Epimethean Imaginings

Epimethean Imaginings PDF

Author: Raymond Tallis

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-09-11

Total Pages: 333

ISBN-13: 1317545796

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These essays, written in the spirit of Goethe’s Epimetheus who "traces the quick deed to the dim realm of form-combining possibilities", display the depth and breadth of Tallis’s fascination with our lives. Whether discussing philosophical "hardy perennials" like time, or a mundane artefact like ink, Tallis challenges us to think differently about who we are and why we are. The first part of the book – Analysis – dives into the deep-end to explore some of the big questions in philosophy: perception, knowledge and belief; time; the relationship between mathematics and reality; and probability and causation. The middle section – Tetchy Interludes – takes a wry look at some aspects of contemporary art; stupidity (including the author’s own); and Christmas. The third part – Celebration – is more experimental in both its subject matter and treatment. It celebrates the complexity of ordinary, everyday consciousness by contemplating the miracle of speech, artefacts that have transformed our lives (and what they reveal about our cognition) such as the wheel, the sail, and ink; and ‘snapshots’ of the author’s own consciousness on an ordinary day, of past consciousness, as captured in historical memory. Notwithstanding their diversity in theme and style, these essays share the common aim of discovering and celebrating the submerged riches in the "quick deeds" of our everyday lives and perceptions.

The Black Mirror

The Black Mirror PDF

Author: Raymond Tallis

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2015-08-25

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 0300219229

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In this beautifully written, personal meditation on life and living, Raymond Tallis reflects on the fundamental fact of existence: that it is finite. Inspired by E. M. Forster’s thought that “Death destroys a man but the idea of it saves him,” Tallis invites readers to look back upon their lives from a unique standpoint: one’s own future corpse. From this perspective, he shows, the world now vacated can be seen most clearly in all its richness and complexity. Â Tallis blends lyrical reflection, humor, and the occasional philosophical argument as he explores his own postmortem recollections. He considers the biological processes and the senses that opened up his late world and the million-nooked space in which he passed his life. His inert, dispossessed body highlights his ceaseless activity in life, the mind-boggling inventory of his possessions, and the togetherness and apartness that characterized his relationships in the material and social worlds. Tallis also touches on the idea of a posthumous life in the memories of those who outlive him. Readers who accompany Tallis as he considers his life through death will appreciate with new intensity the precariousness and preciousness of life, for here he succeeds in his endeavor to make “the shining hour” shine more brightly.

Aping Mankind

Aping Mankind PDF

Author: Raymond Tallis

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-04-14

Total Pages: 385

ISBN-13: 1317234626

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Neuroscience has made astounding progress in the understanding of the brain. What should we make of its claims to go beyond the brain and explain consciousness, behaviour and culture? Where should we draw the line? In this brilliant critique Raymond Tallis dismantles "Neuromania", arising out of the idea that we are reducible to our brains and "Darwinitis" according to which, since the brain is an evolved organ, we are entirely explicable within an evolutionary framework. With precision and acuity he argues that the belief that human beings can be understood in biological terms is a serious obstacle to clear thinking about what we are and what we might become. Neuromania and Darwinitis deny human uniqueness, minimise the differences between us and our nearest animal kin and offer a grotesquely simplified account of humanity. We are, argues Tallis, infinitely more interesting and complex than we appear in the mirror of biology. Combative, fearless and thought-provoking, Aping Mankind is an important book and one that scientists, cultural commentators and policy-makers cannot ignore. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new preface by the Author.

Shelley and the Romantic Imagination

Shelley and the Romantic Imagination PDF

Author: Thomas R. Frosch

Publisher: University of Delaware Press

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 9780874139785

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"Frosch offers a fuller psychoanalytic account of Shelley's poetry than previously available, discussing both oedipal and pre-oedipal conflict, the positive and negative attitudes toward both the father and the mother, and the subtle workings, defensive and creative, of the ego."--Jacket.

Organizing Hope

Organizing Hope PDF

Author: Daniel Ericsson

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2019-12-27

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 1788979443

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Crumbling social institutions, disintegrating structures, and a profound sense of uncertainty are the signs of our time. In this book, this contemporary crisis is explored and illuminated, providing narratives that suggest how the notion of hope can be leveraged to create powerful methods of organizing for the future. Chapters first consider theoretical and philosophical perspectives on hopeful organizing, followed by both empirical discussions about achieving change and more imaginative narratives of alternative and utopian futures, including an exploration of the differing roles of work, creativity, idealism, inclusivity and activism.

Aping Mankind

Aping Mankind PDF

Author: Raymond Tallis

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-04-14

Total Pages: 407

ISBN-13: 1317234634

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Neuroscience has made astounding progress in the understanding of the brain. What should we make of its claims to go beyond the brain and explain consciousness, behaviour and culture? Where should we draw the line? In this brilliant critique Raymond Tallis dismantles "Neuromania", arising out of the idea that we are reducible to our brains and "Darwinitis" according to which, since the brain is an evolved organ, we are entirely explicable within an evolutionary framework. With precision and acuity he argues that the belief that human beings can be understood in biological terms is a serious obstacle to clear thinking about what we are and what we might become. Neuromania and Darwinitis deny human uniqueness, minimise the differences between us and our nearest animal kin and offer a grotesquely simplified account of humanity. We are, argues Tallis, infinitely more interesting and complex than we appear in the mirror of biology. Combative, fearless and thought-provoking, Aping Mankind is an important book and one that scientists, cultural commentators and policy-makers cannot ignore. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new preface by the Author.

Epimethean Calling

Epimethean Calling PDF

Author: D F Neely

Publisher:

Published: 2015-02-01

Total Pages: 110

ISBN-13: 9781635355505

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If you thought you lived long enough to find a world where time is not of the essence, then you have not lived life nor have you lived. Humanity is becoming an endangered species and the future is the only holder of the past. Allow the future to be the answer to the futures distress...

Conscious Robots

Conscious Robots PDF

Author: Paul Kwatz

Publisher:

Published: 2013-06-27

Total Pages: 92

ISBN-13: 095506970X

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"Lives up to all the hype" "An absolutely necessary book", "Should be taught in schools", "Dynamite, this is a brilliant book" - see the reviews on Amazon.com. The Future's Most important Book: -- Why we're so convinced that we're in charge when we're really just carrying out evolution's instructions -- Why our lives, as Buddha suggested, are inherently unsatisfactory, despite our luxurious homes, successful careers and loving families -- How humans will one day take control of their conscious minds, get happy and stay happy. And the real reason Aliens haven't visited the Earth yet... 107 minutes (average read time) to change the way you think about everything. "Easy to understand and persuasive" "Fun, short, insightful" "Bad Ass "

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