33 products were found matching your search for Plausibility in 2 shops:

Offering daring new ideas about evolution, two highly respected biologists here tackle the central, unresolved question in the field―how have living organisms on Earth developed with such astounding variety and complexity? Marc Kirschner and John Gerhart draw on cutting-edge biological and medical research to provide an original solution to this longstanding puzzle."In this terrific new book, molecular systems meet evolution. The result is a wealth of stimulating ideas set among clear explanations drawn from a revelatory decade in biology."―Andrew H. Knoll, author of Life on a Young Planet"Thought-provoking and lucidly written. . . . The Plausibility of Life will help readers understand not just the plausibility of evolution, but its remarkable, inventive powers." ―Sean Carroll, author of Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo“Remarkably lucid and comprehensive, this new theoretical synthesis will . . . shift the grounds for debate in the controversy surrounding organic evolution.”―Booklist (starred review)

In the 150 years since Darwin, the field of evolutionary biology has left a glaring gap in understanding how animals developed their astounding variety and complexity. The standard answer has been that small genetic mutations accumulate over time to produce wondrous innovations such as eyes and wings. Drawing on cutting-edge research across the spectrum of modern biology, Marc Kirschner and John Gerhart demonstrate how this stock answer is woefully inadequate. Rather they offer an original solution to the longstanding puzzle of how small random genetic change can be converted into complex, useful innovations.In a new theory they call facilitated variation,” Kirschner and Gerhart elevate the individual organism from a passive target of natural selection to a central player in the 3-billion-year history of evolution. In clear, accessible language, the authors invite every reader to contemplate daring new ideas about evolution. By closing the major gap in Darwin’s theory Kirschner and Gerhart also provide a timely scientific rebuttal to modern critics of evolution who champion intelligent design.”

The task of interpreting the religious significance of Jesus Christ takes shape in this book with the tension determined by two goals: fidelity to the classical Christological tradition, which draws our attention to Jesus in the first place, and plausibility with respect to all forms of contemporary knowledge. To ignore the classical tradition is to assume uncritically that contemporary plausibility structures are beyond question, while to forsake plausibility is to embrace the irrationalism of the theological ghetto-dweller. This book argues that maintaining this tension in our time can be achieved only with a modest interpretation of Jesus Christ, one that repudiates the hermeneutical absolutism associated with affirming that Jesus Christ is uniquely, exhaustively, unsurpassably significant for revelation and salvation.

In Particles + Waves with Plausibility, artist Dennis Balk employs various forms of visual expression—from abstract, digitally created images to straight photography, not missing many steps in between—to explore the relationship between models for subatomic particles, designed by the artist, and the day-to-day life of human beings. Balk shows us his models as they take on shape, form, and personality, displaying patterns of behavior similar to that of human culture. Just as we pass on elements of our cultural identity through social interactions, each particle has a specified code, formed from its physical qualities, that passes from receptor to receptor to other particles in subatomic space. Using scientific methods such as nanotechnologies—engineering processes that operate at a molecular scale—Balk confronts the possibility of the visual description of subatomic material (material that, even with the greatest of modern technologies, cannot actually be seen). As Balk explores the boundaries between science and culture, Particles + Waves with Plausibility sets us back in time in North Africa, beginning with early Egypt and the Giza Plateau. From these often-mythologized cultures and histories, the scale then closes in taking us forward in time, closer to specificity of place, and into the limits of contemporary scientific knowledge. Balk bounces from photographs depicting everyday human existence to images describing the dramas of subatomic material, leaving the viewer to wonder: Is this connection a fiction, created by Balk’s designs, or are our mysteries intimate with the mysteries of modern science? While we may never answer these questions with certainty, Balk contends that “the process frames [this] science, which becomes a narrative that facilitates a kind of reality.” Be the first on your block to have one!

Since ancient times, hedonism has been one of the most attractive and controversial theories about "the Good Life." On this view, the Good Life is the pleasant life-- pleasure is the Good. Now Fred Feldman presents a careful, modern formulation of hedonism, defending the theory against some of the most important objections. Distinguishing some diverse variants of the theory, and assessing their merits, Feldman explains why each deserves to be classified as a form of hedonism. His book offers inspiring vindication for anyone who hopes that it is possible to enjoy oneself and be good at the same time.

Since ancient times, hedonism has been one of the most attractive and controversial theories about "the Good Life." On this view, the Good Life is the pleasant life-- pleasure is the Good. Now Fred Feldman presents a careful, modern formulation of hedonism, defending the theory against some of the most important objections. Distinguishing some diverse variants of the theory, and assessing their merits, Feldman explains why each deserves to be classified as a form of hedonism. His book offers inspiring vindication for anyone who hopes that it is possible to enjoy oneself and be good at the same time.

Explores the plausibility and value of viewing synchronicity as a form of spiritual experience.In this fascinating book, Roderick Main examines meaningful coincidence or what Swiss psychiatrist C. G. Jung called synchronicity. Moving beyond Jung’s psychological theory, he explores the plausibility and value of viewing synchronicity as a form of spiritual experience and clarifies connections between the phenomenon and a range of traditional spiritual concepts, including numinosity, miraculousness, transformation, unity, transcendence and immanence, providence, and revelation. Through the detailed analysis of two remarkable series of synchronistic events, Main illustrates and further develops these connections. He also includes an examination of the alleged synchronistic basis of the ancient Chinese Oracle of Change, the I Ching.

Spun with unsettling plausibility from the events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and featuring secret agent Paul Christopher, The Tears of Autumn is a tour de force of action and enigma. Christopher, at the height of his powers, believes he knows who arranged the assassination and why. His theory is so destructive of the legend of the dead president, though, and so dangerous to the survival of foreign policy, that he is ordered to desist from investigating. But Christopher is a man who lives by, and for, the truth, and his internal compunctions force him to the heart of the matter. Christopher resigns from the Agency and embarks on a tour of investigation that takes him from Paris to Rome, Zurich, the Congo, and Saigon. Threatened by Kennedy's assassins and by his own government, Christopher follows the scent of his suspicion--one breath behind the truth, one step ahead of discovery and death. The Tears of Autumn is an incisive study of power and a brilliant commentary on the force of illusion, the grip of superstition, and the overwhelming strength of blood and family in the affairs of a nation.

Fresh from the triumphant releases of Nosferatu and the Last Laugh, F.W. Murnau was given carte blanche to direct this epic fable of the supernatural. Freed from the burden of plausibility by the story's fantastic premise, Murnau summoned forth a tempest of cinematic brimstone so that every scene ripples with reckless ingenuity. Utilizing the full resources of the UFA Studios (including elaborate miniature models and experimental special effects), Faust captures the intensity of a medieval unive

After torrential summer rains uncover a bizarrely tattooed body on a Lake District hillside, a long-disregarded old wive's tale takes on a chilling new plausibility. For centuries, Lakelanders have whispered that Fletcher Christian, made infamous by Mutiny on the Bounty, staged the massacre on Pitcairn so that he could return home. And once there, what if he could tell his story to an old friend and schoolmate, William Wordsworth, who turned it into a long narrative poem--a poem that remained hidden lest it expose Wordsworth to the gallows for harboring a fugitive. Wordsworth specialist Jane Gresham, herself a native of the Lake District, feels compelled to discover once and for all whether the manuscript ever existed--and whether it still exists today. But as she pursues each new lead, death follows hard on her heels. Suddenly Jane is at the heart of a 200-year-old mystery that still has the power to put lives on the line.

This book is concerned with the rationality and plausibility of the Muslim faith and the Qur'an, and in particular how they can be interrogated and understood through Western analytical philosophy. It also explores how Islam can successfully engage with the challenges posed by secular thinking. The Quran and the Secular Mind will be of interest to students and scholars of Islamic philosophy, philosophy of religion, Middle East studies, and political Islam.

James Kakalios explores the scientific plausibility of the powers and feats of the most famous superheroes — and discovers that in many cases the comic writers got their science surprisingly right. Along the way he provides an engaging and witty commentary while introducing the lay reader to both classic and cutting-edge concepts in physics, including: What Superman’s strength can tell us about the Newtonian physics of force, mass, and acceleration How Iceman’s and Storm’s powers illustrate the principles of thermal dynamics The physics behind the death of Spider-Man’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy Why physics professors gone bad are the most dangerous evil geniuses!

In this book, Will N. Timmins provides a close rereading of Romans 7 within its literary-argumentative context and offers a fresh and compelling solution to the identity of the 'I' in this text. Challenging existing paradigms, which fail to provide both literary coherence and theological plausibility, he develops his own positive theory about the device. Along the way he also re-examines a number of key texts within the letter, which have hitherto not been given due weight within the scholarly discussion. This study offers a fresh and satisfying solution to one of the Bible's most notorious cruxes, and contributes to our understanding of the apostle Paul's thought. It will be of interest to all scholars and students within the fields of biblical studies and Christian theology.

After the challenges of the Enlightenment from philosophers such as David Hume, contemporary philosophers of religion tend to think that proof is not possible and that at best humans have arguments for the probability or plausibility of belief in God. But, Christianity maintains that humans should know God. This book explores attempts to respond to the Enlightenment challenges by thinkers at Princeton Theological like Benjamin Warfield. It considers Warfield's view of reason and knowledge of God, his debate with Abraham Kuyper, and the attempt to reconcile differences between these two by Cornelius Van Til. It also considers Reformed Epistemology, which has become popular in recent decades and is credited for a renewed interest in Christian philosophy.

Spun with unsettling plausibility from the events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and featuring secret agent Paul Christopher, The Tears of Autumn is a tour de force of action and enigma. Christopher, at the height of his powers, believes he knows who arranged the assassination and why. His theory is so destructive of the legend of the dead president, though, and so dangerous to the survival of foreign policy, that he is ordered to desist from investigating. But Christopher is a man who lives by, and for, the truth, and his internal compunctions force him to the heart of the matter. Christopher resigns from the Agency and embarks on a tour of investigation that takes him from Paris to Rome, Zurich, the Congo, and Saigon. Threatened by Kennedy's assassins and by his own government, Christopher follows the scent of his suspicion--one breath behind the truth, one step ahead of discovery and death. The Tears of Autumn is an incisive study of power and a brilliant commentary on the force of illusion, the grip of superstition, and the overwhelming strength of blood and family in the affairs of a nation.

Evaluates the plausibility of creatures, unusual events, and theories in mythology, the occult, and modern science

In this book, Will N. Timmins provides a close rereading of Romans 7 within its literary-argumentative context and offers a fresh and compelling solution to the identity of the 'I' in this text. Challenging existing paradigms, which fail to provide both literary coherence and theological plausibility, he develops his own positive theory about the device. Along the way he also re-examines a number of key texts within the letter, which have hitherto not been given due weight within the scholarly discussion. This study offers a fresh and satisfying solution to one of the Bible's most notorious cruxes, and contributes to our understanding of the apostle Paul's thought. It will be of interest to all scholars and students within the fields of biblical studies and Christian theology.

Inasmuch as certain men have set the truth aside, and bring in lying words and vain genealogies, which, as the apostle says, “minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith,” and by means of their craftily-constructed plausibilities draw away the minds of the inexperienced and take them captive, [I have felt constrained, my dear friend, to compose the following treatise in order to expose and counteract their machinations.] These men falsify the oracles of God, and prove themselves evil interpreters of the good word of revelation. They also overthrow the faith of many, by drawing them away, under a pretence of [superior] knowledge, from Him who rounded and adorned the universe; as if, forsooth, they had something more excellent and sublime to reveal, than that God who created the heaven and the earth, and all things that are therein. By means of specious and plausible words, they cunningly allure the simple-minded to inquire into their system; but they nevertheless clumsily destroy them, while they initiate them into their blasphemous and impious opinions respecting the Demiurge; and these simple ones are unable, even in such a matter, to distinguish falsehood from truth.

With the help of noted scientists and biologists, the author examines the scientific theories and plausibility of the most bizarre and compelling episodes of the science fiction TV series, "The X-Files"

This is a soft science fiction epic with plausibility. It is appealing to other than science fiction readers, because of the sub-plots; some laced with erotic behavior by the main characters, twins and their encounters with murder, espionage, revenge, friendships and discovery. The Awakening; Espionage and murder, prior to launch, add suspense and help bring the other characters together in a special way. The murder of the twin's parents, the investigation, and finally the solution, catapults them into this exciting space adventure. The Journey; Completing the bizarre hibernation preparation leaves everyone naked, hairless and ready for the crew's thirteen-year sleep. Weightless sexual activity and games, along with home-brewed hooch, help four hibernate-watchers pass time especially when the watch schedules coincide. Although loneliness is a serious obstacle, love, lust, desire, fantasy, jealousy and conquest all play an equal part in this journey. The Arrival: When they arrive at the new solar system, they find a dangerous but hospitable planet inhabited with, well you'll just have to read it to find out. There is an exploration attempt in a landing craft, One Gemini, a very emotional part of the story line, which also provides the story title. They build cities and manage to keep themselves out of harms way, almost! In the end they find a three-thousand-year-old, well once again you will have to read this story to find out what happens