The Cosmic Viewpoint

Seneca's Natural Questions is an eight-book disquisition on the nature of meteorological phenomena, ranging inter alia from rainbows to earthquakes, from comets to the winds, from the causes of snow and hail to the reasons why the Nile floods in summer. Much of this material had been treated in the earlier Greco-Roman meteorological tradition, but what notoriously sets Seneca's writing apart is his insertion of extended moralizing sections within his technical discourse. How, if at all, are these outbursts against the luxury and vice that are apparently rampant in Seneca's first-century CE Rome to be reconciled with his main meteorological agenda? In grappling with this familiar question, The Cosmic Viewpoint argues that Seneca is no blinkered or arid meteorological investigator, but a creative explorer into nature's workings who offers a highly idiosyncratic blend of physico-moral investigation across his eight books. At one level, his inquiry into nature impinges on human conduct and morality in its implicit propagation of the familiar Stoic ideal of living in accordance with nature: the moral deviants whom Seneca condemns in the course of the work offer egregious examples of living contrary to nature's balanced way. At a deeper level, however, The Cosmic Viewpoint stresses the literary qualities and complexities that are essential to Seneca's literary art of science: his technical enquiries initiate a form of engagement with nature which distances the reader from the ordinary involvements and fragmentations of everyday life, instead centering our existence in the cosmic whole. From a figurative standpoint, Seneca's meteorological theme raises our gaze from a terrestrial level of existence to a more intuitive plane where literal vision gives way to 'higher' conjecture and intuition: in striving to understand meteorological phenomena, we progress in an elevating direction - a conceptual climb that renders the Natural Questions no mere store of technical learning, but a work that actively promotes a change of perspective in its readership.

Building on a long tradition of effective pedagogy and comprehensive presentation, The Cosmic Perspective, Fifth Edition includes an enhanced art program. This student-friendly text is now even more accessible through robust visual pedagogy via new Cosmic Context two-page illustrations, which walk students through key processes and summarize the major points of each Part, and via updated zoom-in figures which provide students with a sense of orientation, scale, and relation between images. In addition to an enhanced art program, the text also features new See It For Yourself boxes with practical hands-on activities for in-class use or self-study, and a new subset of Process of Science end-of-chapter questions that challenge students to think through how we know what we know about astronomy. Renowned for its up-to-date, expert coverage and strong pedagogical support for student learning, the Fifth Edition retains and builds on all the features and supplements from previous editions that have helped to make it the #1 most adopted astronomy textbook. The Cosmic Perspective, Fifth Edition, includes the most sophisticated yet easy-to-use astronomy tutorial and assessment system ever built: MasteringAstronomyTM It provides both instructor-assigned homework and a self-study area containing our popular astronomy media that includes Interactive TutorialsTM, Interactive Figures and PhotosTM, quizzes, and more. The Cosmic Lecture Launcher v5.0 CD-ROM includes high resolution JPEGs of all images from the book for improved in-class projection, Interactive Figures and Photos based on figures in the text, PowerPoint� Lecture Outlines, and Clicker Quizzes based on the book and book-specific interactive media, plus a variety of additional instructor resources. This unparalleled media package is designed to help professors and students seamlessly incorporate media into their lectures and at-home study.

Go on an awe-inspiring journey, unraveling the secrets of our universe from the tiniest particles to the vastness of space In this thought-provoking exploration, physicists Chris Ferrie and Geraint F. Lewis delve into the fundamental questions that have puzzled humanity for centuries. What sparked the birth of the universe? How did matter and energy come into existence? With clarity and precision, Ferrie and Lewis navigate the realms of quantum physics, relativity, and cosmology, providing accessible explanations that engage both novices and enthusiasts. Featuring a harmonious blend of scientific rigor and captivating storytelling, Where Did the Universe Come From? bridges the gap between complex concepts and everyday understanding. Readers will: Explore the origin of the universe and the fundamental forces that govern it. Dive into the mind-boggling realm of quantum mechanics and its implications on the cosmic scale. Uncover the mysteries of black holes, dark matter, and the enigmatic nature of the cosmos. Enjoy an engaging narrative that seamlessly integrates complex scientific concepts with accessible explanations. Whether you're an astrophysics enthusiast, a science student, or simply someone with a profound interest in the wonders of the universe, this comprehensive guide offers a rich tapestry of knowledge about the captivating wonders that surround us all.

The Cosmic Viewpoint examines the literary and philosophical qualities essential to Seneca's art of science in his Natural Questions. Seneca's meteorological theme raises our gaze from a terrestrial level to a higher, more intuitive plane - a conceptual climb by which Seneca promotes a change of perspective in his readership towards the cosmic viewpoint.

The author shows pictures of a girl as seen from distant distances, both afar and within to view an immense range of perspectives to illuminate a cosmic view of science. Presents a simple framework to illustrate what the world is like.

The ninth edition of this successful textbook describes the full range of the astronomical universe and how astronomers think about the cosmos.

Embodiment and the Cosmic Perspective in Twentieth-Century Fiction explores the multiple ways in which narrative can radically defamiliarize our bodily experience and bridge the gap with cosmic realities.