient war is an ongoing process of interpretation.
694 zorkuzz 15 августа 2009	Скачать книгу

Feminism	Oxford University Press
Автор: Walters Margaret Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2006	PDF, 176 страниц, 5.28 МБ 0 Оценка:
How much have women's lives really changed? In the West women still come up against the 'glass ceiling' at work, most earning considerably less than their male counterparts. What are we to make of the now commonplace insistence that feminism deprives men of their rights and dignities? And how does one tackle the issue of female emancipation in different cultural and economic environments — in, for example, the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent, and Africa? This book provides an historical account of feminism, exploring its earliest roots as well as key issues including voting rights, the liberation of the sixties, and its relevance today. Margaret Walters touches on the difficulties and inequities that women still face more than forty years after the 'new wave' of 1960s feminism, such as how successful women are at combining domesticity, motherhood, and work outside the house. She brings the subject completely up to date by providing an analysis of the current situation of women across the globe, from Europe and the United States to Third World countries.
637 kubinec12 12 мая 2009	Скачать книгу

Fossils	Oxford University Press
Автор: Thomson Keith Издательство: Oxford University Press, 2005	PDF, 160 страниц, 4.80 МБ 8 Оценка:
Fossils have been vital to our understanding of the formation of the earth and the origins of all life on it. However, their impact has not been limited to debates about geology and evolution: attempts to explain their existence has shaken religion at its very roots, and they have remained a subject of ceaseless fascination for people of all ages and backgrounds. In this delightful book, Keith Thomson provides a remarkably all-encompassing explanation of fossils as a phenomenon. How did Darwin use fossils to support his theory of evolution? What are living fossils? What fossils will we leave behind for future generations to examine? Building on the scientific aspects, he places fossils in a very human context, highlighting their impact on philosophy and mythology, our concept of time, and today's popular culture. What quickly becomes obvious is that the discovery of fossils and the ways in which they have been interpreted over time makes for fascinating reading. From the black market to the Piltdown Man, and from mythological dragons to living dinosaurs, fossils hold a permanent place in the popular imagination.
578 admin 26 марта 2008	Скачать книгу

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