Dialogue as a Means of Collective Communication offers a cross-disciplinary approach to examining dialogue as a communicative medium. Presented in five parts, the book takes the reader on a journey of exploring the power and potential of dialogue as a means for communication. In particular, this volume comes at a time when the global society's attention has been directed to creating more productive conversations in the name of world peace and harmony. It provides a unique new work on dialogue that brings the reader into a "dialogue with dialogue", offering an opportunity to understand the communicative potential of dialogue.
In the book, readers are introduced to five sections: Section I examines the historical and cultural perspectives of conversation. This examination helps to create a foundation for a deeper study of the emergent and salient aspects of conversation as it relates to cultural creativity and human systems design. Sections II offers the reader an examination of dialogue through different philosophical and theoretical perspectives as well as methodological ideas related to conversation. Section III explores different modalities of conversation and the application of design conversation within and across various types of design settings and human experiences. Section IV examines the field of practice as related to use of different forms of conversation. Here various authors will share their different approaches to conversation and their reflections and insights in using conversation in a variety of settings. Concluding the book, Section V reflectively examines the authors' contributions to the book and provides the reader with a focus on the future.
Lincoln, a high energy physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), has an infectious love for physics. He also occasionally demonstrates a humorous writing style that successfully engages the reader. On the whole, however, his efforts to explain the basics of quantum physics to the lay reader do not succeed because the material he covers is often too complex to be presented in such a superficial manner, despite the book's 600-plus pages.
'Philosophy for Linguists: An Introduction' is an informative, easy-to-read introduction to linguistics within the sphere of philosophy. From Plato, through Frege and Russell, past Tarski and Davidson, addressing Austin, Ryle and Grice as well as taking time out to consider Whorf, Sapir, Saussure and Chomsky (amongst many others), Siobhan Chapman's book is a deceptive gem for the philosophy of language student or "interested reader" in the subject. It's deceptive because it's a sweet, modest but, above all, informative book (not quite what one would expect from a "philosophy of language" book) and manages to condense potentially hundreds of pages into a short, persuasive read. Unlike other publications, the information provided seeks not to elevate itself above its reader (thus confusing and confounding him or her with multi-syllable words only a lexicographer would be familiar with) but instead revels in being the reader's companion, explaining numerous concepts and ideas within five clearly-defined chapters (Words and things, Propositions and logic, Truth and reality, Speakers and hearers, Language and mind). The style and presentation of each of the chapters is non-threatening and easily accessible and even the involvement of arguably irrelevant and unrelated data, in the form of biographical information (for example did you know that Wittgenstein spent part of his time as a teacher and gardener?) is a welcome addition.
