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| marian keech: The Lure of the Edge Brenda Denzler, 2001-11-07 UFO phenomena entered American consciousness at the beginning of the Cold War, when reports from astonished witnesses of encounters with unknown aerial objects captured the attention of the United States military and the imagination of the press and the public. But when UFOs appeared not to be hostile, and when some scientists pronounced the sightings to be of natural meteorological phenomena misidentified due to Cold War jitters, military interest declined sharply and, with it, further overt scientific interest. Yet sighting reports didn't stop and UFOs entered the public imagination as a cultural myth of the twentieth century. Brenda Denzler's comprehensive, clearly written, and compelling narrative provides the first sustained overview and valuation of the UFO/alien abduction movement as a social phenomenon positioned between scientific and religious perspectives. Demonstrating the unique place ufology occupies in the twentieth-century nexus between science and religion, Denzler surveys the sociological contours of its community, assesses its persistent attempt to achieve scientific legitimacy, and concludes with an examination of the movement's metaphysical or spiritual outlook. Her book is a substantial contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the boundaries of American religion and to the debate about the nature of science and religion. Denzler presents a thorough and fascinating history of the UFO/abduction movement and traces the tensions between those who are deeply ambivalent about abduction narratives that seemingly erode their quest for scientific credibility, and the growing cultural power of those who claim to have been abducted. She locates the phenomenon within the context of American religious history and, using data gathered in surveys, sheds new light on the social profile of these UFO communities. The Lure of the Edge succeeds brilliantly in repositioning a cultural phenomenon considered by many to be bizarre and marginal into a central debate about the nature of science, technology, and the production of a modern myth. |
| marian keech: When Prophecy Fails Leon Festinger, Stanley Schachter, 2013-04-01 The study reported in this volume grew out of some theoretical work, one phase of which bore specifically on the behavior of individuals in social movements that made specific (and unfulfilled) prophecies. We had been forced to depend chiefly on historical records to judge the adequacy of our theoretical ideas until we by chance discovered the social movement that we report in this book. At the time we learned of it, the movement was in mid-career but the prophecy about which it was centered had not yet been disconfirmed. We were understandably eager to undertake a study that could test our theoretical ideas under natural conditions. That we were able to do this study was in great measure due to the support obtained through the Laboratory for Research in Social Relations of the University of Minnesota. This study is a project of the Laboratory and was carried out while we were all members of its staff. We should also like to acknowledge the help we received through a grant-in-aid from the Ford Foundation to one of the authors, a grant that made preliminary exploration of the field situation possible. |
| marian keech: The Story of You Mark Minard, 2015-12-01 In this hopeful book, Mark shares his journey of early heartache, tragedy, and bad decisions—and his continued search for answers. While those experiences could have left him trapped in anger, fear, and mediocrity, he discovered that he was not trapped (or a victim)—he had a choice! He could move beyond the fear and negative emotions to live a life of adventure with a big WHY. The Story of You will take you along the journey of Mark’s mindset as you discover how he began filling his mind with faith-building thoughts. The Story of You will challenge you to open up your heart and discover how the unexplained and often unwelcome events in your lives can move you towards the greatness intended for each of us, because impossible is where every great adventure begins. |
| marian keech: People Studying People Robert A. Georges, Michael O. Jones, 1980-03-13 Non-Aboriginal material. |
| marian keech: The Meat Paradox Rob Percival, 2022-03-01 From a vital new voice in food ethics comes a smart, nuanced investigation into the current meat debate. Our future diet will be shaped by diverse forces. It will be shaped by novel technologies, by geopolitical tensions, and the evolution of cultural preferences, by shocks to the status quo— pandemics and economic strife, the escalation of the climate and ecological crises—and by how we choose to respond. It will also be shaped by our emotions. It will be shaped by the meat paradox. Should we eat animals?” was, until recently, a question reserved for moral philosophers and an ethically minded minority, but it is now posed on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves, on social media and morning television. The recent surge in popularity for veganism in the UK, Europe and North America has created a rupture in the rites and rituals of meat, challenging the cultural narratives that sustain our omnivory. In The Meat Paradox, Rob Percival, an expert in the politics of meat, searches for the evolutionary origins of the meat paradox, asking when our relationship with meat first became emotionally and ethically complicated. Every society must eat, and meat provides an important source of nutrients. But every society is moved by its empathy. We must all find a way of balancing competing and contradictory imperatives. This new book is essential reading for anyone interested in the origins of our empathy, the psychology of our dietary choices, and anyone who has wondered whether they should or shouldn't eat meat. |
| marian keech: Wilful Blindness Margaret Heffernan, 2011-02-03 Fully revised and updated since its first publication in 2011 to encompass further appalling instances of wilful blindness: Grenfell Tower, Carillion, Harvey Weinstein, Windrush and many more. ‘Entertaining and compellingly argued’ Sunday Times ‘A tour de force of brilliant insights’ Philip Zimbardo ‘A polemic against the dangers of docility and groupthink in every walk of life' Books of the Year, Financial Times ‘Writing in clear, flowing prose, Heffernan draws on psychological and neurological studies and interviews with executives, whistleblowers and white-collar criminals' New York Times 'An engaging read, packed with cautionary tales ... Heffernan shows why we close our eyes to facts that threaten our families, our livelihood, and our self-image – and, even better, she points the way out of the darkness' Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind Why, after every major accident and blunder, do we look back and ask, how could we have been so blind? Why do some people see what others don't? And how can we change? Drawing on studies by psychologists and neuroscientists, and from interviews with business leaders, whistle blowers and white collar criminals, distinguished businesswoman and writer Margaret Heffernan examines the phenomenon of wilful blindness, exploring the reasons that individuals and groups are blind to impending personal tragedies, corporate collapses, engineering failures – even crimes against humanity. We turn a blind eye in order to feel safe, to avoid conflict, to reduce anxiety and to protect prestige. It makes us feel good at first, with consequences we don’t see. But greater understanding leads to solutions, and Heffernan shows how – by challenging our biases, encouraging debate, discouraging conformity, and not backing away from difficult or complicated problems – we can be more mindful of what's going on around us and be proactive instead of reactive. |
| marian keech: Case Studies in Social Psychology Thomas Heinzen, Wind Goodfriend, 2018-03-21 In Case Studies in Social Psychology: Critical Thinking and Application, Thomas Heinzen and Wind Goodfriend use brief, entertaining case stories to illustrate the historical context and evolution of major theories within the field of social psychology. By employing a unique mix of contemporary research and hallmark studies, Heinzen and Goodfriend encourage students to explore new, meaningful ways of thinking about and connecting with foundational course concepts. In turn, this approach facilitates engaged conversation and deeper critical thinking both in and out of the classroom. INSTRUCTORS: Bundle Case Studies in Social Psychology with the core text also by Heinzen and Goodfriend, Social Psychology, for only $5 more! Bundle ISBN: 978-1-5443-3032-7 |
| marian keech: Selfhood Rick Hoyle, Michael H. Kernis, Mark R. Leary, Mark W. Baldwin, 2019-09-16 This text provides an integrative survey of the burgeoning social-psychological literature on the self. By way of an introduction, the authors establish the intellectual climate that gave rise to contemporary perspectives on the self and integrate early and more recent research on the structure of the self. The core of the text surveys the literatu |
| marian keech: unSpun Brooks Jackson, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, 2007-04-24 The founders of FactCheck.org teach you how to identify and debunk spin, hype, and fake news in this essential guide to informed citizenship in an age of misinformation. Americans are bombarded daily with mixed messages, half-truths, misleading statements, and out-and-out fabrications masquerading as facts. The news media is often too intimidated, too partisan, or too overworked to keep up with these deceptions. unSpun is the secret decoder ring for the twenty-first-century world of disinformation. Written by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the founders of the acclaimed website FactCheck.org,unSpun reveals the secrets of separating facts from disinformation, such as: • the warning signs of spin • common tricks used to deceive the public • how to find trustworthy and objective sources of information Telling fact from fiction shouldn’t be a difficult task. With this book and a healthy dose of skepticism, anyone can cut through the haze of political deception and biased eportage to become a savvier, more responsible citizen. Praise for unSpun “Read this book and you will not go unarmed into the political wars ahead of us. Jackson and Jamieson equip us to be our own truth squad, and that just might be the salvation of democracy.” —Bill Moyers “The definitive B.S. detector—an absolutely invaluable guidebook.”—Mark Shields, syndicated columnist and political analyst, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer “unSpun is an essential guide to cutting through the political fog.”—Mara Liasson, NPR national political correspondent “The Internet may be a wildly effective means of communication and an invaluable source of knowledge, but it has also become a new virtual haven for scammers–financial, political, even personal. Better than anything written before, unSpun shows us how to recognize these scams and protect ourselves from them.”—Craig Newmark, founder and customer service representative, Craigslist |
| marian keech: Of Flying Saucers and Social Scientists: A Re-Reading of When Prophecy Fails and of Cognitive Dissonance Timothy Jenkins, 2013-06-20 What happens when prophecies fail? Timothy Jenkins' re-reading of Leon Festinger's classic work on cognitive dissonance seeks to answer this question by studying a 50s doomsday group. This volume explores the relations between anthropology and psychology, and between social scientific and natural scientific accounts of human behavior. |
| marian keech: American Cosmic D.W. Pasulka, 2019-01-23 More than half of American adults and more than seventy-five percent of young Americans believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. This level of belief rivals that of belief in God. American Cosmic examines the mechanisms at work behind the thriving belief system in extraterrestrial life, a system that is changing and even supplanting traditional religions. Over the course of a six-year ethnographic study, D.W. Pasulka interviewed successful and influential scientists, professionals, and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who believe in extraterrestrial intelligence, thereby disproving the common misconception that only fringe members of society believe in UFOs. She argues that widespread belief in aliens is due to a number of factors including their ubiquity in modern media like The X-Files, which can influence memory, and the believability lent to that media by the search for planets that might support life. American Cosmic explores the intriguing question of how people interpret unexplainable experiences, and argues that the media is replacing religion as a cultural authority that offers believers answers about non-human intelligent life. |
| marian keech: Future Babble Daniel Gardner, 2011-03-17 An award-winning journalist uses landmark research to debunk the whole expert prediction industry, and explores the psychology of our obsession with future history. In 2008, experts predicted gas would hit $20 a gallon; it peaked at $4.10. In 1967, they said the USSR would be the world's fastest-growing economy by 2000; by 2000, the USSR no longer existed. In 1908, it was pronounced that there would be no more wars in Europe; we all know how that turned out. Face it, experts are about as accurate as dart- throwing monkeys. And yet every day we ask them to predict the future- everything from the weather to the likelihood of a terrorist attack. Future Babble is the first book to examine this phenomenon, showing why our brains yearn for certainty about the future, why we are attracted to those who predict it confidently, and why it's so easy for us to ignore the trail of outrageously wrong forecasts. In this fast-paced, example-packed, sometimes darkly hilarious book, journalist Dan Gardner shows how seminal research by UC Berkeley professor Philip Tetlock proved that the more famous a pundit is, the more likely he is to be right about as often as a stopped watch. Gardner also draws on current research in cognitive psychology, political science, and behavioral economics to discover something quite reassuring: The future is always uncertain, but the end is not always near. |
| marian keech: How to Think Alan Jacobs, 2017-10-17 Absolutely splendid . . . essential for understanding why there is so much bad thinking in political life right now. —David Brooks, New York Times How to Think is a contrarian treatise on why we’re not as good at thinking as we assume—but how recovering this lost art can rescue our inner lives from the chaos of modern life. As a celebrated cultural critic and a writer for national publications like The Atlantic and Harper’s, Alan Jacobs has spent his adult life belonging to communities that often clash in America’s culture wars. And in his years of confronting the big issues that divide us—political, social, religious—Jacobs has learned that many of our fiercest disputes occur not because we’re doomed to be divided, but because the people involved simply aren’t thinking. Most of us don’t want to think. Thinking is trouble. Thinking can force us out of familiar, comforting habits, and it can complicate our relationships with like-minded friends. Finally, thinking is slow, and that’s a problem when our habits of consuming information (mostly online) leave us lost in the spin cycle of social media, partisan bickering, and confirmation bias. In this smart, endlessly entertaining book, Jacobs diagnoses the many forces that act on us to prevent thinking—forces that have only worsened in the age of Twitter, “alternative facts,” and information overload—and he also dispels the many myths we hold about what it means to think well. (For example: It’s impossible to “think for yourself.”) Drawing on sources as far-flung as novelist Marilynne Robinson, basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, British philosopher John Stuart Mill, and Christian theologian C.S. Lewis, Jacobs digs into the nuts and bolts of the cognitive process, offering hope that each of us can reclaim our mental lives from the impediments that plague us all. Because if we can learn to think together, maybe we can learn to live together, too. |
| marian keech: Adieu to God Mick Power, 2012-01-30 Adieu to God examines atheism from a psychological perspective and reveals how religious phenomena and beliefs are psychological rather than supernatural in origin. Answers the psychological question of why, in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, do religions continue to prosper? Looks at atheism and religion using a fair and balanced approach based on the latest work in psychology, sociology, anthropology, psychiatry and medicine Acknowledges the many psychological benefits of religion while still questioning the validity of its supernatural belief systems and providing atheist alternatives to a fulfilling life |
| marian keech: Human Thinking S. Ian Robertson, 2020-11-23 Human Thinking: The Basics provides an essential introduction into how we develop thoughts, the types of reasoning we engage in, and how our thinking can be tailored by subconscious processing. Beginning with the fundamentals, the book examines the mental processes that shape our thoughts, the trajectory of how thought evolved within the animal kingdom and the stages of development of thinking throughout childhood. Robertson insightfully explains the effectiveness of political slogans and advertisements in engaging shallow information processing and the effortful, analytical processing required in critical thinking. Delving into fascinating topics such as magical thinking in the form of religion and superstition, fake news, and motivated ignorance, the book explains the discrepancy between reality and our internal mental representations, the influence of semantics on deductive reasoning and the error-prone, yet adaptive nature of biases. Containing student-friendly features including end of chapter summaries, demonstrative puzzles, simple figures, and further reading lists, this book will be essential reading for all students of thinking and reasoning. |
| marian keech: The Power of Persuasion Robert Levine, 2006-01-23 An engaging, highly readable survey of the sophisticated methods of persuasion we encounter in various situations. From television to telemarketing and from self-deception to suicide cults, Levine takes a hard look at all the ways we attempt to persuade each other--and how and why they work (or don't). . . . The next time you wonder what possessed you to pay $50 for a medallion commemorating the series finale of Friends, you'll know where to turn. --Slashdot.org If you're like most people, you think advertising and marketing work--just not on you. Robert Levine's The Power of Persuasion demonstrates how even the best-educated cynics among us can be victimized by sales pitches. --The Globe and Mail Levine puts [his] analysis in the service of his real mission--to arm the reader against manipulation. --The Wall Street Journal This wonderful book will change the way you think and act in many realms of your life. --Philip Zimbardo former president, American Psychological Association |
| marian keech: The Lucifer Principle Howard Bloom, 2013-11-01 “A philosophical look at the history of our species which alternated between fascinating and frightening . . . like reading Dean Koontz or Stephen King.” —Rocky Mountain News The Lucifer Principle is a revolutionary work that explores the intricate relationships among genetics, human behavior, and culture to put forth the thesis that “evil” is a by-product of nature’s strategies for creation and that it is woven into our most basic biological fabric. In a sweeping narrative that moves lucidly among sophisticated scientific disciplines and covers the entire span of the earth’s—as well as mankind’s—history, Howard Bloom challenges some of our most popular scientific assumptions. Drawing on evidence from studies of the most primitive organisms to those on ants, apes, and humankind, the author makes a persuasive case that it is the group, or “superorganism,” rather than the lone individual that really matters in the evolutionary struggle. But biology is not destiny, and human culture is not always the buffer to our most primitive instincts we would like to think it is. In these complex threads of thought lies the Lucifer Principle, and only through understanding its mandates will we able to avoid the nuclear crusades that await us in the twenty-first century. “A revolutionary vision of the relationship between psychology and history, The Lucifer Principle will have a profound impact on our concepts of human nature. It is astonishing that a book of such importance could be such a pleasure to read.”—Elizabeth F. Loftus, author of Memory |
| marian keech: AQA Psychology for GCSE: Student Book Cara Flanagan, Dave Berry, Mark Jones, Rob Liddle, Ruth Jones, 2022-10-24 Written by renowned author Cara Flanagan and a highly experienced author team, this Student Book has been approved by AQA, offering high quality support you can trust. // Each topic in the specification is presented on one spread so you can see the whole topic with just the right amount of detail and depth of information. // Spreads are divided into Description (AO1) and Evaluation (AO3) - the two key skills for any topic. // Research methods and mathematical requirements are thoroughly covered in a dedicated chapter plus in 'Apply it' exercises across the book. // Application questions, practice questions and skills guidance are provided for the new assessment objectives and mark schemes. // Each chapter ends with visual summaries, example student answers with comments and test yourself multiple choice questions. |
| marian keech: Theories in Social Psychology Derek Chadee, 2022-03-14 THEORIES IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Theories in Social Psychology develops a deeper, more robust understanding of the theoretical framework underlying the field. Providing rich insights into the central theories and perspectives that continue to shape the discipline, this edited volume brings together a panel of distinguished scholars to address thirteen social psychological theories relating to social cognition, social comparison, social reinforcement, and self. In-depth critical discussions examine topics including cognitive dissonance, reactance, attribution, social comparison, relative deprivation, equity, interdependency, social identity, and more. The expanded second edition fills a substantial gap in current literature by articulating the important psychological theories rather than placing emphasis on applied research. New and revised content helps students understand the construction and complexity of key theories while inspiring researchers of social behavior to reflect on their current work and consider future areas of investigation. This comprehensive resource: Identifies and discusses the theoretical perspectives and specific theories that form the foundation of the study of social psychology Features work from leading scholars including Bertram F. Malle, Paul R. Nail, Richard E. Petty, Thomas Mussweiler, Faye J. Crosby, and Miles Hewstone Helps students move from introductory concepts to multifaceted theoretical frameworks Theories in Social Psychology, Second Edition, remains the perfect textbook for academics and students wanting to study and discuss important social psychological perspectives and theories and attain a deeper understanding of the theoretical framework. This book will be a very valuable tool for students and professionals alike who wish to learn theories in social psychology and the role they have played in the development of the discipline. It is comprehensive in its coverage and covers the theories in an objective and engaging way. —Robert J. Sternberg, Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Honorary Professor of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Germany In this wonderful new edition of compilation of theories, at the core of modern social psychology, presented to us by Derek Chadee, we are given a special gift that enriches scholars, teachers and students of psychology in social and general psychology. We are treated to a clear exposition of these theories some of the research and controversy that each has generated, and are given some guidelines to new paths for future exploration of their implications. My research career has benefitted from working in the domains of dissonance, attribution, and social comparison theories, but my teaching and textbook writing has relied on all of the theories and their concepts so elegantly orchestrated here. —Phillip G. Zimbardo, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Stanford University |
| marian keech: Misbelief Dan Ariely, 2023-09-19 Misinformation affects us daily, from social media to politics and even personal relationships. Policing social media alone cannot solve the complex problem shaped by partisan politics and subjective interpretations of truth. In Misbelief social scientist Dan Ariely explores the behaviour of 'misbelief' that leads people to distrust accepted truths and embrace conspiracy theories. Misinformation taps into something innate in all of us, regardless of political affiliation. By understanding this psychology, we can mitigate its effects. Grounded in research and Ariely's personal experience as a target of disinformation, the book analyses the psychological drivers behind adopting irrational beliefs. Ariely reveals the emotional, cognitive, personality, and social elements that drive people towards false information and mistrust. Despite advanced AI generating convincing fake news, Ariely offers hope. Awareness of the forces fuelling misbelief makes individuals and society more resilient. Combating misbelief requires empathy, not conflict. Recognising misbelief as a human problem allows us to be part of the solution. |
| marian keech: Handbook of UFO Religions , 2021-03-08 The Handbook of UFO Religions, edited by esteemed scholar of new religions Benjamin E. Zeller, offers the most expansive and detailed study of the persistent, popular, and global phenomenon of religious engagements with ideas about extraterrestrial life. The present work considers not only new religions founded on ideas about extraterrestrials and UFOs, but how those within more mainstream religions have responded to the science, scientific speculation, and popular culture involving extraterrestrials, UFOs, and related concepts. Global in reach, it includes chapters considering South and East Asia, Europe, and North and South America, and draws on several interdisciplinary methods. In addition, the handbook traces connections between UFO religiosity and cultural patterns such as science and scientism, esoterism and occultism, millennialism, and popular culture. |
| marian keech: Poles Apart Alison Goldsworthy, Laura Osborne, Alexandra Chesterfield, 2021-09-09 Why do people become divided? What steps can we all take to reduce hostility and bring about understanding? Poles Apart has the answers. In Poles Apart, an expert on polarisation, a behavioural scientist and a professional communicator explain why we are so prone to be drawn into rival, often deeply antagonistic factions. They explore the shaping force of our genetic make-up on our fundamental views and the nature of the influences that family, friends and peers exert. They pinpoint the economic and political triggers that tip people from healthy disagreement to dangerous hostility, and the part played by social media in spreading entrenched opinions. And they help us to understand why outlooks that can seem so bizarre and extreme to us seem so eminently sensible to those who hold them. Above all, they show what practical and effective steps we can all take to narrow divisions, build respect for others, and create a greater degree of common understanding. ____________________________________________________ 'Poles Apart is an extraordinary achievement: fresh, deeply authoritative, and entertaining on every page. Everyone talks about polarisation, but no one does it like Goldsworthy, Osborne, and Chesterfield. You'll finish this book wiser, kinder, and more hopeful than when you started it.' Jamie Susskind, author of Future Politics 'A fascinating and thought-provoking analysis of the divisions between us, how we bridge them, how we reshape the world - and ourselves too. Essential reading.' Cathy Newman, presenter of Channel 4 News and author 'Asks the best question I have ever heard. And, critically, offers solutions. A must read.' Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, and author of Alchemy 'Technology may have connected the world, but it's now being exploited to divide and polarise us. This is a pivotal moment for this book to be written, read and understood.' Peter Gabriel, musician |
| marian keech: Social Researching Colin Bell, Helen Roberts, 2023-11-06 Social Researching (1984) examine the ‘stories’ about ‘real’ research in social sciences and its problems, and discusses funding, publication, the history of major projects, postgraduate work and issues raised by feminists doing research, as well as the practical, ethical and political difficulties. |
| marian keech: Social Influences on Ethical Behavior in Organizations John M. Darley, David M. Messick, Tom R. Tyler, 2001-03-01 For too long, organizational scientists have not adequately attended to the problems of unethical behavior in organizations. This collection of essays provides the stimulus needed to help move the study of unethical behavior to center stage in the organizational sciences. It does so by posing provocative questions that not only entail a concern for understanding unethical behavior but that also strike at the very core of how and why organizations function as they do. The book addresses: * the asymmetries in power and influence created by hierarchies that give rise to ethical problems; * the tactics that might reduce the effectiveness of improper influence attempts; and * how the inappropriate use of influence diffuses, for example, through a market. |
| marian keech: Case Studies for Teaching Social Psychology Thomas Heinzen, Wind Goodfriend, 2020-12-10 What captivates learners and interests them in studying social psychology? In Case Studies for Teaching Social Psychology, Tom Heinzen and Wind Goodfriend use brief, entertaining case stories to further enhance the historical context, evolution of, and challenges to major theories within the field. By employing a mix of unique, contemporary research and hallmark studies to illustrate classic concepts, Heinzen and Goodfriend steer students to explore new, meaningful ways of thinking about and connecting with foundational course concepts. In turn, this approach facilitates engaged conversation and deeper critical thinking both in and outside of the classroom. |
| marian keech: AI vs Humans Michael W. Eysenck, Christine Eysenck, 2021-12-30 The great majority of books on artificial intelligence are written by AI experts who understandably focus on its achievements and potential transformative effects on society. In contrast, AI vs Humans is written by two psychologists (Michael and Christine Eysenck) whose perspective on AI (including robotics) is based on their knowledge and understanding of human cognition. This book evaluates the strengths and limitations of people and AI. The authors’ expertise equips them well to consider this by seeing how well (or badly) AI compares to human intelligence. They accept that AI matches or exceeds human ability in many spheres such as mathematical calculations, complex games (e.g., chess, Go, and poker), diagnosis from medical images, and robotic surgery. However, the human tendency to anthropomorphise has led many people to claim mistakenly that AI systems can think, infer, reason, and understand while engaging in information processing. In fact, such systems lack all those cognitive skills and are also deficient in the quintessentially human abilities of flexibility of thinking and general intelligence. At a time when human commitment to AI appears unstoppable, this up-to-date book advocates a symbiotic and co-operative relationship between humans and AI. It will be essential reading for anyone interested in AI and human cognition. |
| marian keech: Beyond the End of the World - 2012 and apocalypse Will Black, 2010-10 This book cuts through rampant misinformation circulating about 2012 to present a coherent understanding of the Mayan calendar and the significance of the date. As an anthropologist and journalist, Will Black has conducted research into 2012 millenarianism for several years. He consequently offers a much broader and clearer picture than other books on the subject. In their haste to jump onto the 2012 bandwagon, most authors seem to have forgotten that the Maya are a real people, often living in as violently precarious circumstances as their ancestors. Will Black demolishes fantasies about crumbling calendar stones before examining the brutal cocaine wars blighting Central America. The hedonistic world of many westerners who have become interested in 2012 is contrasted sharply with the lives of ancient and modern Maya. The extraordinary world of shamans is contrasted with that of New Age seekers. Information about key visionary substances is offered. |
| marian keech: A Culture of Conspiracy Michael Barkun, 2013-08-15 American society has changed dramatically since A Culture of Conspiracy was first published in 2001. In this revised and expanded edition, Michael Barkun delves deeper into America's conspiracy sub-culture, exploring the rise of 9/11 conspiracy theories, the birther controversy surrounding Barack Obama's American citizenship, and how the conspiracy landscape has changed with the rise of the Internet and other new media. What do UFO believers, Christian millennialists, and right-wing conspiracy theorists have in common? According to Michael Barkun in this fascinating yet disturbing book, quite a lot. It is well known that some Americans are obsessed with conspiracies. The Kennedy assassination, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the 2001 terrorist attacks have all generated elaborate stories of hidden plots. What is far less known is the extent to which conspiracist worldviews have recently become linked in strange and unpredictable ways with other fringe notions such as a belief in UFOs, Nostradamus, and the Illuminati. Unraveling the extraordinary genealogies and permutations of these increasingly widespread ideas, Barkun shows how this web of urban legends has spread among subcultures on the Internet and through mass media, how a new style of conspiracy thinking has recently arisen, and how this phenomenon relates to larger changes in American culture. This book, written by a leading expert on the subject, is the most comprehensive and authoritative examination of contemporary American conspiracism to date. Barkun discusses a range of material-involving inner-earth caves, government black helicopters, alien abductions, secret New World Order cabals, and much more-that few realize exists in our culture. Looking closely at the manifestations of these ideas in a wide range of literature and source material from religious and political literature, to New Age and UFO publications, to popular culture phenomena such as The X-Files, and to websites, radio programs, and more, Barkun finds that America is in the throes of an unrivaled period of millenarian activity. His book underscores the importance of understanding why this phenomenon is now spreading into more mainstream segments of American culture. |
| marian keech: Your Brain Is Playing Tricks On You Albert Moukheiber, 2024-07-23 Why are we often convinced that we’re right even when we’re wrong? Why are we jealous, or paranoid, even when we have absolutely no reason to be? Why is it so easy for fake news to spread around the globe and fool us? It’s because we don’t see the world as it is, rather we reconstruct it in our mind. Reality is way too complex and multiple to be apprehended by our capacities of attention, which are quite limited, as well as our brain abilities. That is why our perception of the world is subjective and various elements influence the way we acquire knowledge and form opinions. Our brain is recreating the world in its own way – most of the time for our own good: how hard would it be if, before making a choice, we had to know about all the options available in a given situation? It would take us forever to choose an item of clothing in a store, or a meal in a restaurant! Luckily, our brain can estimate: even if it makes us imperfect and subject to illusion, delusion and error, it allows us to reconstruct the world as we know it, and live in it. However, these very useful mechanisms can sometimes mislead us and have a rather negative impact on our actions, beliefs and opinions: when our brain behaves that way, we say it is biased. Albert Moukheiber gives us tips and tricks to fight against these cognitive biases – the first one being not to trust ourselves too much and to always doubt our thinking processes, especially in this era where social networks spread information like an epidemic. In this book, filled with multiple examples from our daily lives and psychosocial experiments, Moukheiber explores the building blocks of our perception, cognition and behaviour, which are involved in acquiring knowledge or forming opinions. Dr. Albert Moukheiber is a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist. He has worked for 10 years in the psychiatry department at the Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, focusing mainly on anxiety disorders and resilience. He now works as a clinician at his practice and teaches at the University Paris 8 in the clinical psychology department. He has also founded Chiasma, a structure that is interested in how our brain reconstructs reality to confirm our prior beliefs and how to promote mental flexibility. Chiasma focuses on how we form opinions and the impact of these mechanisms on our decision making. Albert is also a lecturer and a lead workshop developer for businesses and shares the latest scientific discoveries on behaviour and cognition and how they impact our daily lives. |
| marian keech: Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Beliefs Steven Hassan, PhD, 2022-06-22 In the post 911 world, people are more susceptible than ever to charismatic figures who offer simple, black v. white, us v. them, good v. evil, formulaic solutions. The rise of the Internet; increasingly sophisticated knowledge about how to influence and manipulate others; and the growing vulnerabilities of people across the planet—make for a dangerous, potentially devastating combination. Steven Hassan’s new book Freedom of Mind provides the knowledge and awareness needed to help yourself and loved ones avoid or escape from such dangerous people and situations. This must-read volume is a significantly updated and revised edition of Hassan’s groundbreaking Releasing the Bonds (2000). People who read and benefitted from that book—and also his earlier book, Combatting Cult Mind Control (1989)—will want to read Hassan’s latest. It provides an up-to-the-minute guide to the reality of ‘undue influence’—the preferred term for mind control—in the post 9/11 era. Unstable Global Environment Enhances Dangers of Unethical Control The world has changed greatly in the last decade. The rise of the Internet, the emergence of global terrorism and of dangerous totalistic ideologies, and the shifts in global markets—these and other changes have created new opportunities for unscrupulous individuals, groups, and institutions to exert unethical control over others. Freedom of Mind exposes the techniques and methods that individuals, cults, and institutions of all types—religious, business, therapeutic, educational, governmental—use to undo a person’s capacity to think and act independently. Individuals More Vulnerable than Ever The Internet is now the primary vehicle for recruitment and indoctrination. It is also a means for spreading sophisticated information about social psychology, hypnosis, and other techniques of social control, which are being used—in ways both effective and dangerous—by ‘influence professionals.’ Meanwhile, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Sleep-deprived, overweight and looking to improve themselves, overloaded with often frightening images and information; anxious about the current economic decline, climate change, and government corruption on all levels. People are more susceptible than ever to charismatic figures who offer simple, black v. white, us v. them, good v. evil, formulaic solutions. These factors—the rise of the Internet; increasingly sophisticated knowledge about how to influence and manipulate others; and the growing vulnerabilities of people across the planet—make for a dangerous, potentially devastating combination. Freedom of Mind Provides Help for Yourself, a Loved One, or a Friend Hassan’s new book, Freedom of Mind, aims to fill the gap. It identifies and explains how to identify and evaluate potentially dangerous groups and individuals. Hassan details his groundbreaking approach, the ‘Strategic Interactive Approach,’ which can be used to help a loved one leave such a situation. Step-by-step, Hassan shows you how to: evaluate the situation; interact with dual identities; develop communication strategies using phone calls, letter writing and visits; understand and utilize cult beliefs and tactics; use reality-testing and other techniques to promote freedom of mind. He emphasizes the value of meeting with trained consultants to be effectively guided and coached and also to plan and implement effective interventions. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is knowledge and awareness. |
| marian keech: Minority Religions and Uncertainty Matthew Francis, Kim Knott, 2020-05-04 Religions are at their core about creating certainty. But what happens when groups lose control of their destiny? Whether it leads to violence, or to nonviolent innovations, as found in minority religions following the death of their founders or leaders, uncertainty and insecurity can lead to great change in the mission and even teachings of religious groups. This book brings together an international range of contributors to explore the uncertainty faced by new and minority religious movements as well as non-religious fringe groups. The groups considered in the book span a range of religious traditions (Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam), old and new spiritual formations such as esotericism, New Age and organized new religious movements, as well as non-religious movements including the straight edge movement and the British Union of Fascists. The chapters deal with a variety of contexts, from the UK and US, to Japan and Egypt, with others discussing global movements. While all the authors deal with twentieth- and twenty-first-century movements and issues, several focus explicitly on historical cases or change over time. This wide-ranging, yet cohesive volume will be of great interest to scholars of minority religious movements and non-religious fringe groups working across religious studies, sociology and social psychology. |
| marian keech: Brain Candy Garth Sundem, 2010-08-03 Feed Your Brain Tastier than a twizzler yet more protein-packed than a spinach smoothie, Brain Candy is guaranteed to entertain your brain—even as it reveals hundreds of secrets behind what’s driving that electric noodle inside your skull. These delicious and nutritious pages are packed with bits of bite-sized goodness swiped from the bleeding edge of brain science (including the reason why reading these words is changing your hippocampus at this very moment!) Shelved alongside these succulent neurological nuggets are challenging puzzles and paradoxes, eye-opening perception tests and hacks, fiendish personality quizzes and genius testers, and a grab bag of recurring treats including Eye Hacks, Algebraic Eight Ball, iDread, Wild Kingdom, and Logic of Illogic. Should you look between these covers and inhale the deliciously cherry-flavored scents of knowledge within, you will grow your grey matter while discovering: • Why you should be writing bad poetry • The simple keys to brain training • What trust smells like • The origins of human morality • Why expensive wine always tastes better • The truth about brain sweat • How your diet might be making you dumb • The secrets of game theory • Why economists hate psychology • The mental benefits of coffee and cigarettes • How to really spot a liar • Why you can’t make me eat pie • The benefits of daydreaming • Four simple secrets to persuasion • Why your barin’s fzzuy ligoc alowls you to raed this • How to brainwash friends and family • The science of body language • What pigeons know about art …And much, much more. |
| marian keech: The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements James R. Lewis, Inga B. Tollefsen, 2016-04-12 The study of New Religious Movements (NRMs) is one of the fastest-growing areas of religious studies, and since the release of the first edition of The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements in 2003, the field has continued to expand and break new ground. In this all-new volume, James R. Lewis and Inga B. T?llefsen bring together established and rising scholars to address an expanded range of topics, covering traditional religious studies topics such as scripture, charisma, and ritual, while also applying new theoretical approaches to NRM topics. Other chapters cover understudied topics in the field, such as the developmental patterns of NRMs and subcultural considerations in the study of NRMs. The first part of this book examines NRMs from a social-scientific perspective, particularly that of sociology. In the second section, the primary factors that have put the study of NRMs on the map, controversy and conflict, are considered. The third section investigates common themes within the field of NRMs, while the fourth examines the approaches that religious studies researchers have taken to NRMs. As NRM Studies has grown, subfields such as Esotericism, New Age Studies, and neo-Pagan Studies have grown as distinct and individual areas of study, and the final section of the book investigates these emergent fields. |
| marian keech: Expecting Armageddon Jon R. Stone, 2013-09-05 The expectation of an end to time and the yearning for a millennial paradise have been recurring themes in Western religious thought. But when we speak of expectation of the world's end we are mindful of the fact that generation after generation of millenarians have been disappointed. Their endtime hopes and prophecies have not come true. What happens, one might ask, when prophecies fail? Does failure spell the end of the very movements that embrace such expectations? The aim of this anthology is to gather together in one volume the essential research from the fields of sociology and psychology that seeks to answer this intriguing question as first raised by Festinger in his 1956 work, When Prophecy Fails. Cross-cultural and comparative, this collection chronicles forty years of research into failed prophecy and response to the attending cognitive dissonance it produces that is at once timely and informative. |
| marian keech: Millennium, Messiahs, and Mayhem Thomas Robbins, Susan J. Palmer, 2013-10-28 As we approach the Millennium, apocalyptic expectations are rising in North America and throughout the world. Beyond the symbolic aura of the millennium, this excitation is fed by currents of unsettling social and cultural change. The millennial myth ingrained in American culture is continually generating new movements, which draw upon the myth and also reshape and reconstruct it. Millennium, Messiahs, and Mayhem examines many types of apocalypticism such as economic, racialist, environmental, feminist, as well as those erupting from established churches. Many of these movements are volatile and potentially explosive. Millennium,Messiahs, and Mayhem brings together scholars of apocalyptic and millennial groups to explore aspects of the contemporary apocalyptic fervor in all orginal contributions. Opening with a discussion of various theories of apocalypticism, the editors then analyze how millennialist movements have gained ground in largely secular societal circles. Section three discusses the links between apocalypticism and established churches, while the final part of the book looks at examples of violence and confrontation, from Waco to Solar Temple to the Aum Shinri Kyo subway disaster in Japan. Contributors: James Aho, Dick Anthony, Robert Balch, Michael Barkun, John Bozeman, David Bromley, Michael Cuneo, John Dimitrovich, John Hall, Massimo Introvigne, Philip Lamy, Ronald Lawson, Martha Lee, Barbara Lynn Mahnke, Vanessa Morrison, Mark Mullins, Ansun Shupe, Susan Palmer, Thomas Robbins, Philip Schuyler and Catherine Wessinger. |
| marian keech: Future Babble Dan Gardner, 2010-10-12 In 2008, as the price of oil surged above $140 a barrel, experts said it would soon hit $200; a few months later it plunged to $30. In 1967, they said the USSR would have one of the fastest-growing economies in the year 2000; in 2000, the USSR did not exist. In 1911, it was pronounced that there would be no more wars in Europe; we all know how that turned out. Face it, experts are about as accurate as dart-throwing monkeys. And yet every day we ask them to predict the future — everything from the weather to the likelihood of a catastrophic terrorist attack. Future Babble is the first book to examine this phenomenon, showing why our brains yearn for certainty about the future, why we are attracted to those who predict it confidently, and why it’s so easy for us to ignore the trail of outrageously wrong forecasts. In this fast-paced, example-packed, sometimes darkly hilarious book, journalist Dan Gardner shows how seminal research by UC Berkeley professor Philip Tetlock proved that pundits who are more famous are less accurate — and the average expert is no more accurate than a flipped coin. Gardner also draws on current research in cognitive psychology, political science, and behavioral economics to discover something quite reassuring: The future is always uncertain, but the end is not always near. |
| marian keech: Theology in a Social Context Professor Robin Gill, 2013-06-28 Over the last 30 years a number of theologians have been using aspects of sociology alongside the more traditional resources of philosophy. In turn, sociologists with an interest in theology have also contributed to an interaction between theology and sociology. The time is right to revisit the dialogue between theologians and sociologists. In his new trilogy on Sociological Theology, Robin Gill makes a renewed contribution to the mapping of three abiding ways of relating theology and sociology, with the three volumes covering: Theology in a Social Context; Theology Shaped by Society; Society Shaped by Theology. Theology in a Social Context argues that a sociological perspective, properly understood, can make an important contribution to theology. Part I looks carefully at various objections raised by both theologians and sociologists, maintaining instead that a proper understanding of social context is a prerequisite for effective theology. Part II suggests that a sociological perspective offers crucial insights into resurgent forms of fundamentalism. Part III offers a fresh account of social context in the modern world, once thought by sociologists and theologians alike to consist simply of increasing secularization. |
| marian keech: Communication and Consequences Robert Norton, David Allen Brenders, 1996 The communicative process allows, sometimes forces, one to make connections about the self and simultaneously how the self relates to the other and the world. The bonus of communicating is that one makes connections with other individuals. Not only are social connections made, but political, business, spiritual, esoteric, and functional connections as well. Each connection holds the possibility of teaching the person more about the self and the world. This book helps individuals understand the dynamics of change particularly by focusing on enthymematic communication that can be used to effect change. It demonstrates the simultaneous potential of communication to both constrain and free the individual. The first part of the book establishes the theoretical ground by identifying the definitional issues, defining communication, and relating content and style to the sense-making function of interaction. The second part examines the primary consequences of interaction in both self and relational identity. Communication creates self-identification as well as relational identity, both of which provide a means of stabilizing the self and simultaneously allowing for change. |
| marian keech: The Ethnographic Imagination Paul Atkinson, 2014-04-04 First published in 1990, The Ethnographic Imagination explores how sociologists use literary and rhetorical conventions to convey their findings and arguments, and to 'persuade' their colleagues and students of the authenticity of their accounts. Looking at selected sociological texts in the light of contemporary social theory, the author analyses how their arguments are constructed and illustrated, and gives many new insights into the literary convention of realism and factual accounts. |
| marian keech: Take Your Soul to Work Erica Brown, 2015-12 Daily meditations for business and nonprofit leaders focus on different qualities, emotions, and aspirations, from discipline and compassion to impermanence and callousness, sharing uplifting quotes and stories by business figures and artists of diverse faiths. |
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