Management Accounting Fundamentals, Second Edition: CIMA Inter@ctive CD-ROM (CIMA Inter@ctive)

Book Description

Brush up on difficult subject areas and gain invaluable question practice with CIMA Inter@ctive Study Systems. These CDROMs are the ideal way to supplement paper or classroom based learning of the Foundation subjects.

CIMA Inter@ctive Study Systems each provide extensive syllabus coverage through the 60 hours of learning. Extensive question practice supplies important feedback on incorrect answers to allow you to quickly identify and fill gaps in your knowledge.

Computer-based assessment is now the preferred method of examination, so computer-based learning is the best way to supplement your study and improve your chance of success.

CIMA Inter@ctive Study Systems are fully supported by EQL International. The courseware runs on most PC's with a suggested minimum specification of:
* Pentium 133 processor
* Microsoft Windows 95 (or greater)
* 16mb of RAM
* Approx 25mb free hard disc space

Please note this item is subject to VAT at your local rate.

* The only interactive e-learning materials fully accredited by CIMA
* Increases success in the foundation level computer-based assessment through learning and preparation in the same format
* Enhances and tests understanding through extensive syllabus coverage, practice exercises and feedback

Book Description

"Any evaluator who reaches for this thesaurus as I would reach for Roget's will be rewarded with rather more than a lesson on the definition of terms. Far from being a quick fix, Michael Scriven reminds us that a thesaurus is "a treasury or storehouse of knowledge"--in this case a knowledge base that he argues is needed to underpin a new, emerging, "transdiscipline" of evaluation."

--International Journal of Nursing Studies

"This new edition is almost three times as large as the third edition and now serves as a comprehensive survey of the field. It fits neatly in the literature between glossaries and encyclopedias for those who find the latter too exhaustive and the former too brief to meet their needs. Evaluation Thesaurus, 4th Edition, begins with an extensive introduction to the nature of evaluation followed by an alphabetical listing of topics treated. . . . Definitions are presented in informal language and the use of the jargon of educational evaluation does much to demystify the concepts treated. . . . The book can be used either as a text to help orient beginners in the field or as a reference guide that will be useful for the more experienced practitioner. It will make a fine addition to any library offering courses in educational administration at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level."

--American Library Association

"If you are to have one book related to evaluation research, this is the one it should be. . . . For readers unfamiliar with Dr. Michael Scriven, you are in for a treat! For those of us who are familiar with his work, we are able to journey again with a scholar whose analytical abilities and writing style provide an opportunity for intense thought. . . . He is careful to provide a comprehensive list of acronyms and abbreviations to help the reader fully digest this massive amount of information. The work is comprehensive while being presented in an efficient and effective format. . . . This book is replete with information that will contribute to improved knowledge of evaluation for both those professionals actively involved in such research as well as those new to these practices."

--Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling

"A well-established treasure, now more than double in size, useful for students and practitioners alike. Not only are useful, concise definitions for technical acronyms and words provided, but also substantial essays on terms Michael Scriven has invented to make important points. In spite of the alphabetical ordering, it would be useful as the first text in a program evaluation course. The Scrivenesque bias would be all too good."

--Donald T. Campbell, Lehigh University

"There are many interesting ideas in there, e.g., the scope of evaluation, product, program, personnel, policy, proposal, the idea of evaluation theory across all these fields, the distinctions among theory metatheory, methodology and application, what different fields have contributed to the development of evaluation, the types of disciplines, connections among disciplines, etc., etc, --the book is a treasure house of productive, innovative ideas."

--Ernest R. House, University of Colorado at Boulder "The Evaluation Thesaurus, Fourth Edition, is highly recommended for any library, student, or professional interested in evaluation."

--American Reference Book Annual

Written by one of the leaders in evaluation, Evaluation Thesaurus, Fourth Edition provides readers with a quick analysis of the leading concepts, positions, acronyms, processes, techniques, and checklists in the field of evaluation. Containing nearly 2000 entries, Michael Scriven's thesaurus offers professionals and students a guide for understanding the relation of evaluation to the doctrine of value-free social science, ways to integrate the parts of multi-dimensional evaluations into an overall rating, the realities of evaluation consulting, and techniques for the use of spreadsheets in qualitative evaluation. Topics new to this edition include: recent work in personnel evaluation and its relevance to program evaluation; new material on the evaluation of scientific theories; new ways to extend objective testing beyond multiple choice items without loss of speed of correcting; new uses of computers in evaluation; analyses of related concepts such as diagnosis, policy, etiology, risk assessment, focus groups, quality circles and the economic realities of consulting including conflict of interest; types of contract; and press releases.

Customer Reviews:

Infuriating but essential.......2003-11-13

Actually the same could be said of the man himself. The evaluation thesaurus is difficult to define and place. It is not so much a thesaurus or dictionary as a series of mini (and not so mini) essays from one of evaluation's leading philosophers.

Michael Scriven has strong views about the place, role and requirements of evaluation, and he uses this book, amongst other things, to lecture on these subjects. The book starts with an extended introduction to (Scriven's view of) the place of evaluation within the academic world, much of which is focused on an over-extended geographical metaphor of academic disciplines. The point of this is an attempt to stake elevaluation's claim to independence as a "trans-discipline" servicing other disciplines in a similar fashion to statistics. (Despite this declaration of independence, Scriven himself is employed within a School of Education)

More useful are the entries themselves, which alert readers to issues such as the "Harvard fallacy" (the assumption that a programme must be good because of its outcomes, without considering any advantages that it might derive, for example from having exceptional student intakes) and the fact that evaluators cannot avoid making value judgements.

You do not have to agree with Scriven, but you need to address the issues he raises if you are serious about evaluation.

Hard-Won Lessons in Program Evalution : Summer 1993 (New Dir.......2001-12-30

I would like to free downlond "Hard-Won Lessons in Program Evalution" : Summer 1993 (New Direction for Program Evlution No,58) by Michael scriven.
Thank you
ranee rammasak

The best.......2000-06-23

Addresses the question of subjectivity in evaluation, and recommends new approaches to overcome subjectivity.

The clinician's thesaurus: A guidebook for wording psychological reports and other evaluations (The Clinician's toolbox)

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The clinician's thesaurus: A guidebook for wording psychological reports and other evaluations (The Clinician's toolbox)
Edward L Zuckerman
Manufacturer: The Three Wishes Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00071RSKW

The Clinician's Thesaurus Three: The Guidebook for Wording Psychological Reports & Other Evaluations (Clinician's Toolbox)

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Great resource!!
A new clinicians best friend.
Excellent resource
Clinicians Thesaurus
Great help for clinical reports

The Clinician's Thesaurus Three: The Guidebook for Wording Psychological Reports & Other Evaluations (Clinician's Toolbox)
Edward L. Zuckerman
Manufacturer: Three Wishes Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Clinical Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Thesauruses | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0962228141

Book Description

Now in its revised and expanded fifth edition, the Clinician's Thesaurus makes constructing meaningful reports easier than ever before. This popular guidebook provides quick and handy access to the entire language of the mental health professions. More than a giant collection of synonyms, the Thesaurus offers practical guidelines for how to shape raw data into a cogent report. Thousands of useful words, phrases, and interview questions are provided to help practitioners collect the client information they need and accurately describe almost any clinical situation. New features of the fifth edition include numerous additional terms; an integrative introduction and overview; reproducible forms for documenting client mental status and producing a managed-care compatible treatment plan; updated listings of psychiatric medications; and suggested readings on assessment and report writing. The book is designed for maximum ease of use with a large format and lay-flat binding. Comprehensive and up-to-date, the Clinician's Thesaurus is an indispensable tool for professionals who wish to streamline their reporting tasks.

Customer Reviews:

Great resource!!.......2007-08-14

A friend, who is working on her LCSW clinical hours, recommended this book. I am an MSW student and while studying methods for doing psychosocial assessments this book was a very valuable resource. It has words and phrases that are clear, succinct, and convey meaning quickly and clearly.

I highly recommend it for all MSW students, social workers, and LCSW's.

A new clinicians best friend........2007-07-29

This book has been extremely helpful, especially when I'm writing progress notes. I highly recommend it.

Excellent resource.......2006-11-12

A great companion for the newly practicing therapist to "get in the groove." An ongoing resource when one's flow of words is just dribbling rather than flowing. Preferred the ease of the earlier editions' spiral bounding - but the CD has been adequate compensation.

Clinicians Thesaurus.......2006-11-11

The best book a therapist could buy for documentation purposes and clinical summary purposes!

Great help for clinical reports.......2006-11-06

This book is really helpful when learning to assess clients and write clinical reports. It was well worth the money.

Decisions in thesaurus construction and use [An article from: Information Processing and Management]

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Decisions in thesaurus construction and use [An article from: Information Processing and Management]
R.M. Losee
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000PDYKDU

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Information Processing and Management, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
A thesaurus and an ontology provide a set of structured terms, phrases, and metadata, often in a hierarchical arrangement, that may be used to index, search, and mine documents. We describe the decisions that should be made when including a term, deciding whether a term should be subdivided into its subclasses, or determining which of more than one set of possible subclasses should be used. Based on retrospective measurements or estimates of future performance when using thesaurus terms in document ordering, decisions are made so as to maximize performance. These decisions may be used in the automatic construction of a thesaurus. The evaluation of an existing thesaurus is described, consistent with the decision criteria developed here. These kinds of user-focused decision-theoretic techniques may be applied to other hierarchical applications, such as faceted classification systems used in information architecture or the use of hierarchical terms in ''breadcrumb navigation''.

Thesaurus musicarum latinarum.(http://www.music.indiana.edu/tml/): An article from: Notes

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Thesaurus musicarum latinarum.(http://www.music.indiana.edu/tml/): An article from: Notes
Brad Eden
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Online Books | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1391 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Thesaurus musicarum latinarum.(http://www.music.indiana.edu/tml/)
Author: Brad Eden
Publication: Notes (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 63 Issue: 1 Page: 158(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The Clinician's Thesaurus: A Guidebook For Wording Psychological Reports and Other Evaluations

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The Clinician's Thesaurus: A Guidebook For Wording Psychological Reports and Other Evaluations
Edward L. Zuckerman
Manufacturer: Three Wishes Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MB98MS

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Evaluation Thesaurus

Manufacturer: Sage Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0918528178

Fertility modification thesaurus,: With focus on evaluation of family planning programs

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Fertility modification thesaurus,: With focus on evaluation of family planning programs
Kathryn H Speert
Manufacturer: Division of Social and Administrative Sciences, International Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, Columbia University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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GAO thesaurus (SuDoc GA 1.13:OIMC-99-1)
U.S. General Accounting Office
Manufacturer: The Office The Office, distributor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0001109CW

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Exhaustive but Inconclusive.

Reforming the Court: Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices

Manufacturer: Carolina Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Courts | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books
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Are Judges Political?: An Empirical Analysis of the Federal Judiciary

Sorcerers' Apprentices: 100 Years of Law Clerks at the United States Supreme Court

Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court

Courtiers of the Marble Palace: The Rise and Influence of the Supreme Court Law Clerk

ASIN: 1594602131

Book Description

The Supreme Court today exercises power over the lives of citizens that, in important respects, exceeds that of other branches of the federal government. Life-tenured justices wield this enormous power for two or three decades and the only process that provides some accountability to the people occurs as new appointments regenerate the Court. Because justices now serve so long, that process occurs only rarely and irregularly and may be affected by a justice's desire to have a successor appointed by a like-minded president. Some presidents have great influence on the Court's future decisions by the happenstance that they receive three or more appointments; other presidents have little or no influence because no vacancies arise during their terms. This collection of essays by eminent legal scholars provides a comprehensive, balanced, and compelling examination of a largely neglected, but very important, subject. What are the harmful consequences of the lengthening tenure of Supreme Court justices? Do those consequences suggest that reform is necessary or desirable? Can the problem be remedied by congressional enactments or is a constitutional amendment required?

Customer Reviews:

Exhaustive but Inconclusive........2006-07-30

This exhaustive work on the merits of and tribulations against judiciary term limits reminds me of an indepth research study which reaches no conclusive return. In REFORMING THE COURT: TERM LIMITS FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, we find every aspect of the argument covered in detail, in a virtual "no stone unturned" scenario. Author's Crampton and Carrington must certainly be credited for their thoroughness and objective presentation of all sides.

The work presents the problem of judiciary life terms, then examines each of three differing options. The first, option argues that term limits might create an even greater problem than currently exists. The second argues for a fixed term but maintains that this can only be accomplished via constitutional amendment. The third argues for a fixed term through a simple congressional statute. The authors' support this final argument with their own essays on the matter, however, though I personally support this trek, feel it is not adequately argued here.

Though the book ultimately fails is some respects, to prove the need for judiciary reform, this is certainly a must read for anyone interested in judiciary reform. It is presented in a highly readable text void of legal mumbo jumbo that would simply convolute the subject, yet many legal writers are hesitant to omit.

Is our current judiciary system afoul of the framers original intention? Without doubt, the answer is an emphatic, YES. Are term limits for the Supreme Court Justices the answer? After reading this volume, the answer would have to be an emphatic, "I'm not sure."

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Book Description

A pedagogical introduction to the physics of black holes. The membrane paradigm represents the four-dimemnsional spacetime of the black hole's "event horizon" as a two-dimensional membrane in three-dimensional space, allowing the reader to understand and compute the behavior of black holes in complex astrophysical environments.

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Black Holes : The Membrane Paradigm
Kip S.; Price, Richard H.; MacDonald, Douglas A. (editors) Thorne
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS9EW8

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Black Holes: The Membrane Paradigm
Kirk S. Thorne
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSEVOY

Book Description

Don't go to the lab without it! INTRODUCTORY TO CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES: A LABORATORY APPROACH teaches you to collect and analyze experimental data with ease using 34 class-tested experiments. Work Pages and Report Sheets for each experiment offer a convenient and efficient way for you to record your data as you work. Advanced Study Assignments, Sample Calculations, and laboratory and safety procedures are just a few of the tools that will help you complete your lab experiments successfully.

Prentice Hall Laboratory Manual for Introductory Chemistry (3rd Edition)

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Prentice Hall Laboratory Manual for Introductory Chemistry (3rd Edition)
Charles H. Corwin
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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Introductory Chemistry: Concepts and Connections (4th Edition)

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Exercises in chemistry, systematically arranged to accompany "An elementary study of chemistry", introductory college course, by William Pherson and William Edwards Henderson

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Exercises in chemistry, systematically arranged to accompany "An elementary study of chemistry", introductory college course, by William Pherson and William Edwards Henderson
William McPherson
Manufacturer: Ginn and company
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Fundamentals of Introductory Chemistry and Study Guide and Laboratory Manual, First and Second Editions

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Fundamentals of Introductory Chemistry and Study Guide and Laboratory Manual, First and Second Editions
Ebbing
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Binding: Hardcover

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Instructor's manual to accompany the Behavior of matter: Laboratory experiments in introductory chemistry

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Instructor's manual to accompany the Behavior of matter: Laboratory experiments in introductory chemistry
Sydney S Biechler
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007FB5MK

Introductory chemistry experiments for college students

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Introductory chemistry experiments for college students
G. Dana Brabson
Manufacturer: Bellwether Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0808749684

Introductory chemistry in the laboratory

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Introductory chemistry in the laboratory
Norbert T Kurnath
Manufacturer: Burgess Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0808756982

Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual

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Great Intro Chemistry Lab book

Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual
Elizabeth Martin , and Gary Faber
Manufacturer: Ginn Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 0536578753

Customer Reviews:

Great Intro Chemistry Lab book.......2006-05-03

This is a great softback lab book that describes many different lab projects that the students do.

It covers chemical and physical properties of the substances used in the lab projects.

This is a great text for intro-chemistry lab.

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Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual
Richard H. Langley
Manufacturer: Kendall Hunt Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Manual

Manufacturer: Thomson Custom Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 0759345287

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no selfish gene?

Important new perspective on evolutionary biology

A look at Symbiosis and "Darwin's Blind Spot"

Editorial correction

Evolution beyond natural selection

Darwin's Blind Spot: Evolution Beyond Natural Selection
Frank Ryan
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary Edition--with a new Introduction by the Author

Living within Limits: Ecology, Economics, and Population Taboos

A Matter of Degrees: What Temperature Reveals about the Past and Future of Our Species, Planet, and[continued] Universe

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ASIN: 0618118128

Book Description

While Charles Darwin's vision of evolution was brilliant, natural selection ignores a crucial force that helps to explain the diversity and wonder of life: symbiosis. In Darwin's Blind Spot, Frank Ryan shows how the blending of life forms through symbiosis has resulted in gigantic leaps in evolution. The dependence of many flowering plants on insects and birds for pollination is an important instance of symbiosis. More surprising may be the fact that our cells have incorporated bacteria that allow us to breathe oxygen. And the equivalent of symbiosis within a species -- cooperation -- has been a vital, although largely ignored, force in human evolution. In Ryan's view, cooperation, not competition, lies at the heart of human society. Ryan mixes stories of the many strange and beautiful results of symbiosis with accounts of the dramatic historic rivalries over the expansion of Darwin's theory. He also examines controversial research being done today, including studies suggesting that symbiosis among viruses led to the evolution of mammals and thus of humans. Too often Darwin's interpreters have put excessive emphasis on competition and struggle as the only forces in evolution. But the idea of "survival of the fittest" does not always reign. Symbiosis is critically important to the richness of Earth's life forms.

Customer Reviews:

no selfish gene?.......2007-04-06

Anyone get the feeling this author hasn't actually read Dawkins' Selfish Gene? The end of this book begins talking about levels of selection and seems to ignore Dawkins' most articulated points from Selfish Gene theory. For example, Ryan states outright that "From a selfish gene perspective, it is difficult to explain why individuals act in unselfish ways." He goes on to cite supposed instances of 'group selection' and then a bizarre example about the problems of selfish behavior using "selfish cells"(selection at the level of the cell?) as an example. Had he been familiar with Dawkins' theory however, he would realize that genes natually 'seek' to propagate themselves, including their respective copies in relatives. Considering our ancestral evolution in close-knit groups of relatives whom we share our genes with, it is no wonder we modern day humans are imbued with altruistic tendencies for others (with family and friends, i.e. fellow gene carriers, getting obvious priority). We help those around us, those who in the past would have been carrying many of the same genes, and we are simply helping our own genes. Not to mention investing in indirect reciprocity (which Ryan disregards as a process in which one has to 'stop and think' before hand). Of course, running into a fire to save someone you don't know is not something anyone would do; it just goes to lend creedence to Indirect Reciprocity theory in the cultures that would reward such a hero.
Ryan further shows his ignorance of Selfish Gene theory by stating "George Williams and Richard Dawkins..argue that we could explain everything more simply on the basis of individual selection and there was no need to involve complicated entities such as groups." These reductionists don't reduce to the individual; they reduce all the way to individual genes. And groups are explicitly explained by Dawkins as showing altruistic selection, albeit because those individuals share genes, not because they are "looking out for the group" (or species). Citing a study in which someone ridiculously proposes songbirds censure choruses in their peers to avoid overpopulation or extinction doesn't help matters. He continues to give examples of "group selection" that aren't group selection but actually gene selection, such as social insects.
My last gripe with this book is its short tirade against evolutionary psychology, which, as with all the rest of the evo-psych critiques, misrepresents it as "social darwinism". He employs the naturalistic fallacy, citing all the people who are afraid that the ideas of evolutionary psychology will justify rape, murder, infanticide, etc. Of course, real scientists working from the evolutionary psychology perspective have to use half their books to refute this stance, and have to waste time explaining that they are out for data and progressive action, just like the rest of the scientists; unlike religious people (figured I'd take a swipe since I'm here).
Anyway a very insightful book before the last couple chapters, especially the chapters on viruses and their merging with human DNA. Oh, and be wary of a fanciful and almost spiritual theory like 'Gaia'; we don't have to make a religion out of this.

Important new perspective on evolutionary biology.......2005-07-08

Punctuated equilibrium, genetic symbiosis, DNA recombination via virus vectors. If you are unfamiliar with any of the above terminology, I would recommend adding this book to your reading list. The primary argument of this book is that the current theories of evolution by natural selection, a/sexual genetic recombination, and radiation induced mutations are not enough account for the present knowledge of our gentic make up and speed of change in historical fossil records.

The author argues that parasites, symbiants, and viruses likely add pieces of loose DNA/RNA to some host organisms' genetic structure. This results in rapid changes in species evolution, which traditional theories cannot fully account for. If proven correct, thousands of biologists will see their works invalidated and our current understanding of evolution will be turned on its head.

The tone of the book borders on passionate ranting, but one may have said the same of Galileo and Darwin. The substance of the author's arguments is well supported by citations of scientific literature. When you are battling for a unpopular theory, I suppose it may be necessary to scream louder than the rest. I recommend skipping chapters of groundwork for the advanced reader.

This book will not give comfort to Creationists and the like. However, it is a crucial alternative perspective to the orthodox theories in Biology 101. It will open your imagination to a brand new world of possibilities.

A look at Symbiosis and "Darwin's Blind Spot".......2003-12-20

After the emergence of the first examples of prokaryote life, it had been thought that bacteria competed among themselves. That is, if we could intervene into the life of a bacterium and ask the little fellow: What is it that you are doing? What is this imperative that you hold? We would expect the answer that the bacterium holds challenge and necessity. And based on all outward signs it looks as if the bacterium must compete for its survival because of some egocentric imperative. Otherwise, the bacterium can just go on strike and there would be no surviving bacteria to direct such questions to, and we would not be here to ask such questions because our own survival depends upon the success of bacteria.

The bacterium is not an isolated unit onto itself. There is also everything else that makes up the biosphere and beyond. Is this imperative that the bacterium holds based on challenge and necessity of the individual cell? Or is it the empathetic wish of the biosphere to nurture the communities of prokaryote life and more? Is it the many, or the one? If it is our attention to avoid homomorphism, it must be that we cannot answer these questions. Therefore, the imperatives that life holds comes with two sides that are formally indistinguishable. Incidently, judging imperatives relates to the same confusion that Huw Price (see Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point) described regarding the perceived passage on time - a very important observation. Does time unfold by the thermodynamic arrow as energies degrade into states of maximum entropy? Or is this just an issue of perspective as it is just as plausible for low energy states to unit into more ordered states?

Given that we hold these alternative views, it is not surprising that competing bacteria can fine tune their weapons to such an extent that they may win over their victims. They could be invited into their conquered host cells and become organelles like mitochondria and the cell nucleus. But the illusion of conquest is short lived. As the competing prokaryote cells find themselves to be one eukaryote cell, they discover a deeper symmetry and their felt imperatives flip as the competing bacterium find deep agreements in their mutual cooperation. Lynn Margulis will tell us this much, and Frank Ryan's book "Darwin's Blind Spot" presents a wonderful account of such symbiosis as discovered in biological evolution.

In writing on Albert Bernhard Frank's work on trees and fungi, Frank Ryan (on page 24 of "Darwin's Blind Spot") concludes:

"... The intimate cooperation between wholly different life forms - plants and fungi - is not only an amazing biological phenomenon but also a vitally important factor in the diversity of plant life on earth. It should have been of enormous interest to evolutionary theorists, but few scientists were paying attention. In those formative years at the end of the nineteenth century, as the fundamental principles of biology were being hammered into place in laboratories around the world, Darwinian evolution took center stage. And as Darwinism, with its emphasis on competitive struggle, thrived, symbiosis, its cooperative alter ego, languished in the shadows, derided or dismissed as a novelty."

How we perceive our self and our world will direct our imperatives. We may greet the broken symmetry with angry confusion and find ourselves competing (Publishers Weekly comes to mind). Or we may see the deeper symmetry and find ourselves cooperating. The imperatives are made of mind stuff as I note in my book, "Trinity". It is for this reason that I give Frank Ryan's book the highest recommendation.

Trinity: The Scientific Basis of Vitalism and Transcendentalism

Editorial correction.......2003-11-22

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm the author of DARWIN'S BLIND SPOT, ISBN: 1587991152. There's been an editorial glitch that has caused one of the readers' reviews to be duplicated ((A NEW VIEW OF ONENESS, by sean lawless), meanwhile another (AN UPDATE ON NEW THOUGHT IN EVOLUTIONARY THEORY by Kathlessn R Eickwort) has been inadvertently removed. I wondered if this could be corrected.

Sincerely,

Frank Ryan

Evolution beyond natural selection.......2003-10-24

The tenacity of Darwinian fundamentalism is such that even well-documented phenomena that don't tune with the paradigm tend to be factored out of the public literature. This book braves the uphill battle here on the theme of symbiogenesis, and is a good companion to the recent Acquiring Genomes from Sagan & Margoulis. Judging from some of the reviews of this book, the Darwin estab remains in standard form and really dislikes someone pointing out that symbiosis is a factor in evolution. That means such authors need to be taught a lesson, and most 'authors' will learn fast to reach the Darwin market.
My problem with this approach is that it doesn't go far enough, and seems to be merely testing the waters with a relatively safe vein of counterevidence to standard Darwinism. But this much is still a good indirect critique of the obsessive focus on the competition factor in theories of natural selection. Bit by bit, it will sink in.

DARWIN'S BLIND SPOT: EVOLUTION BEYOND NATURAL SELECTION

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DARWIN'S BLIND SPOT: EVOLUTION BEYOND NATURAL SELECTION
Frank Ryan
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NXI6P0

Customer Reviews:

Richard L. Evans is a Master Storyteller!!.......2005-09-02

Davey Monroe takes the reader to a time filled with uncertainty and the ever turning wheel of change, all while being told through the innocent eyes of a child. This story will have you cheering along with Davey as he triumphs, eyes filling with tears as the lessons in life that are presented often leave scars and laughing out loud the next minute at Davey's outrageousness! A must buy for any collection, one that you will cherish not only the first time you read it, but for years to come.

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