That S The Way I Think

Develops our understanding of ADHD as well as dyspraxia and dyslexia, helping the reader to understand how people with Special Learning Difficulties feel and develop coping strategies.

About 1 in 20 individuals are dyslexic. This figure also applies for dyspraxia and ADHD. This fully revised edition of David Grant’s thought-provoking, insightful book develops our understanding of these specific learning differences and considers the further challenges presented by these overlapping conditions. This new edition includes a brand-new chapter on dyscalculia. New sections also explore updates in the study of dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD as well as visualisation and synaesthesia, in the light of new data and research. These updates enable the reader to gain a fuller understanding of the sensory experiences and thoughts of individuals with specific learning differences. The author takes a life-style approach to explain many of the everyday experiences and choices of individuals with specific learning differences, including sleep, sports, visualisation and creativity, and uses real life examples explained in the words of those with specific learning differences. The accessible style of this book will immediately strike a chord with anyone with first or second-hand experience of specific learning differences. It is invaluable and insightful reading for those with specific learning differences as well as their parents and/or partner, teachers, teaching assistants and SENCos.

An exploration of embodied intelligence and its implications points toward a theory of intelligence in general; with case studies of intelligent systems in ubiquitous computing, business and management, human memory, and robotics. How could the body influence our thinking when it seems obvious that the brain controls the body? In How the Body Shapes the Way We Think, Rolf Pfeifer and Josh Bongard demonstrate that thought is not independent of the body but is tightly constrained, and at the same time enabled, by it. They argue that the kinds of thoughts we are capable of have their foundation in our embodiment—in our morphology and the material properties of our bodies. This crucial notion of embodiment underlies fundamental changes in the field of artificial intelligence over the past two decades, and Pfeifer and Bongard use the basic methodology of artificial intelligence—"understanding by building"—to describe their insights. If we understand how to design and build intelligent systems, they reason, we will better understand intelligence in general. In accessible, nontechnical language, and using many examples, they introduce the basic concepts by building on recent developments in robotics, biology, neuroscience, and psychology to outline a possible theory of intelligence. They illustrate applications of such a theory in ubiquitous computing, business and management, and the psychology of human memory. Embodied intelligence, as described by Pfeifer and Bongard, has important implications for our understanding of both natural and artificial intelligence.

A fresh and revealing look at the stories at the heart of Celtic mythology, exploring their cultural impact throughout history up to the present day. The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think explores a fascinating question: how do myths that were deeply embedded in the customs and beliefs of their original culture find themselves retold and reinterpreted across the world, centuries or even millennia later? Focusing on the myths that have had the greatest cultural impact, Mark Williams reveals the lasting influence of Celtic mythology, from medieval literature to the modern fantasy genre. An elegantly written retelling, Williams captures the splendor of the original myths while also delving deeper into the history of their meanings, offering readers an intelligent and engaging take on these powerful stories. Beautiful illustrations of the artworks these myths have inspired over the centuries are presented in a color plates section and in black and white within the text. Ten chapters recount the myths and explore the lasting influence of legendary figures, including King Arthur, the Celtic figure who paradoxically became the archetypal English national hero; the Irish and Scottish hero Finn MacCool, who as “Fingal” caught the imagination of Napoleon Bonaparte, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Felix Mendelssohn; and the Welsh mythical figure Blodeuwedd, magically created from flowers of the oak, who inspired W. B. Yeats. Williams’s mythological expertise and captivating writing style make this volume essential reading for anyone seeking a greater appreciation of the myths that have shaped our artistic and literary canons and continue to inspire today.

Trace the progress of humanity—from prehistoric times to the present day—through 1,001 ideas that changed how we connect to each other and the world around us. From the ability to control fire to augmented reality, the power of humanity’s ideas has revolutionized how we live and experience the world around us. 1001 Ideas That Changed the Way We Think looks at the innovations and concepts that have played a key role in our progress since before recorded history. Covering a wide range of topics—from political and religious ideas to modern innovations such as social media and clean energy—this captivating volume offers a comprehensive look at how human ideas have evolved over the millennia.

The heroes and villains of Norse mythology have endured for centuries, infiltrating art, opera, film, television and books, shape-shifting like the trickster Loki to suit the cultures that encountered them. Through careful analysis of the literature and archaeology of the Norse world, Carolyne Larrington takes us deep into the realm described in the Icelandic sagas, from the gloomy halls of Hel to the dazzling heights of Asgard. She expertly examines the myths many modern-day reimaginings, revealing the guises that have been worn by the figures of Norse myth, including Marvels muscled, golden-haired Thor and George R.R Martins White Walkers, who march inexorably southwards, bringing their eternal winter with them. This sophisticated yet accessible guide explores how these powerful stories have inspired our cultural landscape, from fuelling the creative genius of Wagner to the construction of the Nazis nationalist ideology. Larringtons elegantly written retellings capture the essence of the original myths while also delving into the history of their meanings. The myths continue to speak to such modern concerns as masculinity and environmental disaster after the inevitable, apocalyptic ragna rök, renewal comes from the roots of Yggdrasill, the World Tree.

In the health documentary That Sugar Film, writer and director Damon Gameau enlists the help of Stephen Fry, Hugh Jackman and leading scientists around the world to shine a light on the terrible effects of sugar. In a Supersize Me-style experiment, he changes his diet to include 40 teaspoons of sugar a day for 60 days - the average daily sugar intake in Australia - and monitors the effect on his body. But here is the catch - he cannot eat chocolate, sweets, ice cream or cake; the sugar must come from 'healthy' foods. In this illustrated That Sugar Book, Damon explains how sugar damages our bodies and our minds, and how easy it is to consume sugar without even knowing it. Revealing the astonishing amounts of sugar hidden in supposedly healthy foods on supermarket shelves - such as low-fat yoghurt, muesli and children's fruit snacks - Damon makes us realise the damage we unknowingly do to ourselves and our families when we make poor food choices, and shows us how to make it right. With an up-close account of Damon's sugar experiment, and sugar-free recipes to help you wean off the white stuff, That Sugar Book is a startling wake-up call to those of us who have never questioned what's really in our food.

In its first two decades, much of cognitive science focused on such mental functions as memory, learning, symbolic thought, and language acquisition -- the functions in which the human mind most closely resembles a computer. But humans are more than computers, and the cutting-edge research in cognitive science is increasingly focused on the more mysterious, creative aspects of the mind. The Way We Think is a landmark synthesis that exemplifies this new direction. The theory of conceptual blending is already widely known in laboratories throughout the world; this book is its definitive statement. Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner argue that all learning and all thinking consist of blends of metaphors based on simple bodily experiences. These blends are then themselves blended together into an increasingly rich structure that makes up our mental functioning in modern society. A child's entire development consists of learning and navigating these blends. The Way We Think shows how this blending operates; how it is affected by (and gives rise to) language, identity, and concept of category; and the rules by which we use blends to understand ideas that are new to us. The result is a bold, exciting, and accessible new view of how the mind works.