springer netherlands springer netherlands feb 2007 (27 Ergebnisse)

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -It is well known that the philosophy of religion has flourished in recent decades in Anglo-American philosophy, where philosophers are bringing new techniques to the study of many of the traditional problems. Although there is more diversity in Anglo-American philosophy of religion than is sometimes recognized, it nevertheless provides a body of literature with a recent history that is sufficiently coherent to enable commentators to identify the movement with some clarity. The story is somewhat different with the emerging field of continental philosophy of religion, where many of the leading contributors are not generally known as philosophers of religion and where many of the approaches are based upon a critique of traditional western theories of rationality, experience and theism and an extension of the more traditional boundaries of philosophical reflection on religion.The essays in this volume focus on some of the topics that are shaping recent continental philosophy of religion, including self and other, evil and suffering, religion and society and the relation between philosophy and theology. Contributors are Pamela Sue Anderson, Maeve Cooke, Richard A. Cohen, Fred Dallmayr, Hent de Vries, William Franke, Anselm K. Min, Michael Purcell, Calvin O. Schrag, Merold Westphal, Edith Wyschogrod and the editor Eugene Thomas Long.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 216 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -School science is dominated by textbook-oriented approaches to teaching and learning. Some surveys reveal that students have to read, depending on academic level, between ten and thirty-six pages per week from their textbook. One therefore has to ask, To what degree do textbooks introduce students to the literary practices of their domain Few studies have addressed the quality of science curriculum materials, particularly textbooks, from a critical perspective. In this light, we are concerned in this book with better understanding the reading and interpretation practices related to visual materials - here referred to as inscriptions - that accompany texts. Our overarching questions included: ¿What practices are required for reading inscriptions ¿ and ¿Do textbooks allow students to develop levels of graphicacy required to critically read scientific texts ¿ Some of the more specific questions included: ¿What are the practices of relating inscriptions, captions, and main text ,¿ and ¿What practices are required to read inscriptions in school textbooks ¿ That is, we are interested not only in understanding what it takes to interpret, read, and understand visual materials (i.e., inscriptions), but also in understanding what it takes to engage inscriptions in a critical way. It is only when citizens can critically engage with language (texts, speech) and inscriptions that they become knowledgeable users of television, newspapers, and magazines, who can choose or leave aside particular expressions as part of the particular politics that they participate in.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Radio Design in Nanometer Technologies addresses current trends and future directions in radio design for wireless applications. As radio transceivers constitute the major bottleneck in a wireless chipset in terms of power consumption and die size, the radio must be designed in the context of the entire system, end to end. Therefore the book will address wireless systems as well as the DSP parts before it gets into coverage of radio design issues.As such, the book is the first volume that looks at the integrated radio design problem as a 'piece of a big puzzle', namely the entire chipset or single chip that builds an entire wireless system. This is the only way to successfully design radios to meet the stringent demands of today¿s increasingly complex wireless systems.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 344 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book introduces the factorization method in quantum mechanics at an advanced level, with the aim of putting mathematical and physical concepts and techniques like the factorization method, Lie algebras, matrix elements and quantum control at the reader¿s disposal. For this purpose, the text provides a comprehensive description of the factorization method and its wide applications in quantum mechanics which complements the traditional coverage found in quantum mechanics textbooks.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 308 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -New software tools and a sophisticated methodology above RTL are required to answer the challenges of designing an optimized application specific processor (ASIP). This book offers an automated and fully integrated implementation flow and compares it to common implementation practice. Case-studies emphasise that neither the architectural advantages nor the design space of ASIPs are sacrificed for an automated implementation. Realizing a building block which fulfils the requirements on programmability and computational power is now efficiently possible for the first time.Optimized ASIP Synthesis from Architecture Description Language Models inspires hardware designers as well as application engineers to design powerful ASIPs that will make their SoC designs unique.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 208 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book contains proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study nd Institute (ASI): The 32 Course of the International School of Solid State Physics entitled Radiation Effects in Solids, held in Erice, Sicily, Italy, July 17-29, 2004, at the Ettore Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture (EMCSC). The Course had 83 participants (68 students and 15 instructors) representing 23 countries. The purpose of this Course was to provide ASI students with a comprehensive overview of fundamental principles and relevant technical issues associated with the behavior of solids exposed to high-energy radiation. These issues are important to the development of materials for existing fission reactors or future fusion and advanced reactors for energy production; to the development of electronic devices such as high-energy detectors; and to the development of novel materials for electronic and photonic applications (particularly on the nanoscale). The Course covered a broad range of topics, falling into three general categories: Radiation Damage Fundamentals Energetic particles and energy dissipation Atomic displacements and cascades Damage evolution Defect aggregation Microstructural evolution Material Dependent Radiation Damage Phenomena (metals, alloys, semiconductors, intermetallics, ceramics, polymers, biomaterials) Atomic and microstructural effects (e.g., point defects, color centers, extended defects, dislocations, voids, bubbles, colloids, phase transformations, amorphization) Macroscopic phenomena (e.g., swelling, embrittlement, cracking, thermal conductivity degradation) vii viii Preface Special Topics Swift ion irradiation effects Ion beam modification of materials Nanostructure design via irradiation Nuclear fuels and waste forms Radiation detectors, dosimeters, phosphors, luminescent materials, etc.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 604 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -WHY THIS BOOK This book is an exploration of the possibility that a significant portion of the North American Great Plains (NAGP), now primarily in rangeland, corn, soybean, and small-grain production, can be converted to the production of biomass-energy crops. Biomass can be used as a substitute for some of the fossil fuels the use of which is now increasing the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO ) 2 and contributing to global warming and climatic change. Such a land use change to biomass could lead not only to a global good but also to specific economic and environmental benefits for the NAGP region. This analysis is prompted by the following facts and trends: The emission of CO from fossil fuel combustion and tropical deforesta- 2 tion and the rising concentrations of other greenhouse gases make global warming a virtual certainty in this century; indeed the evidence is strong that a warming is already discernible. Global warming will lead to climatic change and, while the geographic d- tribution of this change is not yet known, most general circulation models (GCMs) suggest that midcontinental regions in the northern hemisphere (such as the NAGP) are likely to become drier as well as warmer. NAGP, one of the world¿s major breadbaskets, is subject to periodic droughts and other climatic stresses that may worsen with global wa- ing.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 220 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Real-Time Applications with Stochastic Task Execution Times presents three approaches to the analysis of the deadline miss ratio of applications with stochastic task execution times. Each of the three approaches fits best to a different context. The first approach is an exact one and is efficiently applicable to monoprocessor systems. The second approach is an approximate one, which allows for designer-controlled trade-off between analysis accuracy and analysis speed. It is efficiently applicable to multiprocessor systems. The third approach is less accurate but sufficiently fast in order to be placed inside optimisation loops. Based on the last approach, we propose a heuristic for task mapping and priority assignment for deadline miss ratio minimisation. 168 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book originated in the last four years when we were lecturing both in communication and computer science at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Therefore, it was rather obvious for us to integrate these two sci- tific disciplines and to analyze the problem of the general logic of communicative processes by the use of suited computer models and mathematical concepts. The result of these efforts is this book and it is up to the readers if our attempts are successful. We could never have finished this study without the enthusiastic interest of many students in both sciences. Several of them are named in the book who implemented specific computer programs as part of their respective MA-thesis. We have also to thank several colleagues in communication and computer science, who supported our work in many ways. We frequently experienced that the old and venerable paradigm of especially the German University 'the unity of research and teaching' (Humboldt) is far from dead and can be updated any time, provided a suited research project. Our special thanks go to Jörn Schmidt from the former Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Higher Education at our University, whose constant help was invaluable to us. Each new scientific approach is only possible because it stands, to quote Newton, ¿on the shoulders of giants¿. Therefore, we dedicate this book in memoriam to two great pioneers in communication science, namely Claude E. Shannon and Gerold Ungeheuer.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 252 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This volume presents a collection of papers on the enticing and complex theme of Ergativity. The papers exemplify theoretical depth applied to a wide range of languages, with the majority of papers based on original fieldwork. Ergativity refers to a grammatical pattern in which the logical subject of intransitive clauses and the logical object of transitive clauses share some grammatical features, and in this respect differ from transitive subjects. The shared features are often case and/or agreement, but a variety of other relevant features have also been isolated in the literature. The ergative pattern contrasts with that found in accusative languages where the subject has the same grammatical marking in intransitive and transitive clauses, while the object has different marking. Ergativity provides us with an ideal testing ground for claims about the range and limits of language variation, and about the degree of elasticity in the morphology-syntax interface. However, because an understanding of ergativity rests on an understanding of other difficult grammatical issues such as grammatical relations, transitivity, aspect, person, case, and agreement, a clear and integrated analysis of the phenomenon has remained elusive. Since Dixon¿s (1967/1972) pioneer study of Dyirbal, extensive research has been conducted on a variety of ergative languages over the world from both descriptive, typological, and theoretical perspectives (see inter alia Anderson 1976, Silverstein 1976, Comrie 1978, Dixon 1979, 1994, DeLancey 1981, Marantz 1984, Levin & Massam 1985, Johns 1992, Bittner and Hale 1996, to name a few).Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 388 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This volume is of interest to science educators, graduate students, and classroom teachers. The book will also be an important addition to any scholarly library focusing on science education, science literacy, and writing.This book is unique in that it synthesizes the research of the three leading researchers in the field of writing to learn science: Carolyn S. Wallace, Brian Hand, and Vaughan Prain. It includes a comprehensive review of salient literature in the field, detailed reports of the authors' own research studies, and current and future issues on writing in science.The book is the first to definitely answer the question, 'Does writing improve science learning '. Further, it provides evidence for some of the mechanisms through which learning occurs. It combines both theory and practice in a unique way. Although primarily a tool for research, classroom teachers will also find many practical suggestions for using writing in the science classroom.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 160 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -For too long, theories and practices of learning have been dominated by the requirements of formal learning. Quite simply this book seeks to persuade readers through philosophical argument and empirically grounded examples that the balance should be shifted back towards the informal. These arguments and examples are taken from informal learning in very diverse situations, such as in leisure activities, as a preparation for and as part of work, and as a means of surviving undesirable circumstances like dead-end jobs and incarceration. Informal learning can be fruitfully thought of as developing the capacity to make context sensitive judgments during ongoing practical involvements of a variety of kinds. Such involvements are necessarily indeterminate and opportunistic. Hence there is a major challenge to policy makers in shifting the balance towards informal learning without destroying the very things that are desirable about informal learning and indeed learning in general. The book has implications therefore for formal learning too and the way that teaching might proceed within formally constituted educational institutions such as schools and colleges.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 296 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -One of the qualities of this book is the authors¿engagement with personal experience. This is part of the contextualising of issues within particular cultural, historical and social contexts. I shall begin the Foreword in the same spirit by recounting an experience that is still a foundation for analysing and developing my own understanding. This h- pened some twenty-five years ago. I was going with Vic Finkelstein, a disabled a- demic and activist, to a seminar, on a hot summer¿s day, making our way across the Open University campus in Milton Keynes. The seminar was entitled ¿The Problems of Integration¿. Making conversation with Vic I suggested that the seminar sounded int- esting. His response was immediate and direct: no it was not interesting ¿ the problems for disabled people were the problems of segregation, not the problems of integration. As he did often for me, Vic turned understanding on its head and his seemingly simple observation carried ever-increasing ripples of critical questioning. Reading of international developments and of the specifics of education policy, provision and practice across the widely differing circumstances found in different nation states, from the majority as well as the minority world, challenges, deepens and confirms understanding. There are, not surprisingly, considerable diversities and c- monalities, and recurring themes that speak to both ¿ and fire critical questioning. The complexities pretty quickly give food for thought and ring bells of caution. The first for me is the lack of digestion ¿ the impossibility of comprehensive knowledge.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 220 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This text explores the different ways in which the various social practices in which people participate becomes signed as learning, how and why that occurs and with what consequences. It takes seriously the linguistic turn in social theory to draw upon semiotics and poststructuralism through which to explore the significance of lifelong learning as an emerging discourse in education. The text explores the different ways in which learning conveys meaning and is given meaning. Given this, lifelong learning therefore is a way, and a significant way, in which learning is fashioned. The text then explores the notion that, if learning is lifelong and lifewide, what precisely is learning as distinct from other social practices and how those practices are given meaning as learning.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 196 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The great importance of detailed data and their use in generating interdisciplinary scientific knowledge on the development and utilisation of the water systems of the Arab region, with its widespread water stress and desert areas, is well established. With increasing consumption of water in the region backed up by the growing population, the per capita availability of freshwater in the coming years is expected to cause severe scarcity, unless some fundamental and anticipatory changes are introduced in the management of their water systems. Towards that end, such a rich book will prove to be a great help. The book is the last one written by the author and the depth of data presentation and analysis clearly indicates the professional maturity with which it has been written. Accordingly, the book is the final expression of the lifelong work and scholarship of Professor Mamdouh Shahin. The Arab Region has been the home of some of the earliest human civilisations and their history is also a continuum of human endeavours towards ensuring the access to water over an expanding space and time. The presentation of the important elements of history of the region as related to water will prove to be a rich reference.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 616 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -This book, the first comprehensive, accessible review of housing in Ireland for many years, introduces key housing developments and also reports on the findings of the latest research on the transformation of the sector in the past decade. Topics include:the impact of the house price boom on wealth and affordabilitythe urban renewal schemes and private rented housingthe management of social housingthe accommodation of Travellers and homeless peoplerural housing policy and politics.During the past decade, Ireland¿s economic growth has attracted international attention. This book analyses the consequences of that growth on housing and serves as a primer to other countries on the complexities of delivering sustainable housing solutions in the face of economic success.As such, this book will be of interest to students, practitioners and policy-makers involved in the housing field worldwide and to anyone who wishes to learn more about the causes and effects of Ireland¿s recent housing boom.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 456 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Crater Lake is located in the caldera of Mount Mazama in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. The lake has a surface area of about 53 km2 at an elevation of 1882 m and a maximum depth of 594 m ¿ seventh deepest in the world. Limited studies of this ultraoligotrophic lake conducted between 1896 and 1981, lead to a 10-year limnological study to evaluate any potential degradation of water quality. No long-term variations in water quality were observed that could be attributed to anthropogenic activity. Building on the success of this study, a permanent limnological program has been established with a long-term monitoring program to insure a reliable data base for use in the future. Of equal importance, this program serves as a research platform to develop and communicate to the public a better understanding of the coupled biological, physical, and geochemical processes in the lake and its surrounding environment.This special volume represents our current state of knowledge of the status of this pristine ecosystem including its special optical properties, algal nutrient limitations, pelagic bacteria, and models of the inter-relationships of thermal properties, nutrients, phytoplankton, deep-water mixing, and water budgets.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 288 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The main theme of this anthology is the unique interaction between mathematics, physics and philosophy during the beginning of the 20th century. In this book, ten renowned philosopher-historians probe insightfully into key conceptual questions of pre-quantum mathematical physics. The result is a diverse yet thematically focused compilation of first class papers on mathematics, physics and philosophy, and a source-book on the interaction between them.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 356 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -In order for there to be knowledge, there must be at least some primary elements which may be called ¿starting points¿.This book offers the first synoptic study of how the primary elements in knowledge structures were analysed in antiquity from Plato to late ancient commentaries, the main emphasis being on the Platonic-Aristotelian tradition. It argues that, in the Platonic-Aristotelian tradition, the question of starting points was treated from two distinct points of view: from the first perspective, as a question of how we acquire basic knowledge; and from the second perspective, as a question of the premises we may immediately accept in the line of argumentation. It was assumed that we acquire some general truths rather naturally and that these function as starting points for inquiry. In the Hellenistic period, an alternative approach was endorsed: the very possibility of knowledge became a central issue when sceptics began demanding that true claims should always be distinguishable from false ones.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 344 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -In these complex and challenging times, students, teachers and employers are all interested in the development of generic abilities as these typically make the difference between good and indifferent employees, successful and unsuccessful learners. This book explains why generic capacities have become so important and argues that the process of acquiring them is both lifelong and developmental. By using case studies and theoretical analyses the authors collectively provide a comprehensive and contemporary coverage of the issues concerning generic abilities.Traps to avoid in describing and assessing generic aspects of learning are indicated, as well as practical suggestions for improving the teaching of generic capacities in vocational and university settings. The views of students transitioning to higher education as well as recent graduates are captured. Curriculum and policy matters are discussed in depth. A framework for lifelong learning encapsulating the development of generic capacities is outlined and the relationships between learning, working and leadership are explored.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 324 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Fairness and Fear I was startled at the subtitle of the book when I first heard it! Our series has some imaginative titles but none so evocative as this one. But ¿fear¿ and ¿fairness¿ capture much of teacher thinking about assessment. Indeed, teachers struggle to be fair with students, certainly c- cerned (and often fearful) of failures to be fair, and repercussions that teachers can face as a result. Then there is the fearful enterprise of imposed assessment regimes that many teachers face. Dr. Yung¿s book allows us to hear from the teachers on these concerns this is no top-down policy statement. His account is readable and highly instructive, and I hope that copies will find their way to the desks of many school administrators and policy personnel. We are indeed pleased to release this volume. William W. Cobern Book Series Editor (2000-2005) Foreword by Peter Fensham Two things are very clear to me about formal educational systems. ¿ What is assessed in these systems determines what teachers and students recognize as knowledge of worth. ¿ Teachers in general are conscientious in doing their best to ensure that their students will learn this knowledge of worth well. Science has now been widely acknowledged to be a core or key subject in the overall curriculum of schooling at all levels.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 316 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -In the last three decades, the level of interaction between philosophy and psychology has increased dramatically. As a contribution to this trend, this book explores some areas in which this interaction has been very productive ¿ or, at least, highly provocative.The interaction between philosophy and psychology can be of different kinds. For example, psychology can be the subject for philosophy of science. In such a case, the philosopher of science pursues the usual set of issues (explanation, reduction, etc.) within the special case of psychology. Or, philosophy can be the source of proposals for improving psychology. Vice versa, the findings of psychology can be used to criticize philosophical theories and suggest ways to resolve some traditional philosophical questions about the mind, such as the nature of mental representation, perception, emotion, memory, consciousness and free will.The chapters in this book reflect these different forms of interaction in an effort to clarify issues and debates concerning some traditional cognitive capacities. The result is a philosophically and scientifically up-to-date collection of 'cartographies of the mind'.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 392 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Significant scientific progress has been made in recent years in the aetiopathogenesis of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), that has changed or will change in the future the diagnostic and therapeutic approach in these diseases. The relevance of classical conventional IBD therapies has been critically re-evaluated under criteria of evidence-based medicine approaches. On the other hand, new therapeutic options have emerged. These include modern immunomodulators, biologics, probiotics, worm eggs and extracorporeal therapies. The clinical relevance of these new modalities is often difficult to assess for physicians who do not work frequently with IBD patients.This book, the proceedings of the Falk Symposium No.153 on ¿Immunoregulation in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ¿ Current Understanding and Innovation¿, held May 6¿7, 2006 in Berlin, Germany, critically discusses established and emerging new concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of IBD, reflecting the recent advancements in the aetiopathogenesis of these diseases. Controversial problems, such as the optimal therapeutic strategy (step-up versus top-down), therapy-associated side-effects and optimal control and selection of IBD therapies, are addressed by an internationally-renowned team of authors. The book will be essential reading for both basic scientists and clinicians.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Advanced biotechnologies enable breeders to produce a whole generation of new crops for specialist needs ('designer crops'), including raw materials for the energy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This book provides concerns useful to promote an increase of the productivity of crops by using functional genomics (to understand the regulation of plant metabolism at molecular, cellular and whole plants), and the improvement of photosynthetic efficiency (to design new plants with enhanced raw materials percent and recovery). Fundamental thematics have been addressed: metabolic engineering, plant breeding tools, renewable biomass for energy generation, fibres and composites, biopharmaceuticals. The gained know how is relevant to identify bottlenecks in the major production chains and to propose actions for moving these issues forward: in particular to; i) produce new compounds by expressing foreign heterologous genes; ii) modify pathways to influence quality and/or yield of existing indigenous molecules; iii) bioprocess plant or organic waste stream into value-added products. The chapters of this book have been written by experts from all around the world.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 544 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Like all limited and vulnerable resources, water has become one of the potential targets of terrorists. Coastal lagoons are especially vulnerable as they are densely populated centers of commerce and/or tourism. This volume addresses the basic scientific concepts that must be integrated by decisionmakers to minimize damages and optimize recovery operations in the aftermath of such an attack. Scientists from many disciplines including water resource management, hydrodynamics, aquatic ecology and social science combine their expertise in an effort to assess and model emergency scenarios for coastal lagoon systems. This case study uses existing numerical models such as-EFCD, WASP and AQUATOX are used to demonstrate how to optimize rapid response and decision-makingSpringer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 432 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -Traditionally, spirituality has resided and been contained within religious frameworks but while the links between the two areas are still acknowledged by many in the contemporary world, spirituality is perceived by some as an aspect of human life that is distinct from religion. Consequently, many are searching for meaning within and without religious traditions today and seeking answers to ethical and moral questions that have been generated by the knowledge and technological explosion. One outcome is the renewed interest in the religious, spiritual and moral dimensions of education throughout the life cycle.This International Handbook presents the research and professional practice of scholars who are daily engaged in the consideration of these dimensions in education. The result is a collection of essays which reflects the discipline, in all of its internationality, as it as today. Embedded within the chapters is also an agenda for the future, where the religious, moral and spiritual dimensions in education are proposed as an exciting and challenging way forward for educators at all levels in society. As well, it offers a vision for the emergence of a peaceful and just world.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 592 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware -The transition from classical to modern physics in the rst half of the twentieth c- tury by quantum and relativity theories affected some of the most fundamental notions of physical thinking, such as matter, radiation, space, and time. This tran- tion thus represents a challenge for any attempt to understand the structures of a s- enti c revolution. The present four-volume work aims at a comprehensive account of the way in which the work of Albert Einstein and his contemporaries changed our understanding of space, time, and gravitation. The conceptual framework of classical nineteenth-century physics had to be fundamentally restructured and reinterpreted in order to arrive at a theory of gravitation compatible with the new notions of space and time established in 1905 by Einstein¿s special theory of relativity. Whereas the classical theory of gravitation postulated an instantaneous action at a distance, Einstein¿s new relativistic kinematics rather suggested an analogy between the gravitational eld and the electromagnetic eld, propagating with a nite speed. It is therefore not surprising that Einstein was not alone in addressing the problem of formulating a theory of gravitation that complies with the kinematics of relativity t- ory. The analysis of these alternative approaches, as well as of earlier alternative approaches to gravitation within classical physics, turns out to be crucial for identi- ing the necessities and contingencies in the actual historical development.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 2128 pp. Englisch.