Explaining why he embraced the theory of relativity, the Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist P. A. M. Dirac stated, "It is the essential beauty of the theory which I feel is the real reason for believing in it." How reasonable and rational can science be when its practitioners speak of "revolutions" in their thinking and extol certain theories for their "beauty"? James W. McAllister addresses this question with the first systematic study of the aesthetic evaluations that scientists pass on their theories.Using a wealth of other examples, McAllister explains how scientists' aesthetic preferences are influenced by the empirical track record of theories, describes the origin and development of aesthetic styles of theorizing, and reconsiders whether simplicity is an empirical or an aesthetic virtue of theories. McAllister then advances an innovative model of scientific revolutions, in opposition to that of Thomas S. Kuhn.Three detailed studies demonstrate the interconnection of empirical performance, beauty, and revolution. One examines the impact of new construction materials on the history of architecture. Another reexamines the transition from the Ptolemaic system to Kepler's theory in planetary astronomy, and the third documents the rise of relativity and quantum theory in the twentieth century.
In Wilsonian Visions, James McAllister recovers the history of the most influential forum of American liberal internationalism in the immediate aftermath of the First World War: The Williamstown Institute of Politics. Established in 1921 by Harry A. Garfield, the president of Williams College, the Institute was dedicated to promoting an informed perspective on world politics even as the United States, still gathering itself after World War I, retreated from the Wilsonian vision of active involvement in European political affairs. Located on the Williams campus in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, the Institute's annual summer session of lectures and roundtables attracted scholars, diplomats, and peace activists from around the world. Newspapers and press services reported the proceedings and controversies of the Institute to an American public divided over fundamental questions about US involvement in the world. In an era where the institutions of liberal internationalism were just taking shape, Garfield's institutional model was rapidly emulated by colleges and universities across the US. McAllister narrates the career of the Institute, tracing its roots back to the tragedy of the First World War and Garfield's disappointment in America's failure to join the League of Nations. He also shows the Progressive Era origins of the Institute and the importance of the political and intellectual relationship formed between Garfield and Wilson at Princeton University in the early 1900s. Drawing on new and previously unexamined archival materials, Wilsonian Visions restores the Institute to its rightful status in the intellectual history of US foreign relations and shows it to be a formative institution as the country transitioned from domestic isolation to global engagement.
James McAllister outlines a new account of early Cold War history, one that focuses on the emergence of a bipolar structure of power, the continuing importance of the German question, and American efforts to create a united Western Europe. Challenging the conventional wisdom among both international relations theorists and Cold War historians, McAllister argues that America's central objective from the Second World War to the mid-1950s was to create a European order that could be peaceful and stable without requiring the permanent presence of American ground forces on the continent.The permanent presence of American forces in Europe is often seen as a lesson that policymakers drew from the disastrous experiences of two world wars, but McAllister's archival research reveals that both FDR and Eisenhower, as well as influential strategists such as George Kennan, did not draw this lesson. In the short term, American power was necessary to balance the Soviet Union and reassure Western Europe about the revival of German power, but America's long-term objective was to create the conditions under which Western Europe could take care of both of these problems on their own.In the author's view, the key element of this strategy was the creation of the European Defense Community. If Western Germany could be successfully integrated and rearmed within the context of the EDC, Western Europe would have taken the most important step to becoming a superpower on par with the United States and the Soviet Union. Understanding why this strategy was pursued and why it failed, McAllister asserts, has important implications for both international relations theory and contemporary questions of American foreign policy.
A headline murder. A rookie investigator. A race against the clock—and against the past. With his newly minted detective badge, “Mac” McAllister reports for his first assignment with the Oregon State Police: a particularly gruesome homicide. It’s a headline case, as the victim—Megan Tyson—was brutally murdered mere weeks before her wedding. The investigation turns up far too many suspects and too little hard evidence. Why would the beautiful Megan, engaged to a wealthy businessman, be involved with the likes of long line-up of questionable characters that seem connected to her in more ways than one? With more questions than answers, Mac tries to uncover the secrets Megan took to her grave. While the autopsy answers how Megan was killed, it doesn’t reveal a killer or a motive. Can Mac and his partner sort through the lies and alibis before Megan’s murderer strikes again? Not sure that he can trust his instincts, Mac depends heavily on the advice of his partner—a seasoned detective with a strong faith in God. A faith Mac has no use for until he must come to terms with his own past and the secrets that haunt him. Full-length Christian suspense novel Book #1 of the McAllister Files, but can be read as a stand-alone
Told in the first person, present tense from the point of view of Pauly as a child, Pauly's Mother is a mostly nonfiction autobiography. It is a sad, moving and sometimes humorous story about Pauly's tragedy and his recovery. It is set against a background of being raised Irish Catholic on the South Side of Chicago during the 1950's. It is also a wonderful, hopefilled, upbeat story about coming of age during a more innocent era"--Cover.
Two dead bodies. A web of conspiracies and cover-ups. A young detective, searching for answers to the case . . . and to his heart. The body of a retired, wheelchair-bound rail yard worker has been discovered on the tracks near his home. A tragic accident--or murder? Detective Antonio "Mac" McAllister and his new partner, attractive rookie Dana Bennett, suspect the worst. And their suspicions are confirmed when they encounter the complicated web of conspiracies and cover-ups that surround the cast, including burglary, arson, and yet another murder. Now Mac and Dana need to find the killer before he can destroy more evidence--or take anyone else's life. Mac also needs answers to a personal life that is just as complicated. He still has feelings for Dana, but after a pleasant dinner with the eccentric medical examiner, he's more confused than ever. Though as his former partner and mentor reminds him, God has the answer that Mac doesn't--for this case, for Mac's doubts . . . and for the longings of his heart.
A senator's family has been threatened--and now one of them is missing. Can Mac and Dana find Sara before it's too late? The senator had raised this niece as his own daughter. So when she doesn't return home and her abandoned car is found in a parking garage, it alarms not only the family but law enforcement agencies throughout the Northwest. The only clue: a set of menacing letters sent to the senator's office. Now it's up to Oregon state police officers Mac McAllister and Dana Bennett and their team to find a lead . . . or to find Sara . . . before they find her dead. The case will be made harder because not only must they share evidence with the FBI but navigate stand-offs between the government, Native American tribal customs, political pride, family intrigue . . . and even their own hearts. Meanwhile, two questions loom that, if answered, could provide the missing link in their investigation: First, is Sara a victim, or a dissatisfied wife who has run away? And second, is politics being used to mask a sordid truth, or has someone's passion for a cause possibly led them to violence?
Mac is dealing with three difficult cases, two dead bodies . . . and a decision of the heart. It’s been just three months since Detective “Mac” McAllister solved his first homicide case with the Oregon State Police. Now he’s working the search for a ski instructor who has mysteriously disappeared. The man’s parents claim their son wouldn't have committed suicide, but they suspect his girlfriend of something sinister. The case gets more complicated when Mac and his partner, Kevin, are called to investigate a homicide nearby that may or may not be related. A few days later, a body turns up in the Columbia River, and the autopsy reveals surprising information about the victim's suspicious death. When their investigation seems at a dead end, Mac is determined not to let the crimes go unsolved—even if it means putting his life on the line to catch the killer. Full-length Christian suspense novel Book #2 of the McAllister Files, but can be read as a stand-alone
Mr. McAllister has provided abstracts of the deeds of Dorchester County, Maryland, for the years 1790 through 1795 as recorded in Libers HD #3, HD #4, HD #6, and HD #8. These land records are of extreme importance in determining family relationships and doing genealogy research since the wills of Dorchester County are not available for this time period.
For the last eight years, James and Kate have been working together to design, implement and evaluate a whole-school, evidence-informed approach to teaching and learning known as Learning Skills. An eight-year study with the University of Cambridge revealed that Learning Skills led to significant gains in subject learning, with rapid gains among students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In this practical guide for teachers and school leaders, James and Kate reveal a recipe for success rooted in three key concepts: metacognition (reflecting on learning); self-regulation (taking ownership over the learning process); and oracy (developing high-quality speaking and listening skills). This is a book about what happened when a small team of teachers seized an opportunity to provide their students with the knowledge, the skills and the confidence to take control of their own learning. This journey began with a question: how and what would we teach, if there was no one watching? On the other side of fear is the teacher you want to be, and the children you'd like to teach...
This series often reveal names of wives, sons, daughters, and other relationships. Included with the deeds are abstracts of land commissions that re-established the boundaries of land tracts.
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