Download or read book The Gemini Syndrome written by R. B. Culver and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 1984 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No Marketing Blurb

Download or read book The Gemini Syndrome written by Roger B. Culver and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years, our society has witnessed a resurgence in astrology that has elevated that durable art form to a level of popularity it hasn't enjoyed since the eve of western European Renaissance. In what has thus far been a relatively successful attempt to cash in on the triumphs of twentieth-centiry science and technology, contemporary astrologers unashamedly claim far and wide that their craft is rationally consistent, that it is scientifically based, and, above all, that "it works." In The Gemini Syndrome, two professional astronomers have produced a highly readable and well-referenced response to claims by astrologers that their theories are scientifically based. The authors elucidate the glaring internal inconsistencies associated with many of the basic concepts of "modern" astrology. They trace the historical development of the celestial "twins" of astronomy and astrology and leave little doubt concerning the differences, both historical and modern, between astronomical science and astrological art-form. The book's most telling chapters are those dealing with the empirical evidence concerning the supposed astrological influences. Culver and Ianna offer the reader what is the most complete summary of the available data about sun-signs, houses, and aspects. In every instance the empirical astrologer is found to have no clothes on! Finally, the oft-stated claim that "astrology works" is investigated and laid to rest under the debris of more than three thousand "busted" predictions made by the astrologers themselves, ranging from the start of World War III to the existence of an "anti-earth" orbiting on the other side of the sun.

Download or read book The Transcendental Temptation written by Paul Kurtz and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2013-09-10 with total page 606 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this landmark work, Paul Kurtz examines the reasons why people accept supernatural and paranormal belief systems in spite of substantial evidence to the contrary. According to Kurtz, it is because there is within the human species a deeply rooted tendency toward magical thinking—the “transcendental temptation”—which undermines critical judgment and paves the way for willful beliefs. Kurtz explores in detail the three major monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—finding striking psychological and sociological parallels between these religions, the spiritualism of the nineteenth century, and the paranormal belief systems of today. This acclaimed and controversial book includes sections on mysticism, belief in the afterlife, the existence of God, reincarnation, astrology, and ufology. Kurtz concludes by explaining and advocating rational skepticism as an antidote to belief in the transcendental.

Download or read book Astrology written by Roger B. Culver and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 1988-09 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contemporary astrologers claim that their craft is scientifically based and rationally consistent, and above all, that "astrology works" - a belief shared by millions of Americans, including highly visible political and media personalities. As a result, the practice of consulting the stars for advice has never been more popular - or more dangerous. Professional astronomers Roger B. Culver and Philip A. Ianna have produced a highly readable and well-referenced response to the claims of astrologers. This book points out the glaring inconsistencies associated with the basic concepts of "modern" astrology - from the zodiac itself to the fabled "Age of Aquarius." Tracing humanity''s historical fascination with the heavens that produced the celestial "twins" of astronomy and astrology, the authors leave little doubt concerning the difference between astronomical science and astrological art form. Astrology: True or False offers a complete and extensive summary of available evidence on astrology''s basic definitions, concepts, and effectiveness. The authors'' research revealed thousands of predictions gone "bust" - from the start of World War III to claims about the existence of an "anti-Earth" orbiting on the other side of the sun. They studied the famous "twenty-year cycle" of presidential death and disaster, the "moon cycles" of crime and murder in major cities, and the incidences of major personality traits in certain sun signs. Their conclusions, while disappointing to the determined believer in astrology, are nevertheless refreshingly rational.

Download or read book The Demon Haunted World written by Carl Sagan and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 1997-02-25 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace “A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. Praise for The Demon-Haunted World “Powerful . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.”—The Washington Post Book World “Compelling.”—USA Today “A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity.”—The Sciences “Passionate.”—San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle

Download or read book After the New Age written by Steven H. Propp and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2008-12-16 with total page 598 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Its 1976, and Janet Tanhurst is a teenager who feels stifled by life with her strict mother, and the authoritarian church she must attend. Once out of high school, however, Janet is initiated into a fascinating new world of Astrology, Tarot cards, and Spirit Mediums. Next, she encounters the mysterious world of UFOs?a bewildering and sometimes frightening realm encompassing ancient astronauts, alien abductions, and shadowy government conspiracies. As the 1980s arrive, the Christian-dominated Piscean Age seems to be giving way to a long-anticipated Aquarian Age, with its hope for a coming revolution in higher consciousness. There are new paradigms in philosophy and science?promoting a holographic conception of the universe as engaged in a Cosmic Dance?along with the emergence of an introspective type of instrumental music known as New Age. With the help of bookstore owner Whisper Wynn, Janet investigates subjects such as reincarnation, quartz crystals, chakras and the human aura, in addition to an exciting new form of spiritual teaching called channeling. Following movement leaders including Shirley MacLaine and Marianne Williamson, studying enigmatic teachers like G.I. Gurdjieff and Carlos Castaneda, and inspired by medical doctors such as Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil, she learns about Alternative Medicine and Holistic Health, as well as traditional health practices from China, Japan, and India. She assimilates wisdom from the ancient Celts along with rituals from contemporary Goddess worshippers, in formulating her own unique concept of the Divine that is within us all.

Download or read book Animation written by Shamus Culhane and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 1990-08-15 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The animator of Popeye and Donald Duck discusses all aspects of film animation and includes over 130 illustrations.

Download or read book Exploring Ancient Skies written by David H. Kelley and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-12-06 with total page 623 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exploring Ancient Skies brings together the methods of archaeology and the insights of modern astronomy to explore the science of astronomy as it was practiced in various cultures prior to the invention of the telescope. The book reviews an enormous and growing body of literature on the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, the Far East, and the New World (particularly Mesoamerica), putting the ancient astronomical materials into their archaeological and cultural contexts. The authors begin with an overview of the field and proceed to essential aspects of naked-eye astronomy, followed by an examination of specific cultures. The book concludes by taking into account the purposes of ancient astronomy: astrology, navigation, calendar regulation, and (not least) the understanding of our place and role in the universe. Skies are recreated to display critical events as they would have appeared to ancient observers - events such as the supernova of 1054, the 'lion horoscope' or the 'Star of Bethlehem.' Exploring Ancient Skies provides a comprehensive overview of the relationships between astronomy and other areas of human investigation. It will be useful as a reference for scholars and students in both astronomy and archaeology, and will be of compelling interest to readers who seek a broad understanding of our collective intellectual history.

Download or read book Toward a New Enlightenment written by Paul Kurtz and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Paul Kurtz has been the dominant voice of secular humanism over the past thirty years. This compilation of his work reveals the scope of his thinking on the basic topics of our time and his many and varied contributions to the cause of free thought. It focuses on the central issues that have concerned Kurtz throughout his career: ethics, politics, education, religion, science, and pseudoscience. The chapters are linked by a common theme: the need for a new enlightenment, one committed to the use of rationality and skepticism, but also devoted to realizing the highest values of humanist culture. Many writings included here were first published in magazines and journals long unavailable. Some of the essays have never before been published. They now appear as a coherent whole for the first time. Also included is an extensive bibliography of Kurtz's writings. Toward a New Enlightenment is essential for those who know and admire Paul Kurtz's work. It will also be an important resource for students of philosophy, political science, ethics, and religion. Among the chapters are: "Humanist Ethics: Eating the Forbidden Fruit"; "Relevance of Science to Ethics"; "Democracy without Theology"; "Misuses of Civil Disobedience"; "The Limits of Tolerance"; "Skepticism about the Paranormal: Legitimate and Illegitimate"; "Militant Atheism vs. Freedom of Conscience"; "Promethean Love: Unbound"; "The Case for Euthanasia"; and "The New Inquisition in the Schools."

Download or read book Psi Wars written by James E. Alcock and published by Imprint Academic. This book was released on 2003 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the heart of the parapsychology (psi) battle are two types of phenomena: extra-sensory perception and psycho-kinesis. Neither effect can be explained by ordinary science, so parapsychologists with evidence that they are real are accused of bad scienceor bad faith or both.

Download or read book Cult Watch written by John Ankerberg and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 1991-01-01 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compilation of the entire Facts On series, Cult Watch gives you facts about the major cults and movements in a format you can use in counseling or witnessing.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs written by John Ankerberg and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 1996 with total page 692 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive, indexed volume includes short, one-page listings of pertinent facts about a particular movement, its founder, how it claims to work, scientific evaluations done, and its potential dangers. Some topics covered are angels, visualization, shamanism, hypnosis, new age medicine and martial arts.

Download or read book Critical Thinking written by Jonathan C. Smith and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-07-26 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comprehensive and engaging, this extensively revised edition of a student and instructor favorite introduces the basics of critical thinking using the claims of pseudoscience and the paranormal. Guides readers through the critical thinking process by considering different types of support (sources, logic, and scientific observation) and ruling out alternative explanations Allows students to practice and apply their new critical thinking skills on claims of extraordinary cures including energy treatments, complementary/alternative medicine and faith healing as well as four paranormal claims of consequence: astrology, spiritualism and the afterlife, parapsychology, and creationism. Couples a conversational, nontechnical narrative with student-friendly pedagogical tools, including critical thinking questions and a study guide for each chapter. Provides clear and open-minded discussions of the paranormal spectrum, belief justification surveys, the placebo effect, and the relationship between religion and critical thinking

Download or read book Anomalistic Psychology written by Leonard Zusne and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2014-01-14 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Updating and expanding the materials from the first edition, Anomalistic Psychology, Second Edition integrates and systematically treats phenomena of human consciousness and behaviors that appear to violate the laws of nature. The authors present and detail a new explanatory concept they developed that provides a naturalistic interpretation for these phenomena -- Magical Thinking. For undergraduate and graduate students and professionals in cognitive psychology, research methods, thinking, and parapsychology.

Download or read book The Ever Changing Sky written by James B. Kaler and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-03-14 with total page 524 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ever-Changing Sky provides a comprehensive and non-mathematical guide to spherical astronomy. The reader is guided through terrestrial and celestial co-ordinate systems, time measurement and celestial navigation, to the prediction of the rising and setting of the stars, Sun and Moon. It focuses on the geometrical aspects of the night sky without using complex trigonometry. The book progresses to a general study of the Earth and sky, including the stars and constellations (with useful star maps provided), the motions and appearance of the Moon, tides and eclipses, the orbits of the planets and the smaller bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, meteors, meteorites and comets). Finally, there is a brief overview of atmospheric phenomena (including rainbows and haloes). This text will be invaluable to students taking courses in naked-eye astronomy, amateur and professional astronomers, as well as more general readers wanting to know how the night sky changes.

Download or read book Encyclopaedia of the History of Science Technology and Medicine in Non Westen Cultures written by Helaine Selin and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 1140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Encyclopaedia fills a gap in both the history of science and in cultural stud ies. Reference works on other cultures tend either to omit science completely or pay little attention to it, and those on the history of science almost always start with the Greeks, with perhaps a mention of the Islamic world as a trans lator of Greek scientific works. The purpose of the Encyclopaedia is to bring together knowledge of many disparate fields in one place and to legitimize the study of other cultures' science. Our aim is not to claim the superiority of other cultures, but to engage in a mutual exchange of ideas. The Western aca demic divisions of science, technology, and medicine have been united in the Encyclopaedia because in ancient cultures these disciplines were connected. This work contributes to redressing the balance in the number of reference works devoted to the study of Western science, and encourages awareness of cultural diversity. The Encyclopaedia is the first compilation of this sort, and it is testimony both to the earlier Eurocentric view of academia as well as to the widened vision of today. There is nothing that crosses disciplinary and geographic boundaries, dealing with both scientific and philosophical issues, to the extent that this work does. xi PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Many years ago I taught African history at a secondary school in Central Africa.

Download or read book The Sun s Heartbeat written by Bob Berman and published by Little, Brown. This book was released on 2011-07-13 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beating heart of the sun is the very pulse of life on earth. And from the ancients who plotted its path at Stonehenge to the modern scientists who unraveled the nuclear fusion reaction that turns mass into energy, humankind has sought to solve its mysteries. In this lively biography of the sun, Bob Berman ranges from its stellar birth to its spectacular future death with a focus on the wondrous and enthralling, and on the heartbreaking sacrifice, laughable errors, egotistical battles, and brilliant inspirations of the people who have tried to understand its power. What, exactly, are the ghostly streaks of light astronauts see-but can't photograph-when they're in space? And why is it impossible for two people to see the exact same rainbow? Why are scientists beginning to think that the sun is safer than sunscreen? And how does the fluctuation of sunspots-and its heartbeat-affect everything from satellite communications to wheat production across the globe? Peppered with mind-blowing facts and memorable anecdotes about spectral curiosities-the recently-discovered "second sun" that lurks beneath the solar surface, the eerie majesty of a total solar eclipse-THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT offers a robust and entertaining narrative of how the Sun has shaped humanity and our understanding of the universe around us.