A History of Philosophy in America, 1720-2000
There has been a lot of philosophy produced in America and that philosophy has been heavily influenced by the unique character of American religion and the American position in the world. This is the story told by Bruce Kuklick, Nichols Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, in his recent book A History of Philosophy in America. For the first time, you can read about the full scope of American philosophy from its earliest days through the dawn of the 21st century.
Key to understanding early American philosophy, and thus the whole course of American philosophy, is the parish ministries of New England where various forms of Calvinism held sway.
Will Melting Ice Flood the Land?
The Origins of Water on Earth
Running Out of Fish
Where Storms Are Born
The Oceans and Weather
Life in the Ocean ...
and more
For pure theatrics and spectacle, Hollywood celebrities have nothing on the denizens of the heavens. Stars are born, live and die in fiery and fascinating ways - ways that we have only recently been able to study in greater detail, like so many swarming paparazzi, using the long-range lenses created by improved techniques and new, sharper observatories.
In this special edition from
Scientific American, we invite you to forget about everyday life to spend some time with the stars. In the pages that follow, you'll find the latest gossip on the glitterati, written by the astronomer shutterbugs themselves. -
The Editors
The art of war, according to Sun Tzu's 2,000-year-old text of the
same name, is largely a matter of strategy, but the science of war
begins squarely with weapons. Physics and engineering - and more often
today, chemistry and biology - drive the creation of new military tools,
from smart bombs and stealth aircraft to nerve gases and plastic
explosives.
In the Weapons issue, scientists share their expertise on one terror
of the ancient battlefield, the trebuchet, as well as several
modern-day scourges, including land mines, third world submarines and
biological arms. Additional articles feature in-depth research by staff
editors on more futuristic threats - in the form of swift subsea systems
and so-called non-lethal weapons.
- the Editors
Are we alone in the universe? It’s a question that every school kid has probably asked at some time - and scientists in particular want an answer. In this special online issue, Scientific American authors review the evidence for and against the existence of ETs. In Where Are They?, Ian Crawford ponders what it means that all of our surveys so far have come up empty handed. In Is There Life Elsewhere in the Universe?, Jill C. Tarter, director of research for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, and her colleague Christopher F. Chyba assert that the search has only just begun. Other articles examine the cases to be made for relic life on Mars and other bodies in our solar system, as well as the plans to launch a new space telescope for spying on distant worlds. Buy the issue, read the articles and, the next time you gaze up at the night sky, make up your own mind. -
the Editors
