Bradford Books

This is a fairly good catch-all intro to many basic topics in the philosophy of language. While it's a little lacking in the overall structure department, the different chapters for the most part provide useful overviews of their respective topics (e.g. definite descriptions, radical translation, etc.). I'd say it might be good if you knew a little about philosophy of language before picking this up, but the only intro more accessible than this I can recommend is "Philosophy of Language" by Lycan. Given the lack of good entry-level surveys in this subject, I'd recommend this if you're starting out in the field and want to learn more about the subject.

When I started out to write a paper on semantics, my professor advised me to use this book as a guideline for defining the exact subject on my paper and for becoming more familiar with the vast field of philosophy of language. Since I had already followed a course on philosophy of language, Robert M. Martin's book did not tell me much that I did not know yet. But for students just starting out in the field, the book gives a wealth of very clear information. Martin covers all aspects of the philosophy of language and the logic of language in short and accesible chapters. He gives a lot of good examples, which make often difficult theories a lot more clear. For me, as a more advanced student, the references at the end of each chapter were very helpful: Martin refers to a number of books on each specific subject, and I must say they are really good. Using the references on Speech Acts I found some essential articles that went on to form the base of my paper. In his Amazon.com-interview, Martin states he hates the boring way most academic philosophy is written in. I do not totally agree on that, but I do admit that Martin does NOT write boring or vague, and that makes his book all the better.

"Memory, Amnesia, & The Hippocampal System", N. Cohen, H. Eichenbaum, MA, MIT Press, 1993/4 ISBN 0-262-03203-1, SC, 330 pg. plus 2 pg. Cont., 4 pg. Pref., 13 Chaps., 4 pg. Notes, 32 pg. Ref., 4 pg. Index. 9" x 6 3/4"

A technical book offering "a high-level theory" derived from animal & human studies on declarative memory mechanisms with especial reference to the hippocampus (Sea Horse or Sea Monster), orchestrating brain's functional hardware (architecture) with instantiated memory. Authors posited the role of hippocampus in memory & defined memory impairment(s) in amnesia(s) to provide a better understanding of normal memory (how we learn, remember & forget).

The mainstay of the book & thesis is generated from an oft-quoted
& well published case of H.M. who at age 27, in 1953 underwent bilateral resection of the hippocampal formation (including the amygdala & mulimodal association areas of the temporal cortex) to relieve major bi-temporal lobe seizures of 10 years duration consequent to bicycle accident at age 9 (H.M. was a pedestrian).

The useful but brief sketching of memories is made with distinctions between declarative vs procedural, semantic vs episodic, & explicit vs implicit & a description of "mediational" or "evaluative" memories. We are provided micro-photographs of human & animal hippocampi; cartoons of hippocampi neuronal cell firings; & etiologies of amnesias, both hippocampal & those non-hippocampal (Korsakoff's, AD, PD, & Huntington's), in declarative memory domain. Discussion is provided on "Place Cell" pyramidal cell firings during spatial exploration, & on Place Fields, an abstract spatial "think"(or thought) of position
(not sensory).

Of interest was discussion of Tower of Hanoi puzzle, cognition of Fibonacci sequencing. mirror & mirror-reversed text studies, & acknowledgement of Morton's memory representations of linguistic objects as "logogens" and visual objects as "pictogens" for memory refreshing. Authors conclude the hippocampus "apparently" stores temporary representations permitting later access or reconstructions (recall) of declarative memory -- that the permanment representation (memory) resides in the neocortex, & that the hippocampus network fashions a "memory space" for the encoding & updating of relations of fresh items -- i.e., the reinstantiations which "enable memory consolidation." Authors share mixed thoughts about renaming procedural memory as that of nondeclarative memory as overly phenomenological rather that representational.

A wordy, overly-pontifical written book by two knowledgeable researchers is interesting to read but harder to digest. Those interested in this & related subjects would be better served wtih "Principles of Neural Science", 4th Ed. 2000 by Kandell, Schwartz & Jessell (1,414 pg.).

This reference is readable and suitable for the interested general reader. While an introductory cognitive science or psychology textbook covers a broader range of material, this reference, restricted to limited aspects of memory, has the advantage of giving the reader a better feel for different approaches (cognitive scientific, psychological, neuroanatomical, physiological, and neuropsychological) towards an understanding of brain functions. 'Procedural memory' optimizes various processors throughout the brain for the stimuli they encounter. 'Declarative memory', dependent on the hippocampal system, is a relational representation of learning experiences, is very accessible and can be easily expressed, and binds outputs of the various neocortical processor outputs (eg, high level visual, auditory, limbic, somesthetic, etc) and olfactory outputs converging on the hippocampal system. Olfactory, frontal, parietal and temporal cortical areas send projections to the superficial entorhinal cortex. In turn, from the entorhinal cortex, the perforant pathway projects to the dentate gyrus (where there are association fibers between neurons), which in turn projects mossy fibers to the CA3 hippocampal region (where there are association fibers between neurons), which in turn projects Schaffer collaterals to the CA1 hippocampal region (which also receives a more direct input from the entorhinal cortex) which then projects to the deep entorhinal cortex, which in turn projects back to the source olfactory, frontal, parietal and temporal cortical areas. The hippocampal subiculum also receives projections from both the CA1 region and the entorhinal cortex, and also projects to the deep entorhinal cortex which then in turn projects back to the cortical areas from which the hippocampal system received projections from. The fornix pathway connects the hippocampal system with subcortical structures such as thalamus, hypothalamus and brainstem nuclei. Glutamate NMDA and non-NMDA neurotransmitter receptors on the same dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons provide a conjunction mechanism - the NMDA channel will open if neurotransmitter is received AND there is sufficient membrane depolarization (ie, in response to another input), and will result in long-term potentiation LTP. However, it is noted that in particular, LTP is best induced if there are high frequency bursts of the stimuli, repetition of these bursts at frequencies corresponding to the theta rhythm, and activation of hippocampal neurons at the peak of the dentate theta rhythm. Electrophysiological recordings of rodent CA1 neurons show that hippocampal neurons encode relationships between environmental and internal cues, in particular, being sensitive to specific locations in the environment during spatial explorations. While the hippocampal system binds together outputs of many neocortical (and olfactory and subcortical) processors and thus allows declarative memories to be reconstructed from features in these processors, the hippocampal system is not the permanent storage site of such memories. For example, in cases of hippocampal system damage, remote memories are not strongly affected. It is thus proposed that the hippocampal system allows access to the various processors so that features of declarative memories can somehow be bound together in a more permanent manner.

Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby: Meaningful, Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals says this book discusses the concept of person centered demnetia care. It tells the reader how to implement the concept and why it is important to do so with people who have dementia. Dawn Brooker talks about the four key elements of person centered care. She discusses the VIPS model: Valuing people with dementia and those who care for them. She focuses on the practical application of this concept. Person Centred Dementia Care shows the reader how to turn the concept into a practical working model. The book reads like a text book which may not be caregiver friendly at first glance. However there is much practical information for the caregiver and healthcare professionals alike.

This is an excellent book to teach others about dementia, no matter what level of knowledge they have. I plan on using this as a text book.

This is a decent biography of Princess Grace, and I would recommend this book for anyone whom is starting to study royal history or Princess Grace. The only problem I had with this book is that it needs to be updated slightly; particularly the effects of her death on her children and husband. As well as acknowledging Prince Rainer's death in 2004.

Grace Kelly's career was the ultimate fukfillment of the American dream. The granddaughter of an immigrant farm boy from Country Mayo, she became a top Hollywood star and then the wife of a ruling European Prince. Idolized by Alfred Hitchcock, courted by Clark Gable, Bing Crosby and William Holden among others, she abandoned her glittering career at twenty-six for marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco. Yet she remained a star, her golden image adorning the covers of magazines and the front pages of newspapers until her untimely death in 1982. The whole world morned the Princess from Philadelphia and her former subjects wep in the streets.

Who was Princess Grace? Despite her extremely public life as actress and princess, wife and mother, she remained an unusually private person. Sarah Bradford, author of two highly praised biographies, has traveled thousands of miles to interview her family and friends, the people who worked with her from Hollywood to Monaco, to compile the first full-length insight into the remarkable woman whom the world knew simply as "Princess Grace."

Pulsed Neural Networks (90's), Artificial Intelligence (80's), Cybernetics (60's and 70's) Telephone Switch Board (10's and 20's) Hydrodynamics (1700 and 1800) it is amazing the names put on cognitive science through the years. This book is a symposium (13 small books) on developing hardware devices capable of replacing or enhancing neurological functions. Using modeling techniques to duplicate biophysical neural pathways can take two forms. The first are math models, which obviously show the relationship between the neurons (virtual reality). The second type is models that build-spiking neurons in real time to which this book is directed. In the first part of the book, a summary of current thought, written by the main compilers of the book (Maas and Bishop) is worth the price alone. The book addresses the question of biological electrical (vs. chemical or genetic) coding, in which the method of information is actually transmitted and received. The compilers have emphasized the chronological event of development with the articles so that the reader does not become lost in which came first. Gravy is given the reader in the form of articles written by researchers in other fields (VLSI) to the point that the reader wonders if one is still reading a book on biophysics. The hard-wired neural net components are then compared to their biological predecessors for the purpose of obtaining usable "dry lab" tools for experiments. ("Dry-wet-electrical lab", "electrical-dry-lab-wet-computer-lab"?). Even though the material contains electrical engineering stuff it is still very readable to biological types and if interested, can muscle through this stuff. The math model development in Matlab is mentioned, but the reference to Matlab's current capabilities in this area is dated (95). Most of symmetries run in the book are older 200 Pentium type machines, and with a faster (650 up) and better busing Matlab's new neural net toolbox can build some interesting stuff (remember however it is still virtual). The "home modeler" can use chap. 7 and 12 as a theoretical basis for stochastic resonance models which the writers, while dealing with stochastic bit-stream overlooked this aspect. However, H.Wilson's Spikes, Decision and Actions is much better. (Matlab interactive). This is a really good book for modelers (reason for the review as opposed to `me to' reviews). Most of the neural nets and circuits designs are easily modeled in Matlab's Simulink to give real time results similar to those reported. (Whether the results duplicate reality is always a question with these types of models). Flights of fancy (the reason for modeling in the first place, at least the addictive part) can then be implemented according to the capabilities of the reader. The book also discusses "hard wired" CMOS chips available replicating biological systems with plug in units to standard computer I/O units (Motorola, National, and Fuzzytech). However a larger question comes from this book. How can the output of a non-deterministic system be modeled by deterministic model (hardware or otherwise) inputs (H.Wilson)? Without a specific knowledge of the role that neural architecture plays in the phase modulations and oscillatory behavior, how can information be transferred by digital or analog devices duplication neural transmission. As the author puts it in Chap. 12, "Furthermore it is not even clear what the goal of a learning algorithm for pulsed neural nets should be; the goal to learn a function or a function (operator). This book is not a failing because it cannot answer this question. Indeed, the avenues it reviews and discusses opens up many more fields and sparks new uses for the fields it introduces.

This book presents a general overview to the growing field of spiking neural networks and their VLSI implementation written by many of the major figures in this field. It begins with several clear explications of the spiking response model which has been recently popularized by Gerstner (who has several good entries in this volume) and why looking at such a model might be a good idea (it really is completely fascinating). As with all neural network theory, understanding the model will require a fairly solid mathematical background. The middle portion of the book is dedicated to VLSI implementation (which I am not involved with so won't comment) and the last chapters present a wide variety of articles from the highly mathematical to advice for digital simulation of such networks. Chapter 10 is by far the most mathematical chapter and presents the analytic results that have been derived for a homogeneous fully connected network. Although this is far from a complete reference it provides a clear explanation of the reasons for this direction and enough good references at the end of each section to get you started. I have continually turned to this book while getting started in my research in this area.

I am not a professional philosopher, but I did read most of Quine's books before this one. I was delighted to find that the book clarified my understanding, organized my thought, and presented me with the Big Picture. I also found it highly enjoyable.

Another reviewer downgraded this volume for, as I would say it, taking an uncritical stance toward Quine's work. This misses the point that Romanos is himself a working philosopher that happens to be directly influenced by Quine's work.

As the publishers note this is "...the first major explication and defense of Quine's systematic philosophy". Thus, the book is an open attempt to explain and _defend_ Quine.

The author succeeds admirably. He clarifies Quine's central contributions to philosophy, explores their implications, and addresses frequent misunderstandings of Quine's work by his critics. He makes a strong case for Quine's place among the very few most important and influental philosophers of the 20th century.

That means you're getting more than a "study guide" or encyclopedia entry for Quine. There's nothing wrong with those, but you'll have to look elsewhere.

If you are aware of Quine's work on a somewhat superficial level, are inclined to dismiss him for one reason or another, and/or don't see what the big deal is, then you should read this book.

For the non-professional, this book is a very useful, brief, and entertaining overview of Quine's philosophy. Quine had a very long career, and his work is scattered throughout a large number articles combined into a large number of books. Some of his papers are highly technical. It can be difficult to take it all in.

This book looks at Quine's philosophy and the consequences of Quine's conclusions on analytic philosophy. Though it is fairly lucid, his unquestioning acceptance of everything Quine says makes a lot of what is said seem superficial.

In Representation and Reality, Putnam begins with Aristotle's definition of "mental", Quine's idea of the corporate nature of theories, and weaves a philosophic record that is stunningly reminiscent of Martha Stewart's new handbook of hors d'oeurves. Yes, the jig is up: what Putnam is really after here is to define what exactly makes a good cream puff and his argument is complete with a lemma that weighs the pros and cons of custard vs. whipped cream filling. Modern analytic philosophy is really a boring topic and one isn't surprised that Putnam really avoids such issues as whether or not language is a game with rules or really a television program that will soon be cancelled if ratings don't go up. This is what Putnam sees as the influence of the environment on the meaning of words and the the meaning of "meaning" (it's not spoiling the plot to tell you that "meaning" is also a word that is used in the English language; however, when I've asked people who only speak Mandarin Chinese if they know the meaning of "meaning", they usually just give me a blank look. Obviously this is a topic that needs to be ironed out). Yet, it isn't until the last chapter that Putman throws down the gauntlet, spills the beans, and reveals that his whole philosophic endeavor, or journey, is one vast voyage to discover the perfect guacamole dip (his idea of adding Ketalar as well as lime will no doubt raise a few eyebrows, but, let me assure you, I've mixed up a batch and it's very tasty). Finally, his critique of Fodor, while well-intentioned, is sure to remain incomprehesible to the vast majority of nonphilosophers who are certain that their brain is really a soft substance inside their skull that thinks and is conscious, and is not, as Fodor argues, a pilfered pack of cigarettes deftly taken from a fast food store when the clerk wasn't looking. While you need to know a lot about contemporary analytic philosophy to understand this book, you need to know very little of this same subject to leave it alone. Brilliant!

"Representation and Reality" is very much a work by the "later Putnam", a guy who, for better or worse, is nowhere near as influential in the philosophy of mind as the "middle Putnam" was, the Putnam of the 1960s and 1970s. Some of the views presented here are sort of interesting as you go through them, but I find that nothing by the later Putnam ever ends up really staying with me or substantially altering my picture of things. It's pleasant enough to read, but the experience is surprisingly junk-foodish (to the extent this is possible in analytic philosophy). Bottom line: if you're interested in the career trajectory of perhaps the greatest living American philosopher or in hearing some wide-ranging objections to certain central elements of contemporary philosophy of mind, this may be the book for you. However, "Representation and Reality" has neither been unfluential enough nor is it convincing enough for me to recommend it highly.

Sabbath keeping in Africa has a rich history. There is old history and new. The interesting area is that of the Ethiopian Sabbath keepers who were constantly persecuted. From the early church starting with the Ethiopian Eunich to today with the many Adventist and Church of God groups Sabbath keepers have a heart and desire to keep that day in spite of hardship.

Bradford does a great job showing how African Christians are heartfelt and hearty in their beliefs. These Christians already struggle in the lands they live in, yet, the Sabbath communities are very united and strong.

With the growth of the Sabbath church of God groups, Bradford should expand his research using this as a jump off point to show how Adventist, church of God and Wesleyans have a common starting point.

This book is a good read for any Sabbatarian wishing to learn about the Sabbath keepers in Africa. Not much is mentioned about earlier Sabbath history, like the Sabbatarians of Ethiopia. For Christian Sabbath keepers, it is nice to learn that the Sabbath has been kept in Africa for more than 100 years. Charles Bradford does an admirable job of piecing together the non-adventist history and honors other groups in addition to the adventists.

I received my BA in African/African American Studies and am very interested in religious history, so I was very interested to read this book. While the book contains EXCELLENT information regarding the Sabbath in Africa and gives excellent quotes from African leaders regarding the Sabbath, I found it a bit "academic" and hard to stay focused at times.

I encourage anyone interested in African History or religious history to read the book. Just be advised, it reads more like a book can be a bit "thick" to read at times.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read! I bought just 2 months ago and must have read it over 40 times by now!! I can't wait until the third book of crusades comes out!! Keep up the great work Karleen Bradford!!

I read this book about two years ago, because I had loved There Will Be Wolves. While not exactly perfect in form (the plot seemed rather unlikely), the first book in the Crusades series was a great read. I was really disappointed after the second. The plot was ten times more exaggerated (Theo falling in love with Emma?), and it lacked the feeling that There Will Be Wolves had. While it was not a terrible book, if this is the direction the Crusades books are going in, I will not look at the third.

i have to admit, the first minute of this CD set made me think i had made a terrible mistake in purchasing it. i expected a professorial exploration of the history of the practice, and an overview of the cultures that continue to use it. i figured there would be some good drumming tracks that i could use in some of my classes. imagine my shock when Keeney begins the audio session with the oratory style of a zealous, crazy Baptist minister, loud and in partial rhythm with drum play in the background!

i thought the whole thing was ridiculous, and so i turned it off, angry that i had purchased this set.

but then i decided to at least play one of the 6 discs all the way through. i'm so glad i decided to give it a second chance because quickly i realized that the absurdity was the very crucible of it's genius.

in TCM it is taught that all illness in the body is a result of blocked energy flow, and through techniques such as qigong, tai chi, and acupuncture, a person can clear out those blockages and restore health. Keeney's approach, right from his crazy presentation, is taking this understanding to another level. we are a culture of ill souls, blocked and boxed in by our norms, assumptions, and definitions. we have lost the ability to be free, to be loud and expressive, to be crazy. and in losing that, we've lost our connection to the divine. we've lost our natural birthright of self-healing and spiritual evolution. gibberish and nonsensical expressiveness make us feel uncomfortable. letting go and being raw, even silly, makes us self-conscious. relinquishing our controls makes us scared.

Keeney's radical performative style demanded that i let go of my walls and barriers that determined what form of knowledge was allowed to reach me. he didn't allow me to distance myself from his words as a scholar, examining his concepts in the 3rd person so i could file it away for later use if appropriate. he made me uneasy right from the start, and he challenged me to be daring, to let go, to shake and move and vocalize nonsense with intense feeling and expressiveness. he challenged me to set myself free. and i am immensely grateful.

the reason i give it 3 stars instead of 5 is because the music tracks are pretty terrible. at the end of each disk there is a music track for your shaking practice, and maybe 1 of the 6 tracks is mediocre at best. the others are just plain bad. that's 2 HOURS of crappy music! and since a big part of the reason i wanted this set was for the music, the overall value is diminished. additionally, Keeney was a little lazy with the sound balance in the studio. whenever he whispers i have to turn the volume all the way and can still only barely hear him. then, when he immediately transitions to being loud and boisterous again, the volume needs to be turned down. because of his performance style, i have to constantly adjust the volume, and while i appreciate the beauty of what he's done, he could have done a better job equalizing the sound.

i imagine that many people (mostly men like myself) will have the same initial reaction as i did. i say to you, give it another chance. This CD set isn't just talking about shaking medicine, it IS medicine! have the courage to receive his message. suspend judgment for just a little while and let him in; it just might change you like it did me.

i almost let it pass me by. now i think it might be the most important purchase i've made in years. now if only i can find some good music to shake to! ;)

This course is so much fun, it will get you moving to the beat. It is an original inspiring way to heal! Definately worth buying this course since you get over six hours of SHAKING!