Biogeography and Ecology of Turkmenistan (Monographiae Biologicae)

Book Description

The book gives a complete account of the biogeography, animal and plant ecology and natural conservation in Turkmenistan.
This region within the former USSR borders on Iran and Afghanistan and includes both deserts and arid mountains. Turkmenistan, and especially the mountains of Kopetdagh, is an extremely important region for historical biogeography, as a corridor and filter between the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and the great deserts of Asia.
This remote area was studied exclusively by Soviet scientists and all information was published in Russian. This book is the first to bring data on the biogeography and conservation of Turkmenistan to the general scientific community.

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Biogeography & Ecology of Turkmenistan
Victor Fet
Manufacturer: KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q1J4AU

Book Description

The story of the gentleman farmer from Edinburgh who discovered that the earth was millions of years old, not six thousand, and paved the way for Darwin's theory of evolution.

There are three men whose contributions helped free science from the straitjacket of theology. Two of the three-Nicolaus Copernicus and Charles Darwin-are widely known and heralded for their breakthroughs. The third, James Hutton, never received the same recognition, yet he profoundly changed our understanding of the earth and its dynamic forces. Hutton proved that the earth was likely millions of years old rather than the biblically determined six thousand, and that it was continuously being shaped and re-shaped by myriad everyday forces rather than one cataclysmic event.

In this expertly crafted narrative, Jack Repcheck tells the remarkable story of this Scottish gentleman farmer and how his simple observations on his small tract of land led him to a theory that was in direct confrontation with the Bible and that also provided the scientific proof that would spark Darwin's theory of evolution. It is also the story of Scotland and the Scottish Enlightenment, which brought together some of the greatest thinkers of the age, from David Hume and Adam Smith to James Watt and Erasmus Darwin. Finally, it is a story about the power of the written word. Repcheck argues that Hutton's work was lost to history because he could not describe his findings in graceful and readable prose. (Unlike Darwin's Origin of the Species, Hutton's one and only book was impenetrable.) A marvelous narrative about a little-known man and the science he founded, The Man Who Found Time is also a parable about the power of books to shape the history of ideas.

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A Solid, Breezy Overview of an Important Subject in the Earth's Geology.......2007-02-21

It is hard to find a more significant figure in the history of geology. James Hutton (1726-1797) was an exceptional amateur geologist who was the first to put together a compelling explanation of the age of the Earth. This interesting and accessible book presents in a compelling manner the life and work of this remarkable Scotsman. Written in a breezy style, it will not satisfy scholars but it nonetheless presents a compelling introduction for non-specialists in the history of geology. A Scottish physician, Hutton dabbled in all types of scientific inquiry, especially the practical aspects of farming, crops yields, and the like. While engaged in this effort he began to study the surface of the Earth, gradually forming questions and methods of resolving them.

This book is a breathless survey of the life and career of James Hutton as a gentlemen scholar, his work on the age of the Earth, and his place in the larger story of the Scottish Enlightenment. Trained as a physician, Hutton lived a life of ease where he undertook scientific investigations and scientific farming. In terms of his work on the geology of the Earth, he really published three items. The first is an abstract of a talk that he gave in Edinburgh in 1785 outlining in general terms his conclusion that the Earth must be far older than the 6,000 years usually thought because of the analysis base on the Bible. He then published a longer paper, "Theory of the Earth; or an Investigation of the Laws Observable in the Composition, Dissolution, and Restoration of the Land upon the Globe," in 1788 in the "Transaction of the Royal Society of Edinburgh" that created a huge stir among scientists and led to denunciations from several zealous academics. In 1795 he published a two volume "Theory of the Earth, with Proofs and Illustrations" that sought to answer his critics, but written as he was rapidly declining this work proved insufficient to counter their arguments.

Hutton was correct that the Earth is much older than the biblical account would lead one to believe. He was also right to posit a dynamic structure at the Earth's core and the shaping of land masses based on cataclysm and upheaval, though probably not a universal flood. Because of some committed believers who came later, this understanding became dominant in the nineteenth century.

This is a very fine, easy read about an important topic. It ranges far across the eighteenth century, especially commenting on the Scottish Enlightenment, which gave us several great thinkers including Adam Smith and David Hume as well as Hutton. It even explores the Scottish rebellion of the 1740s led by Bonnie Prince Charlie in a chapter that seems misplaced in this volume. Overall, "The Man Who Found Time" is a useful introduction to an important subject. For those seeking a more detailed, scholar account, I recommend Dennis R. Dean's "James Hutton and the History of Geology" (Cornell University Press, 1992). For those interested in the larger questions of the Earth's geology, especially the age of the planet, I recommend G. Brent Dalrymple "The Age of the Earth" (Stanford University Press, 1991).

Rebuttal of "Rocky Road".......2006-11-01

No one who looks closely at this book, or at the reviews of this book, could reasonably expect it to be an exposition of James Hutton's important but long-superceded geological notions. This is a social history, a story of science as a cultural phenomenon, and as such it is neither meandering nor disorganized. As Mr Rocky Road himself acknowledges, it's engagingly written, economical of words, almost never repetitive, witty, and not at all a difficult piece of reading. In fact, it's a short book and a quick read, and if you don't know much about the 18th C explosion of knowledge, it's a great introduction.

Geology and the Scottish Enlightment.......2006-10-14

I found this book to be an interesting new perspective for me on the Scottish Enlightenment--the role of science. The central focus is James Hutton (1726-1797), a Scottish geologist whose pioneering work would disprove the then (and perhaps still) current assertion that the world was not more than 6,000 years old. No less a figure than Newton himself had made this influential calculation. Hutton's theory was based upon his study of the effects of erosion in conjunction with the dynamic movements of the earth's surface generated by intense subsurface heat. He spent much time simply studying various cliffs in Scotland, which convinced him of the ancient nature of the Earth. The author well sets the stage, with introductory chapters on the religious perspective, Hutton's early life, the political context in 18th century Scotland, the role of Edinburgh ("the Athens of the North") as a catalyst for Enlightenment intellectual and scientific development, and the evolution of a scientific study of geology. A chapter is included on Charles Lyell, an influential geologist and author who did much to spread knowledge of Hutton's findings and theories, including being influential on Darwin who read his "Principles of Geology" while on the Beagle voyage. And of course, Hutton's theory was of critical assistance to Darwin, because it indicated that the earth had been in existence for millions of years, during which the slow processes of evolution would have had an opportunity to develop. This is another of the new breed of fairly short books (228 pages) that are just excellent in rich in content, putting some of their longer counterparts to shame. An excellent appendix deals with key geologic terms and some current views of Hutton; a valuable extensive bibliography is also included. Just a most pleasant read about a novel topic.

The Birth of Modern Geology.......2006-08-11

Part geology, part biography, part history of Scotland, this excellent book is a tribute to James Hutton, the originator of modern geology. Starting with the status of geology in the eighteenth century and the use of the Bible as the basis for estimating the age of the earth, the author weaves the intriguing story of James Hutton and how he came about discovering signs of the earth's true antiquity. The political situation in eighteenth century Scotland is well described and illustrates the times in which Hutton lived. But the book goes further in that the evolution of geology after Hutton's death is also discussed, ending with modern estimates of the age of the earth and a brief description of the methods used to produce them. This is a very well-written and exciting book that should appeal to a wide audience.

Another One of Britian's Gifts.......2006-06-18

James Hutton was a tall thin Scotsman, a non-practicing medical doctor, who was independently wealthy and devoted to farming. Unlike many lately, but like some other residents of the United Kingdom, such as Smith, Darwin, Talbot and indeed the fabled figures Sherlock Holmes and Henry Higgins, he used his wealth not to acquire numerous homes but to engage in intellectual endeavors. There are those who may have found him "difficult," but it is hard to fault his priorities.

Hutton became convinced that the world was much older than generally believed in the last half of the eighteenth century. Although the author is not sure of the genesis of Hutton's belief, he does describe the books that had been written in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries that posed scenarios markedly different from that in the bible. Hutton appears, or had the opportunity, to have read them. In 1788 he scouted the rocky, inhospitable, Scotch coast and discovered sedimentary rocks, (Silurian greywacke) tilted like the pages of a book below an unconformity which in turn was overlaid by Upper Old Red Sandstone, all exposed to the sea. This finding confirmed his thought that the world was very, very old, much older than then thought.

But what did nearly everyone else think at that time and why? It is one of the better parts of the book. Repcheck describes Eusebius chronology of world history, written in Greek for Constantine in 325. It was translated into Latin by St. Jerome in 382 and that document "inspired chronologists for the next 1400 years." Eusebius had borrowed from the Hebrew Bible; now known as the Septuagint Bible. It contains the Book of Genesis which gives definite years for the life spans of a few of the celebrities mentioned, e.g. Adam 930 years, Noah 950, Abraham 175, Moses 120, etc. From these and a chronology constructed by Julius Africanus between 212 and 221 he calculated that the birth of Jesus Christ took place 5500 years after God had reportedly worked for six days and rested for one. This was the belief that Hutton faced, and it was then, as now, very widely held in the West. (In China, as there is no belief in a creator, Hutton would have had a somewhat easier time.)

At the time Hutton was farming, most mineralogists believed that all visible rocks were precipitates from the universal ocean. Hutton did not, because he could not dissolve in water every substance found in rocks. He concluded that heat from within the earth coupled with pressure caused lithification. He was wrong on the need for heat. However, he was the first to recognize the need for pressure. (Heat and pressure being necessary for the formation of metamorphic rocks, they were then thought to be also required for sedimentary solidification.) Hutton's importance was stated by Lyell, who was inspired by him, "[Hutton] was the first... to explain the former changes of the earth's crust, by reference exclusively to natural agents." Hutton stated his ultimate conclusion succinctly: "In the economy of the world, I can find no traces of a beginning, no prospect of an end." The effect of his insight was summed by Lyell: "The imagination was first fatigued and overpowered by endeavoring to conceive the immensity of time required for the annihilation of whole continents by so insensible a process." Hutton originated uniformitarianism, which Lyell took to another level. Unfortunately it does not account for catastrophes, which Repcheck notes later caused some resistance to the impact thesis. The strength of the book is its description of the evolution of thought and the intellectual impediments that were overcome.

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Geology and Landscapes of Scotland
Con Gillen
Manufacturer: Terra Publishing (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1903544092

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Edinburgh Rock: The Geology of Lothian
Euan Clarkson , and Brian Upton
Manufacturer: Dunedin Academic Pr Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Ages in Chaos: James Hutton and the Discovery of Deep Time

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Ages in Chaos: James Hutton and the Discovery of Deep Time
Stephen Baxter
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765312387
Release Date: 2004-10-14

Book Description

"This book, then, is the story of how a farmer's son from Scotland learned to peer into the deepest abysses of time. It is a drama of personality, landscape and ideas, of an intellectual revolution that shaped our world--and of a man whose vision, rooted in antiquity yet tinged with modern philosophies, was not only ahead of his own time but speaks to our new century."--From the ForewordIn the eighteenth century, the received wisdom, following Bishop Ussher's careful biblical calculations, was that the Earth was just six thousand years old. James Hutton, a gentleman farmer with a passion for rocks, knew that could not be the case. Looking at the formation of irregular strata in the layers of the Earth he boldly deduced that a much longer span of time would be required for the landscape he saw to have evolved. In the lusty and turbulent world of Enlightenment Scotland, he set out to prove it.He could not have achieved this without the help of his friends. Hutton's entourage in Edinburgh would turn out to be the leading thinkers of the age, including Erasmus Darwin, Adam Smith, James Watt, David Hume, and Joseph Black. But Hutton had his enemies, too. His geological theories would ignite profound religious debate and was condemned as "a wild and unnatural notion" that would lead to "skepticism, and at last to downright infidelity and atheism."Ultimately, however, his revelation was one of the most extraordinary and essential moments in scientific history. Hutton's discovery of deep time changed our view of humanity's place in the universe forever.Like Dava Sobel's bestselling Longitude, Ages In Chaos vividly captures a transcendent moment in the history of human accomplishment.

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Volcanoes And The Making Of Scotland
Brian Upton
Manufacturer: Dunedin Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Scotland's Beginnings (Our Land)
Michael Taylor
Manufacturer: National Museums Of Scotland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1901663264

Book Description

Land is never static and the evidence is all around us, trapped in rocks and soil, in the shell of a fossil animal, in the desert sands.

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Among Islands
Jim Crumley
Manufacturer: Mainstream Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Among Mountains
Jim Crumley
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Ardnamurchan: A guide to geological excursions

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Ardnamurchan: A guide to geological excursions
C. D Gribble
Manufacturer: Edinburgh Geological Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

British regional geology: Scotland, the Tertiary volcanic districts

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British regional geology: Scotland, the Tertiary volcanic districts
J. E Richey
Manufacturer: H.M.S.O
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Product Description

Have you ever said "yes" when you meant "no"? Wanted to give someone a piece of your mind and eaten a piece of cake instead? How about the whole cake? If you're nodding in agreement at this point, you may be suffering from Toxic Niceness, a condition that will only be stopped by getting in touch with your Inner Bitch ―that integral, powerful part which often goes unrecognized― walking around with a cigarette in one hand, a martini in the other, calling a dump a dump. For the woman who wants to laugh out loud and speak her mind, Hilts offers the ultimate self-help book. Description in Spanish: A muchas mujeres las han educado para actuar siempre de la manera correcta; sin embargo, ese esfuerzo no slo no las hace felices, sino que incluso les impide alcanzar lo que desean. Pero en cada mujer existe una fuerza fundamental y poderosa que muchas veces preferimos ignorar. Se trata de la Cabrona Interior. Toda mujer lleva una cabrona dentro: conseguir que emerja para ayudarnos a vivir mejor, dejar de ser unas pringadas y lograr nuestros objetivos es slo cuestin de que aprendamos a escucharla y seamos capaces de superar nuestros miedos. Con humor e ingenio, Elizabeth Hilts ofrece en este libro los consejos bsicos para que, de una vez por todas, la cabrona tome el mando y no nos dejemos pisar.

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Mucho ruido y pocas nueces.......2007-08-31

Escribo esto en espanol ya que en este idioma lo compre.
Esperaba mas del libro y unas simples reflexiones y yo misma puedo hacer.

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