This book describes the application of Artificial Life simulation to evolutionary scenarios of wide ethical interest, including the evolution of altruism, rape and abortion, providing a new meaning to “experimental philosophy”. The authors also apply evolutionary ALife techniques to explore contentious issues within evolutionary theory itself, such as the evolution of aging. They justify these uses of simulation in science and philosophy, both in general and in their specific applications here. Evolving Ethics will be of interest to researchers, enthusiasts, students and interested lay readers in the fields of Artificial Life, philosophy of science, ethics, agent- and individual-based modeling in ecology and the social sciences, computer simulation, evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology and the social sciences.
The second edition of this bestseller provides a practical and accessible introduction to the main concepts, foundation, and applications of Bayesian networks. This edition contains a new chapter on Bayesian network classifiers and a new section on object-oriented Bayesian networks, along with new applications and case studies. It includes a new section that addresses foundational problems with causal discovery and Markov blanket discovery and a new section that covers methods of evaluating causal discovery programs. The book also offers more coverage on the uses of causal interventions to understand and reason with causal Bayesian networks. Supplemental materials are available on the book's website.
Updated and expanded, Bayesian Artificial Intelligence, Second Edition provides a practical and accessible introduction to the main concepts, foundation, and applications of Bayesian networks. It focuses on both the causal discovery of networks and Bayesian inference procedures. Adopting a causal interpretation of Bayesian networks, the authors discuss the use of Bayesian networks for causal modeling. They also draw on their own applied research to illustrate various applications of the technology. New to the Second Edition New chapter on Bayesian network classifiers New section on object-oriented Bayesian networks New section that addresses foundational problems with causal discovery and Markov blanket discovery New section that covers methods of evaluating causal discovery programs Discussions of many common modeling errors New applications and case studies More coverage on the uses of causal interventions to understand and reason with causal Bayesian networks Illustrated with real case studies, the second edition of this bestseller continues to cover the groundwork of Bayesian networks. It presents the elements of Bayesian network technology, automated causal discovery, and learning probabilities from data and shows how to employ these technologies to develop probabilistic expert systems. Web Resource The book’s website at www.csse.monash.edu.au/bai/book/book.html offers a variety of supplemental materials, including example Bayesian networks and data sets. Instructors can email the authors for sample solutions to many of the problems in the text.
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second Pacific-Asia Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining, PAKDD-98, held in Melbourne, Australia, in April 1998. The book presents 30 revised full papers selected from a total of 110 submissions; also included are 20 poster presentations. The papers contribute new results to all current aspects in knowledge discovery and data mining on the research level as well as on the level of systems development. Among the areas covered are machine learning, information systems, the Internet, statistics, knowledge acquisition, data visualization, software reengineering, and knowledge based systems.
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second Pacific-Asia Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining, PAKDD-98, held in Melbourne, Australia, in April 1998. The book presents 30 revised full papers selected from a total of 110 submissions; also included are 20 poster presentations. The papers contribute new results to all current aspects in knowledge discovery and data mining on the research level as well as on the level of systems development. Among the areas covered are machine learning, information systems, the Internet, statistics, knowledge acquisition, data visualization, software reengineering, and knowledge based systems.
The second edition of this bestseller provides a practical and accessible introduction to the main concepts, foundation, and applications of Bayesian networks. This edition contains a new chapter on Bayesian network classifiers and a new section on object-oriented Bayesian networks, along with new applications and case studies. It includes a new section that addresses foundational problems with causal discovery and Markov blanket discovery and a new section that covers methods of evaluating causal discovery programs. The book also offers more coverage on the uses of causal interventions to understand and reason with causal Bayesian networks. Supplemental materials are available on the book's website.
Religion and politics are never far from the headlines, but their relationship remains complex and often confusing. This book offers an engaging, accessible, and balanced treatment of religion in American politics. It explores the historical, cultural, and legal contexts that motivate religious political engagement and assesses the pragmatic and strategic political realities that religious organizations and people face. Incorporating the best and most current scholarship, the authors examine the evolving politics of Roman Catholics; evangelical and mainline Protestants; African-American and Latino traditions; Jews, Muslims, and other religious minorities; recent immigrants and religious "nones"; and other conventional and not-so-conventional American religious movements. New to the Sixth Edition • Covers the 2016 election and assesses the role of religion from Obama to Trump. • Expands substantially on religion’s relationship to gender and sexuality, race, ethnicity, and class, and features the role of social media in religious mobilization. • Adds discussion questions at the end of every chapter, to help students gain deeper understanding of the subject. • Adds a new concluding chapter on the normative issues raised by religious political engagement, to stimulate lively discussions.
Religion and politics are never far from the headlines, but their relationship remains complex and often confusing. In this fifth edition of Religion and Politics in America, the authors offer a lively, accessible, and balanced treatment of religion in American politics. They explore the historical, cultural, and legal contexts that underlie religious political engagement while also highlighting the pragmatic and strategic political realities that religious organizations and people face. Incorporating the best and most up-to-date scholarship, the authors assess the politics of Roman Catholics; evangelical, mainline, and African American Protestants; Jews; Muslims and other conventional and not-so-conventional American religious movements. The author team also examines important subjects concerning religion and its relationship to gender, race/ethnicity, and class. The fifth edition has been revised to include the 2012 elections, in particular Mitt Romney’s candidacy and Mormonism, as well as a fuller assessment of the role of religion in President Obama’s first term. In-depth treatment of core topics, contemporary case studies, and useful focus-study boxes, provides students with a real understanding of how religion and politics relate in practice and makes this fifth edition essential reading for courses in political science, religion, and sociology departments.
In What Really Happened, Kevin Groenhagen presents the facts concerning Bill Clinton's actual record on Iraq and terrorism. It's a record that is far different from what Clinton Inc, and their allies in the media have been telling the American people during the past eight years. The facts Clinton Inc. has attempted to rewrite include, but are not limited to, the following: * The Clinton administration in 1998 claimed that al Qaeda reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the Government of Iraq. * Secretary of Defense William Cohen in July 2000 said protecting the American people from the threat posed by axis of evil (Iran, Iraq, and North Korea) was the most important issue to address. * Bill Clinton's policies vis-a-vis Iraq ultimately led to 9/11 and other messages with no words.
The third edition of Theoretical Models of Counseling and Psychotherapy provides a comprehensive overview of a variety of major counseling theories and focuses on the integration of different theoretical models. With new information on multiculturalism, diversity, and cutting-edge theories such as psychosynthesis, the book offers a detailed description of the philosophical basis for each theory as well as historical context and biographical information on each theory’s founder. Chapters include new case excerpts and clinical examples, and each chapter follows a consistent structure in its exploration of each theory’s features, including its approach to and ideas on personality development, human nature, the role of environment, the change process in therapy, and contributions and limitations to the mental health field. Theory-specific information on diagnosis, psychopharmacology, spirituality, and gender issues is also discussed, and the book is accompanied by a companion website where professors and students will find exercises and course material that will further deepen their understanding of counseling theory and allow them to easily bridge classroom study to future practice. Available for free download for each chapter: PowerPoint slides and a testbank of 21 multiple-choice questions
Al Qaeda killed over 3,000 US citizens on September 11, 2001, and terrorism leapt to the fore of US strategic and political priorities. Yet, after nearly six years of concentrated effort by the United States, the dominant power in the international system, Al Qaeda survives and is still acknowledged as a potent threat. This begs the question not just of why, but also of what the United States can do to redress the situation. Confronting Al-Qaeda asserts that Al-Qaeda is primarily a political threat, not a military one. This is because terrorists subvert legitimate political processes to achieve political ends. Al-Qaeda challenges not only specific U.S. policy decisions, but also the very nature of the U.S. political system and the U.S.-lead international order created after World War II. Therefore the character of the U.S. political response to the threat from Al-Qaeda is critical. Al-Qaeda’s capacity for violence is the direct source of its power. This must be reduced, and coercive means, such as the military, intelligence, and law enforcement, are necessary, for they alone directly degrade Al-Qaeda’s potential. A singularly coercive approach, however, is insufficient. As the leader of the international system, the United States is in a position to politically undercut Al-Qaeda. The United States can do so by adhering to globally revered traditional US political values and foreign policy.
Life is about how much we think. Thinking is about how much mental capacity we possess. Capacity, in addition to our abilities and conscientiousness, is about how much we can process combinations of verbal height, quantitative width, and spatial depth with decisiveness, direction, and speed. No matter where we go or what we do as executives, we take our thinking with us. That may spoil everything, because, to a great extent, we do and accomplish what we think about. Our thoughts mold our aspirations, attitudes and accomplishments during our life. In other words, our careers and lives are influenced more by the power of our thoughts than anything else. The bad news is that most of us never fully use our mental capacities and never achieve our potential. The good news is that neural technologies are now available to transform our thinking into the higher realms of brilliance. Developing the spatial capacity to think higher, wider, and deeper means breaking away from the effects of years of flat thinking or educational backgrounds that stifles creative/innovative potential. Expand your mental agility through a development of higher-order processes and discover a whole new world mentally in Executive Thinking.
Glenn Beck, the New York Times bestselling author of The Great Reset, showcases his distinctive humor in taking on the political landscape in his fight to fix America—before it’s too late. As the most important presidential election in our history looms, ask yourself: Are America’s finances in better shape than they were four years ago? Or are we still BROKE? THE FACTS. THE FUTURE. THE FIGHT TO FIX AMERICA—BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. Our nation is financially broke, but that’s just a side effect of our broken spirit, our broken faith in government, the broken promises by our leaders, and a broken political system that has centralized power at the expense of individual rights. How did we get into this mess? Glenn Beck thinks the answer is pretty simple: Because we’ve turned our backs on the Constitution. Few of us have ever seen the whole picture, and politicians have done everything in their power to hide the truth. Broke exposes what we’re really facing—and how to fix it. Packed with great stories from history, invaluable teachable moments, and Glenn Beck’s trademark combination of entertainment and enlightenment, Broke makes the case that when you’re traveling in the wrong direction, slight course corrections won’t cut it—you need to take drastic action. Through a return to individual rights, an uncompromising adherence to the Constitution, and a complete rethinking about the role of government in a free society, Glenn exposes the idea of “transformation” for the progressive smokescreen that it is, and instead builds a compelling case that restoration is the only way forward. With this awareness, it’s much easier to develop a realistic plan for uniting all Americans around the concept of shared sacrifice. After all, this generation may not be asked to storm beaches, but we are being asked to do something just as critical to preserving freedom.
Insight Text Guides are written by highly qualified specialists in the relevant area of literature or film. All writers are experienced teachers at secondary or tertiary level, and present clear, comprehensive and accessible analyses for students. This guide to Megan Stacka s account of conflict in Afghanistan and the Middle East covers the texta s context and background, genre, narrative structure and style, characters and themes.
Public concern over land management has never been greater. This book provides a broad overview of the economics of rural land-use change, drawing attention to the meaningful role economic analysis can play in resolving public concern and supporting future, pro-active land management strategies in rural areas. The book's breadth distinguishes it from other recent texts, as it jointly offers rigorous treatments of theoretical and empirical models of rural land-use change and practical discussions of applications and relevant methods. Chapters are specifically designed to demonstrate the types of land-use questions economic analysis can answer, the types of methods that might be employed to answer these questions, and the types of public policy decisions that may be supported by such analysis. The book makes a significant contribution to contemporary land-use research, highlighting the key methodological and public policy issues that will be central to future research on the economics of rural land-use change.
We live in an age of media saturation, where with a few clicks of the remote—or mouse—we can tune in to programming where the facts fit our ideological predispositions. But what are the political consequences of this vast landscape of media choice? Partisan news has been roundly castigated for reinforcing prior beliefs and contributing to the highly polarized political environment we have today, but there is little evidence to support this claim, and much of what we know about the impact of news media come from studies that were conducted at a time when viewers chose from among six channels rather than scores. Through a series of innovative experiments, Kevin Arceneaux and Martin Johnson show that such criticism is unfounded. Americans who watch cable news are already polarized, and their exposure to partisan programming of their choice has little influence on their political positions. In fact, the opposite is true: viewers become more polarized when forced to watch programming that opposes their beliefs. A much more troubling consequence of the ever-expanding media environment, the authors show, is that it has allowed people to tune out the news: the four top-rated partisan news programs draw a mere three percent of the total number of people watching television. Overturning much of the conventional wisdom, Changing Minds or Changing Channels? demonstrate that the strong effects of media exposure found in past research are simply not applicable in today’s more saturated media landscape.
At a time when the world is grappling with rising food and energy prices and climate change, Living in a Material World provides an insight into some of the contributing factors behind these challenges. The emergence of new consumers in China, India, Russia and the Middle East has added formidable competition to the natural resources that have been taken for granted in the developed world. Everything we consume involves the use of metals, fossil fuels or agriculture. Our high tech 'lifestyles' depend on the secure supply of these raw materials which we take from planet earth and use to make our lives more comfortable, more productive or more manageable. The effect of this increasing global demand for commodities has pushed up prices of materials from oil and copper to corn and wheat; forcing consumers to pay more for the many 'necessities' of life, from a loaf of bread to electricity bills. Since the commodity boom has unfolded, commodities have gone from the back page of the newspaper to the front; with more and more headlines about record food and oil prices, dire climate change warnings, energy security and China's demand for more raw materials. This era of high oil and food prices is no passing phase: The supply of many key natural resources is stretched to the limit. But what is the real cost? Living in a Material World makes the link between raw materials and the consumer, and shows how they are relevant to everybody, everyday - now more so than at any time since the last oil shock nearly three decades ago. A unique insight into this 'once in a generation' boom, the book shows how the increasing value of commodities is impacting on consumers and investors, in ways we are only just beginning to understand. "It was a great pleasure to read this book which provides an essential background to understanding commodities for anybody interested in understanding them more closely. It is so rare to see all the essential elements brought together in one book." –Chris Brodie, Krom River Partners LLP "Kevin Morrison set out to write a book about the daily relevance that raw materials have for the ordinary consumer. He has achieved his objective par excellence. The subject matter has been comprehensively researched and well documented - yet the writer has avoided using complicated technical language. The style of the book is more in tune with a novel and the main topics are treated with a special sense of humour. I would readily recommend this work to anyone interested in how global energy issues have a direct affect on us all." –Mehdi Varzi, President, Varzi Energy, London
After World War II, the United States military increasingly found itself involved in operations that have been described variously as limited wars, small wars, low intensity conflicts, operations other than war, support and stability operations, and the like. The most common name throughout much of the 1990s was "operations other than war" (OOTW). During this period there was an explosion of doctrinal material on the subject, including a 1993 official field manual listing six principles of OOTW: objective, unity of effort, legitimacy, perseverance, restraint and security. The author of the present work examines four successful OOTWs (the Greek Civil War, Lebanon, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua/Honduras) and four failed ones (Vietnam, Beirut, Somalia, and Haiti) and concludes there is a positive correlation between adherence to the principles and an operation's outcome.
History has often confirmed that it is not superior weapons but superior organizations that are the most effective factor in achieving military success. In light of this consideration, Kevin D. Stringer's new work proposes how the U.S. military can best be restructured to conduct military operations other than war (as they are known in doctrinal terms).. Such reform is central to meeting the demands of homeland defense and smaller-scale contingencies, including nation-building and stability operations. Foreign military formations present models for peace operations, irregular warfare, and other missions, as well as counterterrorism, law enforcement, and border control. The models considered — drawn from tactical units in Britain, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Norway, Rhodesia, Russia, and Switzerland — are selected as best practice examples for transforming the U.S. Armed Forces for future missions both at home and abroad. The author describes the categories of military operations other than war in the context of force structure requirements for homeland defense and irregular warfare. Each chapter aligns foreign tactical organizations with these military operations to identify appropriate formations to enhance the U.S. Army. This issue of future organizational structure is crucial to the debate over the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Pentagon report to Congress on emerging threats, and the future role of the National Guard. Changes in existing force structure will have significant implications for the conduct of stabilization operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as responses by the active and Reserve components to domestic emergencies.
Kevin Greene shows how archaeology can help provide a more balanced view of the Roman economy by informing the classical historian about geographical areas and classes of society that received little attention from the largely aristocratic classical writers whose work survives.
A gripping front-line portrait of the Kurdish people during the buildup to war and its aftermath by a journalist who has covered the region for over a decade.
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