Bradford Books

For those fascinated with Neural Network Theory, this book is a comprehensive compendium of some of the best papers published in the subject. So far it is one of the best volumes in Neural Networks that I have seen, and a well thought paper compilation.

The articles in this work are written by a who's who list of authors from the cognitive and computational neuroscience community. Each article is useful for getting an initial bearing on a topic from this dynamic field. The references for each article serve as useful "jumping off points" for further learning. It should be noted that this text is not a typical college textbook -- it is a reference work. As such, a beginner to the field should consider one of the other introductory textbooks (perhaps "The Cognitive Neurosciences").

Review of Second Edition (January 2008):

This sizable collection of articles updates the first volume with many discoveries and conceptual developments that were unknown at the time. Meant of course for reference, a typical reader, such as this reviewer, would probably not read every article in the collection but would instead concentrate on the ones of primary interest. The editor however does offer advice on "how to use this book" at the beginning of the book, for those readers who intend to use it as their primary source of information, or for instructors who will use it as a supplement to such classes as brain theory, artificial intelligence, computational neuroscience, and cognitive neuroscience. All of these topics are represented, with emphasis of course on those that the editor finds important. Time constraints will of course play in role in any sampling algorithm for the articles, but every article that was studied by this reviewer was well worth the time spent.

One of these articles, written by the editor, gave an overview of his work on the `mirror system hypothesis' (MSH). This work has been widely discussed in the literature on evolutionary linguistics since the first edition of this book, and when confronting it for the first time may seem like a radical hypothesis. Such skepticism is aggravated by the lack of any historical record for the structure of the brain, and so any theories on language evolution will remain more tentative as compared to other scientific theories. The editor though wants the reader to consider evidence for the mirror system hypothesis that is drawn from existing life forms. Thus he proposes that we examine the "mirror system" for grasping in monkeys, which he asserts contains `mirror neurons" that are activated when the monkey performs a specific hand action and when it only observes a human or other monkey performing a similar action. The MSH is the assertion that the matching in the neural code between observation and execution occurs in the common ancestor of monkey and human. Further, this matching explains the notion of language `parity', which asserts that a spoken utterance has essentially identical semantics between speaker and listener. The editor reviews his ideas on what brain mechanisms are responsible for language and grasping, and whether a mirror system is indeed present in humans. Experiments using proton emission topography support his thesis to some extent, but he cautions that the a lot more work needs to be done before one can make definitive conclusions. His thesis though is a plausible one on the surface, and interesting in that it proposes that language originally evolved not from a need for communication but from a need to recognize a set of actions. "Language readiness" then, resulted from an extension of the mirror system from being able to recognize single actions to being able to imitate compound actions. A natural question to ask here is why sophisticated grammatical constructions, some of them semantically awkward and of no practical value, would evolve from the mere need to imitate, which itself is not really complex from any reasonable measure of complexity. The editor is aware of these kinds of objections, for in the article he addresses them under the guise of `protospeech', wherein he postulates two evolutionary stages for its development. His assertions in this regard are interesting for they involve the need for cooperation between two or more areas of the brain. Along these same lines, and even more fascinating, is the editor's discussion on neuronal models for the mirror system, for when he proposes a canonical structuring for sentences he is actually asserting a kind of "entanglement" (he does not use this terminology in the article) between the F5 area and its mirror.

Review of First Edition:
This complilation of articles by leading experts in the field gives an excellent overview of studies in cognitive theory and the theory and applications of neural networks. The first two parts of the book give an overview and background of the properties of neurons and gives guidance to the reader on what sequence the articles are to be read. This reviewer did not read all of the articles, but only those that piqued his interest. such as the following articles which are particularly well-written and informative: 1. "Applications of Neural Networks": Outlines the diverse applications of neural networks to signal processing, time series, imaging, etc. 2. "Astronomy": Neural network applications in astronomy, such as adaptive optics and telescope guidance. 3. "Chains of Coupled Oscillators": Their connection with the lamprey central pattern generator. 4. "Chaos in Axons": An excellent review of chaos experimentally in squid axons and numerically with nerve equations. 5. "Collective Behavior of Coupled Oscillators": A study of the phase and complex Ginzburg-Landau model. 6. "Computer Modeling Methods for Neurons": Good overview of numerical modeling of neurons. 7. "Computing with Attractors": Overview of omputing and feedback networks with attractors and a fascinating discussion of the possible existence of attractors in the brain. 8. "Constrained Optimization and the Elastic Net": Useful discussion of application of neural networks to optimization problems. 9. "Data Clustering and Learning": Good discussion of parameter estimation of mixture models by parametric statistics and vector quantization of a data set by combinatorial optimization. 10. "Diffusion Models of Neuron Activity": Discusses 1-dimensional stochastic diffusion models for the neuron membrane potential. 11. "Disease: Neural Network Models": Interesting overview of neural net computational models of various mental illnesses. 12. "Dynamics and Bifurcation of Neural Networks": Discussion of neural nets and their behavior as dynamical systems. 13. "Emotion and Computational Neuroscience": Fascinating discussion of computational models of emotion. 14. "Investment Management": A discussion of tactical asset allocation neural network methods in asset management. 15. "Learning and Centralization: Theoretical Bounds": Overview of computational learning theory. 16. "Locust Flight": Interesting neural network study of the locust flight system. 17. "Neural Optimization": Discussion of combinatorial optimization using Ising and Potts neural networks. 18. "PAC Learning and Neural Networks": Overview of the Valiant "probabilistically correct learning paradigm in neural networks. 19. "Protein Structure Prediction": Neural network applications to prediction of protein secondary structure. 20. "Schema Theory": Extremely interesting overview of schemas. 21. "Speech Recognition: Pattern Matching": Excellent discussion of the applications of hidden Markov models to speech recognition. 22. "Statistical Mechanics of Neural Networks": Discussion of the use of the Hopfield model in neural networks. 23. Vapnik-Chervonenkis Dimension of Neural Networks": Very interesting discussion of the VC-dimension of neural networks.

Look through this book to convince yourself that an exact brain theory does not exist. The arrangement of the articles by the first letter of their title tells it all (consider classifying animals by the first letter of their name). The editors wrongly assume that mathematical methods equal theory; actually, theory is a small conceptual tent under which a large number of experimentally established facts can be gathered. In most cases, mathematics is a very useful tool in pitching this tent, but it has little to do with the tent itself.

An exact theory of the brain may be possible and we are in dire need of it. Unfortunately, nobody has come up with it yet. This book is an encyclopedia of various mathematical methods that have been used to solve various neuroscience problems. These methods and solutions are as diverse as the problems themselves. Don't look for common themes in this book. If you are looking for a unified brain theory, you'll be much better off reading standard neuroscience textbooks. I do hope one day we'll be able to cast these vague ideas into something precise and, most likely, mathematical. Sadly, not today. I own a copy of this book and use it to remind me why and how we have failed so far.

It should be kept in mind that it is not at all clear that "neural" networks can emulate consciousness. They may or they may not. Firstly, a single neuron resembles a computer processor in its complexity and is a constantly evolving entity. Secondly, only 10% of brain cells are neurons and the remaining 90% (glial cells) now too appear to be involved in information processing. At a more fundamental level, consciousness may be less algorithmic and computational than we expect. Finally, the brain and the reality "outside the brain" are a two-way street. As the great neuroscientist Cajal put it, "As long as our brain remains an arcanum, the Universe, a reflection of its structure, will also be a mystery". If we assume the brain analyzes something, we need to define a reality independent of this analysis -- a hardly possible task if standard "input-output" approaches are used.

If the title of this book were "Current Mathematical Methods in Neurosciences", I'd have no problem giving it five stars.

November 2005: The chapters in the second edition are still arranged alphabetically. I refuse to believe neuro-mathematicians cannot think more coherently.

One final note for those looking for serious conceptual advances on the theoretical front: do no miss "Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code" (edited by F. Rieke) and "Decisions, Uncertainty, and the Brain: The Science of Neuroeconomics" by Paul Glimcher.

Research is tedious, but if you want to know the nitty-gritty of mind-brain theory and neural networking, this book is an invaluable resource for basic, relevant, and accessible papers on the subjects. Encompassing seminal works from an unusually broad range of disciplines, here is an outstanding reference for those concerned with the mechanisms of intelligence.

Apple has revolutionized the digital music industry with its iPod and iTunes systems and now there are many different pods and players available. So how can a consumer tell which to buy and how to run and customize them? THE IPOD & ITUNES HANDBOOK tells how, showing how to create playlists, sync iPods to a computer, convert videos to play on an iPod, and more. It's a 'must' for any general-interest lending library and many an iPod owner.

This is the perfect handbook for all iPod and iTunes users, from the absolute and utter novice to the hippest technology buff. Covering everything from the history of the iPod's development, to case studies of how people have successfully used iPods to further their careers, to how to use your iPod for PowerPoint presentation, its all here in a clear, easy-to-use and understandable format.

The first section of the book explains the history and development of the iPod, its meteoric rise in popularity, and the many manifestations the iPod has had along the way to becoming the world's number 1 selling digital music player and the forerunner of the portable multimedia revolution.

While fascinating, I suspect most readers will flip right past this section to the nuts and bolts of the book which begins in Section 2, The Basics of Your iPod. For initiates into the digital world, this section is solid gold: not only does Bradford cover how to use the click wheel and how to turn the iPod on and off, he explains in detail how to navigate the iPod's display menus and screens. Each submenu of the main menus are listed are discussed. Section 3, 4, and 5 explain iTunes--what it is, how it can be used and what you can do with it. You'll learn to how to use iTunes with an iPod or computer, how to backup music from your hard drive or CD, how to sync content from iTunes software to your iPod, and how to compile smart playlists and burn CDs.

The final sections of the book cover every aspect of working with iPod photo and iPod video, how to create your own podcasts, iPod games, and even includes an extensive list of iPod accessories. All of the instructions are written in a plain, numbered format and are light years better than the tiny booklet that comes with your iPod. In fact, this handbook is probably the best way to get the most out of your iPod and iTunes experience.

A few months ago, I was interviewed about how I use my iPod. Of course, I use it for listening to music, but that is not the primary reason I got one. I wanted an iPod so I could listen to my writing podcast on the go.

I answered Contel's interview questions via email and thought no more of it. This week I went to my mailbox and found a book: The iPod & iTunes Handbook by Contel Bradford. At first, I thought it was a book from a guest who was asking to appear on my podcast. After opening the package I was confused for a moment. I had not had a recent query from the author of that book. Then, it dawned on me. This is the book that I gave an interview for. Not only did Contel give my full response, but book is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn more about using an iPod or downloading from iTunes.

I have a MacBook and a PC. One day I was using the PC and my husband was using the MacBook to download songs from iTunes. Later he wanted to transfer them to my iPod for a trip we were about to make. Big problem. Neither of us could figure out how to get the purchased songs from the Mac onto the iPod without erasing everything I already had on the iPod during the sync. Guess what? How to manually sync only certain songs is described on pages 76-77 in Contel's book!

From the basics of how to turn off or unfreeze your iPod to tips and tricks about changing the album art, this book contains it all. It even includes a detailed history of how the iPod and iTunes came into existence and the features available on each model.

I really appreciate the chance to be featured in the book along with many of my writing friends, but I also know I will be using this book as a much-needed reference manual.

The way we listen to music has evolved over the years from great clunky phonographs that, whatever their charm to some people, forced listening to be a major operation and rigidly communal, all the way to the intimate, private, and portable iPod. The world is in love with iPods--small, streamlined, even stylish. But for some of us, those of us not members of the thumbs generation, for whom "backlight" brings to mind more of the theater than of a small cellphone or iPod screen, the job of managing this simple modern convenience remains all but impossible.

Our iPods come with manuals and "help" features with their software--but the more intricate, and sometimes even the most simple, operations remain opaque to some of us. What is a shuffle? How does one get a film from a DVD into an iPod? You can record on an iPod?! How does it work with iTunes?

In this extremely easy-to-follow book, these questions and many more are comprehensively answered. This book contains information for everyone--it assumes nothing, so that my Grandpa who still can't figure out how to turn his iPod on could profit just as much as my cousin, who uses hers every day but needs some advanced tips on getting the most out of it with the calendar and voice memo features. Divided into short chapters and prefaced by a clear and simple table of contents, this book is eminently navigable, useful as a reference work when you have an emergency--for example when your iPod freezes--but it is also incrementally written so that by reading it straight through you will not feel like you are reading the dictionary but like you are gradually learning a subject.

Even apart from these obvious benefits of utility, the beginning of this book--a history of the iPod--makes a good read. It's a success story, but not just that--it chronicles the rise of digital music and also the pitfalls of legality and music sharing that come together in the history of this device. The iPod is a fundamental part of our culture not merely as an icon and ubiquitous commodity, but as a rally point for some of the most violent debates about commerce, copyright and the music industry.

This book will open the world of iPod for the first time to some people and open it further for others. It is useful for almost anyone--and absolutely necessary for my Grandpa.

I give it a five.

Mr. Contel Bradford's The iPod and iTunes Handbook is a bold attempt at exploring the portable multimedia currently making waves in our world. The advent of iPod and iTunes has undoubtedly re-engineered the way we enjoy and exchange music, videos and other files.
The Handbook explicitly gives comprehensive information on iPod: which includes iPod history; how it works; viewing photos on iPod; playing audiobooks on iPod; leaving voice memos on iPod and other iPod functionalities and iPod accessories. Step-by-step instructions on iTunes installation, downloading and accessing are all presented in a way that it makes it easy for anyone to play and enjoy music and videos. You could find how to legally share music, and how you could rip or burn your CDs.
This Handbook should be a companion to anyone who cares about the enchantment of music. In it, there is a goldmine of practical information on multimedia in general.

What was so appealing about this read was that sprinkled throughout Kuan Yin's empowering spiritual teachings were also far-reaching prophecies, having a profound effect upon our world. While these are on a global scale, Kuan Yin also emphasizes individual thoughts and intentions can influence the outcome--that we are not helpless bystanders. Maintaining we create our reality with our thoughts, Kuan Yin explains there is a "collective agreement" steering us towards certain probable futures. Through healing limiting beliefs we can "correct" the course we are on. Therefore, things are not written in stone.

Recently, I've read of concerns that certain manifestation techniques can lead to an overly self-serving attitude--that the process of learning how to magnetize one's optimum reality can possibly evolve into a tendency to become too "me" oriented. Implimenting Kuan Yin's "Love and Foregiveness Principle" along with the goddesses unique prosperity meditations and visualizations, I came to understand one can have it both ways--that compassion need not be sacrificed for ones striving to positively direct the creative force within. In fact, according to Kuan Yin, such a balanced approach enhances one's ability to more effectively walk one's "path of liberation"--that prayer for others is "the most powerful thing a person can do".

Beautifully written and illustrated--espousing timeless truths, I believe this book is an essential addition to any spiritual library.

While the information contained in the book itself seems, at times, somewhat informal, it is what I would expect from a totally spontaneous and candid transmission of the Buddhist Goddess of Compassion's sacred teachings to a modern seeker. There is no doubt in my mind that this is an authentic channeling of God.

My interest was piqued by new spiritual terminologies and precepts presented herein--especially regarding reincarnation, free will and the afterlife. Even when chiding humanity for its "misguided" beliefs and deeds, Kuan Yin's signature lovingkindness and compassion are always apparent. Throughout the read, I experienced a warm and loving presence.

While the answers presented in this book may challenge some, this material is wonderfully refreshing and informative in a world seemingly dominated by over-simplification and reactionism. Those who are truly open to their own spiritual journey and willing to explore one's divine connection to the "Always Self" will discover the deep peace only truth can bring.

Hope and Lena's graciousness in creating this book offers deep insight into ourselves. I could journey with each chapter as a meditation for peace of mind. It is a constant comfort for all the sufferings going on globally as well as for me in my own personal life. In this way, the book spans the infinite and the microcosms that we touch in each our own perspectives. The wisdom included taps into the illusion of time and brings you into an intimate connection with the deity, Kuan Yin. She offers a gentle companionship and a vehicle for cultivating compassion for any situation or occasion. I feel so blessed and honored to be on the planet at this time. This book is a testament to how we can utilize this opportunity to bring in our gifts as individuals, participating in a more influential way. Assisted by the Goddess herself, if we are willing, She is there.

This well written book is a must read for anyone interested in the spiritual wisdom of world renown Eastern goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin. This goddess has a warm, loving and joyful personality and approach to spirituality, while being well aware of the challenges of daily living. I am convinced this goddess is very intent upon assisting us with her spiritual teachings. The appendices were very helpful in helping better understand the pertinent spiritual con

The author does better on attack than defense. On attack in his previous books he has been incisive and clear. He could clearly state why he finds the apparatus of the conscious self unnecessary and he could be outraged that fellow profesionals might accept determinism in the psychology lab but abandon it at home.

Here, trying to defend the application of determinism to the self "at home," he runs straight into the logical conundrums this involves. His strategy is to try to wind us all together in strings of wispy theory that he hopes, like a spider's web, will entangle us and render us defenceless. No such luck.

Reason either is or is not subject to determinism. If it isn't, then no product of the human mind need be. If it is, it isn't qualified to consider the alternatives of everything being--not being--determined. The existence of science predicated on the demand that all hypotheses be capable of disproof demands that the process not be determined. The methodology of science guarantees that the self is not determined.

To me, this sad book reveals the vacuity at the core of the supposedly-determined self. Read it as a warning of what is happening to students fed on a diet of physicalism and natural selection.

Take me for a Christian, a creationist? Think again. There's a growing tide of resistance among scientists (I'm a science writer) to physicalism's implications.

Owen Flanagan's new book, The Really Hard Problem: Meaning in a Material World, offers a synthesis of ancient wisdom traditions with the best of contemporary science, ethics, and epistemology. The amalgamation is a delightful and thought-provoking survey of what it means for humans to flourish. Flanagan explains why what we know from today's best science should leave us genuinely hopeful for a sketch of best-practices for living full, ethically committed lives. Written in a clear, dryly witty style, The Really Hard Problem speaks to lay readers and theorists alike. I worked through the book over the course over three days, often stopping to read passages aloud to my partner and take notes about how humans should understand themselves in the world. If you're interested in a fruitful, spiritually-expansive dialogue between science and wisdom traditions, then I recommend this book highly. It's simply terrific.

This is a remarkably brilliant book that I found tremendously thought provoking. I'm not a philosopher, although I did study some in undergrad and grad school, so I am woefully unqualified to comment on the more technical portions of the work. But I admired the way the author tackled some 'really hard problems' that often get overlooked by those who adhere to 'logic' and 'science' rather than 'religion' (all of which are ultimately 'faith-based', but that's another issue). For instance, the whole question of 'why is there something rather than nothing' is something that he takes on quite seriously from a non-religious perspective, and while I found his argument to be somewhat less than satisfying I really have to give him credit for trying.

There are quite a few typos, grammatical errors, etc. that caught me by surprise, given the learned nature of the work - some more detailed editing would have helped. And I couldn't help but note the culturally chauvinistic allusion to the 'odd' hindu beliefs associated with marriage and a few other condescending remarks toward the great unwashed masses - a fairly common thing among philosphers sometimes I'm afraid. And while I recognize he couldn't attack every 'really hard problem' there was an occasional lapse into the assertion of unexamined (at least in this book) assumptions that felt kind of weak to me. But on the whole, an excellent book!

Flanagan's knack for addressing issues that have real stakes outside the academy--issues concerning the meaning of life, human nature and flourishing, and the clash of humanism and scientism--is on brilliant display in this book. Among the book's virtues are Flangan's careful engagement with the brain sciences and his ability to draw from diverse traditions of philosophy.

This is philosophical writing at its finest.

Flanagan fills some very large gaps in this short compendium. He offers a view of conscious experience in a material world that allows for beauty and quiet awe all the while breaking none of the laws of natural science. Attempting to synthesize the wisdom of the Buddhist and Taoist (and other Eastern spiritual traditions) with the latests findings in the physical and social sciences is nothing to sneeze at, but Flanagan weaves a beautiful tapestry of a non-reductive material mind that has free-will and causality and is integrated with the physical world and body. The aim of the mind-body, he explains is to achieve Eudaimonia, or flourishing/well-being. He draws upon a strong knowledge of brain imaging in experienced meditating monks, the positive psychology movement, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and evolutionary theory to solidify his main points. Flanagan provides a compelling argument that we can determine objectively (relative to current situations) the best way to going about living the "good life" without appealing to anything super-natural.

COCOMO represents a unique and applicable methodology for process estimates. A goal-driven approach with realistic progress indicators to conducting software estimates represent the way processes must be managed.

The continuity between COCOMOI and COCOMOII is far from being evident. My prime interest is the indentification of the impacts of the Economic Adjustment Factors (EAF) on the economic evolution of a project. An attempt is made to complement COCOMOII with additional tools. There is however an impression of a lack of a common vision.

The book is a major reference in my business development approach. I was privileged to deal with Amazon.com for a fast turn around for the timely delivery of the book at my door.

Bernard Carrier P.Eng.
President OpsPro Inc.

If you not in Dr. Boehm's class at USC, then more than likely your a project manager for a software engineering firm trying to better estimate how much your next project is going to cost.

Either way the book is dry, but the informaiton is great. Its given me insight to CMM and other Software Engineering models.

The COCOMO tool has merit, so does CSCI 577a.

The latest revision of the well known COCOMO constructive cost model is calibrated with a Bayesian approach that balances 161 industry reference points with the determination of software development experts. Software engineers use the COCOMO model to make financial decisions, set project budgets and schedules, negotiate tradeoffs, plan to maintain or upgrade legacy products, and decide where to implement process improvement. The model equations are provided including normative calibration using 5 scale factors and 17post-architecture effort multipliers. The criteria described for assessing your project for scale factors and effort multipliers are fuzzy in some cases (Default to the nominal level when in doubt). The model can accept estimates of either logical lines of code or function points as the primary input parameter. The book is accompanied with a CD that contains the USC implementation of the COCOMO model and some instructional videos. The final 2/3 of the text covers emerging extensions such as object point data, application point data, phase schedule and effort model (COPSEMO), dynamic COCOMO, RAD schedule estimation model (CORADMO), commercial-off-the-shelf integration model (COCOTS), quality estimation (COQUALMO), and productivity estimation (COPROMO). Read "Software Engineering Economics" published in 1981 for additional background information on the COCOMO model.

We are attempting to use this methodology for planning and review of onboard Aerospace Software, will give an update when we have actually used it in anger!

I was first introduced to the precursor of CoCoMo II when I ftp'd a whitepaper on estimating from the old decwrl site maintained by DEC in the mid 1980s. That led me to Boehm's seminal book, "Software Engineering Economics", ISBN 0138221227. Over time CoCoMo started to show its age, especially in environments with heavy GUI development, so I opted for function points as my sole estimating technique. With experience I discovered that technique alone was useful for estimating scale, but was weak on sizing estimates. Version II of CoCoMo rectifies this, and this book is an exhaustive description of software cost estimating in general and CoCoMo version II in particular.

The contributing authors to this book read like who's who in software estimating, and the contents of this book will not only get you up-to-speed on using CoCoMo II as an estimating tool, but will also explain its inner workings, how to calibrate it, and its inherent strengths and weaknesses. Among the parts of this book that I found especially useful are Chapters 2, Model Definition, and 4, Calibration. These are the keys to understanding and using CoCoMo II to its best advantage. Real world examples are given in Chapter 3, and emerging extensions and future trends provided in chapter 5 and 6 round out the body of this book.

Significant added value is provided in the appendices and on the accompanying CD ROM. The appendices include how to use CoCoMo II in environments ranging from the older waterfall SDLC, RUP, incremental and iterative development, and give project planning considerations and data collection templates. The CD ROM itself contains a full working copy of the 2000 version of USC COCOMO II, complete documentation, and data collection forms, and trial copies of commercial versions of the application.

This book is one that every serious project manager, software engineer and cost estimator should read and keep in their work area.

I didn't like this book at all. I find Bradford's writing style far too wordy and she tries too hard to be cute in her observations. She really just comes off as cloying and out of touch. The stories and writings in this aren't witty at all, and only amusing at times in a sort of 1950's-era Reader's Digest sort of way. Not recommended. In fact, stay away.

This author has put together many points of view with heartfelt humor and insight. The poetry is a rich kaleidoscope of experiences, happy and sad. The article named "All about Eve" (...) is great and there are some very fine onservations being made. A story from Germany "Once I met a King - A True Vignette", is a real experience, even from here.

It was great fun reading this book. I have seldom seen essays and poetry mixed so appropriately and the subjects covered are unique and present a wonderful variety. Especially the essays on "All about Eve" and "Penis Envy" deserve a re-read. And if the concluding article on "Once I met a King - A True Vignette" doesn't touch you, you need help! This book will make a great present to many of my friends.

All About Eve and Other Things is for sure a delightful and thought inspiring. Ms. Bradford surely makes a person laugh and stop and think about the world around them. I am still laughing about the Dragon Known as Dark. I will recommend this book to all my friends.

Adelle Bradford is a true word artist, with the ability to paint vivid, clear, and distinct pictures on the canvas of our minds. In "All About Eve and Other Things" Adelle uses these illustrations to stretch our minds and make us think about things as we peer through lenses, ground with clever wit and hard facts, that correct for the stigmatism of life's influences. The moment I set this book down, I took a deep cleansing breath; rose; took a step; performed a classic double take and swiftly moved to pick it up again. Ms. Bradford's writing is truly a waft of fresh new air, in a world desperate for new perspectives.

Empower the special woman in your life with this gorgeous book full of romantic ideas. The photography is exquisite!

Everything about this book is beautiful. The cover is beautiful. The interior design, layout, and color photography is stunningly beautiful. The content is beautifully organized, and it overflows with practical and fun ideas. The recipes and little-known facts of trivia are beautiful. And most importantly, Barbara Taylor Bradford hersef is beautiful.

Bradford is to romance what Martha Stewart is to homemaking. She effortlessly elevates romantic living to a doable, exciting, and artful lifestyle. Even the most hard core, cynical, and disillusioned woman will find something useful and appealing here.

This is definitely not a spiritual approach to love, but women are truly empowered by Bradford's advice because she puts them squarely in charge of getting what they want. Bradford gives practical, positive, powerful directions for creating a romantic ambiance with a significant other. If you are determined to have a "special love relationship," then it is well worth you while to read from a woman who has a 35-year track record of success.

The Spiritual Reviewer gives this book a score of 6.750 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high).

I bought a copy of this book for my wife and find myself enjoying it as much as she does.

This book is loaded with great ideas about how to plan a romantic evening, vacation or dining experience.

It's amazing how creative an author like Barbara Taylor Bradford can be, even when not writing novels. I am certain that this book will become a holiday bestseller. It's really attractive and makes a great gift.

As someone who has only read one of Barbara's books to date, I didn't have any particular expectations for 'Living Romantically'. But all I can say is WOW!

This is the perfect book for the holidays or a gift book for anyone about to get married. It is loaded with great advice about how couples can enhance their relationships. From the simple to the extraordinary, there are so many clever ideas here to select from (for guys and girls).

And it is so beautifully presented with great color photos and romantic scenes.

I know I'll be certain to give at least 4 of these to friends for Christmas or Valentines Day!!

This book is a beautifully illustrated and well thought out display of some wonderful romantic ideas. Who better than Barbara Taylor Bradford to share her little romantic secrets on how to add romance to your life everyday.

The photos and illustrations are really attractive and both men and women will find some great ideas here. Some of my favorites include the romantic recipes, romantic destinations and the section on great romantic couples in history.

It makes a great coffee table conversation piece!

Profound piece of work. I am not a cognitive scientist, and this book is a bit technical, but it is still within reach of the motivated lay person.

Gardenfors puts forward a a model to explain cognition that he calls "conceptual spaces." These conceptual spaces are at a level of abstraction in between the symbolic (used by AI types) and connectionist (Neural Nets). But what makes his conceptual spaces interesting and plausible is the position he takes that in this conceptual space, most reasoning is done by evaluating the analog of a distance between two aspects of a perception. Or, we find things to be similar if they are "geometrically" (measurably) closer on some limited number of dimensional scales.

This is easy to follow for things like colors, but he doesn't stop there. He goes on to describe how this explains a wide variety of perceptions, as well as how we form and reform categories and concepts, and shows how this informs semantics and the process of induction.

My only criticism is that some of the illustratios would have been more powerful in color.

If one is to design a machine that can formulate concepts and engage in such things as inductive inference and its corollary scientific discovery, then one must be able to quantify the notion of a concept in such a way that it can be implemented into the cognitive structure of the machine. One must be able to distinguish one concept from another, be able to tell when one concept is similar to another, and understand in detail how concepts are related across domains. It would not be enough to have qualitative notions of these distinctions or similarities, since they must be able to be formatted in such a way, either via coding, language, or electronically, so as to be used by the machine.

This book gives an interesting approach to the problem of concept classification, but it does so only from a qualitative point of view. It is a good start in this regard, and readers will gain a lot of insight into the problems that it addresses. It does not however give any advice on how to implement its ideas into a real thinking machine. Mathematical concepts are brought in order to talk more meaningfully about spaces of concepts, but they are really restricted to metric spaces and not general enough to deal with the plethora of concepts that could present themselves in typical environments. The book should be considered more as a work in philosophy, so those interested in this field might enjoy the book more than those who were expecting a book more geared towards artificial intelligence and computer science. Those readers interested in automated theorem proving or automated mathematical discovery might find the discussion on geometric categorization models of interest, and will find an interesting application of Voronoi tessellations, namely that of accounting for the varying sizes of concepts in a categorization.

By far the most interesting chapter in the book is chapter 6, wherein the author gives a highly original discussion of inductive inference. The ability of human cognition to generalize from a limited number of observations is viewed (correctly) by the author as very impressive, but he is careful to note that inductive inference cannot be done free of side constraints. Quoting the philosopher J.S. Peirce and his evolutionary explanation of why induction is so effective, the author uses his theory of conceptual spaces to develop a theory of constraints for inductive inferences. The main notion in this theory is that of "projectability", which attempts to delineate the properties and concepts that are may be used in inductive inference. The author wants to arrive at a computational model of induction, and he offers interesting proposals for doing so, even if they lack immediate empirical justification.

Central to the problem of induction the author argues is how observations are to be represented. This has been neglected in the history of philosophy he says, and so he then proceeds to outline his ideas on how to represent observations, distinguishing three levels, namely the `symbolic', the `conceptual', and the `subconceptual.' At the symbolic level, observations are represented by describing them in a specified language. At the conceptual level, observations are characterized relative to a conceptual space. At this level induction is viewed as concept formation. At the subconceptual level observations are characterized by inputs from sensory receptors. Induction is then viewed as the attaining of connections between various inputs. The author views the processing taking place in artificial neural networks as an example of modeling at the subconceptual level.

The problem of induction is more complicated than is typically presented in the literature, the author argues. Inductive inference will look different depending on which approach to observations is taken. In his elaborations on the processes of induction, one of the key issues that arises is the how discovery takes place across different domains. The process of conceptualizing across different domains takes place, as expected, at the subconceptual and conceptual levels. The symbolic level is delegated to formulating laws.

The essence of conceptual spaces, as I understand it, is that we can define concepts as regions in conceptual spaces. A conceptual space is defined by axes representing qualities. For example, color spaces are conceptual spaces, as is the tasting combos of sweet, bitter, salty.

Your choice of qualitative measures deeply affects how you understand the world. 'Spose reality is an infinitely dimensional, then we have lots of choices for axes. We simplify and correlate by using all that coordinate transformation and axis projection stuff from 3D graphics! Heck Gardenfors even uses Delauney Triangulation (or polyhedralization).

Criterion P, page 71

A natural property is a convex region of a domain in a conceptual space.

Criterion C, page 105

A natural concept is represented as a set of regions in a number of domains together with an assignments of salience weights to the domains and information about how the regions in the different domains are correlated.

Concept Combination, page 122

The combination CD of two concepts C and D is determined by letting the regions for the domains of C, confined by D replace the values of the corresponding regions for D. (contrast class p. 119), for example the "stone lions" outside the NYC library.

Six Tenets of Cognitive Semantics, page 160

i) Meaning is a conceptual structure in a cognitive system (not truth conditions in possible worlds)
ii) Conceptual Structure are embodied (meaning is not independent of perception or of bodily experience).
iii) Semantic elements are constructed from geometrical or topological structures (not symbols that can be composed according to some system of rules).
iv) Cognitive models are primarily image-schematic (not propositional). Image-schemas are transformed by metaphoric and metonymic operations (which are treated as exceptional features on the traditional views).
v) Semantics is primary to syntax and partly determines it (syntax cannot be described independently of semantics).
vi) Concepts show prototype effects (instead of showing the Aristotelian paradigm based on necessary and sufficient conditions).

Process of Abstraction, page 191 - Start with a collection of things. Identify and quantify individual objects. The determine the clusters. Step three: abstract the clusters into dimensions. Simple!

I especially liked the notion that a metaphor is taking the spatial relationship of a cluster of concepts in one domain and using them in a new domain to help understand the new domain.

Gardenfors introduces his theory of concept-formation, and at the same time presents a survey of the competing theories and research. He shows a high level of professionalism by accepting that the theories can coexist, presenting the competing theories in their strongest light and letting you decide where to apply each theory. This book is not only a good argument for why his theory deserves a permanent place in your toolbox, but also a good education for anyone wanting to know the tradeoffs in representing concepts -- especially for knowledge representation or machine learning systems. He presents the material in a very logical order so that the subtopics can be consumed individually. And although some of the material is well-known, each chapter presents a series of contrasting pros and cons and synthesizes the information in ways that are thought-provoking and novel. It was well worth the time and money.

For anyone interested in the cognitive topics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, this book is an eye opener. The point of view it presents attempts to put an order in what "meaning" really means.

Drawbacks of the book? The lack of conceptualization when it comes to dynamic concepts (treated very superficially). Also, the theory is deficient when modeling the functional aspects of concepts (a "sin" already recognized by the author).

But considering the pioneering character of this piece of art, these drawbacks are just compelling invitations for further research in the field.

owen flanagan is a masterful scholar that leaves hope for a concept alot of contemporary scientists have given up on and tried to quine. His naturalistic debates are wonderful and illuminating and he criticizes other scientists and philosophic work. All his points are logical and have proof with citations and selections from other works. For the best naturalistic and contemporary philosophic arguments theres no one else to go to other than owen flanagan.

This is one of the early philosophy books that started to make sense on the issue of consciousness. Comming from a decade where Joe Levine told us there was a gap, Frank Jackson that materialism left something out, McGuinn told us we could not understand it, the Churchlands wanted to get rid of the thing, this book is a great relief. Consciousness, according to Flanagan, is a natural phenomenon, rooted in the brain. IT is real, capable of being defined, it evolved, and tractable scientifically. We need not despair, nor look in wrong and exotic places like quantum mechanics. Psychology, phenomenology, neurobiology and cognitive science will do. This is useful philosophy.

In the first chapter, Flanagan sketches the field of philosophy of consicousness. He defines the different positions (consicousness is mysterious, consciousness does not exist, consciousness does not matter, consciousness is unintelligeble, consciousness is miracolous, etc..) and argues for naturalism and the adequacy of science to take on the job. In chapter 2, he shows why elimination of the concept of consicousness will not do. Surely, the concept is ot clear, but it points to a real phenomenon in need of explanation. In chapter 3, Flanagan talks about consciousness and the brain, how and why it evolved, and tries to make clear that there is nothing strange about the idea that cosnciousness might just be the brain itself.

IN chapter 4, Flanagan discusses qualia. He concentrates on Dennetss position that qualia should be eliminated scince nothing could have the properties philosophers claim qualia has. Flanagan agrees, but rightly notices that quala need not refer to that which philosophers talk about. Qualia are real, and there is something like to be in a phenomenal state. In chapter 5, Flanagan chalenges the inteligibility gap and the knowledge argument. Consicousness is the brain, but understanding the brain will not cause you to experience somebody elses consciousness. The gap is epistemological not ontological.

In chapter 6 Flanagan discusses the new mysterianism, the view that consicousness is a netural explanation, but beyond our cognitive abilities to explain or understand. He points out that most arguments for this position are invalid. The standards set in this view for explanation are unrealistically high, and progress has been done in understanding consciousness, regardless of what mysterians may say. Chapter 7 takes on epiphenomenalism, the view that consicousness serves no function and no casual role. This view in coeherent and should be taken reasonable. Indeed sometimes consiousness seems to be a bystander. But others, it is essential for initiating behaviour, functioning cognitively correctly and develop the self.

Chapter 8 is about phenomenology and how the stram of consicousness, although not quite real, is an accurate description of the first person prespective. Chapter 9 is about the illusion of a cartesian I or ego that rules mental life. As chapter 10 makes clear there is a self that is a center of a narrative, it emerges from the brain, but it does not have cartesian properties. The book concludes with the idea that consicousnes can be explained, that a scientific theory is possible and that cognitive science, psychology and neurscience will succeed.

This is good philosophy indeed. Consicousness is portrayed simply, as a natural phenomentol being understood through science. There are some objections one could make, but in all, considering the philosophical views of consicousness, this one is science friendly and informative. THis is the kind of constructivism that one should expect form philosophers.

Owen Flanagan's statement of his approach to consciousness makes more sense than those of the Nagels, Jacksons, and Rosenthals of the world. While I tend to find materialist approaches most convincing, I'm often left wanting with respect to those materialists' understandings of real neuroscience.

What I liked about Flanagan's view is that he doesn't necessarily try to show off any sort of advanced knowledge of neuroscience because he doesn't have it, and realizes it. Instead, he emphasizes a multidisciplinary, practical approach to understanding consciousness.

However, I think he overestimates the importance of psychology -- this is, of course, probably based entirely on my bias as a student of neurobiology and reductionism, which purports someday to reduce psychology to neuroscience. But still, I give him credit for a solid theory that makes intuitive sense.

I really shouldn't be giving stars to my own book, but it seems to be a requirement here.

Two clarifications:

1. It is true that I don't engage Dave Chalmers views in the book. Dave's book appeared about 5 years after mine.
2. The title *Consciousness Reconsidered* has understandably led some to think that it is primarily a response to Dennett's *Consciousness Explained.* It isn't, altho. I do engage some of Dan's arguments. My book was published soon after Dan's & most of my issues w/Dan relate to papers (alto. along w/Ned Block, I discussed Dan's forthcoming book w/him and others on a regular basis. But responding to and/or offering an alternative view to Dennett was not my aim. In fact my view on *consciousness* was sketched out in the long new chapter in *The Science of the Mind* published in 1991.

This book offers an interesting perspective on the topic of consciousness for someone who understands the basics but does not have a sustained, in-depth knowledge of the various theories. It does a good job of presenting Flanagan's own neurophilosophical theory while offering discussion of the competition.

Flanagan does not answer his dualist critics, such as David Chalmers, at great length. He focuses more on other naturalists.

This book is generally a good overview of the topic, though a great deal of the content of this book is contained in Chapter 8 of Flanagan's work "The Science of the Mind." That was a disappointment, and due to that and the fact that the discussion could have been a bit more in-depth, the book gets 4 stars and not 5. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in modern theories of consciousness.

If you're looking for a book to curl up with on a cold night, this Jenkins & Burns mystery is perfect. Ms. Bradford's descriptions of the scenery pull you into the swirling blizzard, and hold you as snowbound as her characters. Her ability to give you a window into her characters wraps you up in the story, until you're in so deep, you can't put the book down.

In this second Jenkins & Burns mystery, Laura Bradford revisits Elise Jenkins and her boyfriend, Mitch Burns as they take a much needed vacation on Mackinaw Island, Michigan. Unfortunately for them, their plans for relaxation disappear after a fellow vacationer's disappearance turns into murder. The culprit could be anyone--from the retired cop to the drifter kid to the town's `freaky hermit'--and Ms. Bradford works to keep her readers on their toes until the very end.

By weaving her story with everyday characters you can connect with and an intriguing plot you can lose yourself in, Ms. Bradford does an excellent job of entrancing her readers without muddying the waters with unnecessary elements. I won't spoil the plot for you here--what would be the fun in that?--but I will recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good down-to-earth mystery.

Reporter Elise Jenkins and police detective Mitch Burns continue to develop their relationship during a winter trip. The trip becomes more eventful than they planned as Mitch is pressed into service to solve a series of crimes during a huge snowstorm. There are a few too many coincidences for my taste, and sometimes I am not sure why Elise and Mitch trust the people they do, but it is still a good story with likeable characters.

Move over Mary Higgins Clark, Laura Bradford is on the scene! In Forecast of Evil, she even tops her previous book, Jury of One, which was nominated for an Agatha best first novel. A tough heroine and her love interest match wits with a devious murderer while battling a blizzard and some demons from the past to succeed in the end. A story with turns and twists on every page. If you love Mary Higgins Clark, you'll doubly love Laura Bradford's fresh new series. And be sure to read Jury of One, too.

Laura Bradford's Forecast of Evil is a chilling fast-paced mystery filled with a serial killer, trapped guests, and past secrets waiting to be revealed. Lighter than the typical serial killer thriller, this mystery provides enough details and clues to keep readers on the edge but not too many to blunt the fun hunt for the perpetrator with too much gore and violence.

Pete Garner joined the men's outdoors group upon the advice of his doctor for his cardiac health. When he discovered the hobby of orienteering, however, his competitive nature took over. He had to win. Detective Mitch Burns and reporter Elise Jenkins have come to this winter wonderland hideaway to forget the past --- only the wonderland aspect is quickly becoming a nightmare when Pete's body is discovered. A blizzard is brewing on the remote Michigan island and suddenly a phone call --- a serial killer might be hiding on the island. All lines of communication and transportation are failing....somewhere among new and familiar faces, a psychopath is hiding and seeking out his prey.

Forecast of Evil had a few more thrills and a nice romance subplot than a typical mystery read. Readers will enjoy the information about orienteering, gaining a little knowledge of this hobby without resorting to a bulky dry book on the subject. The author gives a strong hint as to the identity of the perpetrator at one moment, on purpose I believe, because it actually heightened the thrills and the hunt --- even so, there were definitely some unexpected twists as well. Very nice!

One word of advice...this may not be the book to start in the wee hours of the night. Reading it with a book light increases the chilling effect for this reader. Of course, if you want to heighten the chilling effect of this book, read it with a book light or beside a fireplace in a darkened room.

Laura Bradford's Forecast of Evil is a chilling fast-paced mystery filled with a serial killer, trapped guests, and past secrets waiting to be revealed. Lighter than the typical serial killer thriller, this mystery provides enough details and clues to keep readers on the edge but not too many to blunt the fun hunt for the perpetrator with too much gore and violence.

Pete Garner joined the men's outdoors group upon the advice of his doctor for his cardiac health. When he discovered the hobby of orienteering, however, his competitive nature took over. He had to win. Detective Mitch Burns and reporter Elise Jenkins have come to this winter wonderland hideaway to forget the past --- only the wonderland aspect is quickly becoming a nightmare when Pete's body is discovered. A blizzard is brewing on the remote Michigan island and suddenly a phone call --- a serial killer might be hiding on the island. All lines of communication and transportation are failing....somewhere among new and familiar faces, a psychopath is hiding and seeking out his prey.

Forecast of Evil had a few more thrills and a nice romance subplot than a typical mystery read. Readers will enjoy the information about orienteering, gaining a little knowledge of this hobby without resorting to a bulky dry book on the subject. The author gives a strong hint as to the identity of the perpetrator at one moment, on purpose I believe, because it actually heightened the thrills and the hunt --- even so, there were definitely some unexpected twists as well. Very nice!

One word of advice...this may not be the book to start in the wee hours of the night. Reading it with a book light increases the chilling effect for this reader. Of course, if you want to heighten the chilling effect of this book, read it with a book light or beside a fireplace in a darkened room.