Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Consciousness    4. General    5. Neuroscience    6. Neurosciences    7. Psychology    8. Religion    9. Religion - World Religions    10. Religious aspects    11. physiology    12. Religion & Beliefs    13. Religion / General    14. Religion: general   

Reviews (5)

Very frustrating
I am a first year Ph.D. student, and I find this book quite frustrating to read. The reading drags on and on, and I can't really remember what I read. The examples in the book are somewhat helpful, but they do not seem to fully explain the concepts very well. I hope the next edition will have a more comprehensive explanations for the concepts in the book.

Cram101 should be Scam101
This book consists entirely of glossary entries on the even pages and blank note pages as the odd pages. The glossary entries appear to have been automatically computer-generated for the big words in the text, as the definitions tend to be standard dictionary definitions without consideration of any of the rich context of the Shadish et al. textbook. Many of the glossary terms are medical terms such as clinical depression, chemotherapy, spinal cord, phenylketonuria, etc., which demonstrates the mindless compilation of this outline.

Very informative.......
but very boring too!Actually, that's not completely true, it's just the first few chapters that are excruciatingly boring, but once you get past all the introductory material, it's quite informative.I'm reading this right now for my graduate course in experimental design, so I most likely found the first few chapters as boring as I did because I already knew the stuff.Although some pictures would be nice, and I'm talking about more than just the illustrations that they use to...uh... "illustrate" different experimental designs, it's nice that there's not a bunch of fluff to sort through looking for the information that is actually important.It's a well written and pretty easy to comprehend must have for those of in the wacky world of experimental studies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    2. Epistemology    3. Experimental Psychology    4. General    5. Psychology    6. Probability & statistics    7. Science: General Issues   

Editorial Review

A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from the pages of the Read more

Reviews (117)

"Gone, gone, gone far beyond, enlightenment."
ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND is the most easily accessible guide to Zen practice, and is usually the first book that new practitioners and the Zen-curious approach after reading the more general "What's Zen Anyway?"-type books. Thus, it has developed an almost canonical reputation. Shunryu Suzuki (1905-1971) spent only a few years in America, was less than fluent in English, and taught in a way that was both simple and yet profound. With his easy intensity, Suzuki had a seminal role in establishing Zen as a viable spiritual practice in the United States and beyond.
This is the one that finally did it
This is the book that finally told me what enlightenment really IS--its something, but at the same time nothing.In addition, it tells you the no BS way to actualize it in your daily life.Just get it and see what happens, you will not be disappointed.If you are dissappointed with it, your cup is too full, poor some out and try again.

Thank you for this book
Thank you for your kindness. It's been a part of the years themselves. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. General    3. Meditation    4. New Age    5. Philosophy    6. Zen Buddhism    7. Religion / Buddhism   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - General    4. Business/Economics    5. Critical thinking    6. Management - General    7. Management Science    8. Personal Growth - Success    9. Logic    10. Organizational theory & behaviour    11. Self-Help / General   

Editorial Review

In a modern society characterized by insensitivity to violence, ambivalence to the suffering of others, and a high-octane profit motive, is talk of ethics anything more than a temporary salve for our collective conscience? The Dalai Lama thinks so. In his Read more

Reviews (80)

Said the Buddhist to the hot dog vendor, "Make me one with everything!"
Very few religious leaders speak deeply about ethics in a manner that allows people to think deeply as a result. Too many religious leaders are authoritarian in their edicts about morality or lax because gaining converts and their money is foremost on their minds. (Yeah, I'm a little cynical.)
He knows what he's talking about...take notes and learn
The Dalai Lama considers the state of the world in relation to ethics with a fine-toothed comb. (I am currently borrowing "Ethics for the New Millennium" as an abridged audiobook from my local library. This is a tape I will repeatly listen to until its due date...)The Dalai Lama is such a sweetheart! I love how he perceives the world, suggests solutions and alternatives to global and ethical dilemnas, and remains optimistic about the future. He believes that we are a people who want to be happy while avoiding suffering.He acknowleges that we do have a dark side that we must keep in check and subdue; but to counter this dark side, the Dalai Lama believes that people are mostly gentle by nature and can return to that natural state with discipline and guidance. We deviate from our better nature when we try to find happiness the wrong way or in the wrong things, and thereby only feel transitory illusions of happiness that may cause harm to others.As a pop song claims, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look in the mirror and then make a change...I'm looking at the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways...etc."The Dalai Lama is definitely in favor of the need for personal growth and an inner revolution for everyone.
A Simple and Comprehensive Study on Ethics
There are few books that I've read that have captured my interest so much as to inspire me to read them twice. This is one of those books. It is not a book about Buddhism. It is not a book about religion. Yet I am confident that most people will find the core values of their faith in these pages. "Ethics" is a book about morality. It teaches the reader how we benefit individually from living our lives in an ethical manner as well as how society as a whole benefits. And it describes how society suffers, and we suffer, when our actions are immoral and self-serving.
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Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Tibetan    2. Buddhist ethics    3. Ethics    4. Inspiration & Personal Growth    5. Religion    6. Religion - World Religions    7. Spirituality - General    8. Religion / Spirituality   

Reviews (2)

Limited usefulness for most people
Wallace is a highly advanced practictioner of meditation. As such he is uniquely qualified to give a guided tour of the stages of achieving focused awareness, shamatha. Meditation, he convincingly argues, can be an effective antidote for problems like ADHD and the hectic, scattered lifestyle of the 21st century. His insights are precious and his intellectual and academic prowess shine through in his writing.
concise yet vast
This slim volume could easily be the basis for weeks or months of retreat practice! Dr. Wallace distills decades of personal experience and wide-ranging scholarship into the most useful guide to meditative concentration I have found. An extremely useful and timely book, and if you ever get the chance to study with him in person, don't miss it!
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Subjects:  1. Attention    2. Buddhism    3. Buddhism - General    4. Psychology    5. Religious aspects    6. Self-Help    7. Stress Management    8. âSamatha (Buddhism)    9. Coping with personal problems    10. Self-Help / Stress Management   

Reviews (3)

Quantum Theory for Everyone
Quantum mechanics is one of the most tested and verified theories of modern physics.However, there are several parts of quantum mechanics that can only be described as bizarre.Of course the physicists discuss and argue the implications of the strange behavior of the quantum world but very few average people fully understand the problems.In Quantum Enigma the authors explain the history of quantum mechanics, how it was developed over the years, and why it is both the most cohesive theory of modern physics and at the same time the most controversial in its application.What makes their book exceptional is how easy it is to understand.Using simple language they are masters at taking a complex subject and explaining it in a way that anyone can understand.Quantum Enigma is highly recommended to anyone who wants to understand the basics of quantum mechanics including the various problems that come along with it.

Stimulate your intellect without frying your brain
For a long time, I've been felt a bit guilty because I don't understand quantum mechanics and soon feel dizzy after a short foray into the Theory of Relativity. To my delight, I discovered early in this book that even Albert Einstein didn't readily understand this stuff. Hmm. Score one for these authors.
A Fascinating Inquiry Into An Enigma Of A "Mysterious World"
First, I want assure readers who are not physicists, and even those who are not science-enabled, that they have nothing to fear in reading "Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness." The book is written for the ordinary literate reader and no understanding of physics or general science is assumed by the authors (both physicists). And it is a fascinating read!
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Subjects:  1. Philosophy    2. Physics    3. Quantum Theory    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Atomic & molecular physics    7. History of science    8. Physics | Quantum Physics    9. Quantum physics (quantum mechanics)    10. Science / Physics    11. Thermodynamics & statistical physics   

Reviews (20)

Bestbook on Yoga you will find
If you are looking to find out more of what Yoga is really about, not just the poses, which are a very small part of Yoga, then buy and read this book.This book gives you the background of Yoga, how to find a teacher and the basics of creating a practice among other things.The sutras are also included.The writer, TKV Desikachar, is the son of T Krishnamacharya who revitalized Yoga for the world and brought it to all people, women as well, as it was traditionally taught only to men.Krishnamacharya was the teacher of BKS Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois, both who left in their twenties and teach Yoga for young people to all.Krishnamacharya modified Yoga for the individual up to his death at the age of 100 in 1989 and his son, TKV Desikachar, the author, is his only student to learn from him up to his death.Come find out what Yoga is really about and all the tools available to you as a student or teacher!

The heart of yoga
Excellent for beginners who are looking into yoga and would like to understand more about yoga.
Excellent all around yoga resource
I own a lot of books on yoga and this is one of my favorite introductions.What makes it particularly valuable is that it explains how to construct a practice.This allows the reader to intelligently use other resources and link his or her yoga practice to overaching physical, psychological and spiritual principles.
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Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Hatha yoga    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Yoga    6. Health & Fitness / Yoga    7. Oriental & Indian philosophy    8. Yoga for exercise   

Reviews (1)

A Good Introduction
This book combines readability with good content, being one of the most often selected introductions to logic and critical thinking on the university level, it obviously holds a great deal of merit. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Critical thinking    2. Criticism    3. Logic    4. Philosophy    5. Philosophy / Criticism   

Reviews (4)

The Old-Soldier of Art History Texts never dies (unfortunately). . . .
Gardners' has long been regarded as the rather stuffy "bible" of art history texts, mainly because of its commercial longevity (it's been around since the 1930s). Recent editions have suffered under recent editorship. The addition of tiresome "clever" subtitles, coupled with the creeping-in of a new shallower "touchy-feelie" approach to the exegesis of the artworks--no doubt intended to perk-up this withering old warhorse--are sad things to behold. Readers are well-advised to select instead the far superior ART HISTORY by MARILYN STOKSTAD. It is everything Gardners' used to be...and more.

quick
got the book, in good condition by the date i was supposed to recieve it.hassle free.

Beautiful book, but poorly edited
This is lushly detailed book with fine reproductions.However, I found the book to be full of editorial errors and blunders.Why should consumers be asked to pay one-hundred dollars for a book that is this poorly edited?Profits should go towards finding new editorial help.Let's hope the new edition finds someone in charge that is more organized and observant. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. General    4. History    5. Subjects & Themes - General    6. Art / General    7. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Reviews (4)

High quality, sensitive 4.5* -- recommended
A commentary on Shantideva's 8th c. classic from transcripts of Pema's teachings at Gonpo Abbey in Nova Scotia (she's resident teacher), using the Padmakara translation, verbal advice from Trungpa Rinpoche, & Dzigar Kongtrul, & prior commentaries (e.g. the Dalai Lama's "Transcendent Wisdom" & Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's "Meaningful to Behold").The text is a guidebook for compassionate action (i.e. how to be a bodhisattva); the commentary is interspersed with groups of stanzas.The book has a Western orientation & a friendly, down-to-earth tone, making it "accessible even to people who know nothing of Buddhist teachings."Interestingly, Thubten Chodron has written two books bearing titles of two chapters ("Working with Anger" & "Taming the Mind").All three are psychologically astute per Pema's prior works (e.g. "Start Where You Are" addressing lojong mind control).Her commentary is especially helpful both with cryptic passages & in explicating text in terms relevant & understandable to modern, Western readers.I have effectively utilized the section on anger.Pema's advice is practical & relevant: pp. 91-2: "Treat our crippling emotions like drug pushers.If we don't want to stay addicted for life, we have to see that our negative emotions weaken us & cause us harm.It is just as difficult to detox from emotions as it is to recover from heavy drugs or alcohol." p. 165: "Trungpa R. used to say, when something like anger arises, we should regard it as `not me.' Just think of it as a little bug trying to land on you; if your mind remains open & free of bias, the bug has nowhere to light...Anger is not `me,' it's just dynamic energy.If we don't identify with it, that energy remains unfixated & free.If it freezes into `want' & `don't want,' however...it will cause us...to suffer."
No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva
Buddhism has always struck me as a fine balance between high ideals and common sense. The former gives us something to aim for, whereas the latter delivers practical advice to lead us out of our suffering. In Pema Chodron's latest book, No Time to Lose, the American Buddhist nun provides both by offering her commentary on The Way of the Boddhisattva, an eighth-century Buddhist poem by the upstart monk Shantideva, who presented it to his fellow monks before wandering away from the university.
an invaluable help
Pema Chodron is a great teacher because she always positions herself firmly in place as a learner. This book of hers is no exception, and ends up rewarding both her message and her readers with simplicity, clarity, and profound usefulness. Pema's commentary on Shantideva's mystical poem The Way of the Boddhisattva is measured and fulfilling, and her visceral understanding of the majesty of bodhichitta is alive and free on every page. Leave it to a teacher of this depth and understanding to make an 8th century mystical treatise address with intense awareness the commonplace realities of daily life. There is so much wealth for the serious practictioner contained in this book, it's tough to single out individual segments for praise; but the long middle section on Patience is especially attentive, and often piercing to the point of sublime beauty, and the segments Using Our Intelligence and Taming the Mind are wisdom overflowing. Reading this book, one easily discerns the joy of sitting at the feet of this master at Gampo Abbey and finding oneself whole time and again. "May the blind receive their sight, and the deaf begin to hear ... May the naked now be clothed, and the hungry eat their fill."Thank you, Pema, for revealing to us the path of fearlessness and love. This is food for life. Supreme recommendation, no reservations. And the book has a beautiful little appendix with a study guide that turns out to be one of its most useful attributes! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 7th cent    2. 7th cent.    3. Bodhicaryavatara    4. Bodhicaryåavatåara    5. Buddhism    6. Buddhism - General    7. Doctrines    8. Mahayana Buddhism    9. Religion    10. Religion - World Religions    11. Santideva,    12. âSåantideva,    13. Religion / Buddhism    14. Tibetan Buddhism   

Reviews (4)

Textbook Review: Ethics: Theory and Practice
This was purchased as a new book and Research Navigator is suppose to be FREE when packaged with Prentice Hall textbook.I didn't receive a code to use this resource.I called Prenhall and they said I would have to purchase this resource since I didnt receive it with the book.Not sure who was at fault.
It's a Text Book
It was very helpful to complete my assignments.Plus with an online class you have to really have the book or you'll be lost.Great information in the book that helped me understand Ethics better.

Best Intro Ethics Book I've Seen
This book was required for my ethics class.I was dreading this class, but after beginning this book, I found myself interested not only in the subject matter, but also in the ideas presented by the author.The 8th edition has been updated to include new sections on stem cell research and terorism in the wake of September 11th.As long as one can read this book with an open mind, they will find it enlightning and interesting.Compared to other ethics readings, this book is a joy to read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethical problems    2. Ethics    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Ethics (General)    5. Philosophy    6. Philosophy / General   

Editorial Review

If you'd like to read about meditation and then go back to your regular life, don't get this book. Henepola Gunaratana, a monk from Sri Lanka and venerated teacher of Buddhism, warns us that vipassana meditation is "meant to revolutionize the whole of your life experience." In one of the best nuts-and-bolts meditation manuals, he lays out the fundamentals of basic Buddhist meditation, the how, what, where, when, and why, including common problems and how to deal with them. His 52 years as a Buddhist monk make Read more

Reviews (59)

Just what it says
This is the next best thing to a meditation teacher. The book is a manual and trouble shooting guide to shamatha/vipassana meditation.A simple and powerful technique which has gradually and profoundly changed my life for the better.If you do not have access to a meditation instructor, or don't want to, get this simple and clear instruction manual.

A Life-Changing Book that you will read over and over and give to anyone you care about
I've read this book along with his subsequent book, Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, multiple times and consult parts of both on regularly.
Great 1st Meditation Book
I loved this book after reading great reviews of it. I'd just like to add that it's a great one for giving to friends who are interested in learning about meditation but have no idea where to begin. I gave a copy of this away after a couple I knew both responded positively to it after reading the first few chapters. It's the first book I want to read again to get back to having a daily practice. Meditation is work, but this book addresses the hurdles and pitfalls well and will help you get the ball rolling. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Meditation    4. Religion    5. Religion - Church History    6. Vipasyana (Buddhism)    7. Vipaâsyanåa (Buddhism)    8. Body, Mind & Spirit / Meditation    9. Mind, Body, Spirit   

Editorial Review

Among his many gifts, Joseph Campbell's most impressive was the unique ability to take a contemporary situation, such as the murder and funeral of President John F. Kennedy, and help us understand its impact in the context of ancient mythology. Herein lies the power of Read more

Reviews (104)

What a Wonderful Book
Joseph Campbell knows his subject, mythology and religious stories, so well that you can tell it has become instinctual for him to tie all the world's imagery and symbology together in a way that connects human beings in a truly transcendent way. This book clarifies how similar we all really are, at the core of our beings, despite where we live and in what millenia we are living in. So full of rich, thought-provoking conversation, I would recommend this to everyone, from young to old. It is just an awesome book that makes you fall in love with humans and human nature -- bad and good alike.

Brilliant
Both Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyer create a must read from their historic interview.This book has become my blueprint.

A book that seems to make religious nuts bitter.
Well versed and thought out, this book stands out and has been used in many of todays religion studies.Though some of his points can be perceived as "stretched", he is still a scholar in his field.It seems that the people that often criticize him and his works have little to no experience or education on the subject at hand and do it solely on the fact that it sometimes criticizes the monotony of modern and ancient religion.I recommend this book to everyone. Read the book and make your own educated determination. It could open your eyes and your mind.Or you can close your mind, avoid the book, and start a "crusade" against the author for speaking his opinion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1904-    2. Anthropology - Cultural    3. Campbell, Joseph,    4. Comparative Religion    5. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    6. General    7. Interviews    8. Myth    9. Philosophy    10. Religion    11. Religion historians    12. Religious    13. Sociology    14. Sociology of Religion    15. United States    16. Campbell, Joseph    17. Myths & mythology    18. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (81)

Reading & Research: A Life-Long Love
Upon looking at the title, "How to Read a Book", the educated reader might think this book is not for them. They would be dead wrong.
How I read a book . . .
Here's some FREE advice, so you won't have to blow any money on Adler's condescension.For example, when it comes to a textbook, I read all of the introductory material unless it's polluted with cross-promotion of supplemental materials.I do a brisk overview of each chapter (read intro, chapter headings, summary) before studying the bulk of the text.Fiction is subject to taste--I invest more energy in reputed classics, read mysteries or horror for sheer pleasure, but then ignore vast quantities of everything else (unless it's foreign), because the fiction market in the U.S. is hopelessly self-indulgent and meaningless, and life is too short.But quality fiction and nonfiction I generally treat with respect.I tend to read the blurbs and survey the contents, but skip any introductory material (unless there's an author's preface) until I've read the entire text.I keep a journal for what I consider to be significant points, to note misunderstood passages, or to write out paraphrased definitions of any words I don't understand or otherwise wonder at the contextual use of.I always keep a Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary at my side.After I've finished the core text, I might go to my Columbia Encyclopedia and read some related articles on the author or subject matter.Finally I read the introductory material, usually a critical survey by another author.If it's published by Penguin or the like, it's high quality analysis.I consider that depth of treatment as much as I ever need to know about a stranger who wrote a book.When you consider how unstable people are in general, it seems foolish to become too fiercely attached to or analytical of an author's great ideas.Spend a week in their home with their bad habits and questionable cooking and/or housekeeping and I guarantee you would probably quit caring about most any point of view they held dear.The world of ideas is unstable as well.Don't get too bogged down in the past--those that remember it are condemned to remember it.Read widely and often and you will be just fine.Hey now, that didn't even cost you a penny.

Some People are being Too Hard on This Book- It's a Very Useful Book
I read this book in HS, many years ago, having discovered it on my own. It was very helpful. It made me realize that it was OK to re-read texts,and that I wasn't mentally slow, if I didn't get all the meaning on my first reading. It gave me an overview of reading, and was much superior to what I was getting in HS English classes, which focused only on grammar.
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Subjects:  1. Best books    2. Books & Reading    3. Books and reading    4. General    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Reading    7. Reference    8. Philosophy / General   

Reviews (5)

Truly magnificent...
As usual I found myself wondering around the science section of a local bookstore. I tried to convince myself that I should finish reading one of the seven books by my bed before spending anymore of my, rent, money. After browsing the covers of numerous books, I was just `looking', one caught my eye. A very visible font read: "Richard Dawkins". I picked it up assuming, wrongly so, that this was Dawkins biography. I usually have a habit of reading the preface of the book I have my eye on, this time I went straight to the register. I started reading the book in the car when I walked out of the bookstore. Two days after, of non-stop reading, I have just put it down.
Not just a cheering section
If Darwin's revelation of natural selection is "the best idea anyone, any where, ever had", then Richard Dawkins' identification of the "selfish gene" must run a close second.While Darwin's concept explained the workings of life, Dawkins' insight disclosed the mechanism of natural selection.The 1976 publication of "The Selfish Gene" not only stimulated a fresh wave of thinking among biologists, it also stirred public interest and imagination.If life was under the thrall of those strings of chemicals in our cells, how far did that influence reach?In this set of excellent essays on the issues, Dawkins ideas and their impact are presented and discussed.The fruit of his insights are bittersweet, and while most of these writings applaud his probity and communication skills, there is the tang of doubt about some of them.
Reflections on a major biological thinker of our time
The subtitle of this book, "how a scientist changed the way we think", is entirely justified: Richard Dawkins really did. Even people who thought they understood evolutionary theory quite well found that they had to rethink it all when The Selfish Gene appeared 30 years ago. Not all biologists agreed with his message, of course, Stephen J. Gould and Richard Lewontin being well known as opponents, but many of them did, and even when they did not agree with everything they still agreed with a great deal. Patrick Bateson provides one of the most interesting contributions to this book, in which he explains that he continues to disagree with Dawkins about some details, but he says, rightly, that "those who hope for bloody gladiatorial contests are disappointed when they discover that the circles of our interests and beliefs overlap much more extensively than they had believed".
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Subjects:  1. 1941-    2. Dawkins, Richard,    3. Essays    4. Influence    5. Life Sciences - Biology - General    6. Philosophy & Social Aspects    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Scientists - General    10. Biography: general    11. History of science    12. Life Sciences | Evolutionary Biology    13. Science / Biology   

Reviews (19)

This might be the best happiness book
I have written three happiness books in Finnish. Thus I know how hard it is to write something which is not too simple or too difficult. There are many books that promise too much, but this is not one of them. What I especially like is the tight story. Everything hangs nicely together. I am able to compare the books written by academic psychologists, because I have all the major happiness books. This is really on top. It covers the major areas, is very well written and does not promise too much. I want to warn you about the books whose title is something like "Happiness now" or "How to be happy". It is extremely difficult to raise your happiness level.

Combining Ancient Wisdom with Modern Psychology to extract Happiness
+++++