Book Description
The synchronized flashing of fireflies at night. The spiraling patterns of an aggregating slime mold. The anastomosing network of army-ant trails. The coordinated movements of a school of fish. Researchers are finding in such patterns--phenomena that have fascinated naturalists for centuries--a fertile new approach to understanding biological systems: the study of self-organization. This book, a primer on self-organization in biological systems for students and other enthusiasts, introduces readers to the basic concepts and tools for studying self-organization and then examines numerous examples of self-organization in the natural world.
Self-organization refers to diverse pattern formation processes in the physical and biological world, from sand grains assembling into rippled dunes to cells combining to create highly structured tissues to individual insects working to create sophisticated societies. What these diverse systems hold in common is the proximate means by which they acquire order and structure. In self-organizing systems, pattern at the global level emerges solely from interactions among lower-level components. Remarkably, even very complex structures result from the iteration of surprisingly simple behaviors performed by individuals relying on only local information. This striking conclusion suggests important lines of inquiry: To what degree is environmental rather than individual complexity responsible for group complexity? To what extent have widely differing organisms adopted similar, convergent strategies of pattern formation? How, specifically, has natural selection determined the rules governing interactions within biological systems?
Broad in scope, thorough yet accessible, this book is a self-contained introduction to self-organization and complexity in biology--a field of study at the forefront of life sciences research.
Customer Reviews:
Great book, what happened to the website?.......2007-10-13
I strongly agree with everything the reviewer above had to say.... with one caveat. At several points in the text, the authors refer to programs that apparently were available on the web when the book first appeared. If anyone out there knows where that site migrated, you'd be doing the readers of this book a great service by letting us know.
Otherwise, this is a very interesting text, well worth it.
Real, practical studies of self-organization in biology.......2002-09-19
Many books containing theory upon theory about self-organization in the biosphere have appeared in recent years. This book could be an important catalyst towards putting more of these theories to the test. While it has long been recognized that self-organization could be important in biological systems, many of these studies are computational models only. Many are very convincing, but unless steps are taken towards verifying these models and scrutinizing their validity, it is very difficult to know whether the theories have any real value towards understanding real life.
The strenght of this book lies in its rigorous introductions to the relevant theoretical concepts in self-organization, followed up by a general debate of self-organization versus competing explanations. The book spends many chapters looking at particular natural phenomena in detail, and examines possibilities for self-organization in these. In spite of the fact that these chapters have different authors, they follow each other well. The book is unusually well put together for this kind of collection of works by multiple authors.
The majority of the case study chapters involve studies of social insects, which narrows the topic a little in comparison with the more ambitious title. Self-organization also occurs elsewhere in biology, and personally I am a little dissapointed that a wider range of case studies were not chosen for the book. This could have spawned more interest and further work in other areas of the field.
However, the book is definitely well worth reading for biologists and other scientists interested in self-organization, and represents a major step towards establishing studies of self-organization in biology as a serious field.
Book Description
Can physics be an appropriate framework for the understanding of ecological science? Most ecologists would probably agree that there is little relation between the complexity of natural ecosystems and the simplicity of any example derived from Newtonian physics. Though ecologists have long been interested in concepts originally developed by statistical physicists and later applied to explain everything from why stock markets crash to why rivers develop particular branching patterns, applying such concepts to ecosystems has remained a challenge.
Self-Organization in Complex Ecosystems is the first book to clearly synthesize what we have learned about the usefulness of tools from statistical physics in ecology. Ricard Solé and Jordi Bascompte provide a comprehensive introduction to complex systems theory, and ask: do universal laws shape the structure of ecosystems, at least at some scales? They offer the most compelling array of theoretical evidence to date of the potential of nonlinear ecological interactions to generate nonrandom, self-organized patterns at all levels.
Tackling classic ecological questions--from population dynamics to biodiversity to macroevolution--the book's novel presentation of theories and data shows the power of statistical physics and complexity in ecology. Self-Organization in Complex Ecosystems will be a staple resource for years to come for ecologists interested in complex systems theory as well as mathematicians and physicists interested in ecology.
Customer Reviews:
Very good.......2006-07-19
The book was sent very fast and I received it in excellent conditions
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The Perceived Self: Ecological and Interpersonal Sources of Self Knowledge (Emory Symposia in Cognition)
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Binding: Hardcover
 Developmental Psychology
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ASIN: 0521415098 |
Book Description
This book brings new ideas to bear on the classical psychological problem of the self. A distinguished interdisciplinary group of contributors explore Neisser's hypothesis that each of us has an "ecological self" based on our immediate situation in the environment and an "interpersonal self" established through social interaction. These aspects of the self, which are based on accurate perception, appear early in infancy. They have implications for topics ranging from motor development to psychopathology to nonverbal communication, to social philosophy. The Perceived Self explores these notions with topics that range from the perceptual and social development of infants to autism and blindness; from mechanisms of motor control to dance and nonverbal communication; as well as from ecological theory to the work of social philosophers such as G.H. Mead and Martin Buber.
Book Description
On this extraordinary audio program, Julia Butterfly Hill, the remarkable woman who inspired the world by living in a giant redwood tree named “Luna” to protest the practices of the logging industry, shares her story of commitment, perseverance and courage with New Dimensions Radio host Michael Toms.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring Interview With An Environmental Heroine.......2003-01-05
New Dimensions Radio and Michael Toms are known for presenting some of the most important people and issues of our times. Gratefully, New Dimensions released this amazing interview with Julia Butterfly Hill.
Her book 'Legacy of Luna', about her experiences 180 feet up a thousand year old redwood, the resulting preservation of it and the surrounding grove, is fascinating. With this interview, we get to hear her speak of the ordeal/adventure in her own voice.
Even more than listening to the profound experience, her incredible spirit, generosity, and love for all living things is inspiring. This tape is highly recommended for anyone who has respect for all forms of life and their protection.
The voice for those whom cannot speak.......2001-01-31
Julia Butterfly Hill's story is that in which is so awe inspiring and full of such powerful truth, its hard not to want to go out and do something extreme as well to protect our sacred environment in all of its natural beauty!
This audiocassette is wonderful, made by new dimensions radio ( whom is involved with many environmental issues), and is definetly a must have for you treehuggers, outdoor lovers, and spiritualists!
If you do not know of Julia's 2 year treesit in "luna", please go out and get this cassette! I guarentee it will leave you refreshed and inspired!
So take the journey with ms hill as she talks about her sit, and the trials and tribulations she experienced while participating in the longest treesit in history! (738days)
Happy listening!
Customer Reviews:
Undeveloped, Poorly Written, Unsuited To the Intellectual Rigors of Typical College Coursework.......2005-09-23
Winter does a great disservice to students by foisting this book upon them. This was required reading for an independent study course in ecological psychology.
Unfortunately Winter does not exercie a critical, well reasoned perspective toward the material. She attempts to reconcile a progressive, ecological perspective with the major schools and movements of psychological theory. At times this seems like a harmonious, innovative approach but most of the time it seems forced, disjointed and illogical. For instance, Winter plainly admits that there is little intellectual common ground one can find to connect Freud's ideas to ecological concepts, yet she tries to do so any way, stretching her ideas until they seem absurd to all but the most pie-eyed first year college student.
Additionlly the author does not display any familiarity with the wider context or implications of her conclusions. She romanticizes the life of hunter gatherers (who she refers to as "traditional cultures") lavishing praise on their traditions of honoring the earth but she misses the obvious opportunity to provide context for these traditions by explainaing their overrall relevence to a life not simply walking around in a hippie trance "honoring" everything, but a life of scarce food, uncertainty and hardships as well as joy. Winter seems blissfully unaware that environmental ethics don't just arise from the ether but come into being as a result of cultural necessity.
Instead of at least introducing students to this sort of complexity, Winter resorts to lazy contradictions. A few paragraphs after heaping praise on "traditional cultures" she suddenly back pedals and offers a bizarre disclaimer stating that she's not trying to disparage modern civillization and that people of "traditional cultures" are poor, lead short, unsanitary lives and don't get to go to college basically a minor variation on the racist (although I am NOT accusing Winter of racism) anthropological cliche that "man" lead a life that was "nasty, brutish and short" in his uncivillized days. However it is articulated, it is a preposterous notion that barely conceals the ethnocentrism behind it. It patently assumes that modern civillization is superior. Hunter gatherers would had different concepts of poverty, sanitation and education (if at all).
Furthermore, Winter makes a fundamental mistake made by many psychologists by the use of vastly oversimplying the diversity of human cultures. Instead of using accepted anthropological nomenclature to describe people based on nation, tribe, band, political organization or even (as I did, in my use of the term hunter gatherer) subsistance she simply lumps all non-white people together as "traditional cultures." While the term itself is not offensive, it is too impotent for the task of intelligently describing differences between cultures or making comparisons. Hind sight is twenty twenty but Winter could have clearly benefitted from at least superficially consulting with her colleagues from other professions in the writing of this book, especially since the subject "ecological psychology" is itself an interdisciplinary perspective. The fact that the author does not display even the most rudimentary understanding of basic anthropological concepts is a serious blow to her credibility and makes her contradictory pontifications about "traditional cultures" ring hollow.
Along the sames lines above, even if Winter was dissatisfied with an anthropological approach she still should have sought the perspectives of real Indian people from any of their cultures. This author certainly ignores Indian perspectives to the same extent as her colleagues. If close similarities between environmental philosophy of some native Americans and ecological psychology is barely noted, then overtly crediting Indian cultures for their original ideas and intellectual property becomes impossible.
Overall, I believe the scholarship displayed in this book is far beneath the level of average highschool students, let alone students of upper division college coursework. Instead of presenting issues, concepts, ideas or theories to students and then encouraging critical thinking by prompting students with intelligent, open ended questions about complex issues, the author simply presents her own pronouncements on these matters. Instead of attempting a thoughtfully critical analysis, Winter follows a pattern of discussing each psychological theory by offering restrained criticism, and then backtracking with positive comments. The author's approach makes it clear that her purpose rests with trying not to offend adherents of any of the theories she discusses as opposed to presenting robust analysis that questions the core claims of each theory. Instead, Winter takes the assumptions of each theory or psychological movement for granted out of what I am forced to infer is some misguided notion of "respect." This book clearly assumes that intellectual endeavors that do not terminate in mindless, unexamined consensus are too negative or unfair.
A more collegiate attitude toward "open mindedness" entails listening to other perspectives but it also means questioning them intelligently, respectfully and rigorously--other perspects that is, as well as our own. In this task, the most basic task charged to any liberal arts college level curricula no matter what department or discipline, this book fails utterly and completely. As such, it is an inferior teaching suppliment and a waste of students' time and capabilities when other, better materials must surely exist to offer college students the challenges and opportunities for learning and thinking they deserve.
Beautiful book--introductory and deep........1999-02-01
It's been about three years since I read this book for a class in Environmental psychology, so I can only offer an impression right now: it is a sensitively written introduction to psychology from an ecological point of view, stretching from the usual beginnings to modern transpersonal psychology and deep ecology, cumulating in an original hypothesis. The writing is extremely lucid and beautiful, almost poetic at times. It stands as my favorite textbook of all, required reading for the lucky and a lucky find for the leisurely.
Book Description
A well-respected herbalist describes how opening ourselves to the spirit forces of nature can promote personal well-being and restore a healthy relationship between humanity and Earth.Â
The pace and demands of modern life have caused a great split between the material and the spiritual in our lives. Our bodies reflect this through fatigue, depression, and chronic illness. To become whole beings again, the author asserts that we must reclaim our birthright as partners with all of creation, opening ourselves to the spirits of plants, animals, and the elements, known as devas, through whom we can bridge the gap between the physical body and the energetic patterns that support all life. Partner Earth provides a wide range of practical exercises, based on traditional wisdom, visualizations, and the author's experience as an herbalist, that enable one to create sacred space, find plant and animal allies, and create flower essences that can help heal the rift between individuals and their environment.Â
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Stream Ecology and Self Purification: An Introduction, Second Edition
Joanne E. Drinan , and
Frank R. Spellman
Manufacturer: CRC
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ASIN: 1587160862 |
Book Description
This new edition of a very successful standard reference is expanded and fully reworked. The book explains and quantifies the processes whereby streams cleanse themselves, reducing their pollutant load as a natural process. Mechanisms of purification in running waters have always been critical with regard to clearly identified pollution sources. This new edition explains the self-purifying function of streams and rivers in light of recent EPA rules on nonpoint pollutants and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). It also covers basic concepts such as biological oxygen demand (BOD). Also new in this edition is an extended discussion of how streams originate and how they fit into the geomorphology of the earth and other water supply sources. Information is presented on aquatic life, including macroinvertebrates and their role as bioindicators of stream health. Chapter review tests and answers are included so that the readers can evaluate their mastery of the concepts presented. Stream Ecology and Self-Purification: An Introduction, 2nd Edition serves as a practical introduction to ecology combined with an explanation of how streams absorb and react to pollution. This text will prove valuable to water and wastewater plant operators, watershed managers, trainers, environmental students, water quality professionals, and will be an excellent preparation aid to wastewater/water operator licensing exams.
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The Ecological Self
Freya Matthews
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0415107970 |
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Defiance In The Family: Finding Hope in Therapy
David V. Keith
Manufacturer: TAYLOR & FRANCIS/ ROUTLEDGE
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Binding: Hardcover
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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
ASIN: 1583910042 |
Book Description
Alienated, violent children and teenagers, desperate and worn-out parents: the destructive effects of unchecked defiant behavior are obvious. On a societal scale the problem of defiance is clearly reaching epidemic proportions, and punitive societal responses only seem to exacerbate the condition.
In Defiance in the Family, however, the authors look closely at the constructive nature of defiance, its utility. They examine defiance as an expression of the child's worry for a family that is not working properly and as the child's means of protecting and preserving the inner self in the face of perceived threat. As such, defiance becomes a therapeutic opportunity and tool. With a firm clinical orientation and a wealth of case material, Keith, Connell, and Connell trace this symbolic experiential approach from initial contact and first interview to termination, including the three-generation consultation and strategies for implementation.
Customer Reviews:
There's Hope.......2001-05-17
The authors of Defiance in the Family succeed not just in writing a superb book, but in creating a great therapy session for the reader. The writing has a tremendously intimate feel, like we are sitting in the living room with the authors and these families. We come away with greater respect for,and understanding of, their--and our--deeply human struggles. The authors act as experienced, wise tour guides to the land of family life, and allow us to see it for perhaps the first time in all its pain and beauty.
The authors themselves are "defiant" in the way they offer a refreshing view of the complex web of interpersonal relationships that we call "family". This stands in contrast to what they suggest as the prevailing tendency to compartmentalize, pathologize and medicate symptomatic teens, who are mostly a symbolic expression of family love in search of itself. The authors eloquently discuss the social/medical culture's love affair with the "quick fix", and offer us instead something more resonant and powerful. They offer us hope by conveying their deep respect for the complexities and ambiguities of family relationships. The authors are not engaged in a struggle to wrestle these ambiguities to the ground, but throughout the book, encourage the reader to embrace these ambiguities as a road that takes us closer to healing truths about families, and ourselves.
I think the broad appeal of this book lies in the combination of experience and humanity of the authors. Accomplished therapists will especially appreciate the chapters relating to the "self" of the therapist, including strategies for maintaining therapist equilibrium in the face of an acute family crisis.
Beginning and mid-level therapists will benefit from the authors "walking through" a therapy session, deliniating the components of the different therapy stages, and offering transcripts and vignettes which illustrate some of the "how to's" in conducting a family therapy session.
And finally, this book will serve as a beacon for families privileged to be living with a "defiant" child. Believing that "parents blame themselves enough", the authors instead offer a rich story about the many ways in which family members unintentionally wound each other, and give parents new insight into the meaning of their child's bewildering behavior. This makes it possible for parents to respond to the behavior in a new way--they will now have the pleasure of confusing their child!
I continue to enjoy this book as I would a good CD. I pick it up, open to any page, and savor the sounds coming from its pages. And, like a good piece of music, when it's over I am lighter, freer, more human.
Thank you for that, Drs. Keith and Connells.
Books:
- Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner's Guide
- Shoreline: Seasons at the Lake
- Smoke, Dust, and Haze: Fundamentals of Aerosol Dynamics (Topics in Chemical Engineering)
- Song for the Blue Ocean: Encounters Along the World's Coasts and Beneath the Seas
- Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons in the Lives of Migratory Birds
- Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease
- Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease
- Swamp Song: A Natural History of Florida's Swamps
- Talking Apes & Dancing Bees: Intelligence, Emotions, and Other Marvels of the Animal Kingdom
- The Compleat Angler: or, The Contemplative Man's Recreation (Modern Library Classics)
Books Index
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Self-Organized Criticality: Emergent Complex Behavior in Physical and Biological Systems (Cambridge Lecture Notes in Physics)
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Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order
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