How Singular? How singular is the Singularity? Will it happen in an instant? Lets consider again the derivation of the word. In mathematics a singularity is a value that is beyond any limit - in essence, infinity. The Singularity as we have discussed it in this book, does not achieve infinite levels of computation, memory, as any other other measurable attribute. But it certainly achieves vast levels of all these qualities, including intelligence. With the reverse engineering of the human brain we will be able to apply the parallel, self-organizing, chaotic, algorithms of human intelligence to enormously powerful computational substrates. This intelligence will then be in a position to improve its own design, both hardware and software, in a rapidly accelerating iterative process.

"An unprecedented and historic new book, The First Homosexuals traces the evolution of the homosexual identity through an archive of hundreds of artworks in a wide variety of media. Organized geographically, each chapter highlights a different part of the world and includes an insightful essay by an expert in the art and sexuality of that region. Ranging from well-known masterpieces to works by unknown artists and pieces rarely considered in the context of sexuality, The First Homosexuals offers a stunning and illuminating look at the first self-consciously queer art"--

"If there is one genre that has captured the imagination of people in all walks of life throughout the world, it is the fairy tale. Yet we still have great difficulty understanding how it originated, evolved, and spread--or why so many people cannot resist its appeal, no matter how it changes or what form it takes. In this book, renowned fairy-tale expert Jack Zipes presents a provocative new theory about why fairy tales were created and retold--and why they became such an indelible and infinitely adaptable part of cultures around the world. Drawing on cognitive science, evolutionary theory, anthropology, psychology, literary theory, and other fields, Zipes presents a nuanced argument about how fairy tales originated in ancient oral cultures, how they evolved through the rise of literary culture and print, and how, in our own time, they continue to change through their adaptation in an ever-growing variety of media. In making his case, Zipes considers a wide range of fascinating examples, including fairy tales told, collected, and written by women in the nineteenth century; Catherine Breillat's film adaptation of Perrault's "Bluebeard"; and contemporary fairy-tale drawings, paintings, sculptures, and photographs that critique canonical print versions. While we may never be able to fully explain fairy tales, The Irresistible Fairy Tale provides a powerful theory of how and why they evolved--and why we still use them to make meaning of our lives."--Jacket.

Historical study of the labour movement in the UK from 1750 to 1955, with particular reference to the sociological aspects of the role of trade union leadership as an Elite group within the working class - covers the evolution of the labour political party, political leadership, etc. References and statistical tables.

2006 National Jewish Book Award, Modern Jewish Thought Long the object of curiosity, admiration, and gossip, rabbis' wives have rarely been viewed seriously as American Jewish religious and communal leaders. We know a great deal about the important role played by rabbis in building American Jewish life in this country, but not much about the role that their wives played. The Rabbi’s Wife redresses that imbalance by highlighting the unique contributions of rebbetzins to the development of American Jewry. Tracing the careers of rebbetzins from the beginning of the twentieth century until the present, Shuly Rubin Schwartz chronicles the evolution of the role from a few individual rabbis' wives who emerged as leaders to a cohort who worked together on behalf of American Judaism. The Rabbi’s Wife reveals the ways these women succeeded in both building crucial leadership roles for themselves and becoming an important force in shaping Jewish life in America.

What is Sociology? presents in concise and provocative form the major ideas of a seminal thinker whose work--spanning more than four decades--is only now gaining the recognition here it has long had in Germany and France. Unlike other post-war sociologists, Norbert Elias has always held the concept of historical development among his central concerns; his dynamic theories of the evolution of modern man have remedied the historical and epistemological shortcomings of structualism and ethno-methodology. What is Sociology? refines the arguments that were first found in Elias' massive work on the civilizing process, in which he formulated his major assertions about the interdependence of the making of modern man and modern society. It is Elias' contention that changes in personality structure--embodied in phenomena ranging from table manners and hygiene habits to rites of punishment and courtly love--inevitably reflect and mould patterns of control generated by new political and social instututions. Elias' rejection of a dichotomy between individual and society, and his use of psychoanalysis, political theory, and social history, help restore a fullness of resource to sociology.

Have you ever asked yourself why the world won't come to rest? Why your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents had to die in wars that never should have occurred in the first place? Well, this book holds the answer... This book is of monumental importance for the people of the world today. Many know that something is not right in the world. Nations engage in perpetual war while bankers and armaments makers line their pockets from the carnage. The average citizen of the world has been cut out of the decision-making process of government, whether he lives in a democracy, republic, theocracy or dictatorship. All the while, the ruling elite grow stronger and richer, as the real producers struggle to survive. Behind the scenes, events are controlled by a coterie of ethnic puppet masters who work their marionettes in high places out of public view. How did this world get to the dark place it is today? Who could have stopped it and what can we do today? The book consists of four sections. The first section concerns Adolf Hitler, his character and intentions, and the real causes leading up to the outbreak of WWII, including the actions of the real culprits and the rejection of the great lie. The second section enlarges on the activities of the real culprits, provides a historical overview of their progress, their nature, their power over finance and the media, and the methods by which they achieved it. It includes insights into Freemasonry, the European revolutions, the influence and control of education and foreign policy, the creation of the EU, the New World Order and the evolution of the plan through the same powers and their proxies, since the 17th century up to the present. The third section concerns the First and Second World Wars (what the author refers to as "the Second Thirty Years War"), their conception, funding and inescapable continuity; current laws against freedom of expression, and the evolution of the Orwellian state; the importance of U.S. support for the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War, and Communism's significance in the plan; the true origins of the enemy; Palestine's occupation and its fate as an example of our common fate; plus much more. The fourth section identifies the true origins of the enemy, and Palestine's occupation and its fate as examples of our common fate. The text is interspersed with "Memos from Today," that emphasize its relevance by citing current events. Hundreds of quotes are included from a wide range of authoritative sources, original and translated. The last pages of this manuscript comprise conclusions and predictions. The narrative is dense and packed with facts, and backed by expert testimony. At times, the style is personal, even casual, and absolutely non-intellectual. It has been assumed that a personal touch makes the contents more accessible. The author is the son of the great American-born violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who, though from a long line of rabbinical ancestors, fiercely criticized the foreign policy of the state of Israel and its repression of the Palestinians in the Holy Land. Menuhin says: "I am simply Humanity's spokesperson, a representative of our true rights. I have voiced in this book what many feel and a few know, but haven't been able to express." Read it. Think about it. Pass it on. Buy more copies. This is a book that can make a difference. 3rd, slightly corrected edition of 2017.