springer netherlands springer netherlands aug 2001 (92 Ergebnisse)

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Noise from cars, trains, and aeroplanes can be heard at large distances from the source. Accurate predictions of the loudness of the noise require accurate computations of sound propagation in the atmosphere. This book describes models that can be used for these computations. The models take into account complex effects of the atmosphere and the ground surface on sound waves, including the effects of wind and temperature distributions, atmospheric turbulence, irregular terrain, and noise barriers. The main text of the book focuses on physical effects in atmospheric acoustics. The effects are illustrated by many numerical examples. The main text requires a very limited mathematical background from the reader; detailed mathematical descriptions of the models, developed from the basic principles of acoustics, are presented in appendices. Models for moving media are compared with models that are based on the effective sound speed approach. Both two-dimensional models and three-dimensional models are presented. As meteorological effects play an important role in atmospheric acoustics, selected topics from boundary layer meteorology and the theory of turbulence are also presented.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 348 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -An up-to-date report on the current status of important research topics in algebraic geometry and its applications, such as computational algebra and geometry, singularity theory algorithms, numerical solutions of polynomial systems, coding theory, communication networks, and computer vision. Contributions on more fundamental aspects of algebraic geometry include expositions related to counting points on varieties over finite fields, Mori theory, linear systems, Abelian varieties, vector bundles on singular curves, degenerations of surfaces, and mirror symmetry of Calabi-Yau manifolds.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 356 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -An up-to-date report on the current status of important research topics in algebraic geometry and its applications, such as computational algebra and geometry, singularity theory algorithms, numerical solutions of polynomial systems, coding theory, communication networks, and computer vision. Contributions on more fundamental aspects of algebraic geometry include expositions related to counting points on varieties over finite fields, Mori theory, linear systems, Abelian varieties, vector bundles on singular curves, degenerations of surfaces, and mirror symmetry of Calabi-Yau manifolds.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 356 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Gauss diagram invariants are isotopy invariants of oriented knots in- manifolds which are the product of a (not necessarily orientable) surface with an oriented line. The invariants are defined in a combinatorial way using knot diagrams, and they take values in free abelian groups generated by the first homology group of the surface or by the set of free homotopy classes of loops in the surface. There are three main results: 1. The construction of invariants of finite type for arbitrary knots in non orientable 3-manifolds. These invariants can distinguish homotopic knots with homeomorphic complements. 2. Specific invariants of degree 3 for knots in the solid torus. These invariants cannot be generalized for knots in handlebodies of higher genus, in contrast to invariants coming from the theory of skein modules. 2 3. We introduce a special class of knots called global knots, in F x lR and we construct new isotopy invariants, called T-invariants, for global knots. Some T-invariants (but not all !) are of finite type but they cannot be extracted from the generalized Kontsevich integral, which is consequently not the universal invariant of finite type for the restricted class of global knots. We prove that T-invariants separate all global knots of a certain type. 3 As a corollary we prove that certain links in 5 are not invertible without making any use of the link group! Introduction and announcement This work is an introduction into the world of Gauss diagram invariants.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 436 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Conklin's thesis is that the tradition of modern legal positivism, beginning with Thomas Hobbes, postulated different senses of the invisible as the authorising origin of humanly posited laws. Conklin re-reads the tradition by privileging how the canons share a particular understanding of legal language as written. Leading philosophers who have espoused the tenets of the tradition have assumed that legal language is written and that the authorising origin of humanly posited rules/norms is inaccessible to the written legal language. Conklin's re-reading of the tradition teases out how each of these leading philosophers has postulated that the authorising origin of humanly posited laws is an unanalysable externality to the written language of the legal structure. As such, the authorising origin of posited rules/norms is inaccessible or invisible to their written language.What is this authorising origin Different forms include an originary author, an a priori concept, and an immediacy of bonding between person and laws. In each case the origin is unwritten in the sense of being inaccessible to the authoritative texts written by the officials of civil institutions of the sovereign state.Conklin sets his thesis in the context of the legal theory of the polis and the pre-polis of Greek tribes. The author claims that the problem is that the tradition of legal positivism of a modern sovereign state excises the experiential, or bodily, meanings from the written language of the posited rules/norms, thereby forgetting the very pre-legal authorising origin of the posited norms that each philosopher admits as offering the finality that legal reasoning demands if it is to be authoritative.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 368 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Andrew Thompson, Norman J. Temple We humans are an extraordinary species. One of our finest achievements is the development of morality, of a sense of right and wrong. We articulate and then impose this sensitivity upon ourselves in the form of ethical guidelines, rules, regulations, and laws. We have, regrettably, also developed marvelously clever ways of justifying our behavior whenever it runs afoul of these prescriptions. We have, for example, developed the concept of objectivity to guide scientific pursuits and subsequently established rights which undermine the possibility of ever coming close to attaining the goal of being objective -- rights which entitle participating scientists to gain personal, tangible profits from scientific discoveries. Formerly, we envisaged gods who kept us in place, who reminded us that we were not all-powerful or especially wise. Now we tend to worship our achievements, especially our technological ones, and ourselves. Mary Midgley' aptly names this phenomenon, 'humanolatry.' We have lost our respect for nature in our enthusiasm for changing it to that which suits our shortsighted ends. We must, as she says, 'unlearn' this way of thinking.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 216 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -ERICESPERET University of Poitiers, France Denis Alamargot and Lucile Chanquoy's book offers a vivid and original presenta tion of main trends in the research field devoted to writing. First, it provides both young and senior scientists with a comparative view of current theoretical models of composition, with different levels of reading made available: each element of these models is clearly situated in its historical context, and scrutinized in its further evo lution. Second, this well documented theoretical analysis of writing mechanisms is checked against empirical data extracted from a lot of updated experimental studies; and lack of necessary data is thought to be underlined and defined when noted. Following the usual description of writing phases initially proposed by Hayes and Flower, the first part of this book presents planning, translating and revision processes and compares them to other researchers' conceptions (from Bereiter and Scardamalia, to Kellogg or Galbraith). Such presentations of isolated models do ex ist in literature; but the present work really gives a good comparative analysis of components inside each of models, in a clear and cumulative way; a fine-grained ob servation of differences between similarly-looking models is also performed. 284 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -For a meaningful understanding of physics, it is necessary to realise that this corpus of knowledge operates in a register different from natural thought. This book aims at situating the main trends of common reasoning in physics with respect to some essential aspects of accepted theory. It analyses a great many research results based on studies of pupils and students at various academic levels, involving a range of physical situations. It shows the impressive generality of the trends of common thought, as well as their resistance to teaching. The book's main focus is to underline to what extent natural thought is organised. As a result of this mapping out of trends of reasoning, some suggestions for teaching are presented; these have already influenced recent curricula in France.This book is intended for teachers and teacher trainers principally, but students can also benefit from it to improve their understanding of physics and of their own ways of reasoning. 252 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -A compact survey, at the elementary level, of some of the most important concepts of mathematics. Attention is paid to their technical features, historical development and broader philosophical significance. Each of the various branches of mathematics is discussed separately, but their interdependence is emphasised throughout. Certain topics - such as Greek mathematics, abstract algebra, set theory, geometry and the philosophy of mathematics - are discussed in detail. Appendices outline from scratch the proofs of two of the most celebrated limitative results of mathematics: the insolubility of the problem of doubling the cube and trisecting an arbitrary angle, and the Gödel incompleteness theorems. Additional appendices contain brief accounts of smooth infinitesimal analysis - a new approach to the use of infinitesimals in the calculus - and of the philosophical thought of the great 20th century mathematician Hermann Weyl.Readership: Students and teachers of mathematics, science and philosophy. The greater part of the book can be read and enjoyed by anyone possessing a good high school mathematics background.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 268 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -ERICESPERET University of Poitiers, France Denis Alamargot and Lucile Chanquoy's book offers a vivid and original presenta tion of main trends in the research field devoted to writing. First, it provides both young and senior scientists with a comparative view of current theoretical models of composition, with different levels of reading made available: each element of these models is clearly situated in its historical context, and scrutinized in its further evo lution. Second, this well documented theoretical analysis of writing mechanisms is checked against empirical data extracted from a lot of updated experimental studies; and lack of necessary data is thought to be underlined and defined when noted. Following the usual description of writing phases initially proposed by Hayes and Flower, the first part of this book presents planning, translating and revision processes and compares them to other researchers' conceptions (from Bereiter and Scardamalia, to Kellogg or Galbraith). Such presentations of isolated models do ex ist in literature; but the present work really gives a good comparative analysis of components inside each of models, in a clear and cumulative way; a fine-grained ob servation of differences between similarly-looking models is also performed.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 284 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -PUMIAO 1. The Subject Matter: Urban Public Places 2. The Location: Asia Pacific Region 3. The Purpose of the''Book: For the Makers of Public Places 4. The Three Perspectives of the Book: Description, Criticism, and Intervention 5. Perspective One: Characteristics of Asia Pacific Cities and Their Public Places (1) High Population Density (2) Large Cities (3) Mixed Uses (4) Government-Centered and Pro-Development Culture (5) The East-versus-West Bipolarity (6) Small Amount of Public Space (7) Absence of Large Nodes and Overall Structure in Public Space (8) Intensive Use of Public Space (9) Ambiguous Boundary between the Public and the Private Summaries of Chapters 1-5 6. Perspective Two: Current Issues and Debates (1) Identity Formal Identity Functional Identity (2) Sustainability High-Tech versus Low-Tech High-Density versus Low-Density (3) Equality Equal Participation Equal Accessibility Summaries of Chapters 6-9 7. Perspective Three: Major Trends in Design and Theory (1) The 'Grey' Relationship between the Public and the Private (2) The Transformation of Traditional Typology (3) Indigenous Decoration, Color and Material in New Applications (4) The Tropical Public Place Summaries of Chapters 10-17 8. Conclusion Pu Miao (ed. ), Public Places in Asia Pacific Cities, 1-45. 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers. 2 P. MIAO 1. The Subject Matter: Urban Public Places A visitor to Kuala Lumpur will hardly forget the experience of strolling among the fragrant fruits sold under the overhang of the five-foot walkway during a tropical downfall.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 408 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -In 1974 when I published my book, Biological Mechanism of Attachment, not many pages were required to report on the attachment devices of insect cuticles. As in most fields of research, our knowledge on this specific subject has simply exploded. Dr. Stanislav N. Gorb now describes the present day level of our knowledge, to which he has personally contributed so much, and a research team working on biological microtribology has gradually developed, also. With modern methods of measurement it is possible to enter the structure ¿ function relationship much more deeply, even down to a molecular level, which was not possible two and a half decades ago. It is a well known fact that, in biology, the more sophisticated the measuring method, the greater the achievement of biological fundamental research, and its resulting evidence. Our knowledge remains at a certain level until new methods once more permit a forward leap. Biological knowledge develops in the form of a stepped curve rather than linear, as reflected in the studies carried out on the attachment devices of insect cuticles. 324 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Section Guide 1. Prolegomena 2. Biographical Sketch 3. Epistemology 4. Textbook Ontology 1. PROLEGOMENA While both philosophers and historians almost always love truth and the search for truth, and both often carry out extensive research, there can be noticeable differences when historians write about the history of philosophy and when philosophers write about it. Philosophers often look at the past with categories and interests taken from the present or at the least from the recent past, but many historians, especially those who love research for its own sake, will try to look at the past from a perspective either from that period or from even earlier. Both camps look for roots, but view them with different lenses and presupposi tions. This prolegomena has been added to prepare some philosophers for what will hopefully only be the mildest of shocks, for seeing the history of philosophy in a way which does not treat what is recent or latest as best, but which loves the context of ideas for its own sake, a context which can be very foreign to contemporary likes and dislikes. To be sure, we historians can deceive ourselves as easily as philosophers, but we tend to do so about different things.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 364 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -It is with great pleasure that we are presenting to the community the second edition of this extraordinary handbook. It has been over 15 years since the publication of the first edition and there have been great changes in the landscape of philosophical logic since then. The first edition has proved invaluable to generations of students and researchers in formal philosophy and language, as well as to consumers of logic in many applied areas. The main logic artiele in the Encyelopaedia Britannica 1999 has described the first edition as 'the best starting point for exploring any of the topics in logic'. We are confident that the second edition will prove to be just as good. ! The first edition was the second handbook published for the logic commu nity. It followed the North Holland one volume Handbook 0/ Mathematical Logic, published in 1977, edited by the late Jon Barwise. The four volume Handbook 0/ Philosophical Logic, published 1983-1989 came at a fortunate temporal junction at the evolution of logic. This was the time when logic was gaining ground in computer science and artificial intelligence cireles. These areas were under increasing commercial press ure to provide devices which help and/or replace the human in his daily activity. This pressure required the use of logic in the modelling of human activity and organisa tion on the one hand and to provide the theoretical basis for the computer program constructs on the other.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 432 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book contributes to an overall understanding of the nature and the impact of sexual boundary violations. By exploring an extreme human experience, childhood sexual abuse, the present study allows an insight into a hidden, silenced, and destructive aspect of human relations. It is the first of its kind to make comprehensible both the general path from violation to sickness, and the particular logic of assault embodiment.Due to its theoretical and methodological framework, the present study provides evidence that the embodiment of sexual violation experience is informed by situated logic and rationality. These, however, do not correspond to scientific logic and rationality. The universe of socio-culturally constituted meaning and that of scientifically constructed knowledge are shown to be incompatible. Subjectively informed violation embodiment is likely to be misinterpreted and consequently maltreated within the objectively grounded framework of current biomedical praxis.Consequently, victims of silenced sexual violence are revictimized by medicine.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 484 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -How is the heartbeat generated What controls the strength of contraction of heart muscle What are the links between cardiac structure and function How does our understanding of skeletal and smooth muscle and non-muscle cells influence our thinking about force development in the heart Are there important species differences in how contraction is regulated in the heart How do the new molecular data fit together in understanding the heart beat What goes wrong in ischemia, hypertrophy, and heart failure This book paints a modern `portrait' of how the heart works and in this picture the author shows a close-up of the structural, biochemical, and physiological links between excitation and contraction.The author takes the reader through a series of important, interrelated topics with great clarity and continuity and also includes many useful illustrations and tables. The book starts by considering the cellular structures involved in excitation-contraction coupling and then described the characteristics of the myofilaments as the end effector of excitation-contraction coupling. A general scheme of calcium regulation is described and the possible sources and sinks of calcium are discussed in simple, but quantitative terms. The cardiac action potential and its many underlying currents are reviewed. Then the characteristics of some key calcium transport systems (calcium channels, sodium/calcium exchange and SR calcium uptake and release) are discussed in detail. This is then built into a more integrated picture of calcium regulation in succeeding chapters by detailed discussions of excitation-calcium coupling mechanisms (in skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle), the interplay between calcium regulatory processes, and finally mechanisms of cardiac inotropy, calcium overload, and dysfunction (e.g., ischemia, hypertrophy, and heart failure).Excitation-Contraction Coupling and Cardiac Contractile Force &endash; Second Edition is an invaluable source of information for anyone who is interested in how the heart beat is controlled and especially suited for students of the cardiovascular system at all levels from medical/graduate students through senior investigators in related fields.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 452 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -How is the heartbeat generated What controls the strength of contraction of heart muscle What are the links between cardiac structure and function How does our understanding of skeletal and smooth muscle and non-muscle cells influence our thinking about force development in the heart Are there important species differences in how contraction is regulated in the heart How do the new molecular data fit together in understanding the heart beat What goes wrong in ischemia, hypertrophy, and heart failure This book paints a modern `portrait' of how the heart works and in this picture the author shows a close-up of the structural, biochemical, and physiological links between excitation and contraction.The author takes the reader through a series of important, interrelated topics with great clarity and continuity and also includes many useful illustrations and tables. The book starts by considering the cellular structures involved in excitation-contraction coupling and then described the characteristics of the myofilaments as the end effector of excitation-contraction coupling. A general scheme of calcium regulation is described and the possible sources and sinks of calcium are discussed in simple, but quantitative terms. The cardiac action potential and its many underlying currents are reviewed. Then the characteristics of some key calcium transport systems (calcium channels, sodium/calcium exchange and SR calcium uptake and release) are discussed in detail. This is then built into a more integrated picture of calcium regulation in succeeding chapters by detailed discussions of excitation-calcium coupling mechanisms (in skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle), the interplay between calcium regulatory processes, and finally mechanisms of cardiac inotropy, calcium overload, and dysfunction (e.g., ischemia, hypertrophy, and heart failure).Excitation-Contraction Coupling and Cardiac Contractile Force &endash; Second Edition is an invaluable source of information for anyone who is interested in how the heart beat is controlled and especially suited for students of the cardiovascular system at all levels from medical/graduate students through senior investigators in related fields.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 454 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -A number of excellent textbooks on general ecology are currently available but¿ to date¿ none have been dedicated to the study of soil ecology. This is important because the soil¿ as the ¿epidermis¿ of our planet¿ is the major component of the terrestrial biosphere. In the present age¿ it is difficult to understand how one could be interested in general ecology without having some knowledge of the soil and further¿ to study the soil without taking into account its biological components and ecological setting. It is this deficiency that the two authors¿ Patrick Lavelle and Alister Spain¿ have wished to address in writing their text. A reading of this work¿ entitled ¿Soil Ecology¿¿ shows it to be very complete and extremely innovative in its conceptual plan. In addition¿ it follows straightforwardly through a development which unfolds over four substantial chapters. Firstly¿ the authors consider the soil as a porous and finely divided medium of b- organomineral origin¿ whose physical structure and organisation foster the development of a multitude of specifically adapted organisms (microbial communities¿ roots of higher plants¿ macro-invertebrates).Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 688 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -The Advanced Study Institute brought together researchers in the main areas of special functions and applications to present recent developments in the theory, review the accomplishments of past decades, and chart directions for future research. Some of the topics covered are orthogonal polynomials and special functions in one and several variables, asymptotic, continued fractions, applications to number theory, combinatorics and mathematical physics, integrable systems, harmonic analysis and quantum groups, Painlevé classification.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 536 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -The main theme in classical ring theory is the structure theory of rings of a particular kind. For example, no one text book in ring theory could miss the Wedderburn-Artin theorem, which says that a ring R is semisimple Artinian iffR is isomorphic to a finite direct sum of full matrix rings over skew fields. This is an example of a finiteness condition which, at least historically, has dominated in ring theory. Ifwe would like to consider a requirement of a lattice-theoretical type, other than being Artinian or Noetherian, the most natural is uni-seriality. Here a module M is called uni-serial if its lattice of submodules is a chain, and a ring R is uni-serial if both RR and RR are uni-serial modules. The class of uni-serial rings includes commutative valuation rings and closed under homomorphic images. But it is not closed under direct sums nor with respect to Morita equivalence: a matrix ring over a uni-serial ring is not uni-serial. There is a class of rings which is very close to uni-serial but closed under the constructions just mentioned: serial rings. A ring R is called serial if RR and RR is a direct sum (necessarily finite) of uni-serial modules. Amongst others this class includes triangular matrix rings over a skew field. Also if F is a finite field of characteristic p and G is a finite group with a cyclic normal p-Sylow subgroup, then the group ring FG is serial.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -The main scope of this Cargese NATO Advanced Study Institute (June 5-17 2000) was to bring together a number of international experts, covering a large spectrum of the various Physical Aspects of Fracture. As a matter of fact, lecturers as well as participants were coming from various scientific communities: mechanics, physics, materials science, with the common objective of progressing towards a multi-scale description of fracture. This volume includes papers on most materials of practical interest: from concrete to ceramics through metallic alloys, glasses, polymers and composite materials. The classical fields of damage and fracture mechanisms are addressed (critical and sub-critical quasi-static crack propagation, stress corrosion, fatigue, fatigue-corrosion . . . . as well as dynamic fracture). Brittle and ductile fractures are considered and a balance has been carefully kept between experiments, simulations and theoretical models, and between the contributions of the various communities. New topics in damage and fracture mechanics - the effect of disorder and statistical aspects, dynamic fracture, friction and fracture of interfaces - were also explored. This large overview on the Physical Aspects of Fracture shows that the old barriers built between the different scales will soon 'fracture'. It is no more unrealistic to imagine that a crack initiated through a molecular dynamics description could be propagated at the grain level thanks to dislocation dynamics included in a crystal plasticity model, itself implemented in a finite element code. Linking what happens at the atomic scale to fracture of structures as large as a dam is the new emerging challenge.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 388 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Integrable quantum field theories and integrable lattice models have been studied for several decades, but during the last few years new ideas have emerged that have considerably changed the topic. The first group of papers published here is concerned with integrable structures of quantum lattice models related to quantum group symmetries. The second group deals with the description of integrable structures in two-dimensional quantum field theories, especially boundary problems, thermodynamic Bethe ansatz and form factor problems. Finally, a major group of papers is concerned with the purely mathematical framework that underlies the physically-motivated research on quantum integrable models, including elliptic deformations of groups, representation theory of non-compact quantum groups, and quantization of moduli spaces. 344 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Over the last three decades representation theory of groups, Lie algebras and associative algebras has undergone a rapid development through the powerful tool of almost split sequences and the Auslander-Reiten quiver. Further insight into the homology of finite groups has illuminated their representation theory. The study of Hopf algebras and non-commutative geometry is another new branch of representation theory which pushes the classical theory further. All this can only be seen in connection with an understanding of the structure of special classes of rings. The aim of this book is to introduce the reader to some modern developments in: Lie algebras, quantum groups, Hopf algebras and algebraic groups; non-commutative algebraic geometry; representation theory of finite groups and cohomology; the structure of special classes of rings. 480 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Dynamical processes in which many timescales coexist are called dispersive. The rate coefficients for dispersive processes depend on time. In the case of a chemical reaction, the time dependence of the rate coefficient, k(t), termed the specific reaction rate, is rationalized in the following way. Reactions by their very nature have to disturb reactivity distributions of the reactants in condensed media, as the more reactive species are the first ones to disappear from the system. The extent of this disturbance depends on the ratio of the rates of reactions to the rate of internal rearrangements (mixing) in the system restoring the initial distribution in reactivity of reactants. If the rates of chemical reactions exceed the rates of internal rearrangements, then the initial distributions in reactant reactivity are not preserved during the course of reactions and the specific reaction rates depend on time. Otherwise the extent of disturbance is negligible and classical kinetics, with a constant specific reaction rate, k, termed the reaction rate constant, may be valid as an approximation. In condensed media dispersive dynamical processes are endemic and this is the first monograph devoted to these processes.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 248 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Schmidt and Bannon (1992) introduced the concept of common information space by contrasting it with technical conceptions of shared information: Cooperative work is not facilitated simply by the provisioning of a shared database, but rather requires the active construction by the participants of a common information space where the meanings of the shared objects are debated and resolved, at least locally and temporarily. (Schmidt and Bannon, p. 22) A CIS, then, encompasses not only the information but also the practices by which actors establish its meaning for their collective work. These negotiated understandings of the information are as important as the availability of the information itself: The actors must attempt to jointly construct a common information space which goes beyond their individual personal information spaces. . . . The common information space is negotiated and established by the actors involved. (Schmidt and Bannon, p. 28) This is not to suggest that actors¿ understandings of the information are identical; they are simply ¿common¿ enough to coordinate the work. People understand how the information is relevant for their own work. Therefore, individuals engaged in different activities will have different perspectives on the same information. The work of maintaining the common information space is the work that it takes to balance and accommodate these different perspectives. A ¿bug¿ report in software development is a simple example. Software developers and quality assurance personnel have access to the same bug report information. However, access to information is not sufficient to coordinate their work. 436 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -This book comprises the refereed papers together with the invited keynote papers, presented at the Second International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems. The conference was organised by the School of Computing at Staffordshire University, UK, and the Escola Superior de Tecnologia of Setubal, Portugal, in cooperation with the British Computer Society and the International Federation for Information Processing, Working Group 8.1. The purpose of this 2nd International Conference was to bring together researchers, engineers and practitioners interested in the advances in and business applications of information systems. The papers demonstrate the vitality and vibrancy of the field of Enterprise Information Systems. The research papers included here were selected from among 143 submissions from 32 countries in the following four areas: Enterprise Database Applications, Artificial Intelligence Applications and Decision Support Systems, Systems Analysis and Specification, and Internet and Electronic Commerce. Every paper had at least two reVIewers drawn from 10 countries. The papers included in this book were recommended by the reviewers. On behalf of the conference organising committee we would like to thank all the members of the Programme Committee for their work in reviewing and selecting the papers that appear in this volume. We would also like to thank all the authors who have submitted their papers to this conference, and would like to apologise to the authors that we were unable to include and wish them success next year.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Edinburgh and spendmostofJuly andAugust 1999 attheNationalLibraryofScotlandand the EdinburghUniversityLibrary.Although Ihaveincorporatedinto thepresentwork onlyasmallpartofmyresearchatthose libraries,ifthis bookshows agreaterap preciation of the immediate social and religious context of Hume's thought (particularly of Calvinistic theology and the Scottish Enlightement) than its Spanish predecessor, it is in no small measure due to the books, articles, and xi xii Preface manuscritsIwasabletoconsultatthe time. Inthis respect, Iwouldliketo thank Professor Peter Jones, Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the HumanitiesattheUniversityofEdinburgh, who was very instrumental in making myvisittoEdinburghareality,andgenerouslyputthefacilitiesoftheInstitute at mydisposal. Manythoughts andlinesofargumentcontained in this bookdatebackto my doctoraldissertation,andsomeearlierversionsofanumberofchaptersorsections ofchaptershavebeenpublished in differentphilosophyjournalsor anthologies. I oftheminthebibliographyundermy name. But sincemy previousworks listall onthe subjecthavebeenrevisedandmodifiedsomanytimes in the lightofnew fmdingsortomeetactualorpossiblecriticism,Ican saythatthey havebeeneffec tivelysupersededbythepresentwriting.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 352 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -How children acquire competence in verb placement in languages in which verb placement in matrix clauses does not coincide with that in embedded clauses is not well understood. Verb-Second languages like German and Dutch display the verb-final pattern in embedded clauses, which can be confusing for a developing child. This book addresses this problem in the context of Swiss German, itself a Germanic dialect.Numerous examples are given of natural language produced by two children who were consistently followed between the ages of 4 and 6. Unexpectedly, since previous literature has suggested that children master verb placement very early in their linguistic development, these children move the verb in any type of embedded clause, leading to many verb-placement errors.After introducing the problem and describing the data in detail, a technical analysis is developed in terms of a minimally split-CP, which is rather successful in accounting for these data.The book should interest advanced students and researchers in both language acquisition and syntax.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 436 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -Andrew Thompson, Norman J. Temple We humans are an extraordinary species. One of our finest achievements is the development of morality, of a sense of right and wrong. We articulate and then impose this sensitivity upon ourselves in the form of ethical guidelines, rules, regulations, and laws. We have, regrettably, also developed marvelously clever ways of justifying our behavior whenever it runs afoul of these prescriptions. We have, for example, developed the concept of objectivity to guide scientific pursuits and subsequently established rights which undermine the possibility of ever coming close to attaining the goal of being objective -- rights which entitle participating scientists to gain personal, tangible profits from scientific discoveries. Formerly, we envisaged gods who kept us in place, who reminded us that we were not all-powerful or especially wise. Now we tend to worship our achievements, especially our technological ones, and ourselves. Mary Midgley' aptly names this phenomenon, 'humanolatry.' We have lost our respect for nature in our enthusiasm for changing it to that which suits our shortsighted ends. We must, as she says, 'unlearn' this way of thinking.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 216 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. This item is printed on demand - Print on Demand Titel. Neuware -This volume stems chiefly from a research symposiumofthe same title held in Delray Beach, Florida during May 1997 with the sponsorship of Florida Atlantic University and the Center for Advanced Research in Phenomenology, Inc.The papers from that occasionhave been revised inthe lightofcriticismbysympatheticcolleagues. Onepaperthat waspresentedhas notbeen includedandtwohavebeen added,thatoftheFullbrooks, whichwas prepared for the symposium but could not be presented, and that by Ms. Sarah Miller because life in South Floridaprevents one from forgetting old age,whichSimone deBeauvoirwasthefirstinphenomenologytodescribeat length.ProfessorToadvine'sbibliography wasavailablefromtheoutsetofthe project and was then used and praised by all. The colleagues included here and also Professor Dorothy Leland are thanked for their sympathetic participation in the symposium. Mr. Samuel Julian is thanked for the technical editing ofthis volume. Wendy O'Brien Lester Embree VB Introduction Wendy O'Brien Humber College Early studiesofthephilosophyofSimonedeBeauvoirreadherworks through the lensofeitherFeminismorExistentialism.Whilebothofthesereadingsof her writings have afforded important insights into her thought, they have at the same time overlooked the basic approachofher philosophy, resulting in claims of inconsistencies and of a lack of rigor. Feminist theorists, for example, found an importantpoliticalagendainBeauvoir'swork. However, with their focus on this elementofher writing, they tended to overlook the philosophicalunderpinningsofherreflectionsonthe livesofwomen. Read as such,Beauvoirhasbeencriticizedbyher contemporariesforthe incoherence in her work and for her failure to presentpositive role models for women in her novels, essays, and studies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 280 pp. Englisch.