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This short work explores the excitement and surprising order of chaos and how studying it has revolutionized scientists' understanding of our world. ENDORSEMENTS: "Books on chaos theory tend to fall one of two ways. The first are those that cannot resist the hype. The exotic sound of "chaos," like "artificial intelligence," invites authors to lean into its mysteries. The second group of books is overly technical and beyond the reach of most readers. Physicists and mathematicians especially find it hard not to include all sorts of arcane detail. This book avoids both pitfalls. Robert Bishop deftly takes the reader through each of the key topics raised by chaos, including its historical roots, and shows why so many disciplines take note. Mathematicians provide fractal geometry as a tool. Computer scientists reveal how chaos puts limits on numerical simulations. Physical scientists have discovered that chaos is ubiquitous in nature. And philosophers explore its implications for a range of longstanding questions. With one foot in physics and another in the philosophy of science, Bishop illustrates each using minimal mathematics with important technical terms explained throughout. There is no better introduction to the topic available and no scholar better suited to the task. Jeffrey Koperski, Professor of Philosophy, Saginaw Valley State University "Sensitivity to initial conditions and path dependence, nonlinearities, strange attractors, and fractals...Bishop explains - in enviably clear language - the surprising properties and emergence of chaotic dynamics in mathematical models and real-world systems, and the differences between the two. The last chapter, on the limits chaos places on knowledge and predictability, provides insights on how individuals as well as scientists can work within those limits while at the same time embracing the remarkable wisdom they offer. Highly recommended. Alicia Juarrero, author of Context Changes Everything: How Constraints Create Coherence (MIT Press). "It won't come as a surprise to anyone who has been following Professor Bishop's work over the years on this topic that this book represents the best primer on chaos theory and nonlinear dynamics in existence today. Michael Silberstein, Professor of Philosophy, Elizabethtown College. "Chaos Theory: A Quick Immersion is a clear and engaging introduction to chaos theory. Assuming no prior knowledge, and using helpful analogies and examples from everyday life, it familiarizes readers with key concepts and findings of this fascinating field. The discussion is readily accessible to those new to the topic, yet without skirting over important nuances. In addition to surveying conceptual foundations, Chaos Theory nicely illustrates how ideas and tools from the mathematical study of chaos have been applied in science - in weather forecasting, ecology, physiology, physics, and more. Along the way, it calls attention to oft-overlooked challenges involved in relating mathematical and computer models to the physical world and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and navigating limits when seeking knowledge. This delightful little book will be useful to a wide range of readers interested in understanding what chaos theory is and how its insights can make a difference in science." Wendy Parker, Professor of Philosophy, Virginia Polytechnic University

ENDORSEMENTS .Roger Griffin has given us a masterful, concise guide to one of the most complicated ideological conundrums to emerge from the 20th-century. By analyzing fascism as a political ideology whose mythic core in its various permutations is a regenerative form of populist ultranationalism, Griffin provides us with the critical means to evaluate both the history of fascism's global appeal and its ominous, contemporary manifestations . Mark Antliff. Anne Murnick Cogan Professor, Duke University . This deceptively short book, written by the world's leading authority on fascism, shows how a cogent definition based on serious engagement with its devastating inter-war history allows it to be distinguished from other forms of today's right-wing politics. It thus provides much needed clarity to the terms we use when assessing the mounting dangers to a truly liberal democracy. David Roberts, Emeritus Professor at the University of Georgia . With a droll yet direct approach Griffin sweeps away the cobwebs currently obscuring the concept of fascism. His discussion of 'Four key processes affecting post-war revisions of fascism' is alone worth the purchase price of this remarkable book. Chip Berlet .SUMMARY Seventy-five years ago, George Orwell complained that there was no accepted definition of fascism, lamenting that "we shall not get one - not yet, anyway." In the media, the blogosphere, and in public commentary, little has changed. But for those intrigued and infuriated by the word, this book brings welcome news as it takes stock of the confusion surrounding the term before introducing the succinct but powerful working definition that now serves as the premise of the flourishing international and multilingual field of comparative fascism. This definition is then applied to providing a survey of the 'fascist era, ' showing how it helps explain the initial success of Fascism and horrific destructive power unleashed by the Third Reich, even while so many movements withered on the vine or became Nazi puppets.

"As one of the pioneers of the field of ancient DNA, Dr. Lalueza-Fox has witnessed its evolution from a technical curiosity to a field that holds enormous future potential. There are few better placed to give an introduction to the topic of de-extinction." -- Marcus Thomas Pius Gilbert, professor at the Center for GeoGenetics in Denmark and world expert in paleogenomics and de-extinction. "Lalueza-Fox is an expert in the recovery and analysis of ancient DNA, which means he is more than qualified to discuss some of the major technical challenges to bringing extinct species back to life" -- Dr. Beth Shapiro, evolutionary biologist. Few things seem as irreversible as death, whether for an individual or a species. But what would happen if death was reversible, if we could bring back to life something similar to the species that became extinct in the past? Recent developments in various techniques in molecular biology, among them cloning, synthetic genomes and genetic editing, have led to the emergence of a field of research that is in pursuit of de-extinction. This is a controversial ambition that presents far-reaching scientific, ethical, economic and social challenges. Even so, its proponents defend it as one of the possible ways to restore ecosystems and even fight against climate change. Explained over the course of this book are the possibilities for de-extinction and how they could transform the global ecosystem in the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: Quick Immersions uses accurate and straightforward language to offer a good introduction, or deeper knowledge, on diverse issues, as well-structured texts by prestigious authors delve into the worlds of political and social sciences, philosophy, science and the humanities.