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Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) made important contributions to mathematics, the theory of probability, and several scientific fields, was one of the inventors of the first mathematical calculator, and was also a deeply religious thinker who grappled with issues concerning the existence of God, the possibility of human salvation, and the sinfulness of human life. His famous Wager is often discussed, but there is much else of interest and relevance in his thought which remains undiscovered. This book provides an accessible yet detailed account of Pascal's philosophy and how it applies to important issues facing all of us today, as well as novel interpretations of Pascal's ideas. It will stimulate and challenge anyone who is interested in the role of the heart in rationality, human nature, our relation to reality and our individual and collective purpose, and the underexplored thoughts of one of history's greatest geniuses.
Matthew Arnold praised Dryden's poetry for inaugurating an age of prose; what he might better have appreciated is Dryden's creation of modern prose itself. This is the only stand-alone edition of Dryden's prose available; it introduces and annotates texts that honour the orthography and accidentals of first and early editions, distilling earlier commentary and presenting fresh interpretations of his work. The clarity, nuance, and ease of Dryden's voice in prose distinguish his writing from the first pages of The Essay of Dramatick Poesie to the beautiful cadences of the Preface to Fables at the end of his career. Dryden's poetry and drama are widely available and appreciated, yet his prose has been difficult of access. That writing, its many pleasures, and its importance in creating the prose of the modern world are here restored to view for contemporary readers.
Now in its second edition, this Handbook is a current overview of Second Language (L2) research, providing state-of-the-art synopses of recent developments in each sub-area of the field, and bringing together contributions by emerging scholars and experts in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Since the first edition, broad socio-political movements, alternative views of bilingualism, emergence of global markets, vast expansion of electronic resources, the development of social media, and the availability of big data have transformed the discipline, and this edition has been thoroughly updated to address these changes. It is divided into six main parts: Part I situates SLA in terms of research and practice; Part II explores individual cognitive, age-related and neurolinguistic similarities and differences; Part III outlines external, sociocultural, and interactive factors; Part IV presents profiles of bilinguals who take differing paths of acquisition; Part V describes interlanguage properties; and Part VI comprises clear models of L2 development.
Gulliver's Travels is one of the landmarks of world literature. Gulliver's adventures with the tiny but spirited Lilliputians, the giant inhabitants of Brobdingnag, the flying island of Laputa, and the rational horses of Houyhnmhnmland have become globally famous for their satirical wit and visionary creativity. Early editions credited Gulliver himself as the author, and many readers believed him to be a real person. Later commentators have variously described the work as proto-science fiction, as inspired children's literature and as a forerunner of the modern novel. The editor's introduction to this celebratory anniversary edition contextualises Gulliver's Travels in Swift's life and work as a whole while exploring its rich and remarkable afterlife. All the original illustrations and maps are included, as are the frontispiece portraits. Generous annotation explains textual details which might now seem obscure, and appendices contain additional documents and images to enhance contemporary understanding and enjoyment.
This book offers a comprehensive introduction to Markov decision process and reinforcement learning fundamentals using common mathematical notation and language. Its goal is to provide a solid foundation that enables readers to engage meaningfully with these rapidly evolving fields. Topics covered include finite and infinite horizon models, partially observable models, value function approximation, simulation-based methods, Monte Carlo methods, and Q-learning. Rigorous mathematical concepts and algorithmic developments are supported by numerous worked examples. As an up-to-date successor to Martin L. Puterman's influential 1994 textbook, this volume assumes familiarity with probability, mathematical notation, and proof techniques. It is ideally suited for students, researchers, and professionals in operations research, computer science, engineering, and economics.
Now in its second edition, this handbook is a comprehensive and up-to-date resource that explores the applications of corpus-based research in linguistics. Since the first edition, corpus linguistics has evolved dramatically, and this edition has been fully updated to reflect these developments, with new chapters on emerging areas such as online language, legal discourse, and lexical complexity in learner language. Bringing together contributions from leading scholars, it critically evaluates methodologies, presents cutting-edge research, and includes empirical case studies that showcase corpus analysis in action. Each chapter surveys key studies, assesses methodological strengths and weaknesses, and highlights what corpus linguistics has uncovered about language variation and use. Covering topics ranging from phraseology to World Englishes, it serves as an essential reference for linguistics students, researchers, and educators. Whether you're new to corpus linguistics or an experienced scholar, this handbook provides valuable insights into the evolving role of corpora in linguistic research.
International Law is the definitive and authoritative text on the subject. It has long been established as a leading authority in the field, offering an unbeatable combination of clarity of expression and academic rigour, ensuring understanding and analysis in an engaging and authoritative style. Explaining the leading rules, practice and caselaw, this treatise retains and develops the detailed referencing which encourages and assists the reader in further study. The 10th edition has been updated to reflect the most recent developments in the field, offering expanded coverage of the law of outer space, the law of the sea, the International Court of Justice, and international humanitarian law. Additional material has also been added to sections on cyber operations and non-state actors. International Law is invaluable for students and for those occupied in private practice, governmental service and international organisations.
An impressively comprehensive textbook adopting a phenomenological approach to quantum physics. The chapters cover everything from basic definitions of key concepts to detailed discussions of the underlying theoretical framework, walking students step-by-step through the necessary mathematics and drawing clear connections between the theory and the most important modern research applications including quantum optics, fluids, nanophysics, entanglement, information, and relativity. With this book, students and researchers will have access to hundreds of real-world examples, exercises, and illustrations to support and expand their understanding. Instructors can tailor the content to suit the length and level of their course and will have access to an online solutions manual with fully worked solutions to all 300+ exercises in the book. Other online resources include Python simulations, additional exercises, and detailed appendices.
At a historical moment when democracy experiences a legitimation crisis, demands for 'community' and for a 'democracy of the common' have become central themes in political theory and philosophy on both sides of the Atlantic. Such appeals entail a critique, even a rejection, of liberal constitutional democracy as alienating and inauthentic, as not representing the interests of citizens. This book fundamentally questions the democratic potential of appeals to 'community' and 'the common.' The language of 'community' can be observed especially among conservative and neofascist public intellectuals of the New Right, but it also features surprisingly prominently among post-Marxist philosophers and political theorists of the New Left. Tracing 'community' and 'the common' in contemporary political thought and philosophy, this book argues that they represent a dangerous political romanticism and authoritarian drift incompatible with the normative demands and the emancipatory dimension of liberal constitutional democracy.
The development of artificial intelligence and machine learning is leading to a revolution in the way we think about economic decisions. The Economics of Language explores how the use of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) can transform the way we think about economic behaviour. It introduces the LENS framework (Linguistic content triggers Emotions and suggests Norms, which shape Strategy choice) and presents empirical evidence that LLMs can predict human behaviour in economic games more accurately than traditional outcome-based models. It draws on years of research to provide a step-by-step development of the theory, combining accessible examples with formal modelling. Offering a roadmap for future research at the intersection of economics, psychology, and AI, this book equips readers with tools to quantify the role of language in decision-making and redefines how we think about utility, rationality, and human choice.
What is language, really? Where did it come from, and how did we figure it out? How do babies go from babbling to full sentences? Why can some people juggle multiple languages, while others wrestle with one? How does language work, and what happens when it doesn't? With sharp insight and a sense of humor, Stollznow dives into the strange and endlessly fascinating world of language and the mind. From animal communication to AI, wild children to word slips, and first words to last, this book takes you deep into the science of psycholinguistics, where nothing is ever simple, and everything speaks volumes. Packed with pop culture, real-life cases, and eye-opening experiments, Beyond Words reveals how we learn, use, and lose language, and what it all says about being human. If you've ever fumbled for a word or feared forgetting your own name, this thoughtful, surprising book is for you.
In the aftermath of the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, everyday Americans took to social media to share stories of the challenges they'd faced trying to navigate the American health insurance system. Why did this event strike such a nerve with the American public? For a topic as central to the lives of Americans as health care, there is no book that examines the impact of coverage denial, whereby health insurers decide whether to cover health services that appear to be within the scope of a plan's benefits – not until now. In Coverage Denied, health policy professor Miranda Yaver offers a sobering account of the ways in which coverage denials damage patient health and exacerbate inequalities along income, education, and racial lines. Combining rich interview material with original survey data, Yaver draws critical attention to the tens of millions of medical claims denied by health insurers every year, shining a necessary light on our inequitable health care system.
Abul A'la Maududi (1903–1979) was arguably one of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the twentieth century, and a foundational Islamist thinker. This volume brings together a broad range of his important works for the first time, covering concerns such as anticolonialism, permissibility of violence, capitalism and gender roles, principles for an Islamic economy, innovation in legal frameworks as well as the limits of nationalist politics. Showcasing his writings across different genres, this volume includes influential early works such as his seminal Al Jihad fil Islam, Quranic exegesis and essays as well as later works on Islamic law. An extensive introduction situates Maududi's ideas within global anticolonial conversations as well as Islamic and South Asian debates on urgent contemporary political questions and highlights the conceptual innovations he carried out. Fresh translations allow readers to critically engage with Maududi's writings, capturing nuances and shifts in his ideas with greater clarity.