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Archive for the ‘Religion & Spirituality’ Category

This brief, inexpensive text helps the reader to think critically, using examples from the weird claims and beliefs that abound in our culture to demonstrate the sound evaluation of any claim. The authors focus on types of logical arguments and proofs, making How to Think about Weird Things a versatile supplement for logic, critical thinking, philosophy of science, or any other science appreciation courses.

The ideas presented in this book are clear, concise, well thought-out, and well-researched. In addition, the writing style keeps the reader interested, with relevant quotes, articles, and true stories, to provide examples of the concepts covered in the book.

If you are a lover of wisdom, learning, and/or knowledge; are open to the idea of questioning, or are looking for a clear and logical foundation upon which to base your life’s philosophy, this book is an excellent tool in your pursuits. Critical thinking is not a prepackaged belief system; it is a system for analyzing claims and making rational, reasonable, and logic decisions about your philosophy, your ethical code, and your belief-system. In that capacity, this book serves as a wonderful introduction and resource.

The electrifying holographic cover of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Prepare to be Shocked gives a tantalizing taste of the bizarre and amazing facts and pictures to be found throughout the latest book in Ripley’s multi-million-selling series. Among the crazy stories featured is the Electric Man who can power light bulbs and fry fish in his bare hands, a jet-powered bar stool, a man with bright blue skin, and cats that glow in the dark!

Seventeen chapters–ranging from Epic Endeavors and Fun Festivals to Fantastic Food and Startling Art–cover an ever-widening group of subjects and stories around which the book is based. Intriguing interviews with astounding individuals spotlight their achievements and reveal more about what makes them tick. Informative `Ripley’s Research’ boxes give the scientific explanation behind some of the most incredible tales in the book, such as why cats are sometimes born with wings, how someone can swallow live snakes, and how snow donuts are actually formed. In addition, miscellaneous lists and other text features are scattered throughout, including a list of competitive eating achievements and a recipe for deep-fried scorpions. And double-page features, entitled `Enter the Vault,’ showcase the best of the Ripley archive of black and white photographs of unbelievable people, places, and creatures of the past.

Every page will make you gasp with astonishment at the truly unbelievable tales that make up the wonderful world of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

From Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman, the authors of the bestselling Weird U.S. series, comes something a little different, designed to send shivers down the spine: a book on America’s scariest haunted places. Some of these spirit-filled spots are well known and open to the public, while others are private residences that will have to remain intriguing from a distance: No visits allowed! The stories include firsthand tales that have a powerful “creepiness factor” and believability. The various sites include haunted houses, ghostly graveyards, cursed roads, eerie eateries, spirited saloons, and more. But be warned: This collection of true tales set in actual locations is so chilling that you may not want to read this alone at night!

In this book, the authors of Weird U.S. have compiled with the help of Joanne Austin a collection of ghostly tales having to do with haunted houses, spooky roads, historic buildings, graveyards, hostels, restaurants, saloons, schools, institutions etc. Not only are the stories well-written, but there are actual photographs, and also pictures added for creepy effect throughout the book. It makes not only for an interesting read for anyone interested in supernatual phenomena, but serves to enlighten us as to some of the creepy places in the US!

Few can talk with more personal authority about the range of human beliefs than Michael Shermer. At various times in the past, Shermer has believed in fundamentalist Christianity, alien abductions, Ayn Rand, megavitamin therapy, and deep-tissue massage. Now he believes in skepticism, and his motto is “Cognite tute–think for yourself.” This updated edition of Why People Believe Weird Things covers Holocaust denial and creationism in considerable detail, and has chapters on abductions, Satanism, Afrocentrism, near-death experiences, Randian positivism, and psychics. Shermer has five basic answers to the implied question in his title: for consolation, for immediate gratification, for simplicity, for moral meaning, and because hope springs eternal. He shows the kinds of errors in thinking that lead people to believe weird (that is, unsubstantiated) things, especially the built-in human need to see patterns, even where there is no pattern to be seen. Throughout, Shermer emphasizes that skepticism (in his sense) does not need to be cynicism: “Rationality tied to moral decency is the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known.” –Mary Ellen Curtin –This text refers to the Paperback edition.

YA?Dedicated to Carl Sagan, with a foreword by Stephen Jay Gould, this book by the publisher of Skeptic magazine and the Director of the Skeptics Lecture Series at California Institute of Technology, has the pedigree to be accepted as a work of scholarly value. Fortunately, it is also readable, interesting, and well indexed and provides an extensive bibliography. The author discusses such topics of current interest as alien abduction, near-death experiences, psychics, recovered memories, and denial of the Holocaust. Never patronizing to his opponents, Shermer explains why people may truly believe that they were held by aliens (he had a similar experience himself) or have recovered a memory of childhood satanic-ritual abuse. He clearly explains, often with pictures, tables, or graphs, the fallacy of such beliefs in terms of scientific reasoning. While teens may find the first section of the book about “Science and Skepticism” a bit too philosophical and ponderous, the rest of it will surely captivate them. Read cover to cover or by section, or used as a reference tool, this book is highly recommended for young adults.?Carol DeAngelo, Garcia Consulting Inc., EPA Headquarters, Washington, DC

Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.