Ideas Roadshow Conversations
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Speaking and Thinking
A Conversation with Victor Ferreira
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Victor Ferreira, Professor of Psychology and Principal Investigator at the Language Production Lab at the University of California at San Diego. This extensive conversation explores Victor Ferreira's research, which is focused on language production and communication, especially with regard to grammar, lexical structure and speaker-hearer interaction, and his interests to incorporate computational and quantitative modelling of cognitive processing.
Topics under discussion include key experimental results that change our view of what is actually going on when two people talk to each other, giving us new insight into the structure of language and also how many aspects of linguistics are related to our current understanding of how the brain and mind function.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Tip of the Tongue, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Linguistic Beginnings- In search of relevance
II. Minimizing Ambiguity- Finding a linguistic drosophila
III. Retrieval- Towards objective measurements
IV. The Division of Labor- Examining message formulation
V. Disambiguating Ambiguity- Linguistic vs. conceptual
VI. Probing with Pronouns- A future experiment
VII. Grammar- Examining its function
VIII. Monitoring- Speaking carefully
IX. In the Brain- Brain imaging and language
X. Philosophical Divertimento- Brain vs. Mind
XI. Language and Thought- The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
XII. Future Investigations- Environmental impacts and big data
XIII. Mind-Brain Redux- The debate continues...
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Exploring Spinoza
A Conversation with Susan James
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Susan James, Professor of Philosophy at Birbeck, University of London. Susan James is an internationally-renowned Spinoza scholar and author of Spinoza on Philosophy, Religion and Politics and Spinoza on Learning to Live Together which are discussed in detail during this wide-ranging conversation. After an inspiring story of how she became interested in philosophy, Susan James provides detailed insights into Spinoza's ideas and their current relevance; the political environment and the theological struggle about who has control of religion and how much freedom of religion there is during Spinoza's time.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Rational Humanist, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Philosophical Beginnings- Cambridge, with a bit of Princeton thrown in
II. Setting the Stage- Spinoza: a vignette
III. Spinozistic Separation- Religion, science and politics
IV. Determinism- Howard gets stuck
V. Modern Lessons- Mind, body, freedom and fortitudo
VI. The Philosophical Life- Becoming philosophical and doing philosophy
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
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Saving The World At Business School (Part 2)
A Conversation with Andy Hoffman
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-dept, remotely filmed follow-up conversation between Howard Burton and Andy Hoffman, Holcim Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and School of Environment and Sustainability. They discuss Andy Hoffman's research and scholarly insights which are extremely relevant to today's society. Andy Hoffman is passionately committed to encouraging fellow academics to play a much stronger role in communicating knowledge, facts and information to the regular public and politicians which has culminated into his two new books 'The Engaged Scholar' and 'Management As A Calling'.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Exceptional Times, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Reprise - 7 years on
II. Truth Decay - Facts under fire?
III. The Value of Wisdom - Beyond knowledge
IV. Investigating Rewards - Intrinsic vs. extrinsic
V. Concrete Opportunities - And concrete scepticism
VI. Management as a Calling - Focusing on the students
VII. Opinionated Ignorance - Hardly what the Founding Fathers had in mind
VIII. Qualified Optimism - Hopeful signs
IX. Spreading the Word - Creating new platforms through technology
X. Getting Personal - Slings, arrows and the learning experience
XI. Shattered Leadership? - Desperately trying to pick up the pieces
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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Saving the World at Business School
A Conversation with Andy Hoffman
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Andy Hoffman, Holcilm Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and School of Environment and Sustainability. This extensive conversation starts with inspiring insights into how Andy Hoffman became interested in environmental issues when he declined acceptances from graduate school at Harvard and Berkeley and instead worked as a carpenter for several years in Nantucket.
Topics include the notions of 'environmental sustainability' and 'big business' which sometimes seem as incompatible as oil and water and ways to make a synthesis a reality by seriously reconsidering the way we currently conduct public policy and even some deep aspects of our current societal values.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Clarity vs. Popularity, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Building a Career- Getting a lay of the land
II. Environmental Evolution- Fringe and mainstream
III. Beyond Punditry- The cultural backdrop to climate change
IV. Fostering Debate- Engaging, responsibly
V. American Exceptionalism? -Discussions on uniqueness
VI. Talking the Talk- Communicating science better
VII. Breaching to the Choir? -How to make genuine social progress
VIII. Energy Renaissance- Government's role
IX. Reinventing Sustainability- Imagining the long term
X. Surprising Revolutionaries- Idealistic business students
XI. Setting Ideals- Towards a North Star
XII. Impact- Changing hearts and minds
XIII. The Passion Principle- Discovering our calling
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Democracy: Clarifying the Muddle
A Conversation with John Duun
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and renowned political theorist John Dunn, University of Cambridge. Through an engaging dialogue format, John Dunn candidly shares his deep insights on the historical development and current significance and future of democracy in different parts of the world and the relevance of political science departments in achieving democracy and other worthwhile goals.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Democratic Daze, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Illusions and Confusions -Unmasking American stereotypes
II. Historical Examinations -The power of etymology
III. Thinking Deeper -Minimizing political bads
IV. Trust and Belief -Thinking critically
V. China -Challenging Western ideals?
VI. India -The world's largest democracy
VII. Power to the People -Overthrowing autocracy and what happens next
VIII. Towards Progress -Why we should care about all of this
IX. Professional Indulgence -Critically examining "political science"
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Minds and Machines
A Conversation with Miguel Nicolelis
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Miguel Nicolelis, Professor of Neurobiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, Psychology and Neuroscience and Orthopaedic Surgery and Co-Director of the Center for Neuroengineering at Duke University. This thought-provoking conversation dives into Miguel Nicolelis' extensive and important research for over 20 years now and how he has been blurring the line between science fiction and science fact, developing increasingly sophisticated ways of harnessing the thoughts of rats, monkeys and humans to drive mechanical devices in the rapidly emerging field of brain-machine interfaces. As he continues to explore how best to apply this fascinating technology to liberate paralysis victims and Parkinson's sufferers from their neurological constraints, Nicolelis remains focused on challenging conventional wisdom of what the brain is and how it works, consistently probing the evolving frontier between body and mind.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, From Science Fiction to Science Fact, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Revolutionary Rumblings - Beyond 1:1 maps
II. Plowing Ahead - Pivotal results and scientific scepticism
III. Interface - Powering robots with monkey minds
IV. Against Reductionism - The pernicious influence of physicists
V. Incarnating Our Surroundings - How the brain blurs "outside" and "inside"
VI. Imposing Representations - How the brain interacts with the world
VII. Distributed vs. Local - The big issue
VIII. Technological Applications - From medical rehabilitation to a joint operating system
IX. Getting Metaphysical - The brain as a reality-mediator
X. Final Questions - Big ones, dark ones and ontological ones
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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On Atheists and Bonobos
A Conversation with Frans de Waal
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and primatologist Frans de Waal, Emory University, who is renowned for his work on the behaviour and social intelligence of primates. This thought-provoking conversation examines fascinating questions such as: Are we born with an innate sense of "the good"? Do we learn from others what is "wrong"? Does religion determine, or is it a result of, morality?
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Aping Morality, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Denying Our Inner Animal - Cartesian dogs, religious baggage and false dichotomies
II. Morality and Evolution - Between chimpanzees and bonobos
III. The Demise of Veneer Theory - Science discovers human cooperation and empathy
IV. The Roots of Religion - A sociological approach
V. Community Concern - Chimpanzee groups and Golden Rules
VI. Beyond Theatrics - Reconciling science, religion and mortality
VII. American Exceptionalism - Speculations on religiosity
VIII. Testing Morality - Fairness, cooperation, risk-taking and more
IX. Reasons for Optimism - Positive behaviour throughout the animal world
X. Breaking Down Barriers - Towards species continuity.
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Turning the Mirror: A View From the East
A Conversation with Pankaj Mishra
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and award-winning writer Pankaj Mishra.
They discuss several of Pankaj's books, including From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia and An End To Suffering: The Buddha In The World, and his motivations behind them.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Weight of History, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. A Different Perspective- Unknown intellectuals and overlooked worldviews
II. Demanding a Response- Reacting to an existential challenge
III. Inseparable Factors?- Capitalism, imperialism and modernity
IV. East and West- A meaningful distinction?
V. Discovering Buddhism- Transcending false stereotypes
VI. Personal Examinations- Growing up Western in the East
VII. At an Impasse- The end of an experiment
VIII. Learning From the Past- The benefits of increased historical understanding
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The Passionate Historian
A Conversation with John Elliott
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and John Elliott, Regius Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Oxford and Honorary Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge. This extensive conversation provides behind-the-scenes insights into how an undergraduate encounter with a 17th-century painting of The Count-Duke Olivares led John Elliott on a lifelong odyssey to study the history of Spain, Europe and the Americas in the early modern period to become one of the greatest Spanish historians of our age.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Two Cheers for Objectivity, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Beginnings - The benefits of travel
II. In Search of Objectivity - Sentimental dangers
III. Past and Present - How to revivify yourself
IV. Circumventing Obstacles - The benefits of pressing on
V. Doing History - Comparing, connecting and writing well
VI. The Power of Imagination - Surprise tests and non-barking dogs
VII. Decline - What it means, exactly
VIII. The Impact of Technology - Strengths and weaknesses
IX. Going Global - Opportunities and challenges
X. History's Due - Beyond the theme park
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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Eating One's Own: Examining Civil War
A Conversation with David Armitage
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and intellectual historian David Armitage, the Lloyd C. Blanfein Professor of History at Harvard University. This conversation covers David Armitage's research on the history of ideas of civil war from Ancient Rome to the present. A salient feature of Armitage's work is a strong focus on etymology as it relates to our understanding of how people interpreted (or misinterpreted) and perceived events in history which results in a fascinating exploration of how our understanding of various concepts has been prejudiced by past societies and past beliefs that we might not even be aware of, and how they, in turn, go on to influence other societies; and how this cumulative process frames our understanding of these ideas.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Imagining the Possibilities, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Historical Origins - In search of multiple perspectives
II. The Semantic Archaeologist - Analyzing sedimented meanings
III. In Search of a Definition - Francis Lieber's "ticklish business"
IV. Bellum Civile - The Roman reference point
V. What Is To Be Done? - Applying historical understanding to the modern world
VI. Historical Relevance - More prevalent than often recognized
VII. Oceans of Possibilities - Future work.
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For the Love of History
A Conversation with Margaret MacMillan
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Margaret MacMillan, Professor of History at the University of Toronto and emeritus Professor of International History and the former warden of St Antony's College at the University of Oxford. This wide-ranging conversation examines her research on patriotism and nationalism, which are essential themes of her lifelong work on 19th and 29th history.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Perpetual Revisionism, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. The Historical Enterprise- Investigating the subtleties
II. Historical Value- Reevaluating the present and connecting with the past
III. Pride and Prejudice- Patriotism vs. nationalism
IV. Professional Insights- An insider's view
V. Living Historically- Following your passion
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The Social World, Reexamined
A Conversation with Brian Epstein
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Brian Epstein, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University. Brian Epstein's career as a management consultant piqued his interest and his later research into the reasons why our current models of economics, politics and other areas of social science so often go terribly wrong. The conversation explores how we can dramatically improve our current economic and political models by reexamining our assumptions about the nature of the social world.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Real World, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Wondering About the World - A philosophical journey
II. Empirical Influences - From management consultancy to metaphysics
III. Unquestioned Assumptions - The cult of the individual
IV. Beyond Emergence - A Supreme Value
V. Ontological Examinations - Grounding and anchoring
VI. Better Models - Beyond agent-based thinking
VII. Modelling Concerns - Fear of mushiness
VIII. Getting Specific - Modelling corruption
IX. No, We Can't - The impact of a small political gene pool
X. Responses and Reactions - The good, the bad, and the ugly
XI. The Value of Breadth - Appreciating the humanities
XII. Learning Our Lessons? - Or perhaps not
XIII. Applied Philosophy - The "social turn"
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a relaxed and informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
ebook
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Understanding ADHD
A Conversation with Stephen Hinshaw
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth, filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Stephen Hinshaw, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley. Stephen Hinshaw is an expert in the fields of clinical child and adolescent psychology and developmental psychopathology, as well as stigma, preventive interventions and dehumanization related to mental illness. This extensive conversation examines the facts and misunderstandings surrounding ADHD, diagnosis and misdiagnosis, treatment, family responsibilities, the subtitles of medication, adult ADHD, gender, what's happening on an international level and finally the stigma of mental illness.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction,, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. On Genes and Explorers - Different perspectives
II. Brain Biology - Neurotransmitters and cortex investigations
III. Diagnosis and Treatment - Theory, practice and uncertainty
IV. Behaviour and Medication - Not so straightforward
V. Adults and Gender - More subtleties appear
VI. Stigma - The elephant in the room
VII. Public Policy - Unexpected consequences
VIII. Adderall for All? - Objective vs. subjective effects
IX. Global Perspectives - Getting a bigger picture
X. Towards A Better Future? - Reasons for pessimism and optimism
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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Embracing the Anthropocene: Managing Human Impact
A Conversation with Mark Maslin
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Mark Maslin, Professor of Geography at University College London. The conversation explores Prof. Maslin's research on the Anthropocene which according to his definition began when human impacts on the planet irrevocably started to change the course of the Earth's biological and geographical trajectory, leading to climate change, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, On Being A Superpower, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Becoming A Geographer - A serendipitous journey
II. The Anthropocene - Exploring three starting dates
III. What We Know - Ice ages, snowballs and hockey sticks
IV. Unchecked Opinion - Examining beliefs
V. Planetary Perspectives - Which type of Anthropocene do we want?
VI. Becoming Social - Investigating a watershed moment.
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Enlightened Entrepreneurialism
A Conversation with Margaret Jacob
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Margaret Jacob, Distinguished Professor of History at UCLA. Topics examined during this extensive conversation include Margaret Jacob's motivations to become a historian and her comprehensive analysis of the history of the Industrial Revolution and interpretation of the major economic motivations on the ground, comparing daily life experiences in England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. A sophisticated understanding of the past naturally involves a composite approach that marries economic motivations with associated cultural factors of educational trends, religious influences and scientific and technological awareness, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Measuring Motivations, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Historical Origins - Rebel-turned scholar
II. Decrypting Newton - From physics to theology
III. Beyond the Numbers - Searching for causes
IV. Apprenticeship - Pivotal time to develop
V. Religion and Geography - Unitarianism and other factors
VI. Theory vs. Practice - France's surprising underdevelopment
VII. Lessons Learned? - Towards cultivating the innovative spirit
VIII. History Today? - Reflections on research and teaching
IX. Past and Future - New books and bizarre faucets
X. Righting Wrongs, Slowly - Gender discrimination in the academy
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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A Matter of Energy: Biology From First Principles
A Conversation with Nick Lane
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Nick Lane, Professor of Evolutionary Biochemistry at University College London and bestselling author. After an inspiring story of Nick Lane's career path, this wide-ranging conversation covers his bioenergetic view of early, evolutionary history, the origin of life and how all complex life is composed of a very particular cell type that we all share, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Big Picture, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. A Long and Winding Road- Nick goes round the houses. II. Structuring Energy- Cells, membranes and a counterintuitive mechanism. III. Hydrothermal Vents- More than just chemistry. IV. Simulational Challenges- Making your own hydrothermal vent. V. Synoptic Justifications- Philosophers wanted. VI. Becoming Complex- From prokaryotes to eukaryotes. VII. Marvellous Mitochondria- Insights from a metabolic worldview. VIII. Open Questions- From the origin of life to consciousness.
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Kant, Applied
A Conversation with Onora O'Neill
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Onora O'Neill, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and a crossbench member of the House of Lords. After intriguing insights into Onora O'Neill's path to becoming a Kant scholar, this wide-ranging conversation explores how Kant's philosophy is relevant for many thorny issues in our contemporary social world, from human rights to patient consent to corporate transparency and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Benefits of Struggling, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. A Circuitous Route- Philosophy via history, psychology and physiology
II. Becoming Philosophical- Towards Kant
III. The Categorical Imperative- And its complications
IV. Human Rights- Duties and how to implement them
V. Implementation- Trust, trustworthiness and appreciating limits
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Defined By Relationship
A Conversation with Charles Foster
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Charles Foster, who is a writer, traveler, veterinarian, barrister, philosopher and Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford. This wide-ranging conversation provides a detailed exploration of several of his books in many different fields with a particular focus on "Human Dignity in Bioethics and Law" and the New York Times Bestseller "Being a Beast”.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, At the Heart, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. An Aristotelian Encounter- A mystery solved
II. Studies in Empathy- And the lack thereof
III. Childhood- A brief digression
IV. Engagement- Consciousness, relationships and different perspectives
V. Dignity- An overarching principle
VI. Creating Impact- Changing hearts and minds
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Science and Pseudoscience
A Conversation with Michael Gordin
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Michael Gordin, Rosengarten Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Princeton University. This thought-provoking, extensive conversation examines the strange case of Immanuel Velikovsky, author of the bestselling book "Worlds in Collision" that managed to provocatively combine unbridled scientific speculation with ancient myth, as a way of probing the often-problematic boundary between science and pseudoscience.
By all accounts, Velikovsky was a decidedly curious character. The notorious Russian-born doctor-turned psychoanalyst-turned astronomer-historian-autodidact not only had a flair for writing and boatloads of charisma and energy, he also was on record for making a couple of concrete predictions of his radical new theory of the solar system that turned out, much to the dismay of the authorities of the day, to actually be correct.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Harnessing the Fringe, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. A Counterculture Hero -Introducing Immanuel Velikovsky
II. An Ideal Case -The historical allure of Velikovsky
III. The Lysenko Lesson -Science meets politics
IV. A Freudian Cosmology -Validation by hostility
V. Enter Einstein -Velikovsky makes predictions
VI. Responses and Reactions -Publicity and hostility
VII. Digging In -Unorthodox, up to a point
VIII. Science vs. Pseudoscience -In search of a bright line
IX. Fringe Benefits -Seeking a balance
X. Learning From History -Towards better science?
XI. Anthropic Digression -Falsifiability today
XII. Better Science? -Educated by history
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Harnessing the Sun
A Conversation with Jenny Nelson
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Jenny Nelson, Professor of Physics and Head of the Climate Change mitigation team at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London. After inspiring insights about Jenny Nelson's academic journey, the conversation examines different solar energy processes, solar energy conversion technology, novel varieties of material for use in solar cells, and the materials used to build and improve photovoltaic, and other renewable, technologies, which convert energy from the sun into electricity.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Making A Difference, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Finding Her Place- The wanderings of a socially-conscious physicist
II. Solar Energy- The big picture
III. Materials- An array of different possibilities
IV. Models vs. Labs- An intriguing balance
V. Real-World Impact- Getting from here to there
VI. A Brighter Future? -Hopefully
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Byzantium: Beyond the Cliché
A Conversation with Maria Mavroudi
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Maria Mavroudi, Professor of History at UC Berkeley. Maria Mavroudi specializes in the study of the Byzantine Empire and this wide-ranging conversation explores her extensive research on the Byzantine Empire and how it has repeatedly been undervalued by historians despite its having been a military and cultural powerhouse for more than a millennium.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Beyond the High-School Narrative, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Becoming A Byzantinist - Inspiration and motivation
II. Historical Background - Byzantine beginnings
III. The High-School Narrative - History as a cultural mirror
IV. Recovering Truth - A never-ending goal
V. Building Knowledge - Standing on the shoulders of giants
VI. Annotated Discoveries - Leo the Mathematician, for example
VII. A Translational Discovery - From Arabic to Greek, surprisingly
VIII. Arrows of Causality - Consequential greatness
IX. Decline - A matter of opinion?
X. Extracting Meaning - Interpreting human experiences
XI. Ever-Moving Targets - Arab-Greek bilingualism and its implications
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
ebook
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Criminal Justice: An Examination
A Conversation with Julian Roberts
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Julian Roberts, Professor of Criminology at the University of Oxford. Julian Roberts is an international expert on sentencing throughout the common-law world and is strongly involved in connecting scholars with practitioners as well as promoting greater public understanding of sentencing. This thought-provoking conversation covers a wide range of topics related to criminal justice, including plea bargaining, the involvement of victims in criminal sentencing procedures, victim impact statements, parole, sentencing multiple and repeat crimes, community-based sentencing, alternate dispute resolution, rehabilitation, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Copping a Plea, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Sentencing and Deterrence - Considerable ambiguity
II. Plea Bargaining - Reasonable or worrying?
III. Involving the Victim - An additional perspective
IV. Punishment - Parole, prisons and philosophy
V. Comparing and Contrasting - Best and worst practices
VI. Towards the Future - Progress?
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
ebook
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China: Up Close and Persona
A Conversation with Karl Gerth
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Hwei-Chih and Julia Hsiu Chair in Chinese Studies and Professor of History at UC San Diego. This wide-ranging conversation covers the emerging American-style consumer culture of China, which is revolutionizing the lives of hundreds of millions of Chinese, how it has transformed its economy and lifestyle and has the potential to reshape the world, and the different environmental issues that China is grappling with.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Full Circle, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Filling in the World- Young Karl heads abroad
II. History and Demography- A brief examination of what we mean by "modern China: and the importance, and possible origin, of China's large population
III. Contemporary China- Change at breakneck speed
IV. Environmental Issues- And, associated political aspects
V. Societal Values- And, how they are changing
VI. Catastrophic Scenarios- And, how they might be addressed
VII. Ever Onwards- Towards a deeper understanding
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Solar Impact: Climate and the Sun
A Conversation with Joanna Haigh
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Joanna Haigh, Professor Emerita of Atmospheric Physics at Imperial College London. After inspiring details about how she got into her field of study and how we can encourage more girls to get more interested in science, the conversation examines her research of the influence of the sun and solar variability on our climate, how energy emitted by the Sun in the form of heat, light and ultraviolet radiation warms the earth and drives our climate, how data from satellites and modelling the processes helps us distinguish the warming effects of greenhouse gases from those of natural variations in solar energy, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Confronting Complexity, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Meteorological Beginnings -Joanna finds her niche
II. Science and Gender -Different disciplines, different stories
III. A Curious Correspondence -Examining the link between temperature and solar variation
IV. Considering the Earth -A changing orbit and changing tilt
V. Considering the Sun -Looking at the solar cycle
VI. The Big Picture -More than just the sun
VII. Examining the Details -Recreating the weather, more or less
VIII. Getting The Word Out -Increasing public awareness
IX. Public Policy -From words to acts
X. Final Thoughts -Towards a better future
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Battling Protestants
A Conversation with David Hollinger
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and intellectual historian David Hollinger, UC Berkeley, and examines the unique role that different strands of religion have played in 20th-century American culture. The conversation examines intriguing aspects of the distinction between Ecumenical and Evangelical Protestantism, the often overlooked role of Ecumenical Protestantism in the history of the USA, secularization theory, the development of the two-party system, the role of missionaries, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Exception that Proves the Rule?, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Diverging Protestants: Ecumenical vs. Evangelical
II. Drifting towards Secularism? American religious exceptionalism
III. Often Overlooked: Reinhold Niebuhr's Legacy
IV. The Missionary Position: Encounters with The Other
V. Demographic Diversification: Cosmopolitan spies and other issues
VI. William James: Interpretations and misinterpretations
VII. Strident Atheists: Evangelism 2.0
VIII. An Empty Stage: America's intellectual exchange deficit
IX. Future Speculations: Pushing a historian out of his comfort zone
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
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Apocalypse Then: The First Crusade
A Conversation with Jay Rubenstein
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Jay Rubenstein, Professor of History and Director of the Center for the Premodern World at the University of South Carolina, which provides us with fascinating insights into medieval society.
How did the First Crusade happen? What could have suddenly caused tens of thousands of knights, commoners and even nuns at the end of the 11th century to leave their normal lives behind and trek thousands of miles across hostile territory in an unprecedented vicious and bloody quest to wrest Jerusalem from its occupying powers?
Jay Rubenstein, historian of the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual worlds of Europe in the Middle Ages at USC, carefully explores those questions based on his extensive research while discussing the Apocalypse: the crusaders' sincere belief that the end of the world was approaching and their opportunity to participate in the last stage of the divine plan.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Glorious End, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Becoming a Medievalist - Suddenly fashionable
II. Guibert of Nogent - From overlooked to oversimplified
III. Armies of Heaven - Subheading
IV. Considering Impact - On history and historians
V. Moving On - Or perhaps not.
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Free Will: An Investigation - A Conversation with Alfred Mele
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Alfred Mele, the William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University. This wide-ranging conversation. This wide-ranging conversation examines free will and the different notions of free will that exist, the connections of free will with developments in neuroscience, social psychology and public opinion polls and Alfred Mele's key concern about how current and future insights might be directly applied to improve our world.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Down to Earth, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Becoming A Philosopher - From Aristotle to Irrationality
II. Outlining The Problem - Defining "free will"
III. Neuroscience - Benjamin Libet stirs things up
IV. Social Science - Eating away at our sense of autonomy
V. Next Steps - And mid-grade investigations
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Vision and Perception
A Conversation with Kalanit Grill-Spector
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Kalanit Grill-Spector, Professor in Psychology and the Stanford Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University. Kalanit Grill-Spector is a vision specialist with a background in computational neuroscience. Her research examines how the brain processes visual information and perceives it. This extensive conversation explores how functional imaging techniques are used to visualize the brain in action and how it functions to recognize people, objects and places. Kalanit also discusses how the anatomical and functional properties of the brain change from infancy to childhood through adulthood, and how this development is related to improved visual recognition abilities.
Further topics include Kalanit Grill-Spector's discovery of a particular face-selective region in the brain, her groundbreaking research related to the neural processing of this particular region and the fascinating experiments that she has been involved with that suggest that there is indeed a strong causal link between that region and our facial recognition perception.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Facing Facts, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Neuroimaging - A transformative technology
II. Discovering Her Passion - A glimpse of the joy of vision
III. Vision Unveiled - Our current understanding
IV. Experimental Evidence - Many discoveries; even more to do
V. A Startling Result - Stumbling upon specialized hardware
VI. Neuroplasticity - Assessing flexibility
VII. The Road Ahead - Better measurements, better models, deeper understanding
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website (https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/).
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Babbling Barbarians: How Translators Keep Us Civilized
A Conversation with David Bellos
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
Ever heard people say things like, "A translation is no substitute for the original" or "Humor can't be translated into another language"? In this thought-provoking book, based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Princeton University Professor David Bellos, author of the bestselling book, Is That A Fish in Your Ear? Translation and the Meaning of Everything, many fascinating features of language and translation are explored at length.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Teaching a Man to Fish, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Introductory Musings- On Perec, Chomsky, and other matters
II. An Illustrative Capture- Learning from The Great Escape
III. Getting the Joke- Translating Humour
IV. Probing the Foreign- Dickens, word order, and Anglo-Italian gibberish
V. Films in Translation- Subtitles, dubbing, and "The Bergman Effect"
VI. The Varieties in English- In search of a middle form
VII. Asserting Our Individuality- Language as an expression of our identity
VIII. Translation and Meaning- Extending the Principle of Effability
IX. Mathematics and Music- Pushing the boundaries of "language-like"
X. Language and Thought- Plato, Hopi, and jumping mind-grooves
XI. Paying Respects- Valuing the translator in our midst
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Improving Human Rights
A Conversation with Emilie Hafner-Burton
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth, filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Emilie Hafner-Burton, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of International Justice and Human Rights at UC San Diego and co-director of the Laboratory on International Law and Regulation at the School. This extensive conversation covers topics such international law, when and why international laws work and don't work, the international human rights system and concrete measures that could be taken to improve it, the International Criminal Court, and the role of states in the protection of human rights.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Making a Difference, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Forging a Path - An unconventional route to the UN
II. Shifting Perspectives - Considering the data
III. Who Decides? - The perils of implementation
IV. Going Public - Towards an open exchange
V. Fundamental Questions - Incentives and justifications
VI. The International Criminal Court - Past present and future
VII. Norm Saturation - Beyond rules and procedures
VIII. Reform - Marginal and non-marginal changes
IX. Getting Concrete - Towards meaningful progress
X. Stewardship - How states can have a positive impact
XI. Reactions and Responses - Examining opposing views
XII. Public Engagement - Media bias and joint opportunities.
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The Mind-Body Problem
A Conversation with Janko Tipsarevic
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Janko Tipsarevic, who is a former professional tennis player with a career-high singles ranking of world no. 8 and founder and CEO of Tipsarevic Tennis Academy in Belgrade, Serbia.
This conversation gives behind-the-scenes insights on what it takes to achieve excellence in professional sports, what mindset is needed to reach one's true potential and a penetrating and inspirational window into the psychology of professional tennis that resonates with all of us.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Giving Your All, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. On Nietzsche and Tennis - The dangers of too much perspective
II. Lost Opportunities - Reflections on vacuous press conferences
III. Commitment - More than just the hours
IV. Breaking Through - Leaving nothing back
V. Tennis as a Team Sport - Davis Cup and doubles
VI. Achieving Potential - Coaching and talent
VII. Winner Take All? - Spreading the wealth-or not?
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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Exploring Autism
A Conversation with Uta Frith
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and one of the world's leading experts on autism Uta Frith, Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London. Topics that are examined in this extensive conversation are what autism actually is, the reasons behind the increased number of diagnoses over the last few years, autism spectrum disorders, Asperger's syndrome, mentalizing, brain imaging to research the cognitive and neurobiological bases of autism and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Autistic Condition, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Assessing the Landscape- An autism epidemic?
II. Searching for a Definition- Innate vs. conscious understanding
III. A Stunning Result- Learning from dolls
IV. Looking Inside- Brain-imaging technology and its impact
V. Vaccines- Correlation vs. causation
VI. Probing the Spectrum- Big and little pictures
VII. Gender- A provocative speculation
VIII. Ways Forward- Some concrete approaches
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Investigating Intelligence
A Conversation with John Duncan
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and neuroscientist John Duncan, University of Cambridge, and examines fascinating questions in neuroscience such as: What is intelligence and what does IQ testing tell us? Can intelligence be measured and improved? What role does our frontal lobe play in executive control? John Duncan has rigorously investigated these types of issues for years and this conversation covers all those questions plus topics such as impairments following brain damage, functional brain imaging, and the brain basis for attention, intelligence and cognitive control.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Thinking Deeper, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Searching For A Definition -A curious correlation
II. Trusting Your Gut -Intuitions and contradictions
III. Paradigmatic Examples -Some test are more g-relevant than others
IV. Different Types of Knowledge -Crystallized vs. fluid
V. Another Correlation -The power of organization
VI. Selecting Solutions -Finding focus
VII. Looking Inside -Harnessing modern technology
VIII. Implications -Future possibilities
IX. Assessing the Landscape -Reactions and speculations
X. Pure and Applied -Bringing it all home
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Sign Language Linguistics
A Conversation with Carol Padden
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and renowned researcher of sign languages Carol Padden, the Sanford I. Berman Chair in Language and Human Communication at UC San Diego. This extensive conversation covers topics such as growing up with ASL, Carol's early work with Bill Stokoe, the linguistic complexity, structure and properties of ASL and other sign languages, the development of new sign languages throughout the world, the role of gesture and embodiment, and much more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Heeding the Signs, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Choosing languages- Faulty assumptions and different sides. II. Distance Education- A formative experience. III. Signing as Language- Bill Stokoe and the development of ASL. IV. Diversity and Structure- The many shades of sign languages. V. Distinctiveness- Language, identity, and the question of affordances. VI. Embodiment- Making sense of the world around us through our bodies. VII. A Cultural Window- Change, humour and balance. VIII. Predictions and Proclivities- Speculations on the future, fillers and gender markers. IX. Examining Diversity- Brain scans, sign-twisters and gesturing Italians. X. Making Comparison- Efficiency, community and complexity
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Believing Your Ears: Examining Auditory Illusions
A Conversation with Diana Deutsch
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an extensive filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Diana Deutsch, Professor of Psychology at UC San Diego and one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of music. This conversation provides behind the scenes insights into her discovery of a large number of auditory illusions, including the so-called Octave Illusion, which concretely illustrate how what we think we're hearing is often quite different from the actual sounds that are hitting our eardrums.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Revealing Mistakes, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Eclectic Beginnings - Music, art, philosophy, and philosophical psychology
II. Tones, Pitches and Critical Values - Intriguing results in music and memory
III. The Octave Illusion - How to confuse the brain with tones
IV. Medical Applications - A highly suggestive result for epilepsy patients
V. Eyes vs. Ears - The neurophysiological differences between vision and hearing
VI. Gut Issues - The impact of discomfort
VII. The Scale Illusion - Auditory scene analysis and evolutionary factors
VIII. Surrounded by Illusions - From the Glissando Illusion to Tchaikovsky's 6th
IX. Perfect Pitch & Tone Languages - Why Mandarin might help your musicianship
X. Towards Monotony? - The tonal implications of globalization
XI. Embracing Discomfort - The benefits of being confused
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
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Critical Situations
A Conversation with Philip Zimbardo
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Philip Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University. During this extensive conversation Philip Zimbardo relates his intriguing life history and the survival techniques that he developed from the particular dynamics of his upbringing in the Bronx to his quarantine experiences, his experiences with South Bronx gangs, and more.
Further topics include his relationship with his former classmate Stanley Ingram and the impact the different experiences in his youth had on the development of his personal situational awareness and how that influenced his psychological research. After a detailed description of the notorious 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, Philip discusses what we have-and haven't-learned since then, the Abu Ghraib trial, his Heroic Imagination Project, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Should Have Knowns, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Origins - Humble beginnings
II. A Formative Quarantine - Developing social survival skills
III. Increasing Awareness - South Bronx rituals and Halloween distinctions
IV. Situation Stanford - The 1971 Stanford Prison Study
V. The Aftermath - Reactions and responses
VI. Outright Denial - Abu Ghraib and the myth of "bad apples"
VII. Learning Our Lessons? - Towards a deeper level of awareness
VIII. The Flip Side - The Heroic Imagination Project
IX. Spreading The Word - Cultivate heroes, and broader understanding
X. A New Gender Gap - Where have all the boys gone?
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
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The Physics of Banjos
A Conversation with David Politzer
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and David Politzer, 2004 Nobel Laureate and the Richard Chace Tolman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech. This extensive conversation examines many of the intriguing aspects associated with the physics of banjos, including the ocarina effect, string-stretching, the subtleties of how we hear pitch, transient growth, and the mysterious ringing sound of banjos; while also touching briefly on contemporary issues in black holes and particle physics.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Dancing To His Own Tune, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
The Feynman Experience- Inspirational encounters
Love at First Sound- The joy of the banjo
The Holy Grail- The challenge of qualifying sound
The Ocarina Effect- Probing the effect of rim height of the open-back banjo
Hearing Pitch- Not so simple
Relative Strengths- Break angles
Transient Growth- Coupled, damped oscillators
The Working Physicist- Ruminations from the front lines
The Journey Continues- Joys, frustrations, and the banjo brotherhood
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Pants on Fire: On Lying in Politics
A Conversation with Martin Jay
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and renowned intellectual historian Martin Jay, UC Berkeley. A thought-provoking book in dialogue format examining Martin Jay's extensive research on lying in politics from Plato and St. Augustine to Hannah Arendt and Leo Strauss which culminated in his book The Virtues of Mendacity.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Varnished Truth, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. A Fruitful Approach - Investigating "the political"
II. The Liar's Stage - From Machiavelli to political play-acting
III. Lies, American Style - A central concern?
IV. Transcending Kant - The Value of nuance
V. Coming Clean - Appreciating what we know
VI. Monological Dangers - Truth as the enemy of the political
VII. Democracy - Its porous nature and implications
VIII. Getting Worse? - In search of a Golden Age of truth-telling
IX. Puritanical Dangers - Fanatical truth-telling
X. Politics vs. Science - Similarities and differences
XI. Summing Up - Admissions and conclusions
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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The Science of Siren Songs: Stradivari Unveiled
A Conversation with Joseph Curtin
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and master violin maker and acoustician Joseph Curtin, recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. This in-depth conversation explores Curtin's long quest to characterize the sound of a Stradivari violin and the rigorous series of double-blind tests he and his colleagues developed to probe whether or not professional musicians can really tell the difference between a Stradivari and a modern violin. The conversation also covers violin acoustics and how Joseph Curtin marries acoustic science to the art of violin making and merges time-honoured techniques with new materials and design.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Finding What You're Looking For, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Finding One's Niche - Becoming a violin maker
II. Confronting Biases - Measuring a mystery
III. Characterizing Sound - Towards objectivity
IV. Making Modern Violins - In search of a new aesthetic
V. The Future Awaits - Digital violins, new books and more
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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The Derveni Papyrus
A Conversation with Richard Janko
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Richard Janko, Gerald F. Else Distinguished University Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan. This wide-ranging conversation covers Prof. Janko's research on the Derveni Papyrus, Europe's oldest surviving manuscript from the 4th century BCE and the most important text relating to early Greek literature, science, religion and philosophy to have come to light since the Renaissance.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Discovering the Past, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. A Great Discovery - Followed by unparalleled foot-dragging
II. Derveni Details - Setting the scene
III. An Ancient Culture War - Societal strains in the late 5th century Athens
IV. Rose-coloured Glasses? - Democratic biases
V. Summing Up - Mathematical philology and Herculaneum speculations
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert through a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks. For other books in this series visit our website: https://ideas-on-film.com/ideasroadshow/.
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Knowing One's Place: Space and the Brain
A Conversation with Jennifer Groh
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth, filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Jennifer Groh, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. After an inspiring story about how she became interested in neuroscience, this extensive conversation examines Jennifer Groh's extensive research on how the brain combines various streams of sensory input to determine where things are, together with the corresponding implications for a wide range of issues, from neuroplasticity to evolutionary mechanisms.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Framing Evolution, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. From Ticks to Brains - Becoming a neuroscientist
II. Historical Background - On the shoulders of giants
III. Frames of Reference - Integrating sensory systems
IV. Mysterious Overlap - Fitting the pieces together
V. Smell - An overlooked sense?
VI. Brain Maps - Making a picture
VII. Ice Cream Cones and Multiplexing - Same neurons, different functions?
VIII. Navigating Rats - Place fields and memory
IX. Neuroplasticity - Phantom limbs, cochlear implants and feedback
X. Evolutionary Mechanisms? - Repeat performance?
XI. The Road Ahead - Testing neurons for contrast
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
ebook
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The Malleability of Memory
A Conversation with Elizabeth Loftus
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Elizabeth Loftus, renowned expert on human memory and Distinguished Professor of Psychological Science; Criminology, Law, and Society; Cognitive Science and Law at UC Irvine. This extensive conversation covers her ground-breaking work on the misinformation effect, false memories and her battles with "repressed memory" advocates, how getting expert memory testimony introduced in legal proceedings and the effect of DNA evidence on convincing judges of the problematic nature of eyewitness testimony.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Benefit of the Doubt, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Memory, Eventually - From mathematics to yellow birds
II. Legal Attraction - A critical lunch leads to the misinformation effect
III. Inside the Courtroom - Real witnesses, real cases, real effects
IV. The Landscape Shifts - DNA evidence and the winds of change
V. Inception - Implanting childhood mall trauma
VI. Confirmation - Extensive reproducibility
VII. The Temperature Mounts - Jane Doe and the podium defense
VIII. Sociological Speculations - How did we get there?
IX. Science and Pseudoscience - In search of hard evidence
X. Structural Reform - Learning from New Jersey
XI. Scanning Memories - Lies, deliberate lies, and statistics
XII. Increasing Awareness - From Sesame Street to Sweden.
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Democratic Lessons: What the Greeks Can Teach Us
A Conversation with Josiah Ober
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Josiah Ober, Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis Professor in Honor of Constantine Mitsotakis Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University. This extensive conversation includes topics such as the serendipitous factors that led him to study the classical world, the insights that examining rhetoric provide about ancient Athenian society, and how social media might help us fruitfully recreate aspects of the past. Through an engaging dialogue format Josiah Ober discusses his insights that the ancient Athenians didn't just happen to stumble upon the idea of democracy-they somehow managed to make it work in practice for the better part of 200 years, all the while facing many of the same divisive societal pressures that we are currently grappling with.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Back to the Future, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Cutting One's Wisdom Teeth - How a girlfriend's dental work leads to Thucydides
II. Digging Deeper - Contrasting wars and lurking contradictions
III. Battling Iron Laws - Athenian democracy as a counterexample
IV. Feet to the Fire? - Using new and old media to keep politicians on point
V. Why Athens? - Addressing elite capture and economic and political equality
VI. Dissent - Critiquing our system or our values
VII. Enter Aristotle - The perils of being a cat in a box
VIII. Increasing Eudaimonia - Improving democracy
IX. Dignity - An essential ingredient of a flourishing democracy
X. Keeping It Real - Engaging the general public with scholarly insights
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
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The Power of Sympathy: Politics and Moral Sentimentalism
A Conversation with Michael Frazer
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Michael Frazer, Senior Lecturer in Political and Social Theory at the University of East Anglia. After a detailed discussion of Michael Frazer's upbringing and intellectual journey, the conversation explores the core ideas behind the sentimentalist theory as outlined in Prof. Frazer's book called The Enlightenment of Sympathy.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, More Than Reasonable, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. New York Origins- A very Woody Allen beginning
II. Sympathy- And how to use it
III. Different Tracks- Hume, Smith and Herder
IV. Disciplinary Boundaries- Political philosophy as Kurdistan
V. Bringing It Home- Moral sentiments in the real world
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Sheathing the Bodkin: Combating Suicide
A Conversation with Jennifer Micheal Hecht
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and poet, author and historian commentator Jennifer Michael Hecht. After intriguing details about how she combines writing poetry, doing scholarly history and public writing, this wide-ranging conversation movingly embellishes upon Jennifer Michael Hecht's book Stay: A History of Suicide and the Philosophies Against It.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction,...Or To Lend A Hand, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Different Hats- And how to combine them
II. Facing the Unthinkable- Confronting suicide
III. Historical Examinations- A litany of intriguing insights
IV. Suffering- Worth recognizing
V. Meaning and Mattering- The benefits of faith
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Quest for Freedom
A Conversation with Quentin Skinner
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and intellectual historian Quentin Skinner, Barber Beaumont Professor Emeritus of the Humanities at Queen Mary University of London. Quentin Skinner is considered to be one of the founders of the Cambridge School of the history of political thought. This thoughtful, detailed conversation examines how Quentin Skinner came to appreciate the importance of the distinction between the modern view of freedom and the so-called neo-Roman view, together with what it implies for our current and future political understanding.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Status Symbols, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Paradoxical Origins - Puzzled by Machiavelli
II. Presupposing the State - The triumph of the modern liberal view
III. The Perils of Arbitrary Power - Becoming a slave
IV.Freedom, Applied - Contemporary politics through the lens of arbitrary power
V. Rhetoric - Closely examining another classical Roman idea
VI. Reshaping a Moral World - Recovering important ideas
VII. Question and Answer - Resisting the lure of the canonical
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
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Cryptoreality
A Conversation with Artur Ekert
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on, an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Artur Ekert, Professor of Quantum Physics at the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford and Director of the Centre for Quantum Technologies and Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore. Artur Ekert is best known as one of the pioneers of quantum cryptography. This wide-ranging conversation provides detailed insights into his research and covers many fascinating topics such as mathematical and physical intuition, a detailed history of cryptography from antiquity to the present day and how it works in practice, the development of quantum information science, the nature of reality, and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, Putting the Pieces Together, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Beginnings- Mathematics, physics and intuition
II. Cryptographic Essentials- From the ancient Greeks to the Cold War
III. Public Key Cryptosystems- Harnessing the difficulty factor
IV. Harnessing Interference- The power of quantum computers
V. Quantum Sociology- What is quantum information science, anyway?
VI. Quantum Metaphysics- And its concrete effects
VII. The Joy of Questioning- And the merits of being rebellious
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The Psychology of Bilingualism
A Conversation with Ellen Bialystok
by Howard Burton
Part of the Ideas Roadshow Conversations series
This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Ellen Bialystok, Professor of Psychology at York University. Ellen Bialystok is a world-leading expert on the effects of bilingualism on cognitive processes across our lifespan. This conversation examines how she discovered differences in the development of essential cognitive and language abilities for bilingual children, the use of different brain networks by monolingual and bilingual young adults performing simple conflict tasks, and the postponement of symptoms of dementia in bilingual older adults, and many more fascinating aspects of bilingualism.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Plastic Revolution, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Focusing on Bilingualism- From pedagogy to battling stereotypes
II. Becoming Scientific- Inklings of plasticity
III. Out of the Minds of Babes- Focusing attention from the earliest moments
IV. Differences and Definitions- Statistically significant results, and defining bilingualism
V. Multitasking and Focusing- Real-world applications of bilingualism's advantages
VI. In the Brain- What's happening inside
VII. The Art of Measurement- The power of fMRI
VIII. Bilingualism, Extended- The challenge of isolating relevant factors
IX. Bilingualism and Dementia- Surprising results and current puzzles
X. Public Policy Implications- The societal benefits of bilingualism
XI. Open Questions and Speculations- Ongoing mysteries and the problem with projections